Mean Streets – Directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro & Harvey Keitel

Mean Streets (1973) Directed by Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), and many other excellent films), starring Robert De Niro (The Untouchables (1987), Cape Fear (1991), Meet the Parents (2000) and, of course, many other excellent films) and Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Piano (1993), U-571 (2000) and many others).  This truly outstanding film, at the time of its release and still today, follows Charlie, portrayed with endearing clarity by Harvey Keitel, a young, up and coming mafioso, confused by the failure of his Catholic religious morality to have credibility in the mean streets ruled by the hard cruelty of gangsters large and small, who, at significant risk to himself, is in love with a young woman ostracised for her epilepsy, and is, as well, and at even greater risk to himself, the grand protector of her cousin, Johnny Boy, portrayed by an inspired Robert De Niro,  a maniacally self-destructive young man in deeper and deeper trouble with loan sharks.  Mean Streets is a gripping and truly original tour-de-force of film-making, shot in New York’s Little Italy, there is a vibrant, fresh, honest immediacy, to the film.  The writing (co-written by Scorsese and Mardik Martin), the light, the color, the grainy quality of the images, the captivating camera movement and excellent editing and, of course, the superlative acting, all unite to put you with the characters, in their actions, in their world; there is no explaining, there is no need, you are there.  Bursting with a physical, visual, cinematic sensuality, Mean Streets, is a masterpiece and not only worth watching, and re-watching, but a film that you simply must have in your own film library. (PR)

See our posts on the films Guilty by Suspicion and What Just Happened, starring Robert De Niro, The Good Shepherd, directed by De Niro, and City of Industry starring Harvey Keitel.

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Scarecrow, starring Al Pacino and Gene Hackman

Scarecrow (1973)(DVD)  Directed by Jerry Schatzberg (The Panic in Needle Park (1971)), starring Al Pacino (The Panic in Needle Park (1971), The Godfather trilogy (starting in 1972), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Scarface (1983), Angels in America (2003) and many others), Gene Hackman  (Bonnie & Clyde (1967), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Under Fire (1983), Unforgiven (1992), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and many other films) and others.  This road movie, of two alienated down-and-out buddies, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1973, pairs a full-on Method-Acting Pacino in youthful vigor with the virtually opposing style of a formalist Gene Hackman, shortly after his Oscar, in 1971, as Best Actor in The French Connection.  Reminiscent of the pairing of Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy (1969), characters respectively naive and experience-hardened, and in style formalist and Method, the result is an impressive, moving film, and Scarecrow is a must-see for any number of reasons, full of harshness and sensitivity, and sadness at lost hopes. (PR)

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The Long Goodbye

The Long Goodbye (1973)(DVD) Directed by Robert Altman (MASH (1970), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), and Nashville (1975) and many others), starring Elliott Gould (MASH (1970), Nashville (1975), American History X (1998), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Ocean’s Thirteen (2007), and many others) as Philip Marlowe, Sterling Hayden (The Asphalt Jungle (1950), Johnny Guitar (1954), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 1900 (1976)), Nina Van Pallandt (Quintet (1979), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service  (1969)) and others.  Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye, a neo noir and rather loose adaptation of Raymond Chandler‘s 1953 novel of the same name, with Hollywood, its beaches, blondes, charlatans and scandals, is sharp, ironic, irreverent perhaps, and pointedly entertaining.  Elliott Gould is perfect, Sterling Hayden spot-on, as is Nina Van Pallandt.  Altman’s direction is excellent as is the cinematography; the music is perfect, and even drole.  A must-see. (PR)

We recommend that you buy your DVDs.  Have a wonderful personal film library..

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