Abstract This paper looks at the history of the gangster film genre in the United States from the 1930s to the 1960s. It specifically looks at the impact that this film genre has had on American society and culture. The paper discusses the historical context of the rise of the gangster film genre and why it appealed to Americans at that time in their history. It gives specific examples of films and characters that fit into this category.
Table of Contents:
The Rise of the Gangster Genre
The Postwar World
1960's and Beyond
From the Paper "As World War I ended, the 18th Amendment ushered in Prohibition and with it a wave of crime matched only by the drug and gang wars of our own era. Where brewing and distilling were once respectable trades, the importation, production, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages was taken over by criminals during the 1920s. In big cities like New York or Chicago, headline grabbing mobsters battled for control of this illegal market. Competition among newspapers sensationalized and romanticized the stories of events like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre or the exploits of "Scarface" Al Capone. Our contemporary war on drugs can be seen as a parallel event - both of which run counter to the dominant free market and individual free choice ideology of the United States. Just as ethnic minorities were disproportionately represented as violating prohibition in the 1930s, those portrayed in modern gangster films are disproportionately Latino and Black or immigrant."
Abstract The author of this paper uses four films and quotes to illustrate the influence that the Godfather Saga had on the film "Goodfellas". It summarizes each of the Godfather movies including character analysis and connects them to the characters in Goodfellas.
From the paper:
"Gangster films have been popular for many years. Everybody loves a film that depicts the days of mobsters and the many deals and connections that were portrayed within those films. Perhaps there is a small piece of each of us secretly wishing we could throw away the straight-laced life and become a part of the gangster scene back when it had respect. Whatever the reason America loves the films they are a sure moneymaker at the box office. The Godfather Trilogy began in 1972 and had three films to its saga. Each one was popular and picked up where the other left us hanging to continue the story. We expected each Godfather film to resemble the previous work of art. What we didn?t expect was the impact and influence these three films would have on a more recent project called Goodfellas. While Goodfellas is its own movie in its own right the movies is filled with the obvious influence of the Godfather Saga. "
Abstract This paper discusses the gangster movie genre in film and how "The Godfather" and "Godfather Three" are representative of this genre. The gangster world and its history are presented and an overview of the films given. Examples from the movies that illustrate characteristics of the genre are provided.
From the Paper "Film productions often mimic real life. It is what allows them to be placed into genre categories. Genres in the movies are very much like genres in the world of literature. There are romance genres, history genres and others that depict the type of movie that the film falls under. One genre waxes and wanes in its popularity. The gangster genre is one in which many movies have been made and they are classified as gangster genre by the characters attitudes, the events and the historical context of the movie plot. Two very classic gangster genre films are The Godfather and The Godfather Part Three. Critics have admired as well as panned these movies depending on the critics taste and film desires, however they all agree that they are classic illustrations of the gangster genre."
Abstract The paper reviews Jessica Hadgedorn's novel, "The Gangster of Love" which depicts the struggle between the Philippines and America and their history of mutual delusion, strife, and misleading affection. The paper explores the main character, Rocky, and explores the relationships and themes of the book.
From the Paper "Negligent of the cultural tradewinds reeling around her, Rocky constantly constitutes a psychological niche for herself in asserting her independence as a female spirit. Geared up to seek the extent of America's potentialities, she decides to take a chance by embarking on a cross-country trip with Elvis Chang to New York. Armed with little more than a limited amount of funds, a shaky pickup truck, and a repletion of dreams conceiving musical triumph, the couple make plans to start up a rock band called ?The Gangster of Love.?"
Abstract The paper explains that, in the same way that the Wild West outlaw represented certain values to audiences of the nineteenth century, the urban, organized crime element came to represent many of the same values in the following century. The paper then discusses the films of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and relates that the first significant break from the traditional storytelling technique came with Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 creation of "The Godfather" that arguably set the tone for organized crime based films for the next three decades. The paper also focuses on the film "Goodfellas" by Martin Scorsese that attempted to make this picture of the dark side of the American dream a bit more vivid and even more gritty in its realism. Finally, the paper examines "The Sopranos" by David Chase that was a modern day fusion of many different ways of representing gangsters in entertainment that resulted in a shocking amount of realism.
From the Paper "The era of the gangster movies began shortly after the era of organized crime in the United States first began. The outlaw, in one form or another, has always been a fascination of mainstream America, and this has been reflected in our popular culture. The dime store novels of the nineteenth century were, in some ways, the precursors to the crime-based films of the twentieth century. In these books, characters like Billy the Kid and Jesse James were immortalized as rugged individualists who lived by their own rules and challenged authority in cunning and daring manners. Essentially, the character of the outlaw has been fascinating to American audiences for ages. But what the Wild West outlaw was to audiences of the nineteenth century, the urban, organized crime element came to represent many of the same values in the following century."
Tags: The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Sopranos, criminals, violence, popular, culture, entertainment, outlaw, mafia, villain
An examination of the director's use of emotional range in the gangster films, "The Godfather," directed by Frances Ford Coppola, "Goodfellas," directed by Martin Scorsese and "Bonnie and Clyde," directed by Arthur Penn.
Abstract This paper examines three gangster films in detail from the perspective of the director's use of evoking an emotional range in the viewer that causes the characters to be as powerful dead as they are alive. It specifically examines "The Godfather," directed by Frances Ford Coppola, "Goodfellas," directed by Martin Scorsese and "Bonnie and Clyde," directed by Arthur Penn.
From the Paper "In each of these films, the directors have been able to kill off main characters, and create character personas that were in death equally as large as they were in life in the minds of the audiences. These are very successful films because of all the elements of filmmaking that were successfully pulled together; casting, directing, editing, scripting and wardrobe. Each of the three films are formulas for successful gangster films, which is a genre that is difficult to fail with because it is one with which Americans are endlessly fascinated with. However, add to that fascination the elements of success in filmmaking formula, and it is a box office smash."
Abstract This paper assesses gangsters and Prohibition in America in the 1920s. They are a constant theme in "The Great Gatsby" because they were a presence throughout American life in the 1920s. Prohibition created a vast black market for liquor that gangsters controlled. This contemporary reality inspired the gangster themes in "The Great Gatsby".
Abstract The paper provides a comparison of Al Capone, the Chicago gangster and leader of organized crime, and Muammar al-Qaddafi, the Libyan ruler. The paper shows how both Capone and Qaddafi were individuals that led an organization to control others on a large scale, using political and violent means to gain power. The paper explains that the correlations between the lives of Capone and Qaddafi are significant because they demonstrate the elements that are essential in creating future gangsters.
From the Paper "In the late 1890s the term gangster began to be used in the United States, referring to the member of a gang that committed criminal acts and that was not accepted in society ("Gangster, 2007; "Gangster defintion", 2007). Criminal acts could be as simple as stealing a newspaper or an apple from the corner fruit stand. To be a gangster at the time simply meant that the individual was bad and that those he associated with were bad as well. However, when Al Capone began to be noticed as someone that was the leader of organized crime he was labeled as public enemy number one and the term gangster took on a completely new meaning. A gangster, in the eyes of the American criminal justice system, was an individual that attempted to live above the law, made a living committing criminal acts, was violent, a menace to the society of law abiding citizens and was a member of a gang that was known as organized crime."
Abstract This paper dispels the urban myth, which associates the brutal and destructive behavior of the infamous gangster Al Capone with the goodness of a legendary Robin Hood, which was the public image Capone attempted to cultivate in the community. The author describes Capone's career and his relationship with politicians and law enforcement agencies. The paper concludes that it was not surprising to find that the authorities could not document Capone's many murders because their prevailing behavior at every level of city, county and state government would have implicated themselves in the organized criminal graft and corruption of this period. The assessment of the federal government was that Capone and other gangsters like him were an indication of something morally awry in America.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Capone's Political Influence
The Murders
The G-Men
Conclusion
From the Paper "The federal government felt a need to respond to the people's misdirected values and morals as it did to respond to the likes of Al Capone. The Department of Justice had a vision of handling crime in a way that would be a deterrent to organized crime and to lesser gangs and bank robbers. That vision included building super maximum prison complexes These complexes would use the notoriety of the inmates and their murderous crimes to serve as the impetus for the complexes; and the complexes would be unbeatable, meaning no breakouts."
Tags: bootlegging, gang warfare, urban heroes, political stranglehold, federal bureau of investigation
Abstract This is an argumentative essay against the idea of legalizing gambling in the town of Youngstown, Ohio. The writer takes the reader on a short history of the town and exposes the gangster activity that has always thrived within the town. The writer uses this as a springboard to argue that gambling becoming legal would only encourage a repeat of such mob activity.
From the Paper "As the residents of Youngstown debate the issue of legalized gambling, there are many forces being exerted on both sides of the issue. Youngstown, Ohio has been economically deprived for some time and the city government as well as community advocates is scrambling to re-vitalize the area. When advocates of legalized gambling look at cities across the nation who have allowed it, they see improved economics through jobs and tourism as well as money for the school system being obtained. They wave these examples as proof that Youngstown would benefit from legalized gambling. What they don?t publicize or address is the seedy side of the issue."
Tags: gamble, gangster, mob, legal, ohio, yougstown, crime, mafia, economy, sheriff, city, government
Abstract This paper looks at the many social issues and pressures that teenagers (and often younger children) need to face in a contemporary American school system.The problems examined are teen pregnancy, violence, gangsterism, drug and alcohol addiction, suicide and delinquency. The writer looks at different coping methods the students can use and focuses on the strategies taken by staff and teachers to assist the students. The paper also looks at how these social problems effect a child's educational experience.
From the Paper "In order for a teacher to overcome these deterrents to learning, he or she must show genuine caring for the student and get the student to become an active learner, rather than a passive observer who watches the teacher recite a lesson.
"There is much room for change in our school system, according to Lawrence Steinberg, author of Beyond the Classroom: Why School Reform Has Failed and What Parents Need to Do. In this work, Steinberg claims disengagement kicks in as early as 7th grade, when the possibility of the six critical problems taking hold of students becomes a reality."
From the Paper "The auteur theory developed by French film critics beginning in the 1950s is partly a convenient way of categorizing and analyzing films, collecting titles as the body of work of the director. More than this, though, the theory holds that it is the director more than anyone else who is responsible for the finished film, since he or she is the one who determines visual style and other matters in the course of production. The theory finds that the director expresses meaning through visual style and that analyzing the visual style of a given director reveals consistent thematic concerns, similarities in character development, and other repeated and recognizable signs of a single intelligence at work. At the same time, though, film remains a collaborative medium, and it would seem that directors would be influenced by their..."
Abstract This research explores the hip hop culture and its identity. An overview of the current literature is given that reflects the theoretical position of Black culture in the United States. In addition a definition of hip hop and rap is provided, including a discussion of its origins and the current state this art form is in. The influence of the ghetto and hip hop culture is explored at length, as well as the lyrical content of the music. Commercialization of this unique music form is discussed, in addition to hip hop culture's tendency toward visualization as opposed to aural. Finally, hip hop as a global force is reviewed. In the end, it becomes clear that hip hop music is a significant influence on global culture, for Black and non-Black community members and this influence has been facilitated by technology and the drive of capitalism.
Introduction
The History of Hip Hop
Overview of Current Literature Regarding Hip Hop
Defining Hip Hop Culture
The Four Pillars of Hip Hop and Others
The Ghetto, Hip Hop Culture and the Divergent Styles of West Coast and East Coast
East Coast versus West Coast Conflict
Geographical Diversity of Hip Hop Today
Hip Hop and the Jail Culture
Graffiti as a Subversive and Sublime Cultural Arm of Hip Hop
African Americans and Spatial Mobility
The Ghetto Environment and its Effects on the Lyrical Content of Hip Hop
Examination of Lyrical Content in Gangsta Rap Songs
Discussion of Virulent and Caustic Language Within the Sub-Genre of Gangsta Rap
The Double Standard in the World of Gangsters as Demonstrated by Hip Hop
Hip Hop Culture and Misogyny
Hip Hop Culture and the Poetry of the Dispossessed
The Controversy About Selling Out and Hip Hop Culture
Representing the Ghetto
Hip Hop Culture and Sports Marketing
Hip Hop Sales Statistics and the Thug Image for Sales Controversy
Hip Hop as a Force in American Pop Culture and the Displacement of Other Genres of Music
Tastes and Decadence in Hip Hop Culture
The Hip Hop Culture and Political Influence
Hip Hop as a Global Force
References
From the Paper "Although one may be led to believe that hip hop music is a recent evolution, it relates back to the griots of West Africa, from more than two hundred years ago. The griots were, and in some rural areas still are, storytellers, poets and traveling singers who played an important role in ancient African societies. They used poetry and rhythm to teach the people about their history, as written language was rarely used ("Griot").
One could even argue that hip hop music began even earlier than griots, stemming from the ancient societies of Egypt, as a rich, Black tradition of admiration for rhetoric in both written and spoken form. It is part of the Black rhetorical continuum, as it borrows from and expands a tradition of creative use of language styles and strategies. It was created as rhetoric of resistance primarily to racial discrimination and oppression (Kopano). "
Abstract This paper reviews the film 'Road to Perdition', meaning eternal damnation. The author asks how the title of the film relates to the characters and themes, and wonders whether it is a portent of things to come in the movie. Set in the late 1920s in Chicago, the film is about Michael Sullivan, whose wife and younger son were murdered by the biological child of the man who raised him after his own parents were killed. That man, John Rooney, was a gangster, and his mafia connections embolden his son, Conner. Yet, as the paper points out, the match-up between Conner and Michael is balanced, because Michael is more clever and cunning than the mafioso. The paper focuses its analysis on the theme of revenge as it relates to both men.
From the Paper "This slaying of his family gives Michael Sullivan strong ambition to seek revenge against Conner Rooney for the acts he has committed. The second convention of a revenge tragedy is also already apparent to the viewer. That convention is that the protagonist has justification (to the viewer's satisfaction) for seeking revenge. Sullivan quickly finds out that if he is to do so, he will be opposing the might of the mafia as well as the man that raised him...John Rooney. This raises a strong moral dilemma in the movie as by killing Conner Rooney, he is betraying his emotional father John Rooney. Will he seek revenge and slay the murder of his family while in the process breaking the relationship with the man that raised him and risking his own life? Or will he move on with his life still living under the protection of the mafia? Michael decides to go all the way and avenge his family's death, as he doesn't want his son following in his footsteps of organized crime."
Abstract This paper reviews, compares and contrasts the 1991 film "Boyz N the Hood", directed by John Singleton and the 1995 Nick Gomez film, "New Jersey Drive". The paper begins by summarizing the themes of "Boyz": the often unspoken battles between Afro-Centrism and assimilation; between action and resignation; between scholars and gangsters. According to the paper, Singleton's formula was so successful that it spawned dozens of similar films, including Gomez's "New Jersey Drive." The paper compares and contrasts each movie's treatment of racism and the struggle for the black characters in -- and against -- a white-dominated society. The paper also explores how each film treats the issues of urbanization and gang affiliation.
From the Paper "New Jersey Drive" is far less subtle in its definitions of "oppressor" and "other." Nearly all the police officers in the film are white, and many display overtly violent and racist tactics toward the black youths on which the film focuses, One exception is a black officer who, when asked if he knows a young prisoner's identity, ironically replies with a staple racist remark; "Who knows... I can't tell them apart." Clearly, in the ghetto Nick Gomez paints, racism and white supremacy are the root causes of tension. In "Boyz N the Hood," the tension (while still palatable) is less racial, and more ideological. Returning to the classroom scene, one young, black student responds to Tre's Afrocentric lesson on the origins of Man by quipping, "I ain't from Africa, I'm from Crenshaw Mafia." This simple statement sets up one of the films most prevalent themes; the tension, the direct opposition between racial identity (Afrocentrism), and loss of that identity (gang affiliation) (Boyd, 347)."
