The original script by Richard Di Lello took place in Chicago, and was more about drug dealing than gang members. Dennis Hopper ordered changes, so Michael Schiffer was hired, and the setting was changed to Los Angeles, and the focus of the story became more about the world of gang members.
Producer Robert H. Solo hired real street gang members as guardians as well as actors. Two of them were shot during filming.
Sean Penn was arrested on April 2, 1987, and spent thirty-three days in jail for assault after hitting an extra on the set of this film, who was taking snapshots of Penn without his permission.
The film was released April 29, 1988. Actor Trinidad Silva (Frog) died just 3 months later (July 31, 1988) in a vehicle accident caused by a drunk driver. Mr Silva was filming UHF (starring Weird Al Yankovic) at the time of his death.
Critics complained that the scene showing the funeral being disrupted by gang gunfire was unrealistic. According to the filmmakers, shortly after the scene wrapped, a church service a short distance away actually was disrupted by street gang gunfire.