As they assimilate into the city, Irish immigrants clash with American-born immigrant descendents. Leonardo DeCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz star star in this top film of 2003.
Director Martin Scorsese revisits New York City's notorious past with this dazzling historical drama. A throwback to the epics of yesteryear, GANGS OF NEW YORK is set in the mid-1800s, when the streets of lower Manhattan were teeming with tension and violence. Leonardo DiCaprio is Amsterdam Vallon, the son of a revered gang leader (Liam Neeson). As a youth, Amsterdam witnessed the death of his father at the hands of William "The Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis), the maniacally driven ruler of the city's most powerful gang. Sixteen years later, Amsterdam is finally released from the orphanage that raised him. Determined to avenge his father's death, Amsterdam makes his way back to the volatile Five Points to track down Cutting and exact revenge. As he gradually infiltrates Bill the Butcher's camp and earns the crazed gangster's respect, he must also contend with the tumultuous, but beautiful, Jenny Everdean (Cameron Diaz). DiCaprio and Diaz are impressive in their respective roles, but it is Day-Lewis who steals the show. Resurfacing after a five-year retirement, the Irish actor delivers a performance that is at once cartoonish, electrifying, comical, sincere, and deeply moving. By paying tribute to the early days of New York City in such a grand, spectacular manner, Scorsese also pays tribute to cinema itself.
Theatrical release: December 20, 2002
Original Production Year: 2001.
Gangs Of New York Reviews:
"...GANGS OF NEW YORK is something better than perfect: It's thrillingly alive....A triumph of pure craft and passionate heart..."
-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...GANGS OF NEW YORK is an important film as well as an entertaining one. With this project, Mr. Scorsese has made his passionate ethnographic sensibility the vehicle of an especially grand ambition..."
-- A. O. Scott, New York Times
"...It has as much greatness in it as any movie this year..."
-- Mike Clark, USA Today
"...The complicated and brilliant Day-Lewis makes all of old New York come alive; he's the furnace that stokes the story, and he gives off real, exciting heat..."
-- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
"...GANGS OF NEW YORK bears all the earmarks of a magnum opus for Martin Scorsese....A richly impressive and densely realized work..."
-- Todd McCarthy, Variety
"...Unsparing, hallucinatory, spectacular, it's personal moviemaking on an epic scale, a vision that will take your breath away and hold it for the movie's entire running time..."
-- Glenn Kenny, Premiere
"...GANGS OF NEW YORK may be the last of its kind -- a costume picture made entirely in a studio by a superbly creative director in collaboration with mater craftspeople..."-- Amy Taubin, Film Comment
"...Day-Lewis does a superb job of making the villain charismatic and complex..."
-- Stephen Farber, Movieline's Hollywood Life
"Big, brilliant, brutal and beautiful."
-- Chris Roberts, Uncut
good movie I bought this movie because it is basically about a true event. These riots did accure in civil war era Submitted by Jamcraft (Illinois) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 2 found this helpful.
Perfect blend of history, human nature and drama Underrated by most of the people, this film may lack everything but seriousness. Scorsese managed just flawlessly to incarnate in the performance of each personage a very real human passion and also developes the entire story sorrounding this passions and natures. This picture shows that part of the History that school and studies try to hide and gives you the fact that History not always was build with the most sublime and beautiful feelings of the human being.
Despite this argument I most say that Daniel Day-Lewis is just at his best, but maybe the strong themes and topics of the movie and its development hurt the fragility of the ones in charge to tell the prizes. However this picture talks by itself without the recognition of the so-called Academy and so on. Submitted by a reviewer (México City) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Scorsese delivers the goods! Finally you had a good reason for going to the movies and walk away satisfied. The rest of the new movies pale in comparison with "Gangs Of New York" which surely must rank with his best works. The cinematography is out of this world with Scorsese using full-scale sets almost making things larger than life. This is clearly evident in the opening scene, which only goes to show what a genius Martin Scorsese really is. The camera work with long scenes in one shot, tense action, a vibrant dialogue that shifts between being hilarious and ominous, and the soundtrack are things that make this film such a wonderful spectacle. You'll laugh and feel very uneasy at the same time. Not at all a bad trait for a director of Scorsese's caliber! Daniel Day-Lewis delivers his best performance ever - playing Bill(The Butcher) Cutting - and outrageous character. Cameron Diaz is okay, and even though you might think, that a ham like Leonardo DiCaprio is miscast in the role of Amsterdam Vallon, has he made anything else that's worth mentioning so far? John C. Reilly as a corrupt police officer is another gem in this unforgettable movie. When you watch this movie the second or third time, you'll begin to pay attention to the funny dialogue and all the details you didn't see or hear the first time. We are indebted to Martin Scorsese for it. Submitted by a reviewer (Hvidovre, Denmark) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Awesome movie with good performaces. Gangs of New York was like one of the greatest movies I saw. C'mon, look at it. The riots are awesome in this movie. But I know it stinks when you have to change the disc because the movie is 167 minutes. So that equals 2 hrs and 47 minutes. Daniel Day Lewis was outstanding as the evil gangster Bill The Butcher. I mean it. He like stole the show. Leonardo DiCaprio did a real good job too. I would like to say that Gangs of New York is one of those movies you really have to pay attetion to of what's happening in 1863 New York and The 5 Points. I know some of you saw the beginning and you thought it was rough. Well, guess again. That's what happens in The 5 Points. Overall, I'll give this movie... Dos pulgrates arriba! Submitted by joeldbatista (Tampa, Florida) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Scorsese Is God This movie is amazing, I'm so glad Scorsese is making movies with DiCaprio now, Daniel Day-Lewis is an incredible actor and helps make this movie as great as it is. Thank You Martin Scorsese for being born. Submitted by Thamuz (Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
This motion picture event from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese earned 10 Academy Award(R) nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, along with 5 Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Song! Leonardo DiCaprio (TITANIC), Cameron Diaz (CHARLIE'S ANGELS), and Daniel Day-Lewis (THE BOXER) star in this epic tale of vengeance and survival! As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in lower Manhattan's Five Points section. After years of incarceration, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader (Day-Lewis) who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland!
Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
2-Disc Set Region 1 Letterbox - 1.85 Disc 1: Feature Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 - English DTS Surround 5.1 - English Additional Release Material: Trailers Audio Commentary: Martin Scorcese - Director Featurette:
1. EXPLORING THE SETS OF GANGS OF NEW YORK 2. COSTUME DESIGN 3. HISTORY OF THE FIVE POINTS Interactive Features: Scene Access Interactive Menus Text/Photo Galleries: Critics Reviews Five Points Study Guide Disc 2: Supplementary Materials Additional Release Material: Audio Commentary: Martin Scorcese - Director (Continued) Music Video: U2 - "The Hands that Built America" Documentary: UNCOVERING THE REAL GANGS OF NEW YORK Interactive Features: Scene Access Interactive Menus
Perfect blend of history, human nature and drama
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