shierfilm

Time will prove Gangs of New York to be an exhalted classic.

The first time I saw it in theatres (Christmas 2002) I admired the spectacle but the story left me cold. It wasn't until I started watching the DVD that it sunk in how grand and beautiful this film is.

The production design is stellar. No one can say the film doesn't look authentic (New York 1860's). From the glorious costumes and sets to the extremely evocative music, Scorsese has re-defined verisimilitude. Check out the featurettes on the DVD re: set design and costumes. Your jaw will drop at the scale and scope of Martins' vision.

But to the most important of matters: STORY. This is American history, or to be specific: New York City history. One viewing will not suffice. This film demands your attention, and discerning film buffs should be enthralled that a film of this type has been made. (So many movies today lack passion and power. God bless the master Scorsese).

We are taken to The Five Points, a slummy area of New York. Immigrants are flooding in, coming off ships from Ireland & Europe, and the "Natives" are quite upset that their "chosen ground" has been polluted with people who were not "born right-wise". The climate is so ominous and poverty-stricken and gritty, that just about anything goes. In Scorsese's movie we see just what it was like in those insane days of war & corruption and new beginnings.

You have gangs who capitalize on the social scene (if that's a proper phrase), you have Boss Tweed ripping everything off, you have the civil war, you have an anti-immigrant butcher (who also runs a fire hall) creating and maintaining fear of loss of his countries' identity, and you have a spirited son of a Priest who lays to rest "his father's ghost".

Masterpiece. The film is awesomely compelling from start to finish.

The reasons? Director. (Martin Scorsese) Actor. (Daniel-Day Lewis) Photography. (Michael Ballhaus) Set/Production Design (Dante Ferreti) Editing (Thelma Schoonmaker) Music (Robertson, Pook, etc..)

All elements vital to the creation of classic film art.

I could talk about this film for hours, but I'll settle for watching it over and over and over again. It never loses it's power or integrity and I thank the cinema Gods that Scorsese exists. His films have a quality that defies the simple term "movies".

His work is special and for those who know, this film is an "I remember you, New York" from a man who was born there and will probably die there.

*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*SPOILERS

The studio and the filmmakers have given us all the things that make Batman such a God among comic book characters.

Bruce Wayne has psychological problems. His parents were murdered right in front of him. In Burton's film this was handled with intensity as well, but Nolan made it even more important. The sheer drama of the scene elevates the story arc. The death of Thomas and Martha is what makes Batman Batman. In Frank Miller's YEAR ONE (part one) he put Bruce on his knees between his slain parents on the cover. (An overhead drawing-powerful, succinct)

Nolan knows how important this is to the character.

Bruce's psyche is so shook up by this early tragedy that he has no desire to do anything but instill fear into the types of criminals that shot his folks.

Like The Punisher, everything he cared about was ripped away. Like The Punisher, he is mistaken for a vigilante (even the crooks say he's a loose cannon) Like The Punisher, he PUNISHES. With prejudice. With righteousness, with sweet justification.

I've talked to a few people who didn't like the movie. When I ask why I get different reasons: "My expectations were too high", "Liam Neeson is all of a sudden a bad guy? How could he not foresee Bruce refusing to be an executioner?", "The bat-suit still sucks", etc. etc.

My expectations were high as well but Nolan surpassed them. The scene when Batman's cowl "melts" into a macabre halloween mask and he rages at the perp...that scene alone makes the film the best Batman film ever. That was a scene that was aimed directly at fans of the character. when I saw the cowl melt I clenched my fists and said "----in' A" in my head. Instilling fear into criminals is driven home with that little scene. Bale's husky whisper cannot be understated-it's vitally important for Batman to be stealthy, and the voice is just as important as the footsteps.

Poetry. Cinematic poetry.

Michael Caine embodies Alfred the way he should be, and he steals the limelight from Michael Gough (who I think is the best Alfred), and the humour is very welcome. Alfred is the only person in Batman's life who has his complete trust and respect. You treat Alfred as a joke, a sidekick, and you are committing heresy. In the comics Alfred is extremely vital to Batman's cause, and he even became a costumed hero who died (1966) called "THE OUTSIDER". People gotta realize Alfred is just as important to Bruce Wayne as Watson is to Holmes.

Gary Oldman is the secret weapon. This James Gordon is the James Gordon comics fans know and love. This is the Gordon of "Hush", the Gordon of "No Man's Land", the Gordon of "The Dark Knight Returns". Oldman should never stop playing "the Commish".

Katie Holmes is forgettable, and I'm so glad Warner Bros. dropped her for the sequel. What's distressing though is that Nolan may not direct the sequel. Film-making is a long process- remember when Michael Herr talked to Kubrick about the shoot of "Apocalypse Now"?

Herr:"That was a tough shoot, Stanley". Kubrick: "They're ALL tough, Michael".

Cillian Murphy is incredible as Scarecrow/Dr. J. Crane. He's got that Harry Osborn thing going on, but Nolan directs him in a way that gives great power and depth and meaning to his scenes. Dude's psychotic! As in the comics. Amen on the treatment of the characters. Blessed be we...

Ken Watanabe attempts and succeeds at evoking Toshiro Mifune in a Kurosawa film. His *brief* scenes have weight. More WATANABE!

The editing of the film must be singled out as a major reason why the movie works. Lightning fast edits (As Oliver Stone said: "the audience thinks fast")allow us to digest the controlled fury of Batman's M.O. The fights are usually blurs, shadows of pastiche, clouds of war. Batman waits, stalks, unleashes. He is the Dark Knight, surrounded by darkness. Darkness that made him who he is. He's a psychologically wounded warrior (nee soldier), and whether or not we agree with his forms of "justice" we understand why he does it.

Nolan and co. have nailed Batman cinematic ally. Just like Miller & Rodriguez nailed "SIN CITY" cinematic ally.

We should be grateful films of this calibre are still being made. Christian Bale is Batman. He's the first actor to embody and emote that characters' very real and very complex life.

This isn't a "Biff Bam" or a "chicks like the car" Batman movie.

It's the beginning of a legend.