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Author Topic: American Gangster (2007) Jonathan M. Crist Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 531 From: Hershey, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 10-28-2007 02:19 AM                     Almost a 70's version of "Heat" (which structurally the picture resembles) combined with vague touches of "The Godfather", you can see Ridley Scott's desire to make a sweeping epic visibly truncated due to time constraints. Even at 2 1/2 hours the screenplay seems like a condensed 'cliff notes' version of something much more complex and longer - and this effect is compounded by a jarringly choppy editing job. This picture would have been much better off as a Sopranos or FX type TV mini series - allowing not only for more detailed character development (we barely scratch the surface of the major characters) but also for an in-depth exploration of this fascinating era of police corruption, drug task forces and the fading of the old crime families. It will be interesting to see just what kind of audience this picture plays to. I suspect that the older audience (who would find it most interesting) will pass it by and the younger action crowd will find it too slow paced. [ 10-28-2007, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: Jonathan M. Crist ]  |  IP: Logged Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 10-30-2007 10:42 PM                        quote: Jonathan M. Crist version of "Heat" I'm sold. I have to see it now just because you wrote that.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-30-2007 11:47 PM                        EDIT {I just saw the other thread in another section by Brad, but I'll leave this here anyways} Well, I am sadden to say that this film is availible on DVD already. We had a rash of them being sold here in the D.C. area. What's even sadder still is that they are DVD screeners in pristine condition. Most of my area customers have this on DVD in their homes already. They said while it's a great movie - they have no reason to pay $10.00 to see it again after paying only $10 for a DVD of the film they can watch over and over. F.U. Universal for letting this screener copy get out before the damn movie is even released. Assholes! Way to screw up your own film's grosses!  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-31-2007 01:51 AM                     Like I said in the other thread: The article makes it pretty clear that it's not from a screener.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-31-2007 02:59 AM                        True, but Dennis's point is well taken -- this failure in studio security negatively impacts the exhibitor's bottom line as well as the studio's. An exhibitor who agreed to certain terms based on the assumption he was getting a first run title now finds out that he's second run to wide spread DVD sales. Look, the studios are constantly ha-rumphing and wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth about EXHIBITORS costing them umpteen billions of dollars in lost revenue because of low quality camcorder copies off exhibitors' screens and forever pointing the finger at those recalcitrant exhibitors who don't do enough to stop this piracy. They will sic the FBI on any theatre where they suspect a camcorder copy was made, even shut down all of Canada because of off-the-screen copies they think come from Toronto. They will send security guards to sit in the booth when I run sneak previews, which makes me feel that the studios think that without that crack security guard sitting there (sleeping in the corner of the booth) my very first order of business the minute I got into the booth with the print would be to set up a camcorder and start video taping. So it is only fair to ask, what security measures are the STUDIOS taking to prevent financial harm to the EXHIBITOR when pristine copies are being made in their own post production facilities? When it happens under their noses by their own people, their attitude seems to be "well it's unfortunate, but that's the nature of the business." So it's hysterics when crappy, barely useable bootlegs originate in the theatre, and just barely a yawn when pristine, high-quality bootlegs are generated in post production. Quite a double standard I would say which rightly deserves Dennis's and a  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 11-01-2007 01:46 PM                     Very well said Frank. I agree completely.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 11-01-2007 05:45 PM                        Is someone possibly confusing the movie with the American Gangster TV Show on DVD?  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-01-2007 06:35 PM                        Let's put all the debate to rest: http://www.bedroommedia.com/watch.php?vid=6960&part=42951 You can watch the entire film at this web address. It is the one that my projectionist put together today. You need to have the DIVX plug-in for your computer for this link to work. I am sure that this link will get removed. But I put it here to put this whole damn arguement to rest.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-01-2007 07:10 PM                        I clicked on the link. I don't care to watch the movie online but I just wanted to look at the website out of curiosity. It has this interesting note at the bottom: quote: "The linked site" bedroommedia does not contain any content on its site, but is merely an index of available links on the Internet. bedroommedia is committed to an industry solution that will provide a mechanism to compensate artists that create the work you enjoy watching. Yeah, right.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-02-2007 02:42 AM                     Universal was right. This movie DOES suck! This movie is just boring and way too long, oh and boring, and did I mention boring? 1/2 out of 5 stars (That 1/2 star was for Universal putting a pristine copy of this movie onto the internet before it's theatrical release, of which I was able to run side by side during the check screening of the print. This way I was able to tune out parts of the movie that was just too damned boring to pay attention to and still know that the print was assembled properly. )  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 11-02-2007 03:59 AM                        I just illegally watched the illegal pirate version of this movie via the incredible Firefox™ web browser which is based on space age Mozilla® technology. Had I not been able to view the movie this way, I would have spent $10+ per person for myself and all of my friends to see it in a real movie theater on opening weekend making sure to catch it during the premium price period. Every web viewing is a lost sale. Here's the thing, though. I've already seen this movie before about a dozen times. Not on the web. Not via download. But as just about every other formulaic organized crime movie ever made. For a while there I thought that Martin Scorsese's name might pop up in the credits but then I realized that his movies have far better editing. I really don't give a rat's ass if Russel Crowe is afraid to speak in front of crowds. Oh? It gives him character, you say? Hell, then why not show more of his quirky phobias? Maybe he is afraid of taking a huge dump after eating a jar of peanuts. WE NEED TO KNOW! It establishes character, just like his lame wife and kid. Who cares? Oh? It makes him more human? Not with that hairdo.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-02-2007 09:09 AM                        11/02/07 12:30 a.m. Theatre #14 Hyattsville Royale 14 Quite a long movie. I loved it all the way up to it's abrupt ending. It kind of seemed like they hurried to end it. Despite all the rhetoric about the bootleg crap, I hope this movie does well this weekend. Here's to all of Denzel's fans coming in to support his film! Oh yeah, Here's to all Of Russell Crowe's fans coming to support his film too!  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-02-2007 04:51 PM                     I really liked this film. It maybe a generic plot, but it was well acted on every level. From the smallest character actor to the largest role. The only way I would compare this to "Heat" is in the fact that they don't meet until about 2 hours into the movie. 4/5 for me, they probably could of cut out 30 minutes or so, but ask me what 30 minutes and I probably couldn't tell you. Spoiler alert I like how after he put him away, Richie became a Defense attorny and his first client was Frank. I found that to be pretty funny. A must see if you ask me  |  IP: Logged

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