Youngblood (1978 film)
Encyclopedia
Youngblood is a 1978 American film
released by American International Pictures
. It starred Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
and featured Bryan O'Dell in the title role. Ren Woods
had a prominent supporting role. The soundtrack to the film was written and performed by War
veteran who is beginning to accept the fact that he's getting to be too old to be involved in the street gang lifestyle.
Shortly after Michael joins the Kingsmen, they move from merely battling other similar street gangs to becoming involved in a full-scale war against a local cartel of drug dealers. And, unknown to Michael and the Kingsmen, the head of the organization is Michael's own older brother.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
released by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. It starred Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in a number of films and television programs, including Claudine , Cooley High , Roots , Welcome Back, Kotter , Bangers and Mash , and The Jacksons: An American Dream .Lawrence's name, at least as shown in the credits of Welcome...
and featured Bryan O'Dell in the title role. Ren Woods
Ren Woods
Ren Woods is an American film and television actress/singer, best known for her role as Fanta in Roots, and also as the girl with flowers in her hair who sang "Aquarius" in the film version of Hair. Ren Woods began her singing career as a child and released two solo albums before returning her...
had a prominent supporting role. The soundtrack to the film was written and performed by War
War (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
Plot
Michael (O'Dell) is an African-American teenager in South-Central Los Angeles, being raised by a single mother and beginning to drift away from school. Before long, Michael is running with a tough local street gang, the Kingsmen, who christen him with the nickname "Youngblood". Michael greatly looks up to the gang's leader, Rommel (Hilton-Jacobs), an angry Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran who is beginning to accept the fact that he's getting to be too old to be involved in the street gang lifestyle.
Shortly after Michael joins the Kingsmen, they move from merely battling other similar street gangs to becoming involved in a full-scale war against a local cartel of drug dealers. And, unknown to Michael and the Kingsmen, the head of the organization is Michael's own older brother.