12. Mean Streets (1973)
Scorsese’s paean to the Little Italy of his youth (“I knew all those guys and many of them are still very close friends”) lacks the polish of his later works but makes up for it with a raw passion and energy embodied in Robert De Niro’s reckless Johnny Boy.
The director’s alter ego, though, is Harvey Keitel’s Charlie, the tortured Catholic torn between spirituality and crime. “I saw myself in Harvey,”
reveals This Is England helmer and Scorsese fan Shane Meadows.
“He was part of a circle, but you could see he was looking for a way out.”
Killer Scene: “I’m a mook? What’s a mook?”
11. Point Blank (1967)
There is no cash – that’s the secret of Point Blank. John Boorman’s stylish, stylized gangster thriller pits Lee Marvin’s ghost-like revenger
Walker against the shadowy “organisation” that left him for dead on Alcatraz.
He wants his $93,000, but in ultra-modern LA the Mob only deals in cheques or plastic.
Boorman exploited the “complete loss of nerve by the American studios” to wrestle total creative control for himself – the resulting movie is a bad trip, with déjà vu flashbacks and jump cuts channelling European style. The first acid-noir gangster flick.
Killer Scene: The trippy nightclub scene, with strobe lights punctuating Walker’s violence.
10. Pulp Fiction (1994)
“Gangster films are sort of parodies of the American Dream,” explains Quentin Tarantino. “They’re a skewed, bizarro world of getting rich in business in America.There always has to be some sort of satire on the American lifestyle.”
So is that why Jules and Vincent go about their business like ordinary schmoes, shooting the shit about burgers and foot massages on their
way to make a killing?
It’s the hitmen’s very ordinariness that makes them extraordinary though, in a sophomore effort that was both a polished crime anthology and an international phenomenon.
Killer Scene: “And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger…”
Next: Scarface, Once Upon A Time In America, Miller's Crossing...
Comments
ebrown2112
Jun 23rd 2009, 14:04
I disagree about the exclusion of The Departed, but I agree about Goodfellas at #1.
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weirdr0b0t
Jun 23rd 2009, 18:53
i had forgotten about the departed, and i agree that should have been in there!! What about Road to Perdition as well!! That movie should definitely be in there!!
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adammiller2k
Jun 24th 2009, 1:43
forget the departed, infernal affairs is so much better! and having both in the list would have been stupid. great list though. i know i might get hounded for this, but if you had room for only 1 new wave "gangster movie" i'd replace breathless with truffaut's "shoot the pianist" that's a stonking good movie. do the vengance triology not count as gangster movies? i know they are revenge tragedies, but then so is get carter (what a movie). ps tokyo drifter rocks!
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Desperation
Jun 24th 2009, 11:39
I think Carlito's Way should have been higher.
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weirdr0b0t
Jun 24th 2009, 18:38
and you figure s****h or lock Stock or even RocknRolla would have got a mention!!
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Film2517
Jun 25th 2009, 15:26
a pretty accurate list but Gomorrah is the most notable exclusion on it.
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SUPERmovieFREAK
Jun 25th 2009, 17:25
Okay this isn't that bad a list. You've definitely got some all time classics in there like the Godfather Part 1 & 2, Mean Streets, Goodfellas etc, etc. I disagree with Goodfellas being number 1, The Godfather is the greatest movie and greatest gangster movie EVER made (but okay I can deal with Goodfellas being Number 1). But there are some films in there I've never even heard of. What the hell is Casque D'or, never heard of it. Or The Killing, never heard of it. The Big Heat, never heard of it. Instead the complete shmucks you are, you’ve gone and missed major classics out like The Untouchables. How could you forget that? It’s got a small but classic role by Robert DeNiro and the legendary Sean Connery. Plus like people have said above you’ve also missed out major modern classics like The Departed, Gommorah, Road To Perdition and Rock ‘n’ Rolla. AND WHAT THE HELL ABOUT Eastern Promises and A History Of Violence. Two great movies by a great director and I still can’t believe you missed them out. If I was a Don and I saw that list I’d have you all whacked you shmucks.
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Hip2thabone
Jun 26th 2009, 13:56
Seriously this list is totally f****d up. How can u have pulp fiction higher than donnie brasco or infernal affairs? What about a movie called "SHOTTAS"?
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hazey
Feb 5th 2011, 14:45
Breathless is not a gangster flick..the main protaganist is a small time hood!
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DAO999
Jun 21st 2011, 23:35
Once upon a time in America is the worst gangster movie I have ever seen. epic piece of garbage. The acting was horrible and over the top. The scenes were comical. Tried way too much to be overly dramatic; having actors looking off in the distance, as if in deep thought every 5 mins, was beyond lame. The dialog was horrible. The ending was stupid. I love movies and I’ve seen enough gangster movies. I am beyond confused why this movie is well received. I did watch the extended original version and still couldn’t believe how bad it was. It wouldn’t make my top 50 gangster movies. Pulp Fiction needs to be moved up. Also Reservoir Dogs, The departed, and Road to Perdition need to be on this list. Sorry; I’m 2 yrs late on my posting
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glenmarks
Oct 16th 2011, 5:16
What about "New Jack City"?
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