Abstract
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)."

Tags:violence, atavistic, exposition, movie, upheaval, protagonist

Abstract
This paper explains that, in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull", Jake La Motta (Robert DeNiro) is constantly at odds with himself and with the people around him. The author points out Scorsese's use of the formal elements of film making to convey the visceral nature of what it is like to be in the ring and even to be one of the fighters during a fight. The paper describes, scene by scene, a pivotal sequence, the second fight between Jake La Motta and Sugar Ray Robinson, which demonstrates this visceral effect through lighting and composition for mise en scene, camera work for cinematography, editing and sound. The paper concludes that, in this sequence, Scorsese effectively plays with time, framing, light and sound to create feelings of defenselessness and power, victory and shame, during and after a pivotal and crucial fight.

From the Paper
"The first shot of the sequence begins as a handheld, high angled close-up on Sugar Ray Robinson's feet, dancing and shifting about in the ring. We hear a commentator on the stadium speakers, and the cheering crowd as La Motta's feet enter the frame. A title appears in the bottom center of the frame: "La Motta vs Sugar Ray Robinson Detroit 1943" in true 1940s television style. The camera rises (or tilts) up to reveal the back torso of La Motta and Robinson in front of him, ready to fight. Then we see a medium close-up of Robinson, over La Motta's left shoulder."

Tags:defenselessness power close-up lighting, mise en scene

Abstract
This paper explains that, in the 1960s and 1970s, aggressive realism and the political agenda created cinematic movements such as the stylized cinema verite and the accurate reality direct cinema movements. Director Martin Scorsese's "The Last Waltz", the author relates, reveals The Band's farewell concert by creating a form of documentary that closely straddles the line between cinema verite and direct cinema. The author concludes this film remains one of cinema's greatest demonstrations of real and demonstrated emotional authenticity, shared sentiment by the audience, subject and filmmaker, which makes it of great importance in understanding the time, place and culture it captures.

From the Paper
"A similar agenda is marked in the Maysles' film, which captures the Rolling Stones disastrous Altamont performance, where a member of the audience was stabbed by Hells Angel. The agenda seems to place responsibility with a generation of wishy-washy and irresponsible rockers. The confusion between drug use and the utopian dream are shown to have reached a devastating pitch at this deadly show, and the filmmakers channeled the responsibility of the generation through Mick Jagger"

Tags:realism, techniques, narrative, auteur, sympathetic

Abstract
This paper examines the activities of William M. Tweed, a major political boss in New York during the 19th century. In particular, the paper examines how Tweed used criminal devices along with strategic relationships with gang members in order to rule over the city. In order to illustrate his case, the paper draws upon a number of sources, including Martin Scorsese's 2002 film "Gangs of New York". The paper then describes the "Five Points" neighborhood of New York and the exceptionally hard life new immigrants and residents of this neighborhood faced and how this influenced the formation of rival street gangs. The paper examines how Tweed exploited these gangs in order to further his own interests.

From the Paper
"At the same time this corrupt system was ruling over the streets of New York, the impoverished Irish immigrants finally began standing up against the xenophobic American system which kept them poor. The riots which broke out at the end of the film represent the extreme unrest which had resonated within the minds of both native Americans as well as foreign born newcomers who were forced into a service which they did not truly understand. As violence erupted on the streets of New York, a new age of New England politics was beginning to take shape. The riots depicted in the film "Gangs of New York" represent the dissent of the poor Irish class with both the larger American government as well as the corrupt political system of New York City at the time. This swayed much of the political weight away from corrupt agents such as the infamous Tweed, who was later convicted by the state of New York for embezzlement of city funds and various other crimes which typified his position in office. He later died in jail, separated far away from the millions of dollars he and his criminal thugs helped to cipher away from the city of New York and all of its necessities."

Tags:corruption, crime, gangs, discrimination, immigration, irish, poor, catholic, protestant, politician, poverty, violence, elite, prejudiced

Abstract
This paper looks at how the public's perception of New York City has been affected by Martin Scorsese's "Mean Streets", Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" and Woody Allen's "Annie Hall". Through an exploration of these three films, the paper demonstrates how the popular imagination has been infused with the idea of New York as a melting pot of people from all over the world.

Outline:
Martin Scorsese's "Mean Streets"
Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing"
Woody Allen's "Annie Hall"
Conclusion

From the Paper
"On a superficial level, Mean Streets is about gangsters in New York's Little Italy neighborhood. Going deeper, however, one realizes that Mean Streets is actually a film about living in a state of sin. Whatever Charlie (Harvey Keitel) does throughout the film, we are constantly aware that he is living in a state that he is unable to escape from, even as he tries to help the seemingly helpless Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro.) The plot of the film involves Charlie's difficult attempts at reconciling all of the conflicting worlds he involves himself in. Charlie works for Giovanni, a restaurant owner and Mafioso. Charlie shows promise in the underworld and is being groomed to take over the restaurant, but Giovanni does not like his association with Johnny Boy, a troubled figure that Charlie feels it is his Christian duty to help and protect. Johnny Boy owes money to another character, Michael, who is growing restless over Johnny Boy's ongoing failure to pay it back."

Tags:conflict, minorities, violence, melting, pot

Abstract
This paper explains that Martin Scorcese's film "Gangs of New York", a drama depicting America as a political community, represents three potentially discordant elements in Americans' souls: Social passions directed toward one's own group, rational concern for the common good and rational submission to a common law. The author describes the opening of the in 1846 in New York City's infamous Five Points district as two rival gangs, the Natives and the Irish Catholics, organize to scuffle; there is speechifying on both sides, which gives the event a strangely formal tone and then suddenly the screen erupts in an orgy of blood and screams, which dramatizes the chaos beneath the orderly surface. The paper relates that the conflation of distinct time periods in the film is confusing as it jumps between the Irish famine migration, a decade later during the Civil War when Irish immigrants, sanitary reformers battling cholera and--most outrageous--the competing political parties of the Democrats and the anti-immigrant Know-Nothings plus a central plot thread involving the politically powerful William Marcy Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies.

From the Paper
"In the film, the narrative of Amsterdam's vendetta against Bill--and of ethnic strife in 1860s Manhattan--is constituted deeply by the past. Accordingly, the film shows a prelude, a rumble in the Five Points in 1846. However, this struggle is portray in primordial imagery that suggests a time almost beyond any recognized era. The Dead Rabbits and other Irish gangs--commanded by Amsterdam's father, "Priest" Vallon--and their native counterparts--led by Bill "the Butcher"--wield crude weapons (clubs, axes) and fight in an bare field between shacks and dilapidated buildings. The battle appears not only before civilization but also for it. Bill declares, "On my challenge, by the ancient laws of combat, we are met at this chosen ground to settle for good and all who holds influence over the Five Points--us natives, born right wise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it." A sense of divine mission on the part of both natives and immigrants powerfully highlight the spirited and primal character of the struggle."

Tags:plot, irish, period, passion, law, rivals

Abstract
This paper discusses how "Gangs of New York" is a disturbing film about New York City during the Civil War era. The story revolves around "the son of Priest Fallon." Priest Fallon was a Roman Catholic Irish immigrant who was killed fighting against "The Natives," a gang that hated all minorities. In particular, it focuses on the representation of three major social problems of the times: Boss Tweed and the corrupt Tammany Hall political machine, the enormous surge of new Irish immigrants entering the city every week and the first compulsory draft. The paper examines these three elements as they contributed to gang-related problems.

From the Paper
"William M. "Boss" Tweed controlled the Tammany Hall political machine, which was infamous for its corruption and influence on all levels of government, including the police force. The film shows Tweed sending soup to the starving immigrants as they get off the ships, thus garnering their votes. It shows his people buying votes. It also reveals that Tweed was unwilling to really control crime because he was profiting from it. The police, for instance, instead of stopping looters, take a cut from the booty. Boss Tweed announces sarcastically, "The appearance of the law must be upheld." He decides to hang three or four ordinary family men falsely accused of "corruption of the public good." This was to show that Tweed was tough on crime. "

Tags:draft, immigrants, boss, tweed, natives, priest, fallon

Abstract
The paper examines the similarities between the marriage relationships in Scorsese's films "New York, New York", "Raging Bull", "Goodfellas", "Cape Fear", and "Casino". The paper shows how Scorsese conveys the stresses of careers on married couples and how they can often lead a couple to divorce.

From the Paper
"New York, New York was destined to be a giant success. But the combo of De Niro, Minnelli and Scorsese was volatile. The director and Liza Minnelli had an affair while Julia Cameron, Scorsese's wife and the writer of the film, were expecting a baby. Minnelli was also married. Scorsese was unsure of fatherhood like Jimmy (Pye and Myles 216). Scorsese admitted, "My light, frothy musical turned out to be my most personal film (Kroll 84)." The crew members said it was a very tense set and this translates to the film couple as well (Leigh 181). In the film, jimmy Doyle is a sax player who loves to improvise. Francine Evans is a nice pop vocalist looking for her big break. The overly long VJ Day dance sequence is meant to be funny but Jimmy comes off as a desperate jerk. This initial meeting leads to Francine accompanying Jimmy to an audition. She auditions with him to help him out and they perform well together. Jimmy begins to feel resentful of they way she won over his audience. The audition is a success and their relationship and their work become inseparable. Jimmy is later made the bandleader. It's an occasion that should bring the couple closer together but doesn't. At a first rehearsal of the band, Jimmy criticizes his wife and slaps her for cuing the band to play. He's worried about proving himself and the fact that the band responded to her instruction is further proof that she's more talented and charismatic than him (Friedman 106)."

Tags:career, divorce, husband, wife, fidelity, trust

Abstract
This paper takes a look at gangs in America starting with the most famous gangs of the 1800s. The paper then delves into the deeper issues about who is typically attracted to gangs, different aspects of gang culture, and the most common gang crimes. The paper also looks at notorious gangs that existed in the Five Points region of New York and explains that the film "Gangs of New York" in many ways misrepresented the criminal activities of the Five Points Gangs.

From the Paper
"Unfortunately, gangs have been around on this earth as long as humans. In the 1800's, the United States was enthralled with the activities of gangs and gangsters such as the James Gang and Billy the Kid. As new immigrants arrived in America, the makeup of these gangs started to change. Irish gangs like the Whyos, Dead Rabbits and Plug Uglies, and Jewish ones including the Monk Eastman Gang, terrorized New York City streets. The most disreputable was called the Five Points Gang, because of its location in the Five Points Section or Bowery of Lower Manhattan. First led by Italian immigrant, Paolo Antonini Vaccarelli, the Five Points Gang later added such infamous hoodlums as Al "Scarface" Capone and Lucky Luciano. Today, the number of gang members in the U.S. is estimated at over one million. Although these groups are larger in urban areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, they are growing consistently in suburban locations as well. Many of these gang members are proud to consider themselves the mafia of the new millennium. Gangs often boast the largest numbers in poor areas, due to other social ills that go hand-in-hand with this poverty such as violence, substance abuse, low education attainment and psychological despair. Such characteristics surely sum up the Five Point Area in the late 1800s as well as parts of Los Angeles where gangs reap havoc today."

Tags:decaying, unsafe, unhealthy, tenement, houses, overpopulation, extortion, corruption, prostitution, drunkenness, gambling

From the Paper
"Films make a number of assumptions about gender based on audience beliefs and expectations, and these are derived from the social structure prevalent at the time the film is made. A given film may present different images of gender roles through different characters. In both Fatal Attraction (1987) and the 1992 version of Cape Fear, there are gender roles based on the nuclear family that are held up as preferred or "normal" roles, and these are countered either by the actual behavior of some family member or by an outside force representing a different sexual energy, a different gender role. The films deliberately contrast what the filmmakers see as "normal" gender roles and deviant gender roles, and in both cases the deviant sexual energy threatens the family unit to such a degree that the outside force has to be killed to restore order to the family."