list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Little Caesar on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Little_Caesar/20492/default.aspx Title: Little Caesar
Year: 1930
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Plot: The first "talkie" gangster movie to capture the public's imagination, Mervyn LeRoy's Little Caesar started a cycle of crime-related movies that Warner Bros. rode across the ensuing decade and right into World War II with titles such as All Through the Night (1941). At the start of the picture, Caesar Enrico "Rico" Bandello (Edward G. Robinson, made up to look a lot like the real-life Al Capone) and his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) are robbing a gas station -- later on, at a diner, they're looking over a newspaper and see a story about Diamond Pete Montana (Ralph Ince), a gangster so well known that he gets headlines and stories written about how powerful he is. That's what Rico wants, more than money or anything else: to be czar of the underworld and "not just another mug." Joe admits that sometimes he just thinks of trying to become what he wanted to be when he started out: a professional dancer. They head east to Chicago (which is never named, but with the talk of the north side and the territories, you know what city it is) and Rico talks his way into the local mob run by Sam Vettori (Stanley Fields). The leader has his doubts over how quick Rico is to go for his gun, but also thinks he might be useful if he is as fearless as he says and can be kept under control. Soon Rico is Sam's top enforcer and bodyguard, but it isn't long before he starts acting like the boss, questioning other members' loyalty and bravery and pushing into Sam's role as leader. He also commands the loyalty of the gang through his resourcefulness at planning and pulling jobs that are tough and risky, and getting away with them; the only exception is Joe, their respectable "front man," who has found romance with an actress (Glenda Farrell) and a career, and wants out of helping the gang. Rico won't let him leave, and pushes him to help them on a brazen New Year's Eve robbery of a restaurant, during which the new crime commissioner is shot dead by Rico. Now the heat is on, but instead of keeping a low profile, Rico seizes control of the gang from Sam and secures his power by ruthlessly rubbing out the only member (William Collier) who seems likely to squeal, gunning the man down on the steps of a church. Before long, Rico is the first among equals among the local mob chieftains, sharing a dais at a dinner honoring him with his nominal boss and one-time idol Diamond Pete. He's also making enemies by the bushel -- Flaherty (Thomas E. Jackson), the cop heading the investigation into the murder of the commissioner, won't let up and makes it his personal business to nail Rico, and the rival chieftains don't like the publicity Rico's getting or the attention it brings to all of them. Rico survives attempts on his life and consolidates his hold on the streets, and is suddenly on the edge of achieving his goal -- the "Big Boy" (Sidney Blackmer), the wealthy social Brahmin who really controls crimes in the city, invites him to a meeting to tell him that Diamond Pete is finished. Rico is going to be in charge of the rackets across the entire city and making sure the local bosses stay in line. He is at the pinnacle of his career, and then Rico overreaches -- he can still be nailed for the murder of the commissioner, and is paranoid enough not to trust Joe, even though Joe helped saved Rico's life and insists that he'll never squeal; Rico also plans on supplanting the Big Boy. His rise to power unravels as fast as it happened, in an outburst of violence that drives him underground. But with an ego as big as his, Rico can't stay hidden for too long, and Flaherty is waiting for
Times Tagged: 1
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]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:01:04 GMTLittle Caesar1930Mervyn LeRoyThe first "talkie" gangster movie to capture the public's imagination, <a href="/players/P____99016/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mervyn LeRoy</a>'s Little Caesar started a cycle of crime-related movies that Warner Bros. rode across the ensuing decade and right into World War II with titles such as <a href=/films/921/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>All Through the Night</a> (1941). At the start of the picture, Caesar Enrico "Rico" Bandello (Edward G. Robinson, made up to look a lot like the real-life Al Capone) and his friend Joe Massara (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) are robbing a gas station -- later on, at a diner, they're looking over a newspaper and see a story about Diamond Pete Montana (<a href="/players/P____95429/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ralph Ince</a>), a gangster so well known that he gets headlines and stories written about how powerful he is. That's what Rico wants, more than money or anything else: to be czar of the underworld and "not just another mug." Joe admits that sometimes he just thinks of trying to become what he wanted to be when he started out: a professional dancer. They head east to Chicago (which is never named, but with the talk of the north side and the territories, you know what city it is) and Rico talks his way into the local mob run by Sam Vettori (<a href="/players/P____23383/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Stanley Fields</a>). The leader has his doubts over how quick Rico is to go for his gun, but also thinks he might be useful if he is as fearless as he says and can be kept under control. Soon Rico is Sam's top enforcer and bodyguard, but it isn't long before he starts acting like the boss, questioning other members' loyalty and bravery and pushing into Sam's role as leader. He also commands the loyalty of the gang through his resourcefulness at planning and pulling jobs that are tough and risky, and getting away with them; the only exception is Joe, their respectable "front man," who has found romance with an actress (<a href="/players/P____22769/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Glenda Farrell</a>) and a career, and wants out of helping the gang. Rico won't let him leave, and pushes him to help them on a brazen New Year's Eve robbery of a restaurant, during which the new crime commissioner is shot dead by Rico. Now the heat is on, but instead of keeping a low profile, Rico seizes control of the gang from Sam and secures his power by ruthlessly rubbing out the only member (William Collier) who seems likely to squeal, gunning the man down on the steps of a church. Before long, Rico is the first among equals among the local mob chieftains, sharing a dais at a dinner honoring him with his nominal boss and one-time idol Diamond Pete. He's also making enemies by the bushel -- Flaherty (Thomas E. Jackson), the cop heading the investigation into the murder of the commissioner, won't let up and makes it his personal business to nail Rico, and the rival chieftains don't like the publicity Rico's getting or the attention it brings to all of them. Rico survives attempts on his life and consolidates his hold on the streets, and is suddenly on the edge of achieving his goal -- the "Big Boy" (<a href="/players/P_____6471/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sidney Blackmer</a>), the wealthy social Brahmin who really controls crimes in the city, invites him to a meeting to tell him that Diamond Pete is finished. Rico is going to be in charge of the rackets across the entire city and making sure the local bosses stay in line. He is at the pinnacle of his career, and then Rico overreaches -- he can still be nailed for the murder of the commissioner, and is paranoid enough not to trust Joe, even though Joe helped saved Rico's life and insists that he'll never squeal; Rico also plans on supplanting the Big Boy. His rise to power unravels as fast as it happened, in an outburst of violence that drives him underground. But with an ego as big as his, Rico can't stay hidden for too long, and Flaherty is waiting for1Slightly Tagged (1-5)4513http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t51887usnud.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Little_Caesar/20492/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/19/37441.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/19/2008 1:01:04 PM
Body: Unemployment is about to get even worse now that Citigroup has announced it will cut 52,000 jobs early next year. And falsely reported news of a killing in Santa Clara, California (the shooter was fired, not laid off) only adds to the bleak atmosphere surrounding the already upsetting job market. But while desperate times may lead to desperate measures, it’s vital for us to remember what we learned from the films of the 1930s, when the Great Depression caused a nearly 25% rate of unemployment (we’re currently at 6.5%). Hopeful stories of upward mobility and implausible solutions were popular at the time, though many of them had downsides or inspired the desire for unlikely prospects. Still, there was some guidance to be found buried within the fantasies of Hollywood, and SpoutBlog has compiled this handy list to help you make the right choices during your current or imminent joblessness. Film: Little Caesar (1931) Tip: Dancing is ultimately more lucrative than crime. We learned over and over from films in the 1930s that crime doesn’t pay, and with Little Caesar we learned the additional tip that if you’re going to be a cocky, power-hungry little jerk with leadership goals, you better have the balls to back up your bite. However, the best advice acquired from Francis Edward Faragoh and Robert N. Lee’s Oscar-nominated screenplay is that life as a dancer is a much better career path than that of a gangster. Sure, there may be a few dangers if your gig is at a mob-run club or if your former best friend is your boss’ rival, a la the conflict between Joe (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) and Rico (Edward G. Robinson) in Mervyn LeRoy’s film. But unlike your old buddy, who will literally die in a gutter, you might find wealth, stardom and love. Worst-case scenario, you don’t become rich and famous but you get a job teaching little kids at a dance studio in suburbia. Whereas there’s no such thing as a crime studio. Film: Trouble in Paradise (1932) Tip: Falling for your mark, and/or your boss, is fine as long as you get a bonus out of it and then return to your true love It’s clear from the start that fellow pickpockets Gaston (Herbert Marshall) and Lily (Miriam Hopkins) are made for each other. Yet when the duo acquire jobs working for the wealthy perfumer Madame Colet (Kay Francis) in a scheme to con her out of her money, Gaston goes and complicates things by developing feelings for his new employer/mark. Fortunately, after dipping his hands into both her purses (oh the innuendo!), he comes away with the jackpot and is able to fall back into place with his equal. Getting a job where you’re partially a gigolo can be rewarding in terms of special perks, both sexual and financial, but ultimately a relationship between employee and employer is difficult, especially if there’s a real class clash involved. So get in quick, get out on top and find a nice girl with whom you’ve got more in common. Film: King Kong (1933) Tip: If you’re cast in a film, make sure it’s a local production. Tons of unemployed people turn to showbiz as a solution to their situation, and a quick glance on Craigslist reveals plenty of calls for film and TV extras. But be wary, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And be suspicious of “directors” who approach you on the street offering you the role of a lifetime. It’s possible the guy’s a real Hollywood player like Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), but it’s also possible that the gig will bring you to a remote island where you’ll attract the largest stalker ever imagined. In the end, you might actually become a big star, just like Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), but by then many will have paid for your social status with their lives, and you’ll have to live with the guilt. So when answering ads looking for actors, don’t get on any boats headed to far off places. Stick to locally shot films, on which you’re likely to experience fewer dangers and meet fewer giant apes. Film: Lady for a Day (1933) Tip: Don’t lie to your family about being underemployed, because you’ll just wind up more depressed. Apple Annie (May Robson) ends up getting away with her masquerade, in which she convinces her daughter that she’s a well-to-do socialite rather than a poor fruit peddler, but at what cost? Now she’s lied to her child and, worse, given herself a taste of the good life, a high from which she must come down. And with that perspective in mind she’s surely going to hate her true social place even more. So if you’re underemployed, don’t lie about it, not even to your parents. Best circumstance, they help you out a little with your finances. Worst circumstance, you feel even more depressed about your situation and you take your own life — whether literally or, like Annie, figuratively. Plus, if your parents do end up finding out the truth, they’ll be more disappointed with you than they would have been if told the truth all along. Film: Triumph of the Will (1935) Tip: Don’t work for a mad, genocidal dictator unless you want the association to follow you to your grave. Leni Riefenstahl may have denied having full allegiance to Hitler and the Nazis, but she’ll forever be known as the director who helped propagandize the party right up until the beginning of World War II. And to many that makes her one of the bad guys. Whether she’s truly guilty by association, her kind of situation is constantly a topic of ethical debate. Maybe working for later-exposed criminals will keep you from getting elected one day. Maybe working for evil emperors will get you blown up while doing contract work on a giant space station. Either way, it’s best to do as much of a background check on your potential bosses as they’re doing on you. Film: Modern Times (1936) Tip: Don’t be a slave to the machines, or one day they’ll enslave you. That sounds like advice to be gotten from The Matrix, but that film’s dystopia is precisely the kind of future Chaplin was warning about. So much of the imagery in this film consists of workers depending on machines, either to help do the job or feed them, and workers being trapped in machines, figuratively enslaved by them. If you end up getting a job on the internet, and that’s more and more likely to be your best shot at employment these days, you’ll understand Chaplin’s fears better than he could ever have imagined. Film: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) Tip: Breaking into a rich man’s home will likely get you a job. It’s thanks to a desperate little farmer that the newly rich Deeds (Gary Cooper) decides to divvy up his millions and donate plots of land to the poor. And the gun-wielding intruder doesn’t get thrown in jail; he becomes one of the many who are eligible for some of that free acreage. Hollywood pipe dream, sure, but the concept also seemed to work outside of American cinema. In Renoir’s The Rules of the Game, a man (Julien Carette) is caught trespassing on a wealthy estate and he’s offered a job. However, it may not be necessary to actually commit the crime of breaking and entering to get the attention of potential beneficiaries and employers. In Renoir’s Boudu Saved From Drowning the titular bum is merely witnessed attempting suicide in the Seine (though in Paul Mazursky’s ‘80s remake, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, the bum is also an intruder). And in My Man Godfrey the titular bum is plucked out of the trash and eventually brought home and employed as a butler. Which brings up the next tip. Film: My Man Godfrey (1936) Tip: If forced to become a servant, don’t steal the boss’ daughter’s necklace, pawn it and then gamble with the money made in order to further improve your situation, because only William Powell is good enough to get away with it. You are not as smooth as William Powell; it’s just not possible. So, while he (and his character, Godfrey) is able to come out of this film on top, in the same situation you would more than likely end up back on the garbage heap (without a nightclub built on the spot, that is). Firstly, he’s able to charm the socialite Irene (Carole Lombard) enough to escape homelessness, acquire a position as her family’s butler and eventually win her heart. Secondly, when Irene’s bitter sister, Cornelia (Gail Patrick), attempts to frame him as a necklace nabber, he beats her at her game and follows through to win out even more. What he does with the jewelry, though, would still get most people arrested, even if the ends do justify the means. Never do as Powell does, because nobody can pull off anything as well as he can. Film: You Can’t Take it With You (1938) Tip: Taking up seemingly utopian residence in a commune full of oddballs will likely get you thrown in jail. Grandpa Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore) wasn’t claiming to be prophet nor did he (as far as we know) have a harem of young wives stored away somewhere in his house, but these days a freewheeling place like his might attract the attention of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms or some other government agency assigned to shutting down cults and terrorist organizations. Even then his home was suspected of being a den for treasonous plots, leading to an FBI raid and mass arrest. So, while it may seem like a dream come true to be wooed in by a jolly old man promising free living and the chance to be a toymaker, there’s actually no such thing as Santa Claus, and that man is probably doing something illegal to accommodate such a lifestyle. Film: The Grapes of Wrath (1939) Tip: Don’t settle for wages lower than is standard for the work. If you’re really hungry and desperate for work, you might think about taking only 25 cents an hour for a job you used to do for 30 cents. This happens often with competitive fields, whether it is migrant farming or blogging, but it only lowers your worth and it encourages your employers to keep decreasing the wages as long as someone is willing to settle. Eventually, either your fellow workers or the previous, underbid employees are going to be provoked by the situation and then there’s the chance of violence and further oppression. Plus, then you might be out of the job anyway. Potentially on the run, like Tom Joad (Henry Fonda), too. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:01:04 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/19/2008 1:01:04 PMUnemployment is about to get even worse now that Citigroup has announced it will cut 52,000 jobs early next year. And falsely reported news of a killing in Santa Clara, California (the shooter was fired, not laid off) only adds to the bleak atmosphere surrounding the already upsetting job market. But while desperate times may lead to desperate measures, it’s vital for us to remember what we learned from the films of the 1930s, when the Great Depression caused a nearly 25% rate of unemployment (we’re currently at 6.5%). Hopeful stories of upward mobility and implausible solutions were popular at the time, though many of them had downsides or inspired the desire for unlikely prospects. Still, there was some guidance to be found buried within the fantasies of Hollywood, and SpoutBlog has compiled this handy list to help you make the right choices during your current or imminent joblessness. Film: Little Caesar (1931) Tip: Dancing is ultimately more lucrative than crime. We learned over and over from films in the 1930s that crime doesn’t pay, and with Little Caesar we learned the additional tip that if you’re going to be a cocky, power-hungry little jerk with leadership goals, you better have the balls to back up your bite. However, the best advice acquired from Francis Edward Faragoh and Robert N. Lee’s Oscar-nominated screenplay is that life as a dancer is a much better career path than that of a gangster. Sure, there may be a few dangers if your gig is at a mob-run club or if your former best friend is your boss’ rival, a la the conflict between Joe (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) and Rico (Edward G. Robinson) in Mervyn LeRoy’s film. But unlike your old buddy, who will literally die in a gutter, you might find wealth, stardom and love. Worst-case scenario, you don’t become rich and famous but you get a job teaching little kids at a dance studio in suburbia. Whereas there’s no such thing as a crime studio. Film: Trouble in Paradise (1932) Tip: Falling for your mark, and/or your boss, is fine as long as you get a bonus out of it and then return to your true love It’s clear from the start that fellow pickpockets Gaston (Herbert Marshall) and Lily (Miriam Hopkins) are made for each other. Yet when the duo acquire jobs working for the wealthy perfumer Madame Colet (Kay Francis) in a scheme to con her out of her money, Gaston goes and complicates things by developing feelings for his new employer/mark. Fortunately, after dipping his hands into both her purses (oh the innuendo!), he comes away with the jackpot and is able to fall back into place with his equal. Getting a job where you’re partially a gigolo can be rewarding in terms of special perks, both sexual and financial, but ultimately a relationship between employee and employer is difficult, especially if there’s a real class clash involved. So get in quick, get out on top and find a nice girl with whom you’ve got more in common. Film: King Kong (1933) Tip: If you’re cast in a film, make sure it’s a local production. Tons of unemployed people turn to showbiz as a solution to their situation, and a quick glance on Craigslist reveals plenty of calls for film and TV extras. But be wary, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And be suspicious of “directors” who approach you on the street offering you the role of a lifetime. It’s possible the guy’s a real Hollywood player like Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), but it’s also possible that the gig will bring you to a remote island where you’ll attract the largest stalker ever imagined. In the end, you might actually become a big star, just like Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), but by then many will have paid for your social status with their lives, and you’ll have to live with the guilt. So when answering ads looking for actors, don’t get on any boats headed to far off places. Stick to locally shot films, on which you’re likely to experience fewer dangers and meet fewer giant apes. Film: Lady for a Day (1933) Tip: Don’t lie to your family about being underemployed, because you’ll just wind up more depressed. Apple Annie (May Robson) ends up getting away with her masquerade, in which she convinces her daughter that she’s a well-to-do socialite rather than a poor fruit peddler, but at what cost? Now she’s lied to her child and, worse, given herself a taste of the good life, a high from which she must come down. And with that perspective in mind she’s surely going to hate her true social place even more. So if you’re underemployed, don’t lie about it, not even to your parents. Best circumstance, they help you out a little with your finances. Worst circumstance, you feel even more depressed about your situation and you take your own life — whether literally or, like Annie, figuratively. Plus, if your parents do end up finding out the truth, they’ll be more disappointed with you than they would have been if told the truth all along. Film: Triumph of the Will (1935) Tip: Don’t work for a mad, genocidal dictator unless you want the association to follow you to your grave. Leni Riefenstahl may have denied having full allegiance to Hitler and the Nazis, but she’ll forever be known as the director who helped propagandize the party right up until the beginning of World War II. And to many that makes her one of the bad guys. Whether she’s truly guilty by association, her kind of situation is constantly a topic of ethical debate. Maybe working for later-exposed criminals will keep you from getting elected one day. Maybe working for evil emperors will get you blown up while doing contract work on a giant space station. Either way, it’s best to do as much of a background check on your potential bosses as they’re doing on you. Film: Modern Times (1936) Tip: Don’t be a slave to the machines, or one day they’ll enslave you. That sounds like advice to be gotten from The Matrix, but that film’s dystopia is precisely the kind of future Chaplin was warning about. So much of the imagery in this film consists of workers depending on machines, either to help do the job or feed them, and workers being trapped in machines, figuratively enslaved by them. If you end up getting a job on the internet, and that’s more and more likely to be your best shot at employment these days, you’ll understand Chaplin’s fears better than he could ever have imagined. Film: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) Tip: Breaking into a rich man’s home will likely get you a job. It’s thanks to a desperate little farmer that the newly rich Deeds (Gary Cooper) decides to divvy up his millions and donate plots of land to the poor. And the gun-wielding intruder doesn’t get thrown in jail; he becomes one of the many who are eligible for some of that free acreage. Hollywood pipe dream, sure, but the concept also seemed to work outside of American cinema. In Renoir’s The Rules of the Game, a man (Julien Carette) is caught trespassing on a wealthy estate and he’s offered a job. However, it may not be necessary to actually commit the crime of breaking and entering to get the attention of potential beneficiaries and employers. In Renoir’s Boudu Saved From Drowning the titular bum is merely witnessed attempting suicide in the Seine (though in Paul Mazursky’s ‘80s remake, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, the bum is also an intruder). And in My Man Godfrey the titular bum is plucked out of the trash and eventually brought home and employed as a butler. Which brings up the next tip. Film: My Man Godfrey (1936) Tip: If forced to become a servant, don’t steal the boss’ daughter’s necklace, pawn it and then gamble with the money made in order to further improve your situation, because only William Powell is good enough to get away with it. You are not as smooth as William Powell; it’s just not possible. So, while he (and his character, Godfrey) is able to come out of this film on top, in the same situation you would more than likely end up back on the garbage heap (without a nightclub built on the spot, that is). Firstly, he’s able to charm the socialite Irene (Carole Lombard) enough to escape homelessness, acquire a position as her family’s butler and eventually win her heart. Secondly, when Irene’s bitter sister, Cornelia (Gail Patrick), attempts to frame him as a necklace nabber, he beats her at her game and follows through to win out even more. What he does with the jewelry, though, would still get most people arrested, even if the ends do justify the means. Never do as Powell does, because nobody can pull off anything as well as he can. Film: You Can’t Take it With You (1938) Tip: Taking up seemingly utopian residence in a commune full of oddballs will likely get you thrown in jail. Grandpa Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore) wasn’t claiming to be prophet nor did he (as far as we know) have a harem of young wives stored away somewhere in his house, but these days a freewheeling place like his might attract the attention of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms or some other government agency assigned to shutting down cults and terrorist organizations. Even then his home was suspected of being a den for treasonous plots, leading to an FBI raid and mass arrest. So, while it may seem like a dream come true to be wooed in by a jolly old man promising free living and the chance to be a toymaker, there’s actually no such thing as Santa Claus, and that man is probably doing something illegal to accommodate such a lifestyle. Film: The Grapes of Wrath (1939) Tip: Don’t settle for wages lower than is standard for the work. If you’re really hungry and desperate for work, you might think about taking only 25 cents an hour for a job you used to do for 30 cents. This happens often with competitive fields, whether it is migrant farming or blogging, but it only lowers your worth and it encourages your employers to keep decreasing the wages as long as someone is willing to settle. Eventually, either your fellow workers or the previous, underbid employees are going to be provoked by the situation and then there’s the chance of violence and further oppression. Plus, then you might be out of the job anyway. Potentially on the run, like Tom Joad (Henry Fonda), too. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/karina/archive/2008/3/28/26717.aspx Post By: Karina
Post To: Karina on SpoutBlog
Post Date: 3/28/2008 3:00:43 PM
Body: I’m going to spend about four hours this weekend with my celebrity boyfriend, Young Albert Brooks, at Anthology Film Archives‘ double feature of two of Brooks’ early, still super-relevant films, Modern Romance and Real Life (see above). But if you’re not lucky enough to be in New York, there are three films opening in general release that we covered at SXSW. Chris already mentioned Run Fatboy Run today. He also reviewed Robert Luketic’s gambling porn thriller, 21: “[I]t’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition…[but] nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns.” And then, of course, there’s Stop-Loss. Michael Lerman said MTV/Kimberley Pierce’s Iraq PTSD movie is too centrist for its own good: “Perhaps the performances and plotting would’ve worked better as less of an unbiased study of aggression and more of a critique of the current political situation, as the script seems to be. It’s as if the two things are working against each other and the actors are veering off in a different direction from the themes.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina
]]>Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:00:43 GMTKarinaKarina on SpoutBlog3/28/2008 3:00:43 PM I’m going to spend about four hours this weekend with my celebrity boyfriend, Young Albert Brooks, at Anthology Film Archives‘ double feature of two of Brooks’ early, still super-relevant films, Modern Romance and Real Life (see above). But if you’re not lucky enough to be in New York, there are three films opening in general release that we covered at SXSW. Chris already mentioned Run Fatboy Run today. He also reviewed Robert Luketic’s gambling porn thriller, 21: “[I]t’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition…[but] nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns.” And then, of course, there’s Stop-Loss. Michael Lerman said MTV/Kimberley Pierce’s Iraq PTSD movie is too centrist for its own good: “Perhaps the performances and plotting would’ve worked better as less of an unbiased study of aggression and more of a critique of the current political situation, as the script seems to be. It’s as if the two things are working against each other and the actors are veering off in a different direction from the themes.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog » karina http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/28/26716.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/28/2008 3:00:32 PM
Body: I’m going to spend about four hours this weekend with my celebrity boyfriend, Young Albert Brooks, at Anthology Film Archives‘ double feature of two of Brooks’ early, still super-relevant films, Modern Romance and Real Life (see above). But if you’re not lucky enough to be in New York, there are three films opening in general release that we covered at SXSW. Chris already mentioned Run Fatboy Run today. He also reviewed Robert Luketic’s gambling porn thriller, 21: “[I]t’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition…[but] nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns.” And then, of course, there’s Stop-Loss. Michael Lerman said MTV/Kimberley Pierce’s Iraq PTSD movie is too centrist for its own good: “Perhaps the performances and plotting would’ve worked better as less of an unbiased study of aggression and more of a critique of the current political situation, as the script seems to be. It’s as if the two things are working against each other and the actors are veering off in a different direction from the themes.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:00:32 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/28/2008 3:00:32 PM I’m going to spend about four hours this weekend with my celebrity boyfriend, Young Albert Brooks, at Anthology Film Archives‘ double feature of two of Brooks’ early, still super-relevant films, Modern Romance and Real Life (see above). But if you’re not lucky enough to be in New York, there are three films opening in general release that we covered at SXSW. Chris already mentioned Run Fatboy Run today. He also reviewed Robert Luketic’s gambling porn thriller, 21: “[I]t’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition…[but] nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns.” And then, of course, there’s Stop-Loss. Michael Lerman said MTV/Kimberley Pierce’s Iraq PTSD movie is too centrist for its own good: “Perhaps the performances and plotting would’ve worked better as less of an unbiased study of aggression and more of a critique of the current political situation, as the script seems to be. It’s as if the two things are working against each other and the actors are veering off in a different direction from the themes.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/9/26006.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/9/2008 3:01:03 PM
Body: The true-story-based 21 comes off as an extremely interesting, though likely unintended concept: a gangster/crime film for nerds. In structure, it’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition. There are a number of moments that exactly fit the mold of the crime genre and some moments that even seem specific to individual films (a short scenario involving new identities feels like a wink at a similar scene in Reservoir Dogs if you’re already thinking about gangster movies). But as interesting as the concept sounds, nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns. Coinciding with the crime genre structure are the conventions of the geek-gets-popular genre (I guess as social climbing stories, they’re basically the same thing). The story centers on an MIT student (Jim Sturges) who works on robotics in his spare time with his nerdy friends. He’s recruited into a group of mathletes, headed by a behind-the-scenes professor (Kevin Spacey), who spend their weekends in Las Vegas getting filthy rich by counting cards at blackjack tables and playing accordingly. Like Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls or Edward G. Robinson in Little Caesar, the popularity and power takes control over the new recruit. But it’s a weird twist, because here the popular kids are actually ubernerds, which is fitting in the world dominated by Bill Gateses and Steve Jobses. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:01:03 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/9/2008 3:01:03 PM The true-story-based 21 comes off as an extremely interesting, though likely unintended concept: a gangster/crime film for nerds. In structure, it’s basically Little Caesar set in the world of card counting, which in fact isn’t illegal, yet in Vegas is viewed as being just as criminal as bootlegging was during Prohibition. There are a number of moments that exactly fit the mold of the crime genre and some moments that even seem specific to individual films (a short scenario involving new identities feels like a wink at a similar scene in Reservoir Dogs if you’re already thinking about gangster movies). But as interesting as the concept sounds, nerds just aren’t as entertaining as gangsters and blackjack and brains just isn’t as cool on screen as bank robberies and machine guns. Coinciding with the crime genre structure are the conventions of the geek-gets-popular genre (I guess as social climbing stories, they’re basically the same thing). The story centers on an MIT student (Jim Sturges) who works on robotics in his spare time with his nerdy friends. He’s recruited into a group of mathletes, headed by a behind-the-scenes professor (Kevin Spacey), who spend their weekends in Las Vegas getting filthy rich by counting cards at blackjack tables and playing accordingly. Like Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls or Edward G. Robinson in Little Caesar, the popularity and power takes control over the new recruit. But it’s a weird twist, because here the popular kids are actually ubernerds, which is fitting in the world dominated by Bill Gateses and Steve Jobses. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/windbreaker/archive/2007/11/11/21600.aspx Post By: Windbreaker
Post To: Windbreaker!
Post Date: 11/11/2007 3:52:51 PM
Body: You don't need a plot synopsis for gangster movies. If you do, you're under 8 years old and shouldn't be surfing this website. For you respectable adults, rent it or buy it, but definitely make this old timey gem a priority. I liked it enough to buy the Warner Bros. gangster box set.
]]>Sun, 11 Nov 2007 20:52:51 GMTWindbreakerWindbreaker!11/11/2007 3:52:51 PMYou don&#39;t need a plot synopsis for gangster movies. If you do, you&#39;re under 8 years old and shouldn&#39;t be surfing this website. For you respectable adults, rent it or buy it, but definitely make this old timey gem a priority. I liked it enough to buy the Warner Bros. gangster box set. http://www.spout.com/groups/Viewing_with_a_purpose/Re_Latest_unknown_fave/288/8469/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Puhnner
Post To: Viewing with a purpose
Post Date: 5/9/2007 3:09:41 PM
Body: Here are a few more:Little Caesar you can see the makings of Joe Pesci and Al Pacino gangster portrayals here; Edward G. is nothing short of magnificent here and a very sharp dresser to boot. Shonen weap your eyes out.Harakiri another pure weaperA Scene at the Sea Very, very, very slow, extremely beautiful, very little dialogue at all ( well hell, the main character is a deaf mute; but there is SURFING!!! in Japan! )
]]>Wed, 09 May 2007 19:09:41 GMTPuhnnerViewing with a purpose5/9/2007 3:09:41 PMHere are a few more:Little Caesar you can see the makings of Joe Pesci and Al Pacino gangster portrayals here; Edward G. is nothing short of magnificent here and a very sharp dresser to boot. Shonen weap your eyes out.Harakiri another pure weaperA Scene at the Sea Very, very, very slow, extremely beautiful, very little dialogue at all ( well hell, the main character is a deaf mute; but there is SURFING!!! in Japan! ) http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/gangster/MemberTagFilms.aspxgangster
Number of films tagged: 4065

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]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:37:08 GMT406560145Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/organizedcrime/MemberTagFilms.aspxorganizedcrime
Number of films tagged: 399

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]]>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:04:09 GMT3991117Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/tycoon/MemberTagFilms.aspxtycoon
Number of films tagged: 210

Number of people who tagged: 7

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]]>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:04:22 GMT21078Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sociopath/MemberTagFilms.aspxsociopath
Number of films tagged: 72

Number of people who tagged: 4

Number of times used: 5

]]>Fri, 29 May 2009 13:01:51 GMT7245Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/yeahitwilldo/MemberTagFilms.aspxyeahitwilldo
Number of films tagged: 1

Number of people who tagged: 1

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