The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)

[GringoTex]

He can pay for busy art direction (GANGS, which looked & felt nothing like NYC), and soaring crane or pulley-wire shots or steadicam ballets, but that was never what Scorcese was all about at core. Living dialog, and living, livid, boiling characters.

I agree with you about Gangs, but what sets his Goodfellas-Age of Innocence-Casino triumvirate apart for me is that he finally integrated the living, boiling characters with a materialist connection to their environment through the camera "theatrics" you mention. Almost like a mix of Cassavetes and von Sternberg. Casino is the supreme example, where the jewelry, clothes, cars, and silver coins join together like a Greek Chorus sing-songing doom for the characters. I realize many people were left cold by the characters in Casino, but I experienced a strong emotional connection, partly due to the music, no doubt.

Whoever said people laugh at TD because they "like" it is in error.

As a former film programmer who has screened literally thousands of repertory movies for audiences, I can declare myself an expert on the subject and state that there can be a dozen different reasons for audience laughter at the same moment in a film. Some are laughing with it, some laughing at it, some laughing with discomfort, some laughing with scorn, and some laughing only because other people laughed first (actually, all it takes is a few strong laughers in an audience to make for a freaking gigglefest).

But I can absolutely say that most people laugh in Taxi Driver because they like it.

[GringoTex]

At another level I watched a tres bourgeois film society audience walk out in droves at Robin Woods' presentation of Raging Bull in the eighties.

Please give us more details. I had Wood introduce "North by Northwest" in 1997. He had just had hip surgery and was not well, looking old and unstable. Before hand, he had told me that he wanted me to take him to get something to eat after the intro, because he had already seen the movie 50 times and never wanted to watch it again. He sounded sickly and bitter, and I was a bit disappointed at his lack of enthusiasm. He then gave a raspy 30 minute intro that had the audience ready to throw fruit at him. It was one of the most brilliant oral criticisms I've ever seen. But once the film started rolling, he didn't leave. I went to get him, but he had taken a seat and told me he would meet me outside after a few minutes-- he wanted to just watch the opening credits. He didn't meet me outside-- he watched the entire film. He came out afterwards bubbling like a 16-year-old fanboy who had just seen Star Wars. I don't think I've ever met a critic as emotionally in love with cinema as Robin Wood.

[HerrSchreck]

I agree with you about Gangs, but what sets his Goodfellas-Age of Innocence-Casino triumvirate apart for me is that he finally integrated the living, boiling characters with a materialist connection to their environment through the camera "theatrics" you mention. Almost like a mix of Cassavetes and von Sternberg. Casino is the supreme example, where the jewelry, clothes, cars, and silver coins join together like a Greek Chorus sing-songing doom for the characters. I realize many people were left cold by the characters in Casino, but I experienced a strong emotional connection, partly due to the music, no doubt.

No I'd actually agree with pretty much everything you said. I like CASINO alot. I'd mentioned earlier that the real cutoff for me was BRINGING OUT THE DEAD, which came after CASINO. One thing nice about that film was seeing DeNiro playing such a schmaltz, and getting his brains fucked by Pesci.

[souvenir]

Trailer is up

[The Invunche]

Terrible Pink Floyd cover.

[Matt]

Trailer is up

Well, the trailer looks like a Scorsese highlights reel, so I think that might be a good thing. It's good to see him working in a contemporary milieu again, but I hope it's more Mean Streets than Bringing Out the Dead.

[Don Lope de Aguirre]

I know very little about this film but judging by the trailer (and the little I have read) it looks more Michael Mann territory then Martin Scorcese. The trailer is very adolescent in a Hollywood way and the there are far too many 'big name' actors. Nicholson too appears to be being...Nicholson.

Still, it's only a trailer, I hope my gut instinct it wrong and that it's a wonderful film! :-k

[flyonthewall2983]

Terrible Pink Floyd cover.

Being both a fan of Floyd and Van Morrison, I disagree. But I think the use of it is terrible.

[ShishidoJo]

I'm sure fans of Asian films being Americanized will be glad to note that in addition to remaking a film which only came out a few years ago, Scorsese, ever the creative person, decided to remake the 1971 Japanese film "Silence". That is very exciting news to me -- I can't wait to see how much of the boring stuff (i.e. character development, symbolism, scenes without pop music and/or witty dialogue) he can take out. I just hope he remakes "Black Rain" soon! And "Ugetsu". That movie's boring as shit. Wouldn't it be awesome with Josh Hartnett and Bruce Willis? Then they could add gratuitous sex scenes, a catchy pop soundtrack, and a car chase. Also, a few slow-motion explosions and shoot-outs for good measure.

[rs98762001]

SILENCE is based on an incredible Shusaku Endo book which Scorsese has been obsessed with adapting into a movie for decades. I doubt he, or anyone else outside the most rarified Japanese film conoisseur, has seen the original Silence adaptation. I'm no fan of Marty's post-GOODFELLAS work, but if ever there was an interesting fit for his thematic obsessions in a new context, the Endo novel is it.

[Antoine Doinel]

Yeah, the Pink Floyd cover sucks but holy hell, doesn't Jack Nicholson look great in the trailer. It looks like he'll be reason enough to see the film.

And btw, as for the whole "remake" issue, Scorsese hasn't seen the original and as for the original it's no sacred cow. Having seen it, it's somewhat overhyped and certainly doesn't contain the kinds of themes that Scorsese will (hopefully) be bringing to his version. The only thing that struck me as odd about the trailer is how little Mark Wahlberg (who I think is very underrated) is in it.

[ShishidoJo]

I'm willing to bet that he has. And I'm also willing to bet that Scorsese's adaptation will be vastly inferior to Shinoda's -- probably dumbed down in order to get a nationwide release. Not to mention the high probability of it being entirely in English, which I am strongly opposed to. But above all, I'm wary of "Silence" (and, to add some relevancy to my post, "The Departed") due to the inherent lack of quality in Scorsese's recent films.

[stroszeck]

As far as I'm concerned, Scorsese is basically no longer a fraction of the visionary he used to be. He destroyed Bringing Out The Dead which had a clear potential to be an extension or companion piece to his TD days, (especially since it was written by Paul Schrader), and Gangs of New York was an absolute crappy mess. On top of that there was the embarrassingly glossy AVIATOR where he was basically doing all he could to win an oscar. The Scorsese I know and love would have spent much much more time with Howard Hughes in that dark little screening room of his as he continued his decline into insanity. Even the ending was contrite and predictable/boring. I could not get out of my seat because I was so shocked at the lackluster quality of that film (Yes, that includes the acting of the supporting "actresses," especially Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner! Where the fuck did that brilliant piece of casting come from?)

Anyways, he was a great director and he's pretty much lost his edge or whatever. You'd think that a man with that much interest in the history of film as a medium, who probably watches more movies than most of the people on this board combined, and who has painstakingly devoted his entire mental capacity to memorizing shots and sequences from thousands upon thousands of movies, would at least be able to maintain some sort of cohesive narrative and decent shot compositions. Anyways, I'm all done whining now. Scorsese gone... Coppola returning???

[jorencain]

Terrible Pink Floyd cover.

Yeah. Hearing Van Morrison sing that with Roger Waters years ago made me hate the guy (Van Morrison, I mean). I don't know why they would stick that terrible version of the song in this trailer.

[David Ehrenstein]

They ran the trailer on "Entertainment Tonight" last night. Looks pretty good. Interesting that he uses "Gimme Shelter." Marty's nostalgic for rock's finest era.

The trouble with Marty is that he scaled such heights with Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The King of Comedy, he's made it almost impossible to "top himself" if that's what he wants. I know it isn't. he just wants to make films The Age of Innoccence is really quite good, and unlike everyone else in here I loved The Aviator. On the other hand Gangs of New York was a mess.

In the popular imagination, as disseminated by the "mainstream" media, GoodFellas is his best film. It's just OK. Casino is his best film. Meanwhile The Sopranos rips Marty and Fassbinder of rather magnificently.

It's David Chase that everyone will be thinking about re The Departed -- not its Hong Kong original.

[Antoine Doinel]

I personally loved Gangs Of New York (though I would love to see the four hour cut that the Weinsteins forced Marty to edit - if anyone wants me to dig up a review of it, I will post it) and have found both Casino (which I intially didn't like) and Age Of Innoncence have aged very well.

I would still say Goodfellas is his best film but I think Scorsese still has so much more to say and so many more interesting stories to tell.

And you can't tell me that The Departed doesn't look about ten thousand times more interesting than Miami Vice.

[John Cope]

And you can't tell me that The Departed doesn't look about ten thousand times more interesting than Miami Vice.

Well, actually I can. Unless, that is, you really groove to the sight of Dicaprio doin' a Boston accent. I agree with you on Gangs, however. It's really terrible to see such a daring work so universally dismissed. And, yes, please post that review somewhere if you can find it. I'd love to see it.

[AZAI]

The trailer makes me very curious about the film, especially because the formulaic trailer seems to be all but representative for the feel, style and story of a Scorsese film (and 8/wo films in general) but looks pretty slick.

[Lino]

In the popular imagination, as disseminated by the "mainstream" media, GoodFellas is his best film. It's just OK. Casino is his best film.

Hell must be freezing over because I just found myself agreeing with Mr Ehrenstein about something. Oh, wait -- we also agreed about Querelle before! Honeys -- get your overalls and boots on and dig south! Skiing time is here!

[David Ehrenstein]

Hang in there Myra, and Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train will be your favorite movie in next to no time.

[Antoine Doinel]

Well, actually I can. Unless, that is, you really groove to the sight of Dicaprio doin' a Boston accent. I agree with you on Gangs, however. It's really terrible to see such a daring work so universally dismissed. And, yes, please post that review somewhere if you can find it.

Wow, you're actually one of the first people to agree with me on Gangs!

Here's a review I found from someone who saw a much longer rough edit. It's not the four hours I had thought (got confused) but a longer version and mentions some of the cuts made. Though Scorsese says he's happy with this current cut I would love to see what got left out.

I guess what bothers me is that people are dismissing Scorsese for doing a "remake", but practically salivating at the mouth for what most accounts is fairly standard - if good looking - "reimaging" of an '80s TV show.

[che-etienne]

so am I one of the only people excited for this movie on this forum?

[Antoine Doinel]

Nope! I'm very excited as well.

[souvenir]

Add me to the excited list. I liked parts of Gangs of New York and most of The Aviator. It'll be interesting to see Scorsese, the quintessential New York Italian American filmmaker, handle a Irish/Boston story. The Damon-DiCaprio pairing makes it feel like 1997 all over again and I'm anxious to see how Nicholson is, especially considering the rumors from the set.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

And you can't tell me that The Departed doesn't look about ten thousand times more interesting than Miami Vice.

Yes, actually I can... by a long shot.

That having said, I am really curious to see Nicholson under Scorsese's direction. You can bet that ol' Jack will get another Oscar nomination out of this one (I can almost see the headlines now, "I smell Oscar!").

I'll also go on record as being a fan of The Aviator as well -- I found it to be a thoroughly engrossing and engaging movie on pretty much every level. Does it look as great as GoodFellas or Mean Streets? No, but it is still better than a lot of what is coming out of the studios nowadays.