This was real life for black and brown people living and working in the late 70's and Early 80's of the Reagan era. Most of the people in the movie were real, you had a very few actors. Dennis hopper just want to show the world what really goes on in America, Its was not all Hollywood. It was more films like this in the early 70's, like Youngblood, Warriors, and The Mack. But COLORS put the big spot light on every hood across America.