: "If it 'ain't broke, don't fix it."
Dude, your personal taste may coincide with that of many others but the simple fact remains that the film is exactly how the director wanted HIS film to be in the first place.
On the one hand even though the film opened well with crowds queuing around the block to see it (and it was indeed the numero uno film of that opening week-end with Ronald Reagan as a fan) it wasn't long before the controversy started and the film was accused of encouraging gang behaviour after several violent incidents between rival gang members in the audience and there were reports of copycat behavior with gangs getting together in Los Angeles and in other major cities where the film was being shown.
On the other hand you had other people protesting trying to get the film banned.
The controversy didn't end there and the studio ended up having had to pay big bucks for extra security in all the cinemas where the film was being shown after several were trashed by members of the audience rioting, shouting and screaming at the screen, tearing up seats etc. before the film was even over.
. . . and it was reported at the time that despite Paramount's best efforts they were not able to:-
"stem the violence that was breaking out across the country as a result of the movie’s release and 3 people were allegedly killed as a result of the violence. A kid was killed outside a theatre in Oxnard, California, a week after the film opened; a second was killed in a drive-in theatre in Palm Springs and the third was a Boston high school student who was supposedly killed by two men in a subway station after they had seen the film."
. . . and according to Trey Taylor of "Dazed":-
"ONCE THE FILM OPENED, THEATRES WERE GIVEN AN OPTION TO PULL OUT OF SCREENING THE FILM DUE TO A SHOOTING
Although it was rolled out in theatres across America and easily made back its paltry production budget, it was quickly spoiled by a tragic incident that took place in Palm Springs. Members of the Blue Coats, an African-American gang, took on members of a white gang, The Family. On Monday, February 12, 1979, a 19-year-old boy and member of The Family was fatally shot at a drive-in showing of the film. That same night, an 18-year-old bled out after being stabbed in a movie theater 165 miles away in Oxnard. As a result, Paramount gave theatre chains an out, saying they wouldn’t take it to court if the theatres opted not to show the film."
Paramount / the producers tried to turn down the temperature by doctoring the posters for the film by removing part of the tagline:-
"These are the armies of the night. They are 100,000 strong. They outnumber the cops five to one. They could run New York City" became . . .
BEFORE.....................................................................................................................................AFTER
. . . and then by changing other posters almost completely by removing the several tough looking gang members and leaving a white background instead.
As can be imagined the situation soon became untenable with a film originally designed by the director to be set "SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE" but which had inspired and brought home painfully real present day (1979) violence to the streets of America with the result that :-
"Paramount had no choice but to drop the advertising of the film and then later pull it from cinemas preventing it from being the major commercial blockbuster that it was shaping up to be. The film by this point had grossed a sizeable $22.5m. Andrew Laszlo and other members of the crew commented that they would not have made the film if they had known about the violence it incited."
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Not difficult to understand Walter Hill's desire to distance himself from such events and to let it be known that his vision for his film was not what was shown in cinemas - his vision being more fantastical, even comic book in nature, with the ridiculous, elaborate, unrealistic and impractical costumes that any self-respecting gang member wouldn't be seen dead in - i.e. you have one gang (the Baseball Furies) wearing make up as if they were members of the glam rock group Kiss and another (the Punks) wearing roller skates . . . but I suppose if they get into a fight they can make a quick getaway on their skates (LOL).
I mean to say !
