Gangs Of New York (DVD 2003)

Bloodshed at its finest.
a romantic story, set against the background of new yorks gangs in the 1800's
a real slasher movie, thoughtfully put together and reflecting a violent part of history probably very accurately!!!
must have used tankers full of fake blood for this one, at times i thought, oh look another gang fight, but when you see the brutal fighting, you forget you have seen 20 previous fights in the last hour, because this is technically brilliant.
watching this on tv a few nights ago, i was dropping off to sleep when it came on, but after five minutes, was hooked!!!
the irish accents are a bit ropey at times, but the leading man more than makes up for that!!!
Not for kids, or girly girls, definitly would watch again!!!
this is on my birthday list!!!
x
Wednesday

Decided to buy this DVD because we had seen the film previously & really enjoyed and it, it was one of those films you felt you could watch again. Gangs of New York tells of a time in American History - it is interesting, the characters are well chosen for their parts & the whole story is played out well. It can be a little violent at times but I don't feel it goes beyond what actually happened at the time. Since buying it we've watched it more than once which is something I like about a film, that no matter how many times you watch it you see or hear something you didn't catch the first time.

Probably the last epic movie to be made with real people and real sets. An amazing and brutal portrayal of New York gangland during the middle of the 19th century. Drawing its inspiration from the book of the same name, published in the early 20s, I think it is Scorseses finest hour. I bought it after watching it on tv one night and thinking to myself "This is a film I HAVE to own". I highly reccomend this film to be in any discerning film buffs collection.

"Gangs of New York" arrives soaked in the sweat and tears of one of cinema's greatest living artists. Martin Scorsese has nurtured this brutal, astonishing creation through a 25-year development process and a troubled shoot.

The result is the culmination of a lifetime's worth of obsessions - with violence, God, loyalty and the US. It both astounds and enthrals, providing a riveting exploration of America's dark heart.

New York, 1846 - a brutal gang battle turns the snowy ground muddy with blood. Fifteen years later Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns to the Five Points district of Manhattan to avenge his father's death at the hands of Bill "The Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis).

Leader of the anti-immigrant 'Native Americans' gang, Bill rules the neighbourhood with fear. Still, he happily employs this street-savvy unknown, who begins to find the father he lost in the man he must kill.

"Hamlet" is an obvious influence on the screenwriters and the plot isn't the only factor reminiscent of the stage. There's an expansive, histrionic aspect to Day-Lewis' phenomenal performance as the arch villain, and a theatrical quality to the dialogue, which frequently appropriates biblical language.

There's nothing stage-bound about the action, though - the violent, gripping spectacle that plays out against a perfectly realised recreation of 19th century New York.

DiCaprio quietly impresses, as does Cameron Diaz as his pickpocket squeeze, but their story is secondary to Scorsese's thematic concerns, as a simple tale of revenge escalates into a portrait of class, race and religious war - an incendiary assault on the foundations of the so-called land of the free.

The finished picture may not be as assured or well-paced as Scorsese's best works - "GoodFellas", "Taxi Driver" - but it has the energy and passion of "Mean Streets" writ large. A work of staggering ambition, grandeur and terrible beauty. In a word: majestic.

This is the finest film show casing the talents of some of the best british and Irish acting talent , the first fight seen is the best example of all out street fighting that exists in cinema today , the characters are some of the most dynamic and truly complex and that can be found in modern cinema , this film is a true epic and deserves all the plaudits that it receives , if you consider that the script was doing the rounds of hollywood for 30 years before miramax took a leap of faith ....

pure class .....

Daf da Silva