MovieChat Forums > Gangs of New York (2002) Discussion > Ended up being cartoonish

Ended up being cartoonish

posted 10 years ago by pepinator2000
10 replies | jump to latest

At some point I thought they would start singing.

The style makes you feel you are watching a musical.

It was a wasted oportunity to create an epic movie.

[–] Hasek 10 years ago

A large cast in period costumes and actual setpieces for them to move on does not a musical make. Were you expecting the same thing in 300: Rise of an Empire?

[–] pepinator2000 10 years ago

Nope. I was talking about the set design and the costumes colors.
Too colorful for a drama. It gave me the feeling they were always enclosed in a small set. Felt a little cheap. Although I know they didnt spare in the expenses, what ended up in film feels like a play.

[–] MyDarkStar 10 years ago

It was like "Oliver" set in NYC - with Leonardo as Oliver Twist, Henry Thomas as a very stupid Artful Dodger, and Daniel Day-Lewis as Fagin. haha

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] killagoli 9 years ago

That's exactly what I thought, this is the story of Oliver Twist set in NY, though I'd say Daniel Day Lewis is more like Bill Sykes than Fain. Funny though I once read that Charles Dickens was inspired to write Oliver Twist after a visit to the five points NY.

[–] joshfarcone-549-745450 10 years ago

I remember watching the i peninsula scene in theatres and being immersed in the world created on film. Sure some of it seems like there's "over-acting" but I never got a cartoon feel. Maybe because I saw it at its release and have become nostalgic about it.

Bill the butcher! I do sometimes think of Larry David's Curb episode where he acts for Scorsese and he's just like Day Lewis in this film. Hah

[–] andyd-1 10 years ago

I thought that, I felt it was 'musical like' a few times and I expected the leads to break into song, lol

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Sensi85 9 years ago

This film always reminded me of a theater production, the concept had a lot of potential but they messed up pretty badly.

[–] ecvz 9 years ago

I heard everyone saying this and disagreed with it. I recently watched it again after a number of years now and I've changed my opinion: there are certain scenes that appear a bit cartoonish (not on a comic book or kill bill level though). I still like the movie.

To me, it looks like Scorsese was going for a Sergio Leone feel to the film (i.e. Once Upon a Time in America). The films share similarites (New York, a century or more ago: Noodles is locked up for 12 years, comes out to see his friends again. Amsterdam is locked up for 16 years, same thing). He just couldn't nail the tone perfectly like Leone could.

It's no coincidence that Scorsese has spent a lot of money to preserve all the lost footage of Once Upon a Time in America. He was obviously influenced by it.