I always meant to watch The Soprano's ever since it first started as the premise seemed the perfect show for me, but not wanting to start at any point but the first episode, season one, I decided to wait for the boxsets. These were released, but for a long time they were more expensive than ... Read review
Writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television seriesThe Sopranosis ... more
nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home. This ambitious TV series chronicles a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold re...
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Writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television seriesThe Sopranosis ... more
nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home. This ambitious TV series chronicles a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold re...
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Meet Tony Soprano: your average, middle-aged businessman. Tony's got a dutiful wife. A ... more
not-so-dutiful daughter. A son named Anthony Jr. A mother he's trying to coax into a retirement home. A hot headed uncle. A not-too-secret mistress. And a shrink to ...
Critically hailed as 'a modern masterpiece' (The Observer) the series is a darkly humorous ... more
and often violent look at a New Jersey family whose patriarch happens to be a mob boss. The pace is fast the conflict fierce and the humour bitterly dark The ...
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The Sopranos, writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television series, is ... more
nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home: This ambitious TV series chronicles a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bol...
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Emmy Award-winning drama THE SOPRANOS follows the personal and professional exploits of ... more
mafia boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he tries to balance his home life with heading up a criminal organisation. This box set contains all 86 episodes from series 1 through 6.
This is the first time that all episodes of writer-producer-director David Chase's ... more
extraordinary US television series The Sopranos have been brought together in one box set which is a seminal event for any fan of the series. The Sopranos is nominally an urban gangster drama but its true impact strikes closer to home chronicling a dysfunctional suburban family in bold relief. And for protagonist Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) there's the added complexity posed by heading twin families his collegial mob clan and his own nouveau riche brood.
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The Sopranos, writer-producer-director David Chase's extraordinary television series, is ... more
nominally an urban gangster drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home: This ambitious TV series chronicles a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold relief. And for protagonist Tony Soprano, there's the added complexity posed by heading twin families, his collegial mob clan and his own nouveau riche brood.The series' brilliant first season is built around what Tony learns when, whipsawed between those two worlds, he finds himself plunged into depression and seeks psychotherapy--a gesture at odds with his midlevel capo's machismo, yet instantly recognisable as a modern emotional test. With analysis built into the very spine of the show's elaborate episodic structure, creator Chase and his formidable corps of directors, writers, and actors weave an unpredictable series of parallel and intersecting plot arcs that twist from tragedy to farce to social realism. While creating for a smaller screen, they enjoy a far larger canvas than a single movie would afford, and the results, like the very best episodic television, attain a richness and scope far closer to a novel than movies normally get.Unlike Francis Coppola's operatic dramatisation of Mario Puzo'sGodfatherepic,The Sopranossustains a poignant, even mundane intimacy in its focus on Tony, brought to vivid life by James Gandolfini's mercurial performance. Alternately seductive, exasperated, fearful, and murderous, Gandolfini is utterly convincing even when executing brutal shifts between domestic comedy and dramatic violence. Both he and the superb team of Italian-American actors recruited as his loyal (and, sometimes, not-so-loyal) henchman and their various "associates" make this mob as credible as the evocative Bronx and New Jersey locations where the episodes were filmed.The first season's other life force is Livia Soprano, Tony's monstrous, meddlesome mother. As Livia, the late Nancy Marchand eclipses her long career of patrician performances to create an indelibly earthy, calculating matriarch who shakes up both families; Livia also serves as foil and rival to Tony's loyal, usually level-headed wife, Carmela (Edie Falco). Lorraine Bracco makes Tony's therapist, Dr Melfi, a convincing confidante, by turns "professional", perceptive, and sexy; the duo's therapeuticrelationship is also depicted with uncommon accuracy. Such grace notes only enrich what's not merely an aesthetic high point for commercial television, but an absorbing film masterwork that deepens with subsequent screenings. --Sam Sutherland, Amazon.com
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1997 - Drama - Director: Gillian Armstrong - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, Richard Roxburgh
Advantages: Supeb acting, writing, direction, almost perfect Disadvantages: Possibly too violent for some
I always meant to watch The Soprano's ever since it first started as the premise seemed the perfect show for me, but not wanting to start at any point but the first episode, season one, I decided to wait for the boxsets. These were released, but for a long time they were more expensive than any of the rest out there so I didn't bother with them until last xmas my girlfriend bought me the boxset of the whole collection.
The Sopranos ... ...has his first one in the very first scene in episode 1) which cause his doctors to force him to visit a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Goodfellas Lorraine Bracco), whilst trying to keep it secret from the mob so as not to be viewed as mentally weak.
Tony Soprano is perhaps one of the most complex characters you'll ever see on TV. He is a middle level respected mafia Capo who respects the way the old school mobster ran things and ... more
I always meant to watch The Soprano's ever since it first started as the premise seemed the perfect show for me, but not wanting to start at any point but the first episode, season one, I decided to wait for the boxsets. These were released, but for a long time they were more expensive than any of the rest out there so I didn't bother with them until last xmas my girlfriend bought me the boxset of the whole collection.
The Sopranos is David Chase's multi-award winning drama series about New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his life between his two families - his wife and kids and his mafia associates. Tony suffers from panic attacks (this is not a spoiler, he has his first one in the very first scene in episode 1) which cause his doctors to force him to visit a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Goodfellas Lorraine Bracco), whilst trying to keep it secret from the mob so as not to be viewed as mentally weak.
Tony Soprano is perhaps one of the most complex characters you'll ever see on TV. He is a middle level respected mafia Capo who respects the way the old school mobster ran things and is less trusting of the newer generation of gangsters, keeping a small crew of people he came up with and close family, whilst also trying to run several profitable legit businesses inherited from his father including Waste Management. Tony is short tempered and not to be crossed, many times through out the series people would try and get the better of him or rip him off, the change in him when this happens is almost like watching a bi-polar person go from happy to sad, but in this case going from calm and friendly to very angry and violent. If you've seen films like the Godfather or Goodfellas you'll have a fairly good idea on the old school mob ideas and traditions, these are the things Tony respects most in life (outside his real family) and you often see his paranoia come out when dealing with people he does not trust. Add to that his problems with his Uncle Corrado 'Junior' Soprano (played by the superb Godfather 2 veteran Dominic Chianese) due to Junior's increasing ambitions (and jealousy of Tony) for making money and becoming head boss of the DiMeo crime family, something Tony is viewed by the inner circle of gangsters as the natural future leader, and it's easy to see why Tony gets so stressed. But his mob family are a walk in the park compared to the stress from his real family.
He is husband to Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco), father to Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and Anthony Junior (Robert Iler), and son to Livia Soprano played by the excellent late Nancy Marchand. Tony's relationship with his kids is like any other father's, going through the struggles of trying to keep his kids on the straight and narrow, being called to their schools when they've been in trouble, going to sporting event etc, whilst dealing with the fact his kids are becoming increasingly aware of who their father really is. I'm not keen on Iler's acting abilities and he pretty much annoyed me all throughout the series with him coming across very one dimensional. Sigler on the other hand plays the role of the moody teenage daughter well and I feel if she can avoid the usual roles in cheesy teen American comedies she could have a decent career in front of her.
Tony's relationship with his wife is strained due to his mob commitments and the fact he cheats on her and she knows it. Falco is excellent as the frustrated mob wife and plays the part to a level I think any other actress would have struggled to replicate. Left at home all day usually alone, with only the solitude of a small group of friends consisting of other mob wives and girlfriends, and the local priest, Carmella goes through the same emotions and thoughts any women (I imagine) would go through in her situation.
Which brings me to Nancy Marchand's (RIP) Livia Soprano. This character is the major cause of the stress in Tony's life even though Tony would do pretty much anything for her (within reason). Livia is becoming slowly unable to look after herself in her own home and Tony has to battle with her over the fact she needs to go to a retirement home, something Livia constantly gets on his back for telling him he doesn't care etc. She is a very clever person though and appears to manipulate situations to please herself, whether it be with Tony, or her dead husbands brother Junior who she has a lot of influence over. Livia is a very tough women and you get the feeling in her younger days if it hadn't been for the sexism of the mob she would have been the real gangster not her husband. She argues with everything Tony says and always disagrees, even if what her son is doing will benefit her or is something she would enjoy she always manages to find an objection, and a good deal of Tony's time in with his therapist are spent discussing her. When I watch Marchand's performance I can't help wonder if she was still alive if she would have landed more film role's of the back of this performance as she clearly had a lot of talent.
An important part of the Soprano's is Tony's visits to Dr Melfi, the psychiatrist who fear's Tony but also loves the thrill of treating such a dangerous man. In my opinion this role was cast perfectly (as most are in the show), and after the first few episodes we really start to learn more about the doctor's feelings, personality , what's going on in her family life, and her own personal demons. These scenes are often shown midway through the episode and are primarily used for us to really get to know the TS character and learn what make's him tick, they really are vital to the show and often make the difference on how you view certain situations and characters.
Tony's main mob family consist of Silvio Dante (former Bruce Springsteen guitarist Steven Van Zandt, and who's character like's to do a Al Pacino in Godfather impression much to the amusement of the rest of the boys), Salvatore ' Big Pussy' Bonpensiero (Vincent Pastore), Tony's nephew Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), and my personal favourite (and my partners) Paul 'Paulie Walnuts' Gualtieri played by Tony Sirico. Sirico had a legit mob background, had been arrested 28 times before launching a film career in such film's as' Goodfellas', and took the role on the promise he 'wouldn't play a rat'. Sirico is very funny playing this character, he often interrupts Tony just to comment on food or something else he's enjoying, and is a loyal respected mobster who had worked under Tony's father. I often think when watching him on screen just how much of his character he had picked up from his time around the mafia and would love to have the chance to question him on it lol.
One of the things I really like about this show is its ability to focus on not just Tony but many of the other characters in its stories. You may find one episode is focusing on a character your not keen on, but usually that's made up for in the episodes that focus on your favourites. It's a very violent show at times and isn't for the easily offended, but the acting and direction of the show is so good even my parents who hate violence and profanity (my mother particularly) were hooked on this show and must have watched all 6 seasons in the space of about 3 weeks. Much of this first season lays down the foundations for us learning about the characters with there not being quite as much action as future seasons, but honestly you don't notice the show is that good.
The shows theme tune is perhaps the best music for any show ever, whilst the title sequence features Tony driving through New Jersey and past various NJ landmarks. With a little research I found that Chase used this to show that this Mafia show was about New Jersey, as opposed to New York, where traditionally these drama's are usually set.
My only complaint's about this first season are that the episodes seem to follow a set pattern. They begin with Family and mob interaction, usually followed by a visit to his mother then psychiatrist, followed by possibly more mob business then a family dinner. I guess this is because some episodes are only over 1 day, but others aren't and still seem to follow this formula. The episodes seem to be quite random in length during this season with them ranging between about 50 min to 1 hour.
Episode List
01 The Sopranos 02 46 Long 03 Denial, Anger, Acceptance 04 Meadowlands 05 College 06 Pax Soprana 07 Down Neck 08 The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti 09 Boca 10 A Hit is a Hit 11 Nobody Knows Anything 12 Isabella 13 I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano
Overall I believe The Soprano's to be one of the finest television shows ever made. The casting is superb through out as is the writing and direction. Picking the relatively unknown Gandolfini (based on his role in 'True Romance') for the lead part was a master stroke and allowed this talented actor to really show his full range of acting ability. It does a fantastic job of taking us into the lives of gangsters and criminals, while delivering more in this first season for you to think about than many shows give in their entirety. This show is a must for Gangster flick fans and anyone who enjoys a compelling story.
I haven't reviewed the extras as they require a computer and a lower version of windows than I currently have to run them.
Advantages: Pure brilliance all round Disadvantages: None
...be alone in saying that The Sopranos TV series is one of the best dramas i have ever seen and no doubt in the top 5 US TV exports in recent years. It has everything you could want from a mob drama with just superb acting, writing and direction in possibly every episode. As a treat to myself, i recently re-started watching my Sopranos dvds again with my girlfriend who used to moan about me watching this now recommends we put it on, progress! Not sure ... ...asked for regular updates on the storyline, definately progress!! Anyway, i will endeavour to provide an in depth review of season 1 and provide purchase advice. PLOT - Tony Soprano is a top end mobster in the New Jersey based Di-Meo crime family. He is a husband to wife Carmela and father to his two children Meadow and Anthony Jnr. Juggling his time with his cosa nostra family and his real family cause him to have panic attacks which he aims to ...
Capodon 05.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Sopranos - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)
Advantages: Best television drama ever Disadvantages: Strong language, adult themes
...catch it until I brought the DVD. At the time of purchase this cost over £35 so was no small investment, I can however state that it was one of the best £35's I have ever spent as it has given me many hours of enjoyment. It was my first introduction into the lives of the Sopranos the greatest American family since the Walton's! They may by now be as famous as the Walton's but that is were the comparison ends, the Walton's this is not, but it is perhaps ... ...pay per view network in the States to be originally screened on that channel and as such was left uncensored, it is to all intents and purposes a Movie played over several hours. But unlike a movie were full character development must take place over a limited time frame the episodic nature of the Soprano's means that this is never rushed and we gain a deeper insight into the characters week by week . The series was created by David Chase who also ...
sigmatech 08.12.2006 (09.12.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Sopranos - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)
Advantages: One of the greatest productions of all time. Disadvantages: Mature content may be too severe for some.
...introduces us to one of the most original televison shows of all time. An epic production, showcasing some of the very best in acting and production talent of our time.
Meet Tony Soprano; your average, middle-aged businessman and.. mob boss. The Sopranos centres around Tony and the bizarre life that he leads. Balancing, on the one hand, family life and his duties as a (sometimes) loving husband and father, with, on the other hand, the pressures ... ...of the show is well-illustrated by the tagline of series one: "If one family doesn't kill him... the other will".
The Sopranos isn't the brutal bloodfest that made films such as Casino or Goodfellas what they are. This is a much deeper insight into the mob. In (nearly) every episode Tony spends a session with his psychiatrist and the audience is given an understanding of exactly what he is feeling following events in both of his 'lives'. The Sopranos ...
gavagavagava 24.09.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Sopranos - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)
Advantages: Gangster Drama At Its Best Disadvantages: None
This is the first of five top quality series by David Chase. Based around the lives of a gangster and his disfunctional family.
Anthony Soprano Sr ( Tony ) is having a hard time when we see him for the first episode his wife and daughter are at loggerheads, his mum is going to go mad if she doesn't let him help her, his business is getting hit by some heavy competition and to top it all off his ducks have gone.
Tony is a very family orientated ... ...his waste disposal business is the disposal of people that cause him problems. A trade he picked up from his family. This really is TV drama at its best and the casting is almst flawless with the exception that Joe Pantoliano was only in for two seasons.
This was not a priority programme for me I have to be honest but once I started watching it I became hooked on the storylines.
The cast are:
JAMES GANDOLFINI : Tony Soprano Sr
EDIE FALCO : Carmela ...
JoandLee 03.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Sopranos - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)
Advantages: Whole first series in 1 box Disadvantages: no extras
...Not on your nelly! From the first opening sequence we were hooked. Follow the life of Tony and his 2 familes - His mum, wife and 2 kids and the 'other family'. You get hooked on the story line and can't wait for the next episode - guess what you won't have to its all in 1 box set!!! Catchy music in there also. Very funny scenes and when its all over you can buy series 2. You'll end up wishing you were part of his family - the fellas will love the ... ...- it doesn't go over the top with it like so many mafia style movies. Very believable. You end up hating some of the characters and can't wait for them to get whacked!!!! And you fall in love with Tony from the start. Once you have watched this you only have another 5 box sets to go to catch up to current series 6 which is awaiting final airing in US (March 2007). Plus the current prices on amazon/in virgin make the box sets a worth while buy. ...
jonnydeppontv 23.01.2007
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authentic, that it's almost impossible to fault.
SEASON 6 PART 1
This season does something that really annoys me: it breaks into two parts. In the US airing, there was a ridiculous six month gap between the two halves, and it's hard to understand why this happened.
Of course, this is the final season of The Sopranos, so a lot had to be put right. The writers were in a tough spot - the show had reached cult status by this point, and it had to be done well; there are 21 episodes between the two parts of season 6, almost twice that of previous seasons.
Season 6 Part 1 begins with a senile Junior shooting Tony, putting him into a coma. Whilst in this coma, Tony has a series of surreal dreams, full of artistic metaphor and symbolism. Regular fans of the show will know that there have been a handful of 'dream episodes' over the years ...
Product Information for "The Sopranos - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)" »
Product details
Genre
Drama
Classification
18 years and over
Running Time
11 hours 36 minutes
Franchise Name
Sopranos
Video Category
US Television
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Plot
Waste management consultant, Tony Soprano, struggles to cope with his Mafia responsibilities and his problems at home, leading him to experience anxiety attacks. So, breaking the rules, Tony seeks the help of a shrink.
Peter Bogdanovich Interviews Sopranos Creator David Chase, Behind The Scenes Featurettes, Audio Commentaries, Animated Menus
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital Surround English
Sound
Dolby Digital Surround
Aspect Ratio
1.33 Full Screen
Professional reviews
Review
"...Among TV's finest hours, and it's worth buying this set just to own them..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.67, 08/12/2000)
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
07/11/2005
DVD Description
This set includes the first 13 episodes of HBO's outstanding Emmy-winning series THE SOPRANOS, created by David Chase. Join Tony Soprano and both of his families--the wife and kids, and his fellow wiseguys--as they deal with balancing their work with their lives. The episodes include "The Sopranos" (series premiere); "46 Long;" "Denial, Anger, Acceptance;" "Meadowlands;" "College;" "Pax Soprana;" "Down Neck;" "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti;" "Boca;" "A Hit Is a Hit," "Nobody Knows Anything;" "Isabella;" and "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano." The series stars James Gandolfini in a career-making performance as Tony Soprano, a Mafia leader who is having trouble dealing with his family and starts to see a shrink. The terrific supporting cast features Edie Falco as Tony's beleaguered wife, Carmela; Lorraine Bracco as Tony's put-upon psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi; Michael Imperioli as loose cannon Christopher Moltisanti; Steven Van Zandt as Silvio, owner of the Bada-Bing; and the incomparable Nancy Marchand, in one of the great television performances, as Livia Soprano, Tony's conniving, controlling mother. The writing, directing, and acting are impeccable, making for one of the most enjoyable viewing events in TV history.
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