Charles S. Haas based his story on true events which occurred in the planned community of Foster City, California in the early 1970s. In fact, a California headline about the incident, "Mouse Packs: Kids On A Crime Spree", was authored by Haas when he was a reporter with the San Francisco Examiner.
Originally completed in 1979, the movie was not released until two years later when it was run on HBO. At the time, the studio thought the movie was too controversial and feared that it would spark violence, which apparently occurred with the film The Warriors (1979).
The woman who play's Tip's (Eric Lalich) mom is actually his real mom.
'Matt Dillon (I)' didn't actually want or expect to be cast in the movie. He went to the audition just so he could skip school.
'Matt Dillon(I)' 's first movie.
The original title of the movie was "On the Edge".
Richie:
A kid who tells on another kid is a dead kid!
Carl:
Fireworks? What am I gonna do with these?
Richie:
Give 'em to Claude. Let him smoke 'em.
Doberman:
You boys got any special reason to be hiding behind there?
Richie:
Yea, we heard you were horny.
Sloan:
Seems to me like you all were in such a hopped-up hurry to get out of the city that you turned your kids into exactly what you were trying to get away from.
Abby:
Eat it, you stinkin' pig!
Principal:
Mr. White, you're late!
Richie:
I had to take a piss.
Principal:
WHAT did you say?
Richie:
I mean... I had to urinate.
Principal:
Sit *down*!
Doberman:
How long is this blade, White?
Richie:
Three inches. Almost as big as your dick.
Abby:
[laughing]
Richie:
Shut up, SHUT UP
[turns around]
Richie:
Jerk
Claude:
Check out Dirty Harry.
Abby:
You couldn't hit an elephant if it came up and kissed you.
Richie:
Watch this, Baby
Cory:
Ah, I Cant hear anything
Claude:
When the cops practice, they wear those ear things.
Tip:
Hey, I can't swim
Richie:
Grow Fins, Turkey
Mark:
Hey, I think you are all right, man. Anytime you want to come say hello, just leave a message with my secretary. All right?
Carl:
The first day I ever met him he said: "Hi, I'm Ritchie White. I'm on probation."
Carl:
You know, I think you're really beautiful. You are.
Cory:
No, I'm Not
Mark:
How you do, soldier?
Doberman:
Lincoln, the gun
Abby:
Hey, you think Doberman will get fired?
Outlaw:
Ah, hell, fire him. They'll give him a medal.
Mark:
Man, one stick of dynamite would do it.
Cole:
Fred, your son and some of his friends are a part of this problem.
Fred Willat:
My son and his friends are a part of this goddamn town!
Continuity: After the library is trashed, a boy is shown standing on top of a police car. At first he's swinging a pair of nunchaks, but in the very next scene he's holding a crowbar.
References
Dirty Harry (1971)
Referenced in
Boyz n the Hood (1991)
- Both movies show kids being lead off in handcuffs to the song Ooh Child