MovieFreak.com - Gangs of New York DVD Review

Set in the period from 1846 to 1863, this is the story of street gangs getting their start on ruling the neighborhoods in New York City, in a time of Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed. The two gangs at the heart of this film are the Dead Rabbits (Irish) and the Native Americans ("natives of New York", such as the British and Dutch). Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the son of the Rabbits' murdered leader, so he vows vengeance on the man who killed him, Bill "The Butcher" Poole (Daniel Day-Lewis).

Gangs of New York is a work of pure art and vision. I know it sounds a little pretentious, although it might not, but Martin Scorsese’s eye for detail and large-scale vision is something extraordinary. He and Dante Ferretti create a compelling visual experience. Howard Shore’s original score (he apparently replaced Elmer Bernstein late in the game) is also very nice, but not as strong as the film requires. It feels a little empty on the whole, like it’s rushed (that could be since Shore’s score also appears in the Lord of the Rings trilogy).

Now let’s get into the screenplay, which is based on Herbert Asbury’s novel. To describe it in one word is easy, but not totally reflective. "Convoluted" is the word I’m talking about and the script can’t avoid it. On a more objective level, the screenwriters Jay Cocks (also story; The Age of Innocence), Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) and Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me) probably didn’t work in close collaboration; at least it appears that way. The problem is the construction. The first act is clear and well written. The second and third acts, however, are a bit of a mess. Where the second acts ends, I believe it is with Amsterdam’s attempt to kill Bill (no relation to the Tarantino flick), the film is at the 110-minute or so mark. The third act then goes on for about 40-50 minutes. That’s just too much. I could be wrong here, but it doesn’t change the fact that both acts are convoluted. Despite all of this, the screenplay features some interesting information pertaining to the history, places and dialogue of the era (when gangs got their first start; I can’t help it but that sounds more like aspiring actors trying to find work).

One of the better things about the film is the acting, however. Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic) carries himself well, persisting an on-screen charm that is valuable to the character of Amsterdam. However, it appears his accent fluctuates from scene to scene as the film progresses. Daniel Day-Lewis (Last of the Mohicans, My Left Foot), nominated for his performance at the Oscars earlier this year, takes his character to a commanding place of complexity. Bill "The Butcher" is vicious, but there is a soft side to him as well. The excitement of the performance lies in the unknown, meaning Day-Lewis keeps the audience on the tip of their feet because Bill could explode at any given moment. Bill seems over the top in a few places, but that is completely excusable. Every villainous character needs that; it’s like an inherited trait.

Third on the billing block is Cameron Diaz (Vanilla Sky, Charlie’s Angels), playing Jenny Everdeane, a petty thief and love interest of DiCaprio’s character. She’s fairly convincing and elevates the romance subplot a notch higher (the romance feels forced in itself, but Diaz’s quality and charm work for the better). Supporting players are John C. Reilly (The Hours, Chicago), Jim Broadbent (Nicholas Nickleby, Moulin Rouge), Henry Thomas (All the Pretty Horses), Larry Gilliard Jr. (HBO’s The Wire), Brendan Gleeson (M:I2, The General), and the reliable Liam Neeson (Attack of the Clones, Schindler’s List). All of them are essential to the film and turn in commendable performances.

I think Scorsese wants Gangs of New York to be an epic and it certain terms it is. The grand scale of the sets, costumes, characters and vision are all in favor of making up an epic-like film. I say "like," because Gangs of New York is not without its shares of problems. One such problem is the consistency of the story. Granted, the film is based on a true story and on historical facts. However, the story focuses on too many subplots, half of which are hard to follow and keep track of. The main story is about Amsterdam Vallon exacting revenge on Bill "The Butcher," but it becomes entangled with the subplots, making it drag along until the it’s time for the confrontation (and even then it’s only at the half-way mark of the film). Another problem is the running time that causes the film’s pace to move too slowly. I believe the reason for this to be the numerous subplots, some of which are not that compelling to begin with. Keeping track of the many different stories and aspects of the time and place, but making them interesting and important, is a hard thing to accomplish.

When all is said and done, Gangs of New York still holds true to its epic-like form. Despite problems with the script and pace (and a few other things), the ultimate experience is what counts. Gangs of New York is a carefully crafted piece of work, something Scorsese takes seriously. His vision penetrates the script, creating a film that works on most levels. It’s a drama, alright, but the history behind it is valuable and interesting. Gangs of New York is one of my top ten favorite films of 2002.

Miramax Films presents Gangs of New York in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The film is split over two discs, with the second half on disc two having a longer running time than the first half on disc one. Much of this transfer looks nice and clean, however, there are some problems. Grain and dirt spots appear on some of the source material. I didn’t notice any compression artifacts, however. The color palette fairs a lot better as colors are everywhere, blossoming and gracing the screen. Color detail is also pretty good. Dark tones and black levels perform fairly well, but are not consistent overall. Overall, Gangs of New York looks pretty good, but not great.

Miramax Films presents Gangs of New York in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Here is where the beauty of this disc is. The sound effects are fitting to the mix as they play to all speakers. Dialog scenes are clear and easy to understand. Howard Shore’s score is everywhere, all around the soundfield, creating a nice atmosphere and experience. The overall surround usage is pretty consistent and admirable. This audio presentation is what quality is about.

Gangs of New York is also available in a very gorgeous and admirable DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound that is a little better than the Dolby Digital track, in addition to a French Language track.

Commentary by Martin Scorsese – As with the film, the commentary is split over two discs. In general, Scorsese sounds very engaging and provides an easy listen. He goes much more in-depth about character and historical events, leaving out any mention of some of the known production difficulties. Anyone who appreciates the film and Scorsese himself should give this track a listen, because it is rich with information (even though it feels somewhat one-sided, basically, not reflecting much about the actual production issues).

“Uncovering The Real Gangs of New York” (~30 mins) – This Discovery Channel special is pretty comprehensive, including old pictures, documents, historical memoirs and some redundant, yet still valid and interesting information. If you want to know more about the subject explored in the film, this documentary is worth a look.

Exploring the Sets (~22 mins) – This featurette displays the vast and real space created for the film’s sets. Scorsese and Ferretti tour around the places, showing just how big of a production this film is. The scenery in here is pretty nice and overall provides for an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the production.

History of the Five Points Featurette (~13 mins) – Aside from a history lesson from advisor Luc Sante, this featurette is pretty detailed in its exploration of the social and historical factors contributing to the semi-fictional film.

Set Design Featurette (~9 mins) – Dante Ferretti explains and shows us around the creation of old New York, which after watching turns out to be a completely hard thing to accomplish. Cast and crew get their comments out as well.

Costume Design Featurette (~10 mins) – Sandy Powell’s costume design is the focus of this piece, providing the viewer with a look at the creation of the film’s different and ever-numerous costumes. It’s a fascination view of the production since so many costumes are needed to really make all the characters look authentic and true to Scorsese’s intended vision.

Rounding out the extras is U2’s music video “The Hands That Built America,” The Five Points Study Guide (Luc Sante introduction and Five Points vocabulary), and the film’s Teaser Trailer and Theatrical Trailer. On a side note, why is this not a special edition? The special features seem to indicate the DVD as such.

You can select to view the film with optional English subtitles. The DVD’s menus are not animated. The 167-minute feature is organized over two discs.

Gangs of New York works well despite some of the problems with the script and pace. As a whole, it’s an interesting and mostly entertaining look at the early history of New York. The DVD release is very good, including a pretty good video and a very good audio presentation. The special features are also pretty extensive and in-depth. Gangs of New York comes (somewhat highly) recommended.

THE MOVIE	8
THE VIDEO	8
THE AUDIO	9
THE EXTRAS	9
OVERALL (not an average)	8.5