The Real Deal: “American Gangster”
“American Gangster” is based on the true story of Frank Lucas’ life. It is the story of how he cut out the middleman in the heroin business and the story of how Ritchie Roberts caught him. Throughout the film we see the parallel between a cop and a criminal as we inch forward to see their lives finally meet.
In the opening scene of the movie we see Frank’s character played by Denzel Washington. Right away we are shocked by his violence and see his power. This is the first motif we are introduced to. We see Frank stand tall over his victim, and the dark shadowing we see on his face and body show his dominance. Another motif we are introduced to is how real this film is setup to be. The car headlights that setup the background and introduce where we the setting is as well as motivate lights. They have a purpose in the film in promoting its authenticity. We also hear the all the sounds in the forefront. When hear the sounds up close it dramatic for us as viewers. We hear every 7drop of gasoline that is poured on the man’s body and we even hear the flick of the lighter as Frank sets the man on fire. This is the director Scott Ridley’s way of saying to the audience I want to fool you, and I want you to feel like you were there and what you are watching in front of you is real.
We walk down the streets of Harlem with Ellsworth Johnson (Bumpy) and Frank Lucas who’ names we learned from other characters. The streets and storefronts feel like it is 1960’s, 1970’s Harlem, New York. The characters are dressed right to that era and everyone on the street as well as the cars are exactly right for that generation. Bumpy Johnson and Frank Lucas walk into and old electronic super store. This scene fo...
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...s we are given. Some displayed right on the screen, others shown through actors’ gestures. At the same time this film keeps us entertained with action and violence current the interested of the present generation. This shows “American Gangster” was made with the audience in mind and this is why it did so well in the box office. This film really does such a quality job of capturing the time period, but it still had all these other elements in it to try to make it perfect. “A perfect cast”, that become their character and still brings their own personification into the film. Setting that can not confuse you, as well as narrative economy that still again remind you were you are. Editing that flows nice and evenly. But is this all the makes for a perfect film or just a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Are all these qualities too much and really their downfall?
"Where I came from, in order to be down you had to be 'in'" (Shakur, 226). This quote, taken from Sanyika Shakur's (aka Monster Kody Scott) Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member relates the mind set of those growing up the concrete jungle of South Central L.A. This powerful account of the triumph of the human spirit over insurmountable odds brings the reader into the daily battles for survival. His story starts at the beginning of his gang life (being initiated at age 11), moves through his teen years (mostly spent in various correctional facilities) and ends up with his transformation in a member of the New Afrikan Independence Movement.
The film follows Henry's mafia life, from when he was 15 and just making drinks for the gangsters until he is a true gangster himself with a wife and family, having kids make drinks for him. The film's tag line is 'Three Decades of life in the Mafia', without even watching the film you can tell by this that the genre of the film will be gangster. The enigma behind this slogan also gives you an insight to the narrative as you, the audience, think, who has spent three decades in the mafia? The final film I decided to study was 'The Krays'; Peter Madak directed this film. This film is autobiographical and is focused around the lives of the infamous Kray twins.
This use of lighting sets a mood and provokes emotion for the audience, making them feel his loss of job and the act of them potentially falling in love. Further to this, the opening scene can show this alternative contrast of reality and Hollywood idealism. The director positions the audience to view the busy lifestyle, whilst incorporating the musical element through the choreography, costuming and characters. This shows the emotion of the scene by bright colouring of the past and the musical elements of enthusiasm.
Picture Manhattan in 1860, a time before the city had been dolled up and gotten ready for the silver screen, before the glamour and allure took over. Amsterdam Vallan (DiCaprio) is a young Irish man that migrates to the USA at a young age. Amsterdam’s story takes place in Five Points District of New York, a filthy and dangerous part of the city before it was deleted form history. As a young boy Vallan witnessed his father’s murder at the hand of William Cutting or Bill the Butcher (Day-Lewis) during one of their many gang wars. As Amsterdam’s story progresses along side The Butcher they become inseparable, but Amsterdam had ulterior motive. Ultimately, Amsterdam attempts to betray his new found ally in order to avenge his father’s death. Historical accounts of events are almost always synthesized by the storyteller; in the case Gangs of New York Martin Scorsese tells of Five Points, The Dead Rabbits Riots, and The Draft Riots, but is his fictional story accurate through history?
Gangs of New York is a war-packed film directed by Martin Scorsese that takes place in New York during the Civil War. This 2002 film is about a young Irish immigrant, named Amsterdam, who returns to the Five Points to get revenge on William Cutting, a powerful gang leader who murdered his father. One scene that really sticks out within the film occurs during the draft riots that took place in New York. Although this particular scene is historically accurate, there are some parts of the scene itself that seem to have a bigger impact overall. The parts that create this impact show how important this dark period was and how violently this event played out in the real world.
Another common theme of this wildly intoxicated era was that of the gangsters. In the twenty-first century when the word gangster is uttered, often times images of minorities in baggy clothes comes to mind. However, when discussing the Prohibition Era the lives of gangsters are seen as much more glamorous, and none were more glamorous than that of the ultimate American gangster, Al “Scarface” Capone. Capone’s name brings to mind images of pinstripe suits, underground bars, bootleggers, flappers, and gun fights. His image embodies that of the Prohibition Era and his influence throughout society carries through it. Alphonse Capone is the ultimate American gangster.
This film was filled with nothing but sinful behavior such as; adultery, using the lords name in vain, murder, prostitution, and stealing. This film was a perfect example of how most people visualize a gangster’s life.
The Godfather is the “dark-side of the American dream story” (Turan, pp2). The film follows the practices of a fictional Italian mafia family, the Corleone’s. Though most Americans do not condone the practices of the Italian mafia, they cannot deny that Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is a cinematic masterpiece. This film gave insight to a mysterious way of life that the average person does not have knowledge of. As the audience is educated about the mafia they also are introduced to many stereotypes.
Give the evidence or detail from the movie with citation: He shoots him in the head while his brothers are watching from inside the restaurant and then walks back in like nothing happened ( American Gangster). During the movie, Frank Lucas leaves the restaurant to confront a rival drug dealer and tells him to pay up. The rival drug dealer doesn’t listen and Lucas shoots him in the head while his brothers were still in the restaurant seeing everything. In American Gangster, Frank Lucas appeared on the New York Magazine in 2000 called “The Return of Superfly”. While discussing to Mark Jacobson about what actually happened and telling him the dealers real name Tango, he said: So I figured, Tango, you're my man." Frank confronted Tango and asked him for money that Tango owed him. Tango cursed at Frank. Unlike in the movie, Tango "broke" for Frank, prompting Frank to shoot him four times. "...bam, bam, bam, bam," Frank recounted. "The boy didn't have no head. The whole sh@t blowed out back there (Interview with Frank Lucas at Hot 97). The part where Frank shoots Tango is inaccurate because it showed Frank’’s brother’s watching the whole thing but they actually didn’t know it happened at the time and in the movie after Frank shoots the dealer it shows him going back to the restaurant
One of these masterpieces was Brian DePalma's Scarface. Arguably the greatest gangster movie of all time, Scarface incorporates themes and similarities that can easily be compared to Macbeth. In both instances the importance of the main character’s actions and how they inevitably depict his fate is of great importance to the overall mood of the work. Scarface, directed by Brian De Palma is a story of a cuban refugee and his journey from rags to riches. Often referred to as, “the American Dream told through a gangster saga” Scarface has not only made a lasting impact on the crime genre, but the cliche
...successful collaboration of sound, colour, camera positioning and lighting are instrumental in portraying these themes. The techniques used heighten the suspense, drama and mood of each scene and enhance the film in order to convey to the spectator the intended messages.
The gangster was attached to a protest position because his ethnicity and lower class status left him out culturally and economically. He was considered a hero because he accomplished the goal of most Americans to acquire power through cunningness and drive. While there are multiple debates about the qualifications a film must possess to be named film noir, there is a general consensus about what neo noir is. Simply put, neo noir is film noir that came after the “classical” period of film noir, which is restricted to the black and white films of 1940-1959. Neo noir takes the narrative and stylistic elements of classic film noir but modifies it to fit modern times.
Frank Lucas (born September 9, 1930[4] in La Grange, North Carolina and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina[5]) is a former heroin dealer, and organized crime boss in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle. Frank Lucas is popularly known for smuggling heroin using the coffins of dead American servicemen,[6] a claim his South Asian associate, Leslie "Ike" Atkinson denies. [7] He is the subject of the 2007 film American Gangster.
For example, the poor individuals who become high gangsters, a number of sociopathic characters, the constant treacheries and the ever present showdown are all chief characteristics of the aforementioned films. However, Yoo presents them in a way that ends up being a cliché, lacking any sense of originality. The film's beginning is impressive, chiefly due to the imposing fighting scenes, the unexpected humor and the story that, initially at least, seems highly entertaining. Nevertheless, as the story unfolds, the quality deteriorates and the script is revealed being simplistic and even boring at
A sound develops tension and atmosphere. Different kinds of sound FX and foleys were used in this film such as those footsteps, ambience of the busy street, gun shots and shouts made the film realistic. Another thing which adds impact to the entire film is the usage of voice-over narration in the film. Their attires are appropriate for the movie.