Paper Summary:

The paper looks ar Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and discusses a number of themes which emerge therein. It explains that Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" is a elegy which tells of the passing of an age of innocence and the emergence of a new epoch in America which will be characterized by violence, upheaval and - ultimately - by breathtaking industrial and technological innovation. The paper discusses how the film illustrates the pull of atavistic collectivity against the counter-tug of individuality. The writer argues that the film's most dramatic and impressive feature lies in its exposition of the dangers of the gang mentality. The writer concludes that "Gangs of New York" is perhaps not Scorsese's best work, but the motion picture will endure simply because it probes the dark psychology of gang life with a vividness that is unforgettable.

From the Paper:

"Suffice it to say, the elegiac overtones are accentuated by the terrific human loss and waste which typify the film - a rather brutal cinematic tour de force which may not be suitable for many audiences. Additionally, the elegiac components of the film are brought into sharp relief by the desire on the part of the main protagonist, Amsterdam Vallon (played passably well by Leonardo Di Caprio), to avenge the savage murder of his father (Scorsese, Gangs of New York). The tragedy at the heart of all of this is that what appears to be a passably bright, charming young man with a promising future ahead of him is now being marred by events from the long-ago past which compel him to rush forward to seek vengeance; in that sense, the film echoes some of the tropes found in Shakespeare's Hamlet - as Nev Pierce of the British Broadcasting Corporation points out (para.5)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Anti-Catholicism." Answers.com. 2006. Answers Corporation. 18 Dec. 2006 <http://www.answers.com/topic/anti-catholicism-2>
• Arnold, William. "Harrowing Violence Undercuts 'Gangs'". Seattlepi.com: Arts & Entertainment. 20 Dec. 2002. Seattle Post Intelligencer. 18 Dec. 2006 <http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/100689_gangs20q.shtml>
• Ebert, Roger. "Gangs of New York (Review)." Rogerebert.com: Reviews. 20 Dec. 2002. Rogerebert.com. 2006. 18 Dec. 2006 <http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20021220/REVIEWS/212200304/1023>
• Gangs of New York. Dir. Martin Scorsese. 2002. VHS. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2003
• McGurk, Margaret A. "'Gangs' violent, bloody, spectacular: Director Martin Scorsese Proves He's at the Top of His Form is Saga of Civil-War Era Immigrants." Cincinnatti.com: Movies. 20 Dec. 2002. Cincinnati Inquirer. 18 Dec. 2006 <http://www.cincinnati.com/freetime/movies/reviews/12202002_wk20gangsofnewyork.html>

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