*** Official "GANGS OF NEW YORK" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[teapot2001]

John Reilly was the police officer.

~T

 

[MikeRS]

I know! That's what freaks me out. His mere silent presence is like a vortex that sucks you in. But when he opens his mouth, you also have one of the most charismatic speaking characters ever. Add the depth and complexity that make up his inner being, and.........

LOVE. :b

 

[Brian W.]

GONY grossed $2,875,000 opening day, far ahead of Wild Thornburys but way behind Two Weeks Notice's $4,650,00. Of course, Two Weeks Notice was in 2755 theaters as opposed to GONY's 1504. Nonetheless, I'm surprised GONY didn't do a little better.

 

[MathewM]

Spoilers....

The film did lose it's focus after the Chinese dinner theater betrayal scene (I'm not sure how else to describe it). Gangs of New York worked on the simple premise of a revenge thriller much better IMO. After the cat was out of the bag and Bill let Amsterdam off the 'hook' AGAIN! there seemed to be a loss of dramatic tension. The ensueing politics and gang tribalism along with some fairly pedestrian acting from DiCaprio and Diaz left my mind wandering. As great as Daniel Day-Lewis' personification of Bill the Butcher was, he really didn't have a whole lot to say and was rather two-dimensional (you can draw some parallels between his rhetoric and a certain former Senate Majority leader). Which brings me to: I for one found the lack of a true hero to root for frustrating. From the opening battle Scorsese clearly stylized the film. The whole thing is staged like a graphic novel. With that in mind the general audience needs a hero with a purpose for the greater good. Bill's racist snarl's echo across the screen without anyone to resound against them. I don't completely blame DiCaprio because the script makes him very passive-reactionary. In fact the added hollywood romance brought out what DiCaprio is best at. He is probably modern cinema's most endearing male actor. Tens of millions of teenage girls can't be wrong. In the end I believe the lack of an overall theme holds the film from greatness. In regards to the closing shot: Just horrible! Up until that point we were to believe in this living breathing New York of the mid 19th century. Along with the trite voice over we have a crummy blue screen of a montage of New York skylines as the actors clumsily exit screen left. All that was missing was "WELCOME TO NEW YORK!" in a broad red font. I have to believe this was tacked on at Harvey's "the butcher" request. I would think Marty is slightly more inspired.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Unlike you, I liked the closing shot very much and how it transformed from one era of buildings to the next and so forth!




Crawdaddy

 

[Patrick Sun]

Raw and passionate is how I'd describe the gang battle scenes and the riot battle scenes. TTT has nothing on the sheer energy and chaos that Scorsese brought to the screen in GONY. Scorsese just flat out knows how to put together scenes of tremendous carnage within human conflict without getting all sentimental about the action at hand.

Daniel Day-Lewis is pretty much "the show" in GONY in that he owns every scenes he's in as Bill the Butcher. It's definitely Oscar nomination worthy (but does he gets it for actor or supporting actor, hmm..., I'd go with actor). If Scorsese doesn't get a director's nod, he will have been robbed yet again because this film just screams "assured and talented director at the top of his game."

 

[Andrew_Sch]

Just for the record, my overall opinion of the film is somewhat lesser than my opinion of Day-Lewis' performance. I think it is Scorsese's most visually compelling film yet, but overall I would place it over Casino and maybe (maybe!) Taxi Driver, a little below Raging Bull, and WAY below Goodfellas.

 

[Ryan Peter]

I was expecting the absence of the twin towers in that final shot, but they stayed until the end. Interesting choice by Scorsese.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A native New Yorker like Scorsese who refuses to leave home for Hollywood, I expected no less than having WTC in that final frame.




Crawdaddy

 

[Ray Chuang]

Having seen the movie yesterday, I thought it was not a bit violent, but Daniel Day-Lewis' awesome performance is deserving of an Oscar--he really takes over that movie as a surprisingly strong charismatic personality.
Unfortunately, the themes of the movie really hit home this morning when I read this article from today's (22 December 2002) issue of the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gang22.html
It really makes you open wonder has things really changed for politicians since the days of William Marcy Boss Tweed that was depicted in this movie. :rolleyes

 

[MathewM]

After digesting the film a bit further, I think I'm respecting it a bit more. I still want to see Scorsese's final cut which supposedly exits on videotape at least. Maybe some day ala Apocalypse Now Redux, it will see the light of day. Until then, scour all those big city indy video stores. This is where I found both a five hour 1979 Redux workprint with timecode a full three years before it's re-release. Also Kubrick's Fear and Desire can be found if you look hard enough. Quality aside it's well worth the effort.

I think still one of my biggest problems with the film is the music score. I enjoyed all of the 'practical' on screen folk music but the score itself was lacking. Along with the modern electric guitar cues during the opening battle. The final shot would of worked much better as a quiet, contemplative moment.
I agree with Adam that the film would of ended with more resonance if Amsterdam had died. It would of brought more meaning to Jenny's character as well. James Cameron killed off Leo in Titanic and it didn't hurt the box office one bit. I'll argue it actually probably made the film a couple of hundred million as well. Titanic has one of the greatest endings of any film I've seen or can remember.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Scorsese has told Ebert that there will be no director's cut on DVD, that what is on the screen is the director's cut. I am looking forward to seeing this but will have to wait until it opens here.

 

[JonZ]

I also loved the closing shot.

 

[Kirk Tsai]

Killing off Amsterdam would have been an easy out. This is Scorsese's revenge picture, and the most compelling themes within a revenge plot is how characters must deal with the fact that violence ultimately does not satisfy them. Also take a look at other Scorsese pictures--from Taxi Driver to Raging Bull to Goodfellas to The Age of Innocence to Cape Fear--he understands that the pain and horrors do not come from death, but living with regrets, troubles and unfulfilled dreams.

Part of the reason I thought Scorsese ended the last shot with the WTC standing is because that, too, is in the past.

 

[Chuck C]

I three liked the end shot....that U2 song was great

 

[Ed Faver]

Saw GONY today at a late afternoon show. My friend and me had a private showing! Not surprising, considering the time of day and the shopping that must be going on. In any case, it was wonderful to have a big theater to ourselves. Almost as good as watching it at home!

I thought Daniel Day-Lewis and Jim Broadbent just outclassed our two Hollywood stars, both of whom I have liked in other stuff. Leo and Cameron were taken to school by the pros from Dover. On the whole, I found the film to be exciting and entertaining. I would have been just as pleased if Scorcese had dropped the love story altogether as I didn't find much heat there and generally thought it to be unneccessary.

Loved the last 45-60 minutes, until that graveyard over the Hudson finish. Hoo-boy, could ya see that one coming? I know Scorcese loves the city as much as any filmmaker (including the Wood-man), but the ending was just cliche and pulled me right out of the picture. I wish I could make it go away. Finishing on the two tombstones side-by-side would have been far better, IMHO.

 

[JohnE]

I would have been just as pleased if Scorcese had dropped the love story altogether as I didn't find much heat there and generally thought it to be unneccessary.

I was thinking the same thing. I just didn't see any point to it being there. But that's my only sore point, with this amazing movie.

I know everyone has said it to death, but Daniel Day-Lewis's performance has to be seen to be appreciated. Absolutely amazing. I wish this guy did more movies!

 

[BarryR]

Broadbent won for IRIS; he wasn't in GOSFORD PARK.
I too thought the closing montage in GONY superlative, and very moving.

 

[Tim Glover]

Very powerful film. And very disturbing. Near the end when:

the mob is running around trying to kill everyone and they spot an african american, and you see him being mobbed. Then later, see what appears to be him-hung up and lit up with Kerosene and set ablaze nearly made me look away.


I know these events happened like that and one cannot simply ignore or run from our history...but wow that was painful to see.

Still a gripping movie that I don't think I could own on dvd. But glad I saw one of the better, tougher movies of the year.

Daniel Day Lewis simply deserves the best oscar for his performance. Maybe the best acting I've seen since??? Can't think of anyone as memorable in a long while.

 

[Mario Bartel]

I think still one of my biggest problems with the film is the music score.

I couldn't agree more. While the percussion and tin flute cues that built up to the battle scenes were great, that rock score during the opening battle was awful, as were the repetitive cues of Afro-Celt Sound System (their music is okay, but in the context of this film, their synthesized sound just seemed distracting).