Gangs of New York [Blu-ray]
Starring: Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Jim Broadbent, Peter-Hugo Daly, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprioDirector: Martin Scorsese
Studio: Miramax
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Running Time: 166 minutes
DVD Release: July 1st 2008
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DVD Review
Bluray Disc
User Reviews
Gangs of New York Two-Disc - Rating: 4/5
Having seen the movie before, I bought this to update my library. My copy does not have the collectors' edition banner on it.
The extras on the movie are great, and I'm sad to see that Amazon seems to no longer post what they are! The special features usually determine which edition of a film I will buy, so this information is very much missed!
That said, here's how the back cover of mine reads:
*Costume Design featurette
*Set Design featurette
*History of the Five Points
*Exploring the Sets...With Multiple Angles Utilizing 360 Degree Shots of the Set
*U2 Music Video
*Discovery Channel Special: Uncovering the Real Gangs of New York
*The Five Points Study Guide
*Feature Commentary with Martin Scorsese
*Trailer
*Teaser
*French Language track
And, of course, it does offer English subtitles. The historical extras are excellent and informative, but the study guide was a little baffling: it's presented in text with no voiceover, and the font was so small I couldn't read it easily about six feet from my 32" tv. As far as documenting the film itself, the specials and trailers doa good job of preserving the movie's history.
The fly in the ointment:
Like the Titanic 3-disc, Gangs cuts halfway through for you to insert the second disc, during the sex scene. Why you wouldn't put the movie on one disc and the extras on another is beyond me, but to cut it there? There are many complaints concerning this also posted on imdb, and no one seems to know why this decision was made. We may have progressed to the age of dvd and blu-ray, but we're still stuck getting up to change the tape.
Great Movie, Bad Transfer - Rating: 3/5
For those unfamiliar with the movie, it's a film about gangs in New York during the civil war fighting for control over the Five Points. This review is more of a review for the Blu-Ray, not the movie itself. I'd say based on the movie alone, it's a good 5 star for those interested in some dark history of New York.
For the transfer of this film, it's horrible. The noise is filtered in some scenes enough to make the film seen 'dirty' or blurred. The blacks seem to bleed a bit in dark scenes and for those with LCD screens, expect to notice some motion blur during these scenes. I never notice motion blur on my Samsung, but this movie (and Donnie Darko) are blur in any scene with shadows. I really think this is due to all of the horrible noise filters. At time's, the Butcher's hate (a green color) has movement issues towards the end. You can see details moving around that just doesn't look right. This really only applies to the video quality, as the uncompressed PCM audio is very nice (a little low in areas though).
Overall, anyone looking for this film should probably wait to see if it is going to be re-released. I think current owners should get a free upgrade to a better quality if that's ever released (which I doubt it will happen).
Long and drawn out - Rating: 1/5
the only redeeming value of this movie was Day-Lewis with his usual excellent work. The story is long and drawn out. None of the characters are likeable ( relate to ). OK, great cinemetography. I'd like the price of the disc back and 2:45 hrs. of my life.
Way better on Blu-Ray - Rating: 5/5
If you've only seen this movie on regular DVD you should see it on Blu-Ray. There is so much more detail it is like a different movie. Way better.
A Hollywood History of the Wild East - Rating: 2/5
A man talks to his son. A group forms and marches out of the Old Brewery in the Five Points district of New York city. [The streets seems strangely deserted.] They use the names of early Gangs of New York. The bloody battle continues until a horn sounds. "My sympathies." [Was there such a large open plaza?] Sixteen years later the young boy is grown up and released from an institution. The date seems to be 1863. Coffins are unloaded from ships. William Marcy Tweed schemes to improve the city and his fortune. We hear the names of the various gangs. [Did people walk outside without hats?] Amateur fire companies fought for the profit of putting out a fire. [The efficiency of private business?]
Amsterdam visits Butcher Bill's hangout. They attempt to rob a ship, and sell a dead body for medical science. There is a test for Amsterdam. They show the various methods of thefts by the crooks of that day. Criminality is rampant in the Five Points. [Caused by poverty or oppression?] they make an example of some men for a public hanging. Army recruits climb onto a ship while coffins are landed on the dock. Somebody shoots Butcher Bill. [Does this film have a plot or just a collection of scenes?] Amsterdam has a tender minute with Jenny. Does fear preserve the order of things? [Do the conversations make much sense?] "Who are you?" Will someone peach?
Butcher Bill shows his knife-throwing skills. There is a shocking surprise and a gruesome and revolting scene. Who killed a poor little rabbit? [Does the story make sense?] Will there be a grand fight to provide an exciting finish? William Marcy Tweed seeks votes in the Five Points. Voters are recruited; its not the ballots that count but the count of the vote. [Is the violence almost cartoonish? Does the film start to drag?] Now the tempo picks up when the mob attacks people and buildings. The army clear the mob from the streets, the navy bombards the people in the plaza. There is one last meeting for Butcher Bill and Amsterdam. [This movie doesn't have a good ending, was something cut out?]
The last scene shows the Brooklyn Bridge which didn't exist until years after 1863. This film was loosely based on Herbert Asbury's 1925 book. You may find the book "Low Life" by Luc Sante to be more informative and interesting. The Discovery Channel had a good film on the Five Points. It explains that "Dead Rabbits" meant "real tough guys" (Gaelic ráibéad). Fire was the chief danger in those days (candles, fireplaces). These stories tell little about the economic situations. The gangs here can explain the turmoil in some Middle East countries today. Does anyone believe corruption ended with Boss Tweed? Some say Federal, state, and municipal projects today don't get funded unless somebody gets paid. You can compare this to many business projects.
