One of the best of all time
Added 3/6/2010
This is one of the very best movies of all time. I'm an impatient man so I can sympathize with anyone who thinks it's too slow. I can't remember if it grabbed me all at once or if I had to see it a couple of times for it to sink in. I do remember that I knew it was powerful the first time I saw it. Also, the Ennio Morriconne score is one of his best, perhaps the most haunting of his career.
Absolutely stunning, beautiful film.
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Loss of Essence
Added 3/6/2010
As a film aspirant, I throw myself whole heartedly into a film and try to find the greatest qualities in all of its aspects ie. storytelling, camera, characters and acting, music, costumes and the works. I even stay through the credits...
After hearing so much about this film I finally watched it and was left at a loss. The story is good, as is the acting, characters and everything else I mentioned above. It suffers from the feel that Master Sergio Leones hand was not behind every shot. On watching the extras the mystery was solved. Hollywood Executives. It went from the Cannes film festival where it recieved raves and standing ovations to the hands of butchers who know nothing about timing/pacing or any of the other craft of filmmaking and was cut tremendously. Leone responded with a 'they took out the essence' of the film. I'm sure that even a Sergio Leone film is not great enough to survive such master butchery. Also, upon putting the pieces back together, it was seen that an irreversable damage was done.
I will leave it at a three star because in its current life, it is only okay... What lucky eyes, at cannes, must have been those that were to see the original.
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Now a bit dated stylistically
Added 2/3/2010
Almost every scene in this flashback ridden gangster flick is 2 or 3 times longer than necessary, as if the director couldn't bear to cut anything. If this was a book, it would be 1500 pages long and no one would read it. Don't fall for the overheated praise by fans. This is no masterpiece. It's not like the acting is so majestic, or the plot so convoluted that it justifies lingering at this glacial pace. One flashback is almost 90 minutes long by itself! At times, the cinematography looks like a 1960s TV show. To be fair, the NYC sets from the early 1900s look interesting, though they are obviously sets, not locations. I wasn't fooled into believing I was watching 1930s NYC either. It looks more like 1900 at times. The anachronisms can be distracting. The violence is brutal, but nothing we haven't seen done better elsewhere.. Even the blood looks fake. One thing they did get right: how Bob DeNiro would look when he was older. He really does look today like he was made up to look in this movie as an old man 30-40 years ago. If you have more than four hours to kill, maybe you can get through this. But few will want to take it all in one sitting.
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Great Movie
Added 2/3/2010
"Once Upon a Time in America"
is a timeless movie that I enjoyed watching.
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THE CLASSIC GANGSTER FILM
Added 1/31/2010
I saw this movie for the first time on HBO when I was about 15. This was 25 years ago and it still is the best film I have ever seen. DeNiro has a few films that many have never heard of and are terrific movies, this is one of them. Yes it is long, and another reviewer said watch it on a cold wintry day when you have plenty of time. I couldn't agree more. You have to savor this film like a fine wine. Not gulp it down like swill for a cheap high. Too many films today are like the latter. All flash and no real story.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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One of the best of all time
Added 3/6/2010
This is one of the very best movies of all time. I'm an impatient man so I can sympathize with anyone who thinks it's too slow. I can't remember if it grabbed me all at once or if I had to see it a couple of times for it to sink in. I do remember that I knew it was powerful the first time I saw it. Also, the Ennio Morriconne score is one of his best, perhaps the most haunting of his career.
Absolutely stunning, beautiful film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Loss of Essence
Added 3/6/2010
As a film aspirant, I throw myself whole heartedly into a film and try to find the greatest qualities in all of its aspects ie. storytelling, camera, characters and acting, music, costumes and the works. I even stay through the credits...
After hearing so much about this film I finally watched it and was left at a loss. The story is good, as is the acting, characters and everything else I mentioned above. It suffers from the feel that Master Sergio Leones hand was not behind every shot. On watching the extras the mystery was solved. Hollywood Executives. It went from the Cannes film festival where it recieved raves and standing ovations to the hands of butchers who know nothing about timing/pacing or any of the other craft of filmmaking and was cut tremendously. Leone responded with a 'they took out the essence' of the film. I'm sure that even a Sergio Leone film is not great enough to survive such master butchery. Also, upon putting the pieces back together, it was seen that an irreversable damage was done.
I will leave it at a three star because in its current life, it is only okay... What lucky eyes, at cannes, must have been those that were to see the original.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Now a bit dated stylistically
Added 2/3/2010
Almost every scene in this flashback ridden gangster flick is 2 or 3 times longer than necessary, as if the director couldn't bear to cut anything. If this was a book, it would be 1500 pages long and no one would read it. Don't fall for the overheated praise by fans. This is no masterpiece. It's not like the acting is so majestic, or the plot so convoluted that it justifies lingering at this glacial pace. One flashback is almost 90 minutes long by itself! At times, the cinematography looks like a 1960s TV show. To be fair, the NYC sets from the early 1900s look interesting, though they are obviously sets, not locations. I wasn't fooled into believing I was watching 1930s NYC either. It looks more like 1900 at times. The anachronisms can be distracting. The violence is brutal, but nothing we haven't seen done better elsewhere.. Even the blood looks fake. One thing they did get right: how Bob DeNiro would look when he was older. He really does look today like he was made up to look in this movie as an old man 30-40 years ago. If you have more than four hours to kill, maybe you can get through this. But few will want to take it all in one sitting.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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