The ultimate box set of DVDs. I could not believe it when i came across this box set of my all time favourite Gangster classics, they are not just my favourites but if you ask anyone who knows anything about gangster movies and cinema works of genius then these three movies are undoubtedley going to spring to mind.
Scarface: scarface is a thrilling uprising of a cuban "political refugee" who goes by the name of Tony Montana (Al Pacino). The cuban leader Fidel castro has decided to rid his country of as many evil bad people in his jails, he does this by filling up lots of boats full of these people and sends them to the promise land , America. Within those thousands of cubans is Tony with a few pals heading for a new life in america after being thrown out of there homeland. Tony and his friends rollercoster starts when they do a hit for a mafia boss of another cuban leader who was also shipped to america.
after the hit tony and the boys want more work to improve there llifestyle, they convince a mafia deputy to give them a big job to prove themsleves as worthy gang members. they are given a job which turns nasty and gruesome and results in one of tonies friends losing there lives, not to mention that the scene
became one of the most famous scenes off all time gangster flicks. success at the job promotes tony to higher ranks in the mafia world, more jobs more money more power and a lust for the bosses girl (michelle pfifier) oh and not to mention that horrible addiction of being banged up on cocaine 24hours a day leads to an eventual downfall of the now king pin mafia boss of the underworld. A gruelling final stand at the end of the movie is a classic and in Montana's own words "every dog has its day"
Casino: I love this movie. Casino is a master class in the ideas and truths that it explores about the gambling world and a connection with the Mob. the starts of the movie are Sam rothstein the owner of a casino (robert dinero), Tommy a "made guy" with the shortest and craziest temper in history (joe pesci) Ginger, a game girl who become sams wife and druggy and a cheat.
The mobb want a skimm of some money from the casino every week so they can evade tax. the mobb own the casino, they gave sam the money to buy it so they want there big cut every week. slowly the cut seems to get less and less every week to the displeasure of the bosses. middle men are skimming money from the skimmed money. fingers are pointed at sam and tommy as they are looking after the casino. things arent going to well, the tommy decided to kill a man who insulted his buddy sam with a biro. tommys gangster links and his antics attract alot of bed media aattention onto the casino and sam, arguments between tommy and sam make them fall apart and sams addiction to his work lets wife ginger run loose with the cash which she sppends one druggs and drink, while having an affair with tommy. eventually everyones getting wacked for playing dirty even pesci gets what he deserves at the end in a gruesome finish. but even when hes buried allive. sam somehow esacpes.
Carlitos way: Al pacino sets the screen on fire with his performance in this movie, you have to give him 10/10. Carlitos way is a story about Carlito brigantay (Al pacino), a legend in the underworld for his drug dealing antics, mob hits as a youngster and his reputation of a no nonense guy. The movie begins in court when carlito who is serving a life sentence in jail is freed due to his loyal lawyer and friend David finding a loop hole in the police case against him, he has served around 5years of his life sentence and is now free to go back to society.
upon his release carlito makes plans of living a clean life away , from his past life, to the bahamas running a car rental shop. he needs to save up alot of money for his dream job in the bahamas. but though his intentions are good now, trouble soon finds carlito. his nephew is so excited about his legend uncles release he wants to take him to see his new "friends" a hesitant carlito goes but the meeting ends in a shootout and death. carlito manages to get out of this mess.
carlito convinces an old associate to let him buy part of his night club so that he could help him run it and start making money for his bahamas good life. again carlitos old lifestye just wont leave him alone as he explains to old pals and mafia members that he is out of the dirty buisness and clean now. no one seems to believe that he is changed now, not even the DA who are still trying to trap him.
Benny blanco is an up and coming young gangster who hangs out at the night club. Blanco is desperate to get to know the legend but carlito is not intrested and tensions rise to boiling point when a fight breaks out between blanco gang versus carlito and lawyer david over a bar girl who carlito is protecting. blanco gets a battering and to everyones surprise lives as carlito doesnt want blood on his hands, a weak move.
there is also a romance part to the movie as carlito tries to convince ex girlfriend gail that he his a good man now. the twist in the plot comes when David the lawyer gets himself in a pickle with a mafia boss and asks carlito to help him, carlito only agrees as he thinks david is a true friend who saved him from prison. high on coke David manages get himself and Carlito both on the top of a mafia hitlist. the race is on for carlito and gail to leave for the bahamas to start there new life. the movie ends with the most breath taking cat and mouse chase ive seen. the cinemtography is sublime and amazing to watch again and agian. does carlito make it.......find out. thanks for reading
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Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Re-rated based on Ciao's insistence that such reviews are no longer considered "Off Topic"
HotBabes 17.05.2006 13:59
A nice review but it would flow a lot better if you used capital letters in the appropriate places. :-)
Soho_Black 16.05.2006 14:30
I see you've posted this as a DVD review, but you've not mentioned the DVD. Are there any extras? If so, what are they and are they any good? If you add to this, or if you change it to be posted as a "Film Only" review, which can be done by accessing "edit review" in the top right of the review and changing the drop down menu under the "Which format are you reviewing?" question at the bottom, please let me know and I'll re-rate.
![Scarface/Carlito's Way/Casino [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78491591.jpg "Scarface/Carlito's Way/Casino [DVD]")
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