Mobsters (1991)

Posted on 5 oktober 2009 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

‘They didn’t take orders…they took over’

Directed by:
Michael Karbelnikoff

Written by:
Michael Mahern
Nicholas Kazan

Cast:
Christian Slater (Charlie ‘Lucky’ Luciano), Patrick Dempsey (Meyer Lansky), Richard Grieco (Bugsy Siegel), Costas Mandylor (Frank Costello), Lara Flynn Boyle (Mara Motes), F. Murray Abraham (Arnold Rothstein), Anthony Quinn (Don Giuseppe ‘Joe the Boss’ Masseria), Michael Gambon (Don Salvatore Faranzano), Christopher Penn (Tommy Reina), Nicholas Sadler (Mad Dog Coll), Joe Viterelli (Joe Profaci), Seymour Cassel (Father Bonotto)

This 1991 gangster movie – also known as The Evil Empire – tells the true story of Charlie ‘Lucky’ Luciano. He grows up on Mott Street, New York in the twenties together with his friend Frank Costello. The two Italian kids start a partnership with the Jewish Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel. As an organised gang, they start bootlegging and soon they team up with gambling genius Arnold Rothstein, the man who fixed the world series. Charlie becomes the leader of the gang.

The young men’s rise doesn’t go unnoticed by the two big bosses of New York; Don Masseria and Don Faranzano. They both want Charlie to work for them in order to become the biggest New York family. When Faranzano wants to hit them, Charlie and his friends have no choice but to temporarily join Masseria.

When the probation comes to an end, the time has come to knock off the traditional dons and start a nation-wide crime syndicate headed by a commission. But Masseria and Faranzano are no easy targets and start moving things themselves. It’s now a matter of who strikes first…

This movie, based on historic facts, doesn’t deliver on all fronts. The four leads are miscast as the ruthless, sociopathic criminals their characters are supposed to be. They’re just too mild-tempered and friendly looking to come across as anything near dangerous. Also the historic accuracy of the story is taken with a grain of salt to benefit the violent action the film contains.

What the movie does deliver on is beautiful production design. There are great montages of tommy guns, dancing girls, liqueur transports, crap games and spinning roulette wheels. The supporting cast is delicious with veteran actors such as Anthony Quinn, Michael Gambon and F. Murray Abraham. It’s a shame this film doesn’t fully live up to its promises, but it’s still worth a look, because of the impressive supporting cast and simply because the movie is so entertaining.

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Quote:
ARNOLD ROTHSTEIN: “What’s the secret of America? MONEY! Everything is money Charlie. But you’ll never make any money because you dress like a schmuck.”

Trivia:
This is the first American film that stars Michael Gambon.

Barbarella

Posted on 27 september 2009 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Director: Roger Vadim
Written by: Terry Southern, Roger Vadim, Claude Brulé
Cast: Jane Fonda, John Phillip Law, Anita Pallenberg

Year / Country: 1968, France / Italy
Running Time: 94 mins.

The sexy space adventurer Barbarella comes to life in this adaptation from the notorious comic series by Jean-Claude Forest. Jane Fonda is perfectly cast as the well-shaped and pretty naïve protagonist. Fonda was married to director Roger Vadim at the time, who had the habit of casting his beautiful wives (Brigitte Bardot / Catherine Deneuve) in sensual roles.

Barbarella is out to prevent a war that is threatening intergalactic peace. She uses every talent she possesses to get the job done. Yes, that does include sleeping with the men that help her in her quest. She is assigned to go to planet SoGo and retrieve doctor Durand Durand (pronounced as Duran Duran, the British pop band was named after this character). She meets many people on her way, including the Catchman, the blind angel Pygar and the Great Tyrant. She makes love to quite a few of them. Although the sex is never explicitly shown, the sensual atmosphere is certainly felt.

The title sequence of Barbarella, in which she undresses in zero gravity, became quite famous. The film was met with critique upon release though. It also didn’t perform well at the box-office. Later, the movie did establish a huge cult following and it influenced many products of popular culture. When viewed today it is outdated, but there is nevertheless plenty to enjoy: Fonda, the supporting cast including the excellent Law, the psychedelic images by talented director Vadim and the great comic book atmosphere.

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Biography: Roger Vadim (1928, Paris – 2000, Paris) was a French actor, director, writer and producer who also wrote several books. He started his career as a stage actor at the age of 16. His movie career began when he became an apprentice of director Marc Allégret. Then, he started a relationship with Brigitte Bardot and made his acting debut with her in 1952, although he remained uncredited. The same year they got married. Their groundbreaking film …And God Created Woman was Vadim’s directorial debut. It was a massive box-office hit and catapulted them both to stardom. In his later career Vadim also had relationships with Jane Fonda and Catherine Deneuve, but the films he made with them aroused less interest. He died of cancer in 2000.

Filmography (a selection): …And God Created Woman (1956), No Sun in Venice (1957), Dangerous Liaisons 1960 (1959), Blood and Roses (1960), Love on a Pillow (1962), Circle of Love (1964), The Game is Over (1966), Barbarella (1968), Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971), Don Juan 73 (1973), Charlotte (1974), The Faithful Woman (1976), Night Games (1980), The Hot Touch (1981), Surprise Party (1983), And God Created Woman (1988), Amour fou (1993, TV)

Mafia Wannabe’s (2000)

Posted on 15 september 2009 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

‘In the mob you’re either made men or…’

Directed by:
Charles A. Addessi
William DeMeo

Written by:
William DeMeo

Cast:
William DeMeo (Angelo Argono), Conor Dubin (Paulie Argono), Ray Serra (Uncle Tommy), Daniel Margotta (Pete), John Palumbo (Dom), Joe Viterelli (Santo), Joseph D’Onofrio (Vinny), John Glenn Hoyt (Eddie), Vinny Vella (Carmine), Joseph Daleo Jr. (Lenny)

Angelo and Paulie are two young brothers from Brooklyn. They grew up without parents, and the only family they have is their uncle Tommy. They pay their rent with waiter jobs, which increasingly frustrates Angelo. He feels like he and his brother are nobodies who often have to suffer humiliation.

The boss of the neighborhood is Santo Minera. Angelo tries to impress him, which irritates Santo’s hot-headed son, Vinny. Tired of the insults, Angelo convinces his brother to start a bookie business together with their two close friends, Pete and Dom.

Their first steps into crime do not go smoothly. But after a while they start earning good money and expand the business into numbers, loansharking, and eventually extortion. This attracts the attention of Santo, who decides the boys can continue operating if they kick up to him.

The young crew starts doing well, but Angelo decides that his brother is not fit for the mob life and tells him to step out of it. Santo is very happy with Angelo, who earns well and uses his brains. Vinny grows increasingly frustrated with his father’s liking of Angelo and starts to pose a serious threat to everyone involved.

I was expecting another new-millennium Sopranos cash-in movie, but this one surprised me in a positive way. Sure, we’ve seen stuff like this before, but watching the young crew rise from nobodies to respected associates of the mob was convincingly done. This is thanks to the solid acting of the young cast and some realistic writing. The movie also avoids the typical mob clichés and delivers a pretty surprising ending. If you’re a Mafia film fan, try to pick up a copy of this flick – it’s well worth your time.

Rating:

Quote:
YUPPIE: “Why don’t you go home and watch the Sopranos? You dumb guedo!”

Trivia:
Writer, co-director and lead actor William DeMeo has an extensive mob film resume that includes playing the character Jason Molinaro in The Sopranos.

Mafioso: The Father, the Son (2004)

Posted on 20 augustus 2009 by Jeppe Kleijngeld

‘Kill or be killed’

Directed by:
Anthony Caldarella

Written by:
Sal Mazzotta
Leo Rossi
Tony DiGerolamo

Cast:
Sal Mazzotta (Frank Paradiso), Leo Rossi (Vito Lupo), Freddie Ganno (Vince Lupo), Robert Costanzo (Antonio Paradiso), Johnny Williams (Danny Defino), Tamela D’Amico (Gina Paradiso), Susan Priver (Lisa Paradiso), Ken Lerner (Sid Freeman), Tony Devon (Louie Eggs), Frank Adonis (Luca Veneri)

This low budget Mafia film revolves around an Italian crime family in Philadelphia. The leader, Antonio Paradiso is a man of old tradition. Antonio’s son Frank is like his father in many ways. He is ready to succeed his father as the new leader of the family. The times are changing however, and other gangs are waiting to move in on the family business. When members of the Paradiso family are being hit, Frank has to fight to survive, protect his family and find the ones responsible.

Standard and cliché modern day mob movie. It deals with some of the same themes as HBO Series The Sopranos, but doesn’t even come remotely close to touching that level. It does contain a fair amount of mob violence and action but most of it comes across as cheap exploitation.

The screenplay is of an acceptable quality, but offers nothing new or surprising. Most of the actors do reasonable, only leading man Sal Mazzotta doesn’t convince as the boring, monotone Frank.

The art-direction of this film should have definitely been better. Some of the murders just don’t look good at all. There are some familiar faces from mob films, Leo Rossi from Analyze This, Johnny Williams (Johnny Roastbeaf) from GoodFellas, and Frank Adonis (Anthony Stabile), also from GoodFellas.

This film is what it is, a direct to DVD mob flick. Not recommended for those that want thrills other than a man having his nuts roasted.

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