Categorie archief: Films

Mean Streets (1974)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘You don’t make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets…’

Directed by:
Martin Scorsese

Written by:
Martin Scorsese
Mardik Martin

Cast:
Harvey Keitel (Charlie Cappa), Robert De Niro (John ‘Johnny Boy’ Civello), David Proval (Tony DeVienazo), Richard Romanus (Michael Longo), Amy Robinson (Teresa Ronchelli), Cesare Danova (Giovanni Cappa), Victor Argo (Mario), George Memmoli (Joey ‘Clams’ Scala), Lenny Scaletta (Jimmy), Jeannie Bell (Diane)

Mean Streets marks the first collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro and right out of the gate, it’s a masterpiece. Set in the tight-knit world of Little Italy, the film follows four small-time hustlers: the conflicted Charlie (Harvey Keitel), hot-tempered bar owner Tony (David Proval), dim-witted loan shark Michael (Richard Romanus), and the reckless wildcard Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro).

Although it isn’t technically Scorsese’s debut, it feels like it. This is the movie in which his voice fully emerges for the first time. It showcases early yet commanding performances by Keitel and De Niro, two actors who would become his most trusted collaborators. Many of the hallmarks of Scorsese’s later masterpieces are already present: the gritty New York setting, the soundtrack full of sixties pop classics, the collision of religion and crime. This isn’t exactly a gangster film – it’s about small-time crooks – but it plays like a prelude to GoodFellas, with dialogues and moral tensions that already sound familiar.

Scorsese immediately sets the tone with a Super 8 projection of Charlie wandering the streets, underscored by the Ronettes’ ‘Be My Baby’. From there, we trail Charlie through his daily routine: drinking in bars, running minor cons, wrestling with Catholic guilt in church visits, and trying to reconcile his moral compass with his ambition.

Charlie wants to rise in the underworld by aligning with his mob-connected uncle, but his loyalty to Johnny Boy – a man drowning in debt and chaos – pulls him down a dangerous path. That loyalty is both touching and toxic, and Scorsese makes it clear early on that violence is never far away. A brutal barroom shooting foreshadows the storm gathering around these characters.

The film’s raw power lies in its atmosphere. Scorsese layers the story with a soundtrack of rock ’n’ roll classics – the Stones’ ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ among them – injecting energy and immediacy into every scene. His restless camera, the naturalistic dialogue laced with profanity, and the lived-in performances combine to create a world that feels authentic and alive.

De Niro is magnetic as Johnny Boy, unpredictable and dangerous yet oddly charming, while Keitel gives a deeply human performance as Charlie, a man torn between sin and salvation. Their chemistry is the film’s beating heart. Scene after scene burns into memory: a drunken spree, a hilariously chaotic bar fight, an explosive confrontation on the street. The pacing is electric, and the details are so rich you’ll want to revisit it just to soak up more of Scorsese’s vision.

The film still feels fresh today. It is utterly original, with no real comparison except some of Scorsese’s later work. Mean Streets doesn’t just hint at the brilliance to come; it announces the arrival of one of cinema’s great storytellers.

Rating:

Quote:
CHARLIE: “You know something? She is really good-lookin’. I gotta say that again. She is really good-lookin’. But she’s black. You can see that real plain, right? Look, there isn’t much of a difference anyway, is there. Well, is there?”

Trivia:
The opening words are actually spoken by Martin Scorsese, not Harvey Keitel as we are led to believe.

Black Caesar (1973)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

‘Hail Caesar, Godfather of Harlem…The Cat with the .45-Caliber Claws!’

Directed by:
Larry Cohen

Written by:
Larry Cohen

Cast:
Fred Williamson (Tommy Gibbs), Gloria Hendry (Helen), Art Lund (McKinney), D’Urville Martin (Rev. Rufus), Julius W. Harris (Mr. Gibbs), Minnie Gentry (Momma Gibbs), Philip Roye (Joe Washington), William Wellman Jr. (Alfred Coleman), James Dixon (‘Irish’ Bryant), Val Avery (Cardoza)

The James Brown–scored gangster film Black Caesar opens with Brown’s soulful ‘Down and Out in New York City’ playing over a gritty scene where a young Black boy helps carry out an underworld killing. That boy, Tommy Gibbs, grows up to become a fearless gangster who initially works for the Italian mafia before turning the tables and taking control of Harlem’s criminal rackets himself.

Throughout his ruthless rise to power, Tommy is driven by a deep desire for revenge against the racist cop who abused him as a child. Black Caesar follows the familiar gangster rise-and-fall trajectory, but with a crucial difference: its antihero is a Black man from the ghetto, a product of systemic oppression and limited opportunity. Used to enduring insults and abuse, Tommy learns to turn his rage into ambition—and his rivals fatally underestimate him. Once he reaches the top, his sociopathic streak surfaces, and he exacts brutal retribution on his enemies. The Italians begin dropping like flies across the city.

While the film clearly bears the hallmarks of a low-budget exploitation picture, it’s impressively crafted. Fred Williamson is outstanding as the fierce, charismatic lead, giving Tommy Gibbs both menace and magnetism. The gritty atmosphere, authentic New York settings, and James Brown’s powerful soundtrack combine to create a vivid, memorable experience. A standout sequence is a tense, extended chase through the streets of Harlem, with a wounded Tommy pursued by two gunmen—a masterfully shot moment of raw energy and desperation.

Black Caesar was followed later the same year by the sequel Hell Up in Harlem, also directed by Larry Cohen and starring Fred Williamson as Tommy Gibbs, continuing the saga of one of blaxploitation’s most iconic antiheroes.

Rating:

Quote:
TOMMY GIBBS: “Sauce looked like it needed a little more meat.” (after dropping an ear in a plate of spaghetti).

Trivia:
While filming in Harlem, Larry Cohen was accosted by local gangsters who threatened to disrupt the shoot unless they were paid off. Instead, Cohen offered them small roles in the film. They helped so enthusiastically that they attended the premiere to sign autographs.

Little Caesar (1931)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Big boss of racketeerdom. Master of men until he defied a girl in love!’

Directed by:
Mervyn LeRoy

Written by:
W.R. Burnett (novel)
Francis Edward Faragoh (screenplay)
Robert N. Lee (screenplay)

Cast:
Edward G. Robinson (Caesar Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Joe Massara), Glenda Farrell (Olga Stassoff), William Collier Jr. (Tony Passa), Sidney Blackmer (Big Boy), Ralph Ince (Pete Montana), Thomas E. Jackson (Sgt. Flaherty), Stanley Fields (Sam Vettori), Maurice Black (Little Arnie Lorch), George E. Stone (Otero)

Two friends, Joe Massera and Caesar Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello, head East to work for a gang. Joe’s true dream is to be a dancer, but Rico is driven by ambition. He envies the powerful gangsters they encounter and craves the lifestyle—the women, the clothes, the respect.

During a New Year’s Eve nightclub heist, Rico impulsively shoots and kills the head of the newly formed crime commission. His boss is furious, but Rico quickly convinces the crew that he should take charge. As their leader, however, he brings the full weight of the police down on them.

Meanwhile, Joe falls in love with fellow dancer Olga and longs to leave the gang behind. Rico refuses to let him go. Though Rico proves himself a sharper and bolder leader than his predecessor, his recklessness and raw emotion expose the kind of flaws that would define countless cinematic mobsters to come.

Released just a year after The Doorway to Hell with James Cagney – a film that introduced many of the tropes later cemented in gangster cinema – Little Caesar is often considered the first fully realized entry in the genre. Edward G. Robinson, in his breakout role, is terrific as the hotheaded gangster desperate to show he fears no one.

The film’s ending – Rico’s death behind the billboard that advertises a dance performance by Joe and Olga – is extremely memorable (“Is this the end of Rico?). It has a great final shot, another hallmark of the genre. In those moments, and through Robinson’s commanding performance, Little Caesar reveals why it stands as such a landmark in gangster film history.

Rating:

Quote:
RICO BANDELLO: “I could do all the things that fella does, and more, only I never got my chance. Why, what’s there to be afraid of? And when I get in a tight spot, I shoot my way out of it. Why sure. Shoot first and argue afterwards. You know, this game ain’t for guys that’s soft!”

Trivia:
Speculation has it that a federal anti-organized crime law – The Racketeering Influence Corrupt Organization Act, or RICO – got its acronym from Edward G. Robinson’s character.

Double Bill #14: Yesterday & Nowhere Boy

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

For the ultimate Beatles movie experience, we’ll have to Wait until 2028, when Sam Mendes is set to release a series of four biopics – one for each Beatle. This promises to be a magnificent, once-in-a-lifetime cinematic event. Until then, there are already some great films out there that celebrate the legacy of the Greatest Band Ever. A perfect place to start is with this Double Bill, featuring two films inspired by Beatles’ songs – one named after a John Lennon track and the other after a Paul McCartney classic. Once you’ve enjoyed these two movies, Across the Universe (2007) is another highly recommended Beatles-inspired film. For a deeper dive into their early days, Backbeat (1994) dramatizes the band’s formative years in Hamburg. But back to this Double Bill: Nowhere Boy (2009) explores John Lennon’s troubled childhood. Raised by his strict aunt Mimi after his parents couldn’t – or wouldn’t – take care of him, the film delves into his complex relationship with his biological mother Julia, beautifully played by Anne-Marie Duff, alongside Kristin Scott Thomas as Mimi. It also highlights the origins of The Quarrymen, the band that would eventually evolve into the Beatles, and Lennon’s legendary first meeting with Paul McCartney. Aaron Johnson shines as the young Lennon, perfectly capturing his wit, imagination, and artistic genius. Having read Lennon’s biography, I feel this film authentically portrays his early life and character. Mendes’ upcoming film will likely draw inspiration from Nowhere Boy, especially in its portrayal of touching moments from the band’s early days, such as their first gigs and the tragic loss of John’s mother, Julia. Yesterday (2019) takes a more fantastical approach, blending comedy and romance with a unique premise: what if the world forgot the Beatles, except for one profoundly unsuccessful singer-songwriter called Jack Malik? Malik suddenly finds himself performing these forgotten classics and skyrocketing to fame. The film delivers plenty of laughs, with witty lines like “The White Album has some diversity issues” and “A Hard Day’s Night – what does that even mean?” But it also offers deeper, more poignant moments, including a memorable scene where Jack competes in a songwriting duel with Ed Sheeran. Perhaps the film’s most touching sequence is Jack’s encounter with John Lennon, who, in this alternate reality, never became a Beatle but instead lives quietly as a fisherman, much like his father once did. It’s a beautifully imagined moment, one that makes the film much more than just a fun, nostalgic ride. Ultimately, both Nowhere Boy and Yesterday share a common message: All you need is love… and The Beatles.