"Gangs Gone Wild"

Gunckel, Colin. "Gangs Gone Wild": Low-Budget Gang Documentaries and the Aesthetics of Exploitation." Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film and Television no. 60 (Fall 2007): 37-46.

Abstract (via EBSCO Academic Search Premier):

"This article offers context for a cycle of DVDs about Latino gangs in Los Angeles, California. By linking the emergence of these local productions to a compelling variety of extant trends like exploitation films, Latin American film genres, and the cultural geography of Los Angeles, the article sheds light on the textual features of two specific productions "Barrio 18 #3" and "L.A. Mara Salvatrucha." It argues that these videos offer a refreshing alternative to mainstream media depictions, one that has the potential to problematize monolithic narratives of gang life and humanize subjects who are often reduced to specularized physicality and displays of violence."