Tagarchief: The Godfather

The Sopranos – 100 Greatest Moments: 10-1

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

10. My Sad Heart

Episode: Long Term Parking (SE5, EP12)
Characters: Tony and Carmela

Tony and Carmela survey the land on which Carmela plans to build her spec house at the end of one of the most poignant episodes in the series. The ground coincidently looks similar to the woods where Adriana was murdered by Silvio a little earlier, as if Carmela is about to build her spec house on blood. Tony expresses sadness, most likely for his cousin. Things are really messed up now. There is the definite sense of impending doom as if the whole thing is about to collapse. This feels very much like the ending of The Godfather: Part II, when Michael Corleone is brooding after having his brother killed.

09. Hello FBI

Episode: Pax Soprana (SE1, EP6)
Characters: The New Jersey Soprano Family and members of New York Lupertazzi Family

The beautiful instrumental version of ‘Paparazzi’ by Xzibit plays when the FBI is introduced in the series. At Junior’s inauguration as the new boss of the family, a waiter is secretly making pictures. Then we see that at the FBI headquarters, the late boss Jackie Aprile’s picture is replaced by new boss Junior’s. The editing of this scene is done excellently, as we get a new perspective on the scope and structure of the Jersey mob hierarchy.

08. Gimme Shelter

Episode: I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano (SE1, EP13)
Characters: Tony, Carmela, A.J., Meadow, Artie, Charmaine, Christopher, Adriana, Paulie and Silvio

A storm moves through Jersey, literally, that changes all relations and shakes current positions. The Season 1 conclusion is a beautiful moment in The Sopranos saga. Tony and his family seek shelter from the storm in Nuevo Vesuvio where they also meet Tony’s close mob relations. It is a moment where everybody is still as happy as they can be. When looking into the future it is easy to see trouble ahead, but now the times are good. Later in the series, this will be indeed a good memory for the characters involved like Tony tells his son. The final song of the season is a genius choice; ‘State Trooper’ by Springsteen. ‘License, registration, I ain’t got none, but I got a clear conscience about the things that I’ve done.’ Problems are solved for now, Junior’s crew is finished and Tony is gonna be the new boss from next season onwards. Hurrah!

07. Tony’s True Face

Episode: College (SE1, EP5)
Characters: Tony and Fabian Petrulio/Fred Peters

The Hitchcock-like cat and mouse game in ‘College’ comes to a conclusion when Tony kills Mafia turncoat Fabian Petrulio by strangulation. With this murder – which is Tony’s first on the show – The Sopranos shows to be a truly uncompromising series. The audience comes to the realisation here that they are watching a cold-blooded murderer, a sociopath who enjoys the suffering of other people. It is therefore one of the most confronting moments in the series or television episodes in general. It is especially powerful because of its duality; the murder happens during a trip Tony is undertaking with his daughter Meadow to look for a college. After the murder, when Tony is at Bowdoin College, he is struck by a quote on display by Nathaniel Hawthorne. ‘No man… can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which one may be true.’ Very true in Tony’s case. No wonder he is in therapy.

06. Graduation Day

Episode: Funhouse (SE2, EP13)
Characters: Tony, Carmela, Meadow, A.J., Paulie, Silvio, Christopher, Furio, Uncle Junior, Artie, Adriana, Davey Scatino, Angie Bonpensiero, Hesh Rabkin, Carmela’s parents and Soprano Family associates

Season 2 of The Sopranos ends the way it started; with a beautiful montage. This concluding montage features happy images from Meadow’s graduation mixed with Soprano Family activities; garbage, porn, gambling, stock fraud, prostitution, et cetera. The very suitable ‘Thru and Thru’ from the Stones plays during the sequence, which is the perfect choice as the lyrics fill in the lack of dialogue and it helps to create the perfect atmosphere. The scene ends with a close-up of Tony smoking a cigar; he overcame all obstacles once again. Then we see the ocean where Big Pussy lies forever… This is a brilliant ending to an outstanding work of fiction.

05. The Last Ride

Episode: Long Term Parking (SE5, EP12)
Characters: Adriana and Silvio

After a long and heavy rollercoaster ride, this is finally it: the end of the line for Adriana. Her death at the hands of Silvio is a surprise during the first viewing because they left out the scene in which Christopher tells Tony about Adriana and the feds (as suggested by actors Drea de Matteo and Steve van Zandt). The way Silvio does it is very cold which makes the scene even more tragic. This is definitely one of the most iconic scenes in the entire series. Absolutely shattering. Adriana really is long term parking now and so is Christopher with Tony.

04. All Through the Night

Episode: Denial, Anger, Acceptance (SE1, EP3)
Characters: Tony, Carmela, Meadow, Hunter Scangarelo, Christopher, Brendan Filone, Mikey Palmice and Junior

In The Sopranos’ very own Baptism scene (from The Godfather) beauty is mixed with ugliness. The beautiful part is Tony and Carmella attending Meadow’s school choir performing ‘All Through the Night’ (while on speed, but they don’t know that). Simultaneously, the ugly part takes place in which Junior extracts his vengeance on Christopher and Brendan Filone for hijacking his trucks. Christopher gets a mock execution, while Brendan gets killed for real. Junior’s hitter Mikey Palmice puts one in his eye, because his eyes were bigger than his stomach (‘Hi Jack, Bye Jack’). There are few scenes in The Sopranos in which the contrast between the dark New Jersey underworld and Tony’s ‘normal’ family life are shown more effectively.

03. A Very Good Year

Episode: A Guy Walks Into a Psychiatrist’s Office… (SE2, EP1)
Characters: Tony, Carmela, Meadow, A.J., Paulie & prostitute, Silvio, Raymond Curto, Christopher, Dr. Melfi, Irina, Uncle Junior and Livia

Tony and his crew are back! The introduction sequence of the second season is a wonderful montage of all the major characters in their day to day activities. Tony is now boss and the money is flowing in. Livia is still in the hospital, while Junior is doing the perp walk in an orange jumpsuit. Christopher is watching gangster movies and snorting coke, Paulie is doing a Bada Bing girl and Silvio is out buying new shoes. Tony is also hiding his infidelity, while Carmela is baking one dish after the other. Dr. Melfi is practicing therapy from a bungalow home. A.J. is worrying about his hair and Meadow is taking her first driving lessons from her father. The audience is all up to date again. The Frank Sinatra song ‘A Very Good Year’ perfectly sets the moods for Season 2. This is how you tell a story without dialogue.

02. Bon Voyage

Episode: Funhouse (SE2, EP13)
Characters: Tony, Pussy, Silvio and Paulie

“They had me, Tony.” After being confronted during a boat ride by Tony, Paulie and Silvio, Pussy confesses he has been ratting for quite some time. He briefly panics, but then accepts the fact that he will not be coming back to shore. They have a round of tequila, a few final laughs and then his three former best friends take shots at him, but not in the face as he requested. This is the first time the guys have to take out one of their own. It’s a bittersweet moment, but in Mafia terms; what has to go down, has to go down. Goodbye Big Pussy Bonpensiero.

01. Pussy on the Brain

Episode: Funhouse (SE2, EP13)
Characters: Tony and Pussy (as fish)

In possibly the best episode of The Sopranos – Season’s 2 finale ‘Funhouse’ – Tony is having fever dreams while suffering from bad food poisoning. All dreams have certain elements in common; danger, cancer (destruction from the inside out) and Pussy. It all leads up to this final dream; the dream in which Pussy – in fish shape – reveals to Tony that he is working for the government. It is in moments like this that The Sopranos is at its most powerful; using a dream as a method to really push the plot forward. In the first season, when his mother wanted him whacked, Tony was in denial and started fantasising about a Madonna. But he didn’t acknowledge the truth until he heard his mother speak on the FBI tapes. Now, Tony has learned to listen to his subconscious. He has been having a strange feeling about Pussy for a long time and now he is open to the ultimate truth. When he wakes up he knows. The fish is also a brilliant find. In a macho gang like the Sopranos, it is considered unmanly to betray your friends. Therefore, it is Pussy – the guy with the feminine name – who’s a rat. There is also a pussy joke in there, pussy smells like… you get the picture. The reference is also to death, as in ‘sleeps with the fishes’, and it foreshadows Pussy’s ultimate resting place, the ocean. This dream is the perfect crossover between the series’ essentials; the mob and psychiatry.

The Sopranos – 100 Greatest Moments: 20-11

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

20. Failed Hit

Episode: Isabella (SE1, EP12)
Characters: Tony and two hitmen

Although you know Tony will survive – what would The Sopranos be without T after all? – this attempt on his life is still a very tense affair. Luckily these ‘Boyz II Men’ sent by Junior and Mikey Palmice screw it up big-time. Tony not only survives, the huge adrenaline level raised by this experience takes him right out of his depression. Also look out for The Godfather reference. Tony is carrying a bottle of orange juice. Don Corleone was buying oranges when hitmen came to gun him down.

19. My Uncle Tony

Episode: Long Term Parking (SE5, EP12)
Characters: Christopher and Adriana

Christopher is getting increasingly frustrated with Tony. The lines he delivers here are pure poetry. “That’s the guy, Adriana. My uncle Tony. The guy I’m going to hell for.” If only he had put that in his movie script. Speaking of which…

18. Premiere Night

Episode: Stage 5 (SE6, EP14)
Characters: The whole family

The premiere of Cleaver is one hell of a great party. The movie is really funny for one thing. Daniel Baldwin delivers a terrific Tony performance (“what, you’re gonna argue with me now?”). Then there is the basement, the bathrobe, the cleaver which reminds of Chrissy’s first pork store kill… It’s all there… Off screen, hilarious things are happening as well; Paulie’s phone call, Carmine’s speech, the director’s lack of speech, Phil Leotardo’s comments (“hot and sticky, like my balls”). This really is a postmodern masterpiece.

17. All in the Family

Episode: The Knight in White Satin Armor (SE2, EP12)
Characters: Janice and Richie

The ink on the contract that Tony put out on Richie isn’t dry yet, or he gets popped by his own fiancé. Hitting a Soprano is never a smart play, Richie discovers. As it turns out, Janice is a cold blooded murderer like her brother. This is one of the greatest surprises that The Sopranos has to offer. The build-up is perfect; the gun they use for sex, Richie’s gay son to fight over, the problems between Richie and Tony… it all leads to this moment; the death of troublemaker Richie. All Janice has to do now is get rid of the body, but having a brother high-up in the mob has its perks…

16. 16 Czechoslovakians

Episode: Pine Barrens (SE3, EP11)
Characters: Paulie, Christopher and Tony

The episode ‘Pine Barrens’, in which Paulie and Christopher are lost in the woods with a Russian commando walking around who they failed to kill, is pure comic gold. In this scene Tony warns them over the phone; “The guy you’re looking for is an ex-commando! He killed sixteen Chechen rebels single-handed! He was with the Interior Ministry. Guy’s like a Russian green beret.” Paulie hangs up and tells the story to Chris; “You’re not gonna believe this. He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator.” Christopher: “His house looked like shit.” Brilliant dialogues! The Czechoslovakian remark also touches on Christopher’s first murder, the Czechoslovakian Emil Kolar.

15. Desperate Hours

Episode: Long Term Parking (SE5, EP12)
Characters: Christopher and Adriana

Feeling she has no options left, Adriana tells Christopher about the FBI. He first responds with furious rage; he almost kills her with his bare hands. Then, he is devastated and considers leaving for a while. The scene is one of the most intense in the series and features powerhouse acting by Michael Imperioli and Drea de Matteo.

14. Are You in the Mafia?

Episode: College (SE1, EP5)
Characters: Tony and Meadow

The now already famous question asked by Meadow is answered with some sincerity by Tony. Of course he lies at first, but then he tells her that some of his money comes from illegal gambling. They have that kind of relationship, Meadow stresses. One of the first and finest moments in which Tony’s Mafia and family life cross each other.

13. Running Gag

Episode: I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano (SE1, EP13)
Characters: Christopher, Paulie and Mikey Palmice

The first season’s bad guy Mikey Palmice gets whacked in this scene by killers Christopher and Paulie. For a second it appears that he is going to escape when he runs into the forest, but Christopher is a wickedly fast runner and catches up with him and puts one in his leg. Then Mikey begs for his life before Paulie and Chris pump him full of lead. A lesson from Coppola: It is important to add a detail to a murder scene to make it memorable. In this scene, Poison Ivy does the trick. Paulie runs into some bushes of the stuff and immediately can feel it itching on him. This gives him all the more reason to whack Mikey, while Christopher already has a personal reason for the kill: “You shot Brendan Filone in his bathtub naked, no chance to run!”
“No”, Mikey replies, “it was Junior.”
Christopher: “Yeah right it was Junior. Mr Magoo!”
Paulie: “I can feel it itching on me already”. BLEM! BLEM! BLEM! BLEM! Goodbye Mr. Palmice. Quite satisfying indeed.

12. Non Judgemental Confrontation

Episode: The Strong Silent Type (SE4, EP10)
Characters: Christopher, Dominic Palladino, Silvio, Paulie, Benny Fazio, Furio, Carmela, Tony, Adriana and Joanne Moltisanti

Christopher’s intervention is a comical highlight in the series. How are these guys gonna be non-judgemental? Paulie, Silvio and Tony’s sharings are all funny enough to piss your pants. When Christopher starts to talk back, things get even more hysterical. If your intervention ends with a fractured skull, you know you have a couple of great friends.

11. When Your Number is Up

Episode: Funhouse (SE2, EP13)
Characters: Pussy, Angie, Tony and Silvio

Tony had a revealing dream about Pussy, so he goes to see him. Pussy instantly knows, the minute he hears Tony. This is it. Tony found out. There are too much coincidences; Tony out of bed while having food poisoning; wanting to take a boat ride; having a diarrhea attack while upstairs; Silvio requesting coffee downstairs… Pussy has been in the Mafia, he knows the tricks they use when they want to whack somebody. Of course part of him is in denial; maybe they don’t know shit, but upstairs Tony is finding the final piece of evidence he needs. This is it for Pussy.

The Sopranos – 100 Greatest Moments: 70-61

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

70. Rock Bottom

Episode: The Second Coming (SE6, EP19)
Characters: A.J. and Tony

A.J. reaches an absolute low in his depression and rather than eating a Lincoln Log Sandwich, he jumps in the swimming pool with a stone tied to his leg and a plastic bag over his head. Luckily, the rope is too long and Tony comes home to rescue him. Very affecting scene. It was time Tony did something nice for somebody again and the way he comforts A.J. is genuinely touching.

69. Father and Son

Episode: Johnny Cakes (SE6, EP8)
Characters: Tony and A.J.

A.J. attempts to kill Junior as revenge for shooting his dad. But – luckily for him – he accidentally drops his knife and is halted by security. Tony manages to get him released and gives him a good talking to. Then A.J., calls him a hypocrite because Tony named the scene in The Godfather, in which Michael Corleone kills his father’s attackers, his favourite scene of all time. His own attempt to pull a Michael Corleone failed though. He is more like Fredo who also dropped his weapon when his father was gunned down.

68. Hassidm Shakedown

Episode: Denial, Anger, Acceptance (SE1, EP3)
Characters: Tony, Silvio, Paulie, Hesh and Ariel

“Ever heard of the Masada? For two years, 900 Jews held their own against 15.000 Roman soldiers. And the Romans? Where are they now?” Tony: “You’re looking at them asshole.” Great scene in which Tony eventually manages to explain the realities to the stubborn Jew Ariel whose hotel business he wants to take over. Threatening with castration (advice from Hesh) eventually does the trick. The inventiveness of these wiseguys to get what they want is really extraordinary sometimes.

67. The Bear

Episode: Two Tonys (SE5, EP1)
Characters: A.J., Carmela and Bear

An awesome metaphor: Tony has left the premises and a replacement shows up; an extremely strong and dangerous brown bear. A.J. nearly shits his pants. This is the perfect visual representation of Tony and Carmela’s separation. Great also that this episode is called ‘Two Tonys’, as in Tony – Bear / Tony – Tony Blundetto and Old Tony – Different Tony (the one that tries to seduce Melfi).

66. Way Up

Episode: Kennedy and Heidi (SE6, EP18)
Characters: Tony and Sonya Aragon

The Sopranos go psychedelic. A great place to experience a peyote trip is a casino obviously; Tony wins every hand he bets. He must be the devil himself as indicated by the slot machine. Tony survived a gunshot wound which means his luck was way up. In his mind at least. Then his luck was down again with the gambling in ‘Chasing It’, but now that he killed Christopher, his lucky streak is back again. This is basically Tony’s disturbed mind at this point. “It’s the same principle as the solar system.”

65. High Impact Collection

Episode: Where’s Johnny? (SE5, EP3)
Characters: Paulie, Gary La Manna and Jimmie

This scene is priceless. Paulie is pissed because Feech La Manna squeezed out his mother’s gardener Sal Vitro, so he takes down Feech’ nephew Gary to settle the score. The damage Paulie does to Gary is even greater than the number Feech did on Sal Vitro. He causes him to fall out of a tree and break his legs. Then he takes his cash and lawnmower as down payment. Incredible these guys…

64. The General

Episode: All Due Respect (SE5, EP13)
Characters: Tony and Paulie

Tony visits Paulie and spots the painting on the wall that he wanted burned; the painting of him and his horse Pie-O-Mie. He takes it off the wall and throws it in a dumpster outside. Then he looks again and sees himself as a general. Now he knows what he needs to do about the Tony B dilemma (see 61). Tony is back to his decisive self again.

63. Family Guy

Episode: From Where to Eternity (SE2, EP9)
Characters: Tony, A.J. and Carmela

Tony does some truly terrific parenting here. He apologizes for hurting A.J. earlier. Then he says there is no excuse for what he did, and explains carefully why he did it. Then he says he couldn’t ask for a better son. It’s truly impressive. The only minor point of criticism is bringing pizza and a six-pack of Coke, while they both have weight issues, but who cares after this? The contrast between this scene and what comes right after, the murder of Matt Bevilaqua, makes this scene even more powerful.

62. Phil’s Heritage

Episode: Stage 5 (SE6, EP14)
Characters: Phil, Butch, Patty Leotardo and kids

Phil is complaining again at his dead brother’s birthday party. He is not happy about his name, since a Leotardo is a ballet costume. He is also telling Butchie that he regrets having spent 20 years in jail for people who don’t stick to the rules any more. Then we get a look at the portraits of fallen comrades behind the bar; Carmine Lupertazzi, Billy Leotardo and Johnny Sack. Great way to end an episode that is about making choices and leaving behind something meaningful. Phil would like to do it over again, but he can’t. Now he has to decide what to do with his remaining time and by the looks of it he aint gonna do the right thing. “No more, Butchie. No more of this.”

61. Glad Tidings from New York

Episode: All Due Respect (SE5, EP13)
Characters: Tony and Tony B.

Tony shoots his own cousin Tony Blundetto in the face to make things right with New York. It would be enough to give a normal person nightmares, but not Tony Soprano. The make-up job on Tony B’s corpse is pretty gruesome.

The Sopranos – 100 Greatest Moments: 80-71

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

80. Wired

Episode: The Blue Comet (SE6, EP20)
Characters: Silvio and Burt Gervasi

The Blue Comet, the ultimate Sopranos thrill ride, opens with the intense strangling of Burt Gervasi by Silvio for reasons unknown. Apparently, a scene was deleted in post production which involved Burt telling Silvio that he has begun cooperating with New York. Now, we find out Silvio’s motive for the murder a little later when he tells Tony that Burt was playing both sides of the fence. The kill reminds of the Luca Brasi strangling in The Godfather, that also happens at the starting point of a mob war. Fantastic way to open this pre-finale episode.

79. End of the Line

Episode: Members Only (SE6, EP1)
Characters: Eugene Pontecorvo

After being denied retirement to Florida by both Tony and the feds, Eugene chooses for the alternative; death. Now his wife and children can leave at least. Eugene first checks out a family photo album and then lets himself fall with a rope tied around his neck. His death struggle is hard to watch and seems to last forever. Disturbing for sure.

78. A Bunch of Ghouls

Episode: From Where to Eternity (SE2, EP9)
Characters: Paulie, psychic and clients

Paulie can’t sleep at night because he is alarmed by the ‘three o’clock’ message he got from hell. His girlfriend advises him to visit a ghost whisperer in New York. But what happens when a mass-murderer like Paulie visits a psychic? Exactly this; the psychic signals a bunch of ghouls around Paulie, including his first victim Charles Pagano and Mikey Palmice. “Poison Ivy, he wants to know if it still itches.” This ‘satanic black magic’ freaks out Paulie even more and he throws a chair through the room yelling; “fucking queers!” This is Paulie Walnuts at his best.

77. Fading Memories

Episode: Made in America (SE6, EP21)
Characters: Tony and Junior

Tony makes a final visit to Junior, who surprisingly enough made it to the end of the series. Their dialogue is touching. “You ran North Jersey, you and my dad.” “That’s nice”, comments Junior. If Tony doesn’t get whacked and doesn’t go to jail, he could end up like this also. With no memories and nobody that comes to visit him. It’s all about choices made.

76. Terminal

Episode: Another Toothpick (SE3, EP5)
Characters: Bobby ‘Bacala’ Baccalieri Sr., Mustang Sally and Petey

That old Bacala is the toughest hitman ever in the series. Despite his terminal lung cancer, he goes and takes out two guys and then lights a freakin’ Marlboro. He croaks afterwards, but it’s a very impressive final performance.

75. Dyslectic

Episode: Unidentified Black Males (SE5, EP9)
Characters: Soprano and Lupertazzi families

Joey Peeps, may he rest he piece. What has always been one of the main qualities of The Sopranos is the humour. Here, the Jersey mob have the headstone screwed up for the recently deceased Joey Peeps. Tony to Silvio: “Peeps? That’s a fucking nickname. The family name is Peparelli.” Classic.

74. Scene from a Marriage

Episode: College (SE1, EP5)
Characters: Tony and Carmela

This dialogue between Tony and Carmela is hilarious. She tells him Father Phil spent the night at their house while Tony was away, but nothing happened. “Oh, I bet he gave you communion”, Tony implies. “The guy spends the night here, and all he does is slip you a wafer?” Then Carmela gets back at him for his hypocrisy. “Your therapist called”, she says. “Jennifer?” Now, Tony has to make up for the fact that he lied about his shrink being a woman. “All we do is talk, Carm. Come on!” A great ending to a great episode.

73. Cunnilingus

Episode: Boca (SE1, EP9)
Characters: Uncle Junior, Tony, Silvio and Mikey Palmice

At this point, things start to go sour between Tony and Junior. The reason? Tony taking the piss out of Uncle Junior on the golf course with his little bed secret. “You guys went to a sushi bar or something? Uncle June, I thought you were a bacala man. What are you doing eating sushi?” But Uncle June has something on Tony as well; “At least I can deal with my own problems, unlike some I know.” In both these embarrassing truths, their mouths (bocas) are the problem.

72. Butcher Boys

Episode: Cold Stones (SE6, EP11)
Characters: Silvio, Carlo and Fat Dom Gamiello

Busting balls is one thing, but calling Jersey boys cocksuckers is quite another. Fat Dom Gamiello gets a taste of his own medicine after joking about Vito and Carlo sucking dick. What was he thinking? You know how explosive these guys can get. Silvio hits him from behind with a dustbuster, while Carlo stabs him repeatedly with a cooking knife. All the while Fat Dom squeals like a pig; it’s very messy. Afterwards, Silvio notes that they can’t chop him up at Satriale’s because of DNA technology. Whackings don’t get much better than this.

71. Tony Gets the Boot

Episode: The Blue Comet (SE6, EP20)
Characters: Tony and Dr. Melfi

After seven years of treatment, Dr. Melfi lets Tony go as a patient. The immediate reason is that she read a study about how sociopaths like Tony use therapy to sharpen their skills as conmen. The manner in which she dumps him doesn’t appear very professional. On the other hand, there have been countless other moments in which Tony totally deserved this treatment. She just rightfully came to the conclusion that Tony is not gonna put in any effort to change. He made his choices and she is right to rid herself of this self-pitying subject.