Gangs of new york film analysis

Gangs of new york gangs of new york, set in the 1860s new york, follows the story through the eyes of amsterdam, bought into life by leonardo dicaprio. Scorseses gangs of new york and new york history new. Gangs of new york starts in the year 1846, in which. Bill the butcher uses his expertise to cause the most painful damage possible. Scorsese has made his passionate ethnographic sensibility the. In this film there are two important characters, amsterdam vallon and boyle mcgloin, who were both irishmen in the five points. Vivid, violent, overlong and flabby, but often riveting. In 2002, martin scorsese teamed up with miramax films to direct gangs of new york, a film he had dreamed of making since the 1970s. The new film gangs of new york is an american story. The new york it portrays in the years between the 1840s and the civil war is, as a character observes, the forge of hell, in which groups clear space by killing their rivals. Martin scorcesses new york, new york never pulls itself together into a coherent whole, but if we forgive the movie its confusions were left with a good time. Here are a few observations about the movie and about new york history. Gangs of new york is to fernando woods manhattan what fellinis satyricon is to neros rome, with a touch of monty python filth on the faces and clothes. Squalor, violence, and reform the history as presented in the film is.

You get on and its not that crowded, theres a bunch of open seats. It takes the same theme as shakespeares, romeo and juliet, in that it is about two lovers whose relationship is not accepted by others because of conflicting backgrounds. This movie is extremely violent, with savagely brutal battles and oceans of blood. It gets a lot of criticism and i know a lot of people who actually hate it.

In fact, a great deal of the story is grounded in actual historical events. As he leaves, he looks at an asian man, walks over a bridge, and casually tosses the bible in the river. Amsterdam narrates that during the civil war, new york was a city full of tribes, rival gangs competing for control of the five points and beyond. Gangs of new york film analysis course researchers. The gangsters in his earlier films are motivated by greed, ego and power. Most hollywood fare shows nothing of the world of the hero. The drama film directed by martin scorsese, gangs of new york, provides us an account of the anarchy that occurred. Director martin scorsese does a wonderful job of portraying history on a live screen.

It is a story that scorsese has filmed without entirely internalizing. As you look around, you notice that the car is filled with mainly high school aged kids, mostly boys. Evidence shows that in real historical context five points neighborhood was a real place that existed with poor cleanliness conditions. Gangs of new york for my research paper i decided to write a film analysis on the gangs of new york. Doc analysis film gangs of new york, summer school nyu. A priest, and the young boy, amsterdams, father, was the leader of the irish gang, the dead rabbits. What gives the film gravity and grit is scorseses sweep through old new york at the height of the civil war. Because i teach urban history, immigration history, and in particular new york history, i often have students inquire about the merits of martin scorseses 2002 film gangs of new york. Martin scorsese has nurtured this brutal, astonishing creation through a.

Gangs of new york a historical film which follows the adventures of a young irish american man, is a tool that somewhat illustrates history during the time of immigration. At the center of the story is amsterdam vallon, who has returned to the five points neighborhood of lower manhattan after growing up. Gangs of new york was the first film in two years from actor leonardo dicaprio. Gangs of new york, martin scorseses brutal, flawed and indelible epic of 19thcentury urban criminality, begins in a mudwalled, torchlighted cavern, where a group of warriors prepare for. At the period of time he was writing about, there was barely a murder a month in all of new york city. Essay on gangs of new york gangs of new york is a vengeful story based in 19th century manhattan. Abandon your expectations of an orderly plot, and youll end up humming the title song. Its production design and cinematography are among the best i have ever seen.

Focusing on the saloon halls, gambling dens, and winding alleys of the bowery and the five points district of lower manhattan, the book evokes the destitution and violence of a turbulent era, when colorfully named criminals like. It is a tale of vendetta as a family legacy set against the historical background of ethnic feuds in new york city in 1863. Racism and gang violence are fueled by a crooked politician a lively shark in the hands of jim broadbent, a killer for hire brendan gleeson, an onthetake cop john c. Unfortunately, its story structure cannot support the films ambition. Martin scorseses gangs of new york rips up the postcards of american history and reassembles them into a violent, bloodsoaked story of our bareknuckled past. The movies a vast, rambling, nostalgic expedition back into the big band era, and a celebration of the considerable talents of. The book details the rise and fall of 19th century gangs in new york city, prior to the domination of the italianamerican mafia during prohibition in the 1920s. The characters in gangs of new york kill because they like to and want to. The film gangs of new york renders five points neighborhood on their sets excellently. Gangs of new york may be the most ambitious film of the last few years. The main structural element that sets this movie apart from others is context. Analysis of west side story west side story came out in 1961 as a melodramatic musical that took place in new york.

Amsterdam narrates that during the civil war, new york was a city full of tribes, rival gangs. Although martin scorseses 2002 film gangs of new york purports to be an historical film which recounts ethnic based gang rivalries in 1863 new york city, the film relies heavily on poeticlicense, accentuating violence and a typical hollywood good versus evil storyline, rather than delving into the historical. One of the most famous things about the film is the very end. The essay on history of immigration movie gangs of new york. Miramax had a lot of problems with it in the wake of 911, causing it to be delayed a whole year, sadly. Amsterdam is a petty criminal motivated by revenge and hatred, but the good. This detailed study guide includes chapter summaries and analysis, important themes, significant quotes, and more everything you need to ace your essay or test on gangs of new york, a film analysis. Bill the butcher is walking through a hallway of tammany hall to the office of boss tweed jim broadbent, who is running for some sort of political office. The film is centered on an area called five points. This 2002 film is about a young irish immigrant, named amsterdam, who returns to the five points to get revenge on william cutting, a powerful gang leader who murdered his father.

Scorsese had wanted to make gangs of new york by the end of the 70s, but after making raging bull everything changed in hollywood. In 19th century manhattan, a young irish immigrant leonardo dicaprio seeks revenge against the rival gang leader who killed his father. Gangs of new york, a film analysis 411 words 123 help me. Gangs of new york is about the separation of the irish and the natives, which eventually led into larger conflicts. Analysis of gangs of new york, sample of term papers. Identification with characters in movies enhances the spectators effective impact. Martin scorsese tried to get this film made for nearly a quarter century, and had the massive sets including a new york harbor constructed in rome, before this 2002 film was released.

In 1860, amsterdam vallan dicaprio is a young man who sets out to avenge the death of his father by killing his murderer, william cutting a. Gangs of new york is a warpacked film directed by martin scorsese that takes place in new york during the civil war. This was the city of bill the butcher daniel daylewis and fictional characters like amsterdam vallon leo dicaprio and jenny everdeane cameron diaz featured in gangs of new york the film by martin scorsese. Parents need to know that gangs of new york is a 2002 martin scorsese movie about the prejudice and hatred irish immigrants faced upon their arrival in new york city during the civil war. As all the film world knows, the egregious miramax producer has hacked down director martin scorseses projected threehourplus epic about 19thcentury gang warfare in. I actually liked the film and thought it was a pretty interesting world to see developed. Gangs of new york history vs hollywood, sample of essays. Gangs of new york is an important film as well as an entertaining one. Gangs of new york the movie gangs of new york takes place in lower manhattans five points neighborhood. Written by jay cocks, steven zaillian, and kenneth lonergan and directed by legendary director martin scorsese, 2002s gangs of new york is a massive achievement in terms of period films based on actual historical events and people. Gangs of new york arrives soaked in the sweat and tears of one of cinemas greatest living artists. An analysis of asian gangs lets say youre by yourself on the subway in new york city. Daylewis makes a magnificent villain, and dicaprio and diaz hold their own reasonably well. Reilly and the new conscription act from abe lincoln, which.

Daniel daylewis as william bill the butcher cutting based on william poole cameron diaz as jenny everdeane. The main reason i prefer it is that i can avoid panning and scanning. Tommy or bunz, and sincere, who both live in new york, have differing views of criminal life. Analysis of lighting in the film belly the motion picture belly explores the ghetto and the characters that live in this dark and obscure world of violence and criminal behavior. Loosely based on herbert asburys 1928 nonfiction book of the same title, the film honestly portrays the history of the gangs of new york with the irish american.

Set in the late 1800s, during the massive immigration to new york, there are tensions between the natives and the irish in the five points, the most ganginfested area of new york at the time. What was it like to live in the real gangs of new york. The film gangs of new york is not only a mere drama but also a substitute of the spectators attitudes and beliefs. Gangs of new york, directed by martin scorsese and starring leonardo dicaprio and daniel day lewis, may be a rather sensationalized version of history, but it cant be said that its entirely inaccurate. At the center of the story is amsterdam vallon, who has returned to the five points neighborhood of lower manhattan after growing up in an asylum. Watch gangs of new york streaming online hulu free trial. From beginning new york natives and irish immigrants hack at each other to the sound of hiphop. He is still in new york but in an orphanage, hellgate, on a nearby island. Competing fire brigades and police forces fight in the.