I can see how Scorsese would be attracted to the period - historically speaking this is almost a follow up to Gangs of New York - Al capone was part of the last incarnations of the five points gangs before he famously moved to Chicago, and you catch a glimpse of a young capone freshly arrived in chicago in this trailer. Also, arnold rothstein who is directly connected to the five points/gony era was Meyer Lansky's predecessor and a leading underworld figure in the early 1900s - best remembered as the man who fixed the 1919 World Series. He also seems to be a major character.
I love Steve Buscemi, but I just cant ride for Scorsese. He went from making essentially what where art films to making these cliched costume dramas. The stuff he does with Dicaprio, which seems to be everything these days, is particularly dreadful. I stopped watching The Aviator after investing almost an hour into it because I just couldn't take the faux comicbook like representations, the actors put out these over the top teenager Andy Hardy "let's put on a show" performances. I mean Cate Blanchett was just redonkulous. And Gangs of New York was just as bad, it was like lets take everything from every picture of the five-points and lower east side turn-of-the-century slums and cram it in one movie. Real characters are replaced with archtypes with no depth. I can kind of understand that he sees himself as part of a historical context and, yes he probably knows more about film, "cinema" than anyone else in Holywood these days. But his recent movies are just bad. IMO.
I mean, I wish somebody would take away his budget, and I bet he would make great films.
I agree with some of your points - Scorsese's later output is definitely uneven. I thought Aviator was great tho, having only seen it once - Gangs of New York was different for me - I've read a lot of books on the time period, so I was eager to see it just based on the setting alone.
For me seeing the details, the sets, and the five points coming to life was great, I had the same gripes as everyone else did - the plot and acting left a lot to be desired, also the music didnt fit imo.
BUT i will still cosine the opinion some critics have voiced that as a piece of cinematography, set design, production and editing, GONY is a masterpiece - albeit a flawed one.
Another thing i would add to that is watching gangs of new york, you can also take the tone of storytelling and characters as being 'true to the period' - ie in the style of a dime store novel, or a series of variety esque vignettes,, full of ott blood, romance and larger than life acting - taken as such, the film takes on another dimension. Anyway I still enjoy watching it and Day Lewis is great in it.
Shutter Island was very enjoyable to me and Casino is one of my all time favorite (gangster) flicks, pretty much a perfect movie in every sense. Still a big Scorsese fan and Boardwalk Empire looks like a treat. Scorsese has only directed the pilot tho, the rest will be done by others.
I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I'm never going to be blown away by another Scorsese picture. It's been twenty years since Goodfellas and, while I think some of his other nineties pictures had merit, none of them really knocked me for six (Casino is great and all but it's so similar in execution to Goodfellas that it suffers by comparison and, to my mind at least, lacks the heart of the earlier movie).
I'll always watch a new release by him but can't say I've fully enjoyed any of his recent flicks. Am with Saba on the feeling that every single film he makes now is an "event" movie and would love to see him pare it back down again. It's like as soon as he became accepted by the Hollywood elite as a master film-maker it knocked the fire out of him. Leo as muse is never going to work either.
I love Steve Buscemi, but I just cant ride for Scorsese. He went from making essentially what where art films to making these cliched costume dramas. The stuff he does with Dicaprio, which seems to be everything these days, is particularly dreadful. I stopped watching The Aviator after investing almost an hour into it because I just couldn't take the faux comicbook like representations, the actors put out these over the top teenager Andy Hardy "let's put on a show" performances. I mean Cate Blanchett was just redonkulous. And Gangs of New York was just as bad, it was like lets take everything from every picture of the five-points and lower east side turn-of-the-century slums and cram it in one movie. Real characters are replaced with archtypes with no depth. I can kind of understand that he sees himself as part of a historical context and, yes he probably knows more about film, "cinema" than anyone else in Holywood these days. But his recent movies are just bad. IMO.
I mean, I wish somebody would take away his budget, and I bet he would make great films.
saw the premier. i dont know what i'm looking for out of it personally nor can i explain why it didnt carry the same kind of weight as say goodfellas or mean streets did upon viewing (to me).
Dont get me wrong, i liked it and enjoyed it, but i wasnt blown away by it, there's something awkward abotu it that i cannot put my finger on and explain. i guess i need to think about it some more, maybe watch the episode a few more times.
i'd be interested to hear others chiming in on it for sure.
EDIT: reading some reviews now and everyone is giving it glowing praises. lots of (obvious) comparisons to gangs of new york in terms of style etc. i dont know what im missing. prolly just need to watch it again.
Cool to see the "This is England" guy as Al Capone... Also am I right to assume that Rothstein is Sam Rothstein's (deniro in Casino) pop? Scorcese's prequel to his other movies?
Cool to see the "This is England" guy as Al Capone... Also am I right to assume that Rothstein is Sam Rothstein's (deniro in Casino) pop? Scorcese's prequel to his other movies?
Fuck, I just wrote out a long thing but it got erased. Ugh... Anyway, no - Arnold Rothstein was a real guy, one of the most "visionary" (for lack of any other way of calling him) mobsters in history and the guy who pretty much single-handedly created what modern day gangsterdom is today.
I really liked the show, and I watched it twice back to back to see how I could absorb it. Surprisingly engaging for a first episode, and I'm saying that as someone who watched both The Wire and Sopranos and it did not stick with me initially and I had to try again and again until both those series caught on. Visually it was really quite stunning, and there were a grip of trademark Marty shots, pans, cool edit things, shit with music... Pretty psyched about this one.
I'm patient. Like I said, The Wire and Sopranos, both which are the best shows EVER, like it took me a while to get into them. Also I devoted like 6+ years of my life to them, so if it stays good I'm in for the long haul I guess...
What I heard from people in the know is that this episode is the weakest of the ones that were previewed. It's only supposed to improve from here on out.
staxwax
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i'm sold. really miss the sopranos, and am hoping this will fill that void.
I mean, I wish somebody would take away his budget, and I bet he would make great films.
For me seeing the details, the sets, and the five points coming to life was great, I had the same gripes as everyone else did - the plot and acting left a lot to be desired, also the music didnt fit imo.
BUT i will still cosine the opinion some critics have voiced that as a piece of cinematography, set design, production and editing, GONY is a masterpiece - albeit a flawed one.
Another thing i would add to that is watching gangs of new york, you can also take the tone of storytelling and characters as being 'true to the period' - ie in the style of a dime store novel, or a series of variety esque vignettes,, full of ott blood, romance and larger than life acting - taken as such, the film takes on another dimension. Anyway I still enjoy watching it and Day Lewis is great in it.
Shutter Island was very enjoyable to me and Casino is one of my all time favorite (gangster) flicks, pretty much a perfect movie in every sense. Still a big Scorsese fan and Boardwalk Empire looks like a treat. Scorsese has only directed the pilot tho, the rest will be done by others.
salivating
I'll always watch a new release by him but can't say I've fully enjoyed any of his recent flicks. Am with Saba on the feeling that every single film he makes now is an "event" movie and would love to see him pare it back down again. It's like as soon as he became accepted by the Hollywood elite as a master film-maker it knocked the fire out of him. Leo as muse is never going to work either.
Or teenage gangsters using magic!!!!
:game_over:
INDUBITABLY.
Anyone here catch it and care to offer a spoiler free verdict?
Reviews are overwhelmingly positive I noticed.
NY Daily News Review
Dont get me wrong, i liked it and enjoyed it, but i wasnt blown away by it, there's something awkward abotu it that i cannot put my finger on and explain. i guess i need to think about it some more, maybe watch the episode a few more times.
i'd be interested to hear others chiming in on it for sure.
EDIT: reading some reviews now and everyone is giving it glowing praises. lots of (obvious) comparisons to gangs of new york in terms of style etc. i dont know what im missing. prolly just need to watch it again.
The key to these types of shows is having great characters(See Sopranos).
I'm gonna give Boardwalk a few weeks but I didn't see the great character potential last night.
Fuck, I just wrote out a long thing but it got erased. Ugh... Anyway, no - Arnold Rothstein was a real guy, one of the most "visionary" (for lack of any other way of calling him) mobsters in history and the guy who pretty much single-handedly created what modern day gangsterdom is today.
I really liked the show, and I watched it twice back to back to see how I could absorb it. Surprisingly engaging for a first episode, and I'm saying that as someone who watched both The Wire and Sopranos and it did not stick with me initially and I had to try again and again until both those series caught on. Visually it was really quite stunning, and there were a grip of trademark Marty shots, pans, cool edit things, shit with music... Pretty psyched about this one.
I'm patient. Like I said, The Wire and Sopranos, both which are the best shows EVER, like it took me a while to get into them. Also I devoted like 6+ years of my life to them, so if it stays good I'm in for the long haul I guess...
One thing about it though...what a crap opening theme song, bleh.
frist thought was i didnt really like the anachronism, it didnt make sense to me.