Blood in Blood out
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| Bound by Honor | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Taylor Hackford |
| Produced by | Jimmy Santiago Baca Taylor Hackford Jeremy Iacone Stratton Leopold |
| Written by | Ross Thomas Jimmy Santiago Baca Jeremy Iacone Floyd Mutrux |
| Starring | Damian Chapa Jesse Borrego Benjamin Bratt Enrique Castillo Victor Rivers Delroy Lindo Tom Towles Carlos Carrasco |
| Music by | Bill Conti |
| Distributed by | Hollywood Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 16, 1993 |
| Running time | 180 min. (theatrical), 190 min. (director's cut) |
| Language | English, Spanish |
| Budget | $35,000,000 (estimated) |
| IMDb profile | |
Bound by Honor (also known as Blood in, Blood out) is a 1993 film directed by Taylor Hackford. It follows the lives of the three Chicano boys Miklo (Damian Chapa), Cruzito (Jesse Borrego) and Paco (Benjamin Bratt) from 1972 to the mid 1980s. They start out as members of the fictional street gang Vatos Locos in East Los Angeles. As dramatic incidents occur, their lives are drastically changed, as is their friendship. It is by some regarded as a very good (and allegedly, very realistic) prison movie, as well as illustrating gang warfare, drug use and friendship in a thrilling and original way. It is noted for its use of the Spanish-speaking areas of Los Angeles in filming, as well as filming inside the San Quentin State Prison.
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[edit] Synopsis
Cruz and Paco are stepbrothers of Hispanic origin. Miklo is their biracial cousin, however, his White father and white skin has made him less accepted among Cruz, Paco and their street gang Vatos Locos ruling the barrio, El Pico Aliso, where the three friends have grown up. (It also gave him the nickname Milkweed) Miklo has been in juvenile hall (upon returning home, his visits his mother, who is actually the younger sister of Paco and Cruz's mother, and upon his return he proves himself worthy for the gang when he performs an attack on a rival gang, Tres Puntos. His assault earns him a placa, a tattoo as a token of his membership in the gang, but the rival gang takes revenge by brutally attacking Cruz and damaging his back for life. When Vatos Locos learns of the attack, they perform a well-planned counterattack ending dramatically with the murder of the rival gang's set leader (Spider) and Miklo and Paco being apprehended by the police. Miklo is convicted and sent to San Quentin State Prison, and Paco volunteers to perform military service, becoming a member of the United States Marine Corps (Paco's enlistment in the USMC is in exchange of having criminal charges dismissed - this is usually part of a criminal case where one is given deferred adjudication). Their three paths are this way diverged, with Miklo struggling in prison (later becoming part of the prison gang La Onda (based loosely on the real-life Mexican Mafia) and becoming its leader after his mentor, Montana, is murdered in a jail cell), Cruz becoming an artist (later a heroin addict) because of his back pains (which leads to ostracism from the rest of his family after his younger brother Juanito (13 years old) dies of an accidental overdose of heroin) and Paco becoming an undercover narcotics detective after leaving the USMC, being affected by the death of Juanito, denying his ties to the barrio and his former fellow gang members although the film depicts him as a sellout who assimilates into the mainstream.
[edit] Fans and criticism
Fans of the movie often point out elements such as revenge, cooperation and strong friendship making a good balance between the gang warfare (the latter clearly defining it as an action movie) and drama[citation needed]. Even though some of the scenes in the prison may seem as clichés, it is worth noting that the prison part of the movie has been described as very real. The shooting of the prison scenes were contingent on the complete approval of the warden of San Quentin, a Chicano who requested to read the script before making a decision. In the extras section of the Bound by Honor DVD, the director discusses how the warden gave consent to shoot in his prison and was surprised at how accurate the film was to real gang prison life. One of the actors, [ The length of the movie is also sometimes noted for being too long (theatrical cut: 180 min., director's cut: 190 min.). However, it is argued that the long storyline spanning over a long period of time could not easily been presented successfully otherwise.
This film was released a few months after American Me where Edward James Olmos' script had similar themes although based on the real-life Mexican Mafia prison gang. However the Latin community has accepted Blood In Blood out as a cult film and many where felt let down by Olmos's american me. Some say Olmos is responisible for the deaths of many people as a result of his portrayel of Mexican mafia leaders as homosexuals, wich was a fabrication for the films dramatic effect this backfired literaly on Olmos.
[edit] Director's cut
The director's cut, spanning approximately 10 minutes longer than the theatrical, will give more explanation to some of the scenes. Where other movies often include subplots or scenes deemed to strong for the economical potential in theatres, Bound by Honor mostly extends scenes, usually with additional dialogue. Comparing the two cuts, some scenes become quite different and give a more thorough explanation through the director's cut. The motives of this cutting is probably a compromise the director had to make, so as to limit the length of the movie. Even though most who have seen both agree that the director's cut is better, DVDs of the theatrical cut are still being distributed, especially in countries where the movie did not have a theatrical release of the movie.
[edit] The dialogue
Even though the storyline itself is quite twisty, and arguably features more than one climax, the dialogue is another reason as to how this movie is very well known among some people. The vast number of slang expressions, and also numerous phrases that are regarded as rather catchy. Examples are Paco's nonchalant words "Hey, life's a risk carnal" and Miklo's proclamation of loyalty: "I may be white from the outside, but I'm brown on the inside, to the bone!" The arrogant, sometimes humorous tone of Popeye (Carlos Carrasco) may also be noted. His clever use of words are easily remembered, and players of the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will probably note his voice among the many pedestrians in the game. Then there are the quotes from various members of 'La Onda', Montana: "I don't want this porkchop... I want his Liiiiiife", Geronimo: "Onda don't shine shoes!"
[edit] Quotes
- Montana: I don't want his porkchop...[grabs apple from Miklo's tray and squeezes it] I want his life.
- Montana: I'm gonna fold your bluffing hand one day you chicken shit motherfucker.
- Chuy: ain't no f*cking judo in this town that can't do a Chicano U-turn.
- Popeye: Hey Cinderella, go find yourself a fella. You're on the clock, bitch, and midnight is coming. You got the wrong man!
- Popeye: Pinche white bitch, gimme some CHON-CHON!
- Popeye: She looks a little bow-legged to me Al.
- Popeye: I'm gonna cut that fucking placa off of you, you ain't no vato loco!
- Popeye: Hey just a fucking minute your majesty! This ain't the joint with three hots and a cot! This is the streets, homey.
- Popeye: Suave Allllll.
- Popeye: You want me to take it, ah? You want me to rape you, eh, puto!
- Black Guy: (to Popeye) What's your problem, man?
- Popeye: Aye, I got no problem..."brotha'"(throwing up black power fist)
- Popeye: Orale Bonafideee, that's a fine looking comb you got. You should give it to one of my bitches.
- Bonafide: Don't you know this comb has power sucker, BLACK POWER (Black inmates throw up Black Power fist in unison), power to give a fool like you nightmares and see you wouldn't understand that!
- Miklo: Ay buey, I waited for this for eighteen mons.
- Miklo: Hey man, this is the best thing I've tasted in nine years ese, nine years orale!
- Miklo: I may be white on the outside, but i'm brown on the inside...TO THE BONE.
- Miklo: Onda should take the money left in the gambling book and make a buy.
- Miklo: Who the fuck are you? I live here pinche guey.
- Miklo: I take no free tickets on no one's train.
- Miklo: I'll f*ck who I want, when I want.
- Paco "El Gallo Negro": Life's a risk carnal.
- Paco: Know what I mean, jelly bean?
- Paco: Ya (yah), ya (yah) ése. You cry, we die, Shut up homes.
- Black Guy: Say man, ain't nothing but fat on that bone, gimme another chop.
- Magic: So you're the sucker that dusted Spider? Well if a rep's what you're looking for killer..then I'm the man you want. Mira, [showing Miklo his tattooed hand] Tres puntos like spider
[snorting noise] Ohh hoo, i'm the boogeyman! (as Popeye takes Miklo away) Get the fuck outta here before I make you my Bitch.
- Big Al: Move on nigger before I carpet my cell with your black skin.
- Big Al: [regarding Miklo] Or maybe you'd like to swap it in for some of that tender white meat. You can pay your debts with that.
- Big Al: Now for my brown brothas, sorry no tortilla.
- Big Al: You bet cash, lose cash, pay cash, Pimpmobile.
- Big Al: Wait a minute, I see a ray of sunshine in all that darkness down there!
- Big Al: [thick Mexican accent] In your dreams Pedro, in your dreams.
- Paco:Take a look around you milkweed does it ever snow in L.A , Does a white boy get a V.L placazo..nooo.
- Carlos: Cocaine is America's cup of cofee.
- Miklo: Their trying to break La Onda up, but we're going to turn it on them. Billy Graham style.
Cruzito: Stay straight, my boy!
