Boardwalk Empire
2010 September 28
Downloaded the first episode which was as gid as ye’d expect coming from Scorcese, Buscemi and one of the writers and producers of the Sopranos. No as good as that show (or Mad Men) but who knows, could get there.
Is gonna be shown on Sky when it comes to UK so I am downloading the torrents since I won’t give Murdoch any of my shilling (buying the News of the World doesn’t count, right?)
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Seriously, do you buy The News of the World? If you do, you’re a total bastard.
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
I am a total bastard.
For me Scorsese is a screen ledge but has long been a spent force. The last couple of his films I’ve watched (Gangs of NY & Departed) have been underwhelming, flimsy and very boring. When was his last top class film… Goodfellas?
Board Emp reads like a rehash of everything that’s gone before. Doubtless it will look like good TV and sound like good TV and maybe it is ‘good’ TV but my prediction is that it’s a tired genre offering from the same guys who saturated the scene in the first place.
I have to disagree with your cack handed appraisal of The Departed. It’s up there with his best. I also thought Shutter Island was good.
In slightly related news, I thought I read somewhere recently that De Niro was making a sequel to Midnight Run. I think we can all agree that this will be a fucking shitemare.
Well to be fair, BE does do what it says on the tin and does it very well. Plus, the resurgence of US TV drama has shown that these series get better and better the more involved you are with the characters and stories, so it’s hard to judge how good it is/will be just yet. Particularly if you haven’t even watched an episode.
On modern Scorcese, I agree with you both to an extent. His best work is indeed behind him (and that includes Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Casino), he’s made a few relatively recent misteps (Gangs of New York and that one with Nicholas Cage as an ambulance driver) but The Departed and Shutter Island were both first rate, if not quite the genius he used to demonstrate.
“I thought Shutter Island was good.”
What a fantastic appraisal, I can see why you didn’t rate mine.
The Departed falls heavily on its sword due to the central premise of the film >>> Jack Nicholson isn’t supposed to be able to figure out who the rat is.
- Could it be one of the guys who have stood by him him throughout his life?
- Is it the guy he brought in as a kid and who he could ruin in an instant?
- Or could it be the new kid on the block (not Marky Whalberg) whose Dad hated the Nicholson’s character’s guts?
What else is in there? Ah yes, the pathetic love interest sideline… Nicholson going way OTT… the casting of a Baldwin… poor fare.
I refuse to take anyone seriously who listens to Bette Midler
In the 90s, Martin Scorsese planned to star Bette Midler in ‘Hello, Suckers!’ a movie about the legendary, bawdy saloonkeeper Texas Guinan.
Then he’s an arse as well
Bette Midlers’ Some People is peachy for some people, some hum drum people, but some people ain’t me.
Brassy & brash musical genius, written by Stephen Sondheim (he of Send in the Clowns & Losing My Mind fame).
Incidentally I investigated this after an episode of Curb where the blind guy sing songs from Gypsy (the musical which features Some People). Looks like Mav must now consign Larry David, another of his heroes, to the ‘hes an arse’ bucket. Where will it end?
the whole thing with Larry David, as the character from CYE, is that he is an arse. So yes, the theory still holds.
I hate twisted face Bette Midler. Yeeuuch. Gies me shivers.
Some People is amazing. I’ve been singing it in my head since I first heard it a few days ago.
Wait a minute, was this in a Mad Men episode?
“In jig time, you’ll be getting booked in the big time… Oh, what a dream!”
Don’t recall it ever being on Madders but what a brilliant episode this week:
Joan “Should I give your secretary a couple of days to return”
Don “Yes”
Joan “Really?”
Don “No”
Pure class.
I agree. Also, after the last 2 weeks, Lane Pryce is fast becoming my third favourite character. Obviously after both of Joan’s breasts.
This is ancient history. Are you’se living in Sept? Wakey wakey, it’s October! Episode 10 ready to go when I git hame!
You dinnae even like it Mormanski. Or have you succumbed to the hype? What next – X Factor?
Shit, I almost forgot. Bob Dylan did a cover of Buckets Of Rain with Ms Midler and changed the lyrics to Nuggets of Rain amongst some other changes.
Here’s the best I could get, an outtake. It’s pretty bad in good bad way. It also seems to cut a beat out per bar near the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOnKwcSz3wo
Dylan does his usual duet tactics. Totally taking control and giving nothing to the other singer.
Read a bit about it… Dylan’s supposed to be providing backing vocals but he’s deffo most prominent in the mix. It’s crap but gets close to working at a couple of fleeting moments.
The mention of Bobby’s refusal to yield to his co-singers always makes me think of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDjvle7kxuo&feature=related