Show Notes

Moe Factz with Adam Curry for September 5th 2020, Episode number 48

"Shootist"

Description

Adam and Moe go deep on the third rail of topics

Executive Producers:

Sir Dwayne Melancon

Sir Cole Calistra

Noah from Phoenix

David Keyes

Kris Malmi

Anonymous

Sir Jesse Cruz

Adam Choi

Martin Ohlsen

Louise Wakefield

Associate Executive Producers:

Thomas Kelly-Tait

KR

Joseph DiVerniero

David Roll

Kurtis Collins

Drake Biscardi

Sarah Gardner

Timothy Pierce

Anonymous

Andrew J Giannettino

Erik Höchel

Harvey Smith

Cassidy Eastwood

Garlene Copeland

Kenneth Barnhouse

lindsey heitman

Colin Howard

TinyEmpire.com

david drake

Lauren's Witty Knitts

Eric Tolbert

William Taylor

Kathleen Backous

Mireya

Susan

John Taylor

Ed Siemens

Episode 48 Club Members

Rudolph Duff

Ellen King

Dorothy Schrodt

ShowNotes

The Zen TV Experiment '' Ted's Tidbits

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 00:00

If you watch television, you should take a look at this post. It's a repost of an article that first appeared in Adbusters Magazine on the effects of television on individuals and society. It proposes four experiments to attempt at home. I did this, and I recommend you do it to.

1) Watch TV for 10 minutes and count the technical events.What is a technical event? We've all seen TV cameras in banks and jewelry stores. A stationary video camera simply recording what's in front of it is what I will call ''pure TV.'' Anything other than pure TV is a technical event: the camera zooms up, that's a technical event; you are watching someone's profile talking and suddenly you are switched to another person responding, that's a technical event; a car is driving down the road and you also hear music playing, that's a technical event. Simply count the number of times there is a cut, zoom, superimposition, voice-over, appearance of words on the screen, fade in/out, etc.

For this test, I watched the first 10 minutes of this episode of my namesake show. In that 10 minutes I counted 223 technical events, and then I realized I didn't count any audio effects!

2) Watch any TV show for 15 minutes without turning on the sound.For this, I simply muted the volume on the same show and watched the remainder.

3) Watch any news program for 15 minutes without turning on the sound.It took a while for me to find a recording of an actual news program online (I needed 15 contiguous minutes, and the news sites only offer clips) but I finally found this on Hulu.

4) Watch television for one half hour without turning it on.I must admit that I haven't done this yet. I want to do the experiment, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to waste a half hour sitting in front of a turned off television.

Well, the point is that television is messing with your mind. All the technical events that occur in a normal TV show make for a very disjointed set of scenes that we have trained our brains to assemble into a narrative.

Television inhibits your ability to think, but it does not lead to freedom of mind, relaxation or renewal. It leads to a more exhausted mind. You may have time out from prior obsessive thought patterns, but that's as far as television goes. The mind is never empty, the mind is filled. What's worse, it is filled with someone else's obsessive thoughts and images.

Watching the TV without the sound makes it more difficult to connect with the story and therefore easier to observe all the technical events occurring. Switching to a news program you realize that there are fewer technical events.

With fewer technical events the news show appears realistic relative to other shows in the TV environment. Further, it appears super-realistic relative to the commercial shows in this environment. As earlier, we witnessed the joining of technical events in a coherent narrative. Here, we witness the reduction of worldly events into a narrative.

I admit I haven't yet stared at a blank TV for a half hour, but I imagine two things would occur to me. First, I would realize just exactly how long a half hour feels, and I would be bothered by the things I could be doing with that time. Second, I would see the TV for what it is, an object, instead of what it is not, a companion.

If one is alone in one's room and turns on the TV, one actually doesn't feel alone anymore. It's as if companionship is experienced, as if communication is two-way.

This does make for an interesting, if not disturbing, academic discussion, but it is not fruitful unless a behavioral change occurs. I encourage you to make your own resolutions. As for me, I am making a deliberate effort to watch less TV. This is actually something I started doing a while back when we canceled our cable. There are still some shows I enjoy watching, and I will continue to watch them. I don't think I'm going to start watching any new shows, and I'm definitely going to stop watching shows I find myself complaining about. To do otherwise would just be stupid. Tonight, for example, I elected to write this blog post instead of watching The Office or some other show.

Maybe one day I'll stop watching TV altogether (although I have no plans to cease watching the Dallas Cowboys, no matter how frustrating of an experience that may be). I don't want to bind myself to a statement I won't be able to live up to. At least for now, I feel encouraged to read more.

(22) Larry Gaiters (@BishopLGaiters) / Twitter

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 23:59

Something went wrong, but don't fret '-- let's give it another shot.

(1227) NLE Choppa - Walk Em Down feat. Roddy Ricch (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:41

Urban Dictionary: White Mike

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:39

a white male typically raised in black/urban environment, adores

black women, despises and rejects anything caucasian including

white women. Adored by black women. The only white guy at the party that everybody loves. Possibly a rapper or dj.

Blacker than some of his black friends proving the "white" in White Mike is actually quite ironic. Fly ass dude.

Get the White Mike neck gaiter and mug.

Any of your typical run of the mill white guys in their early/mid 20's who acts as ghetto as possible. Can typically bee seen sporting the white

wife-beater and

backwards ball cap. White Mikes love

freeloading and will doing ANYTHING for certain goods and services. White Mikes can be seen around public parks and pools trying to pick up girls that he can "t-t-t-turn it over and hit it."

"Hey isn't that White Mike trying to get

free water from that

pizza place?"

"Man, I wish someone would put White Mike out of his missery."

"Hey guys, White Mike is trying to pawn 'House Party 4'

any takers?"

Get a White Mike mug for your barber Bob.

White Mike | Wayans Bros. Wiki | Fandom

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:38

White Mike, played by comic/actor Mitch Mullaney, appeared in six episodes of the series.Gender

Male

Occupation

Heir from wealthy Long Island family

Relations on TWB

friend of Shawn and Marlon Williams

Episodes/Apperances

6 episodes in seasons 1 and 2, 1995-1996

Relative

brother Pookie, who appears in the episode It's Shawn! It's Marlon! It's Superboys! in Season 1

Character played by

Mitch Mullany

White Mike is a hip-talking, black girl-dating white friend of Shawn and Marlon Willams who appears in seasons 1 and 2 of The Wayans Bros. Played by late comic/actor Mitch Mullany, he appeared in a total of six episodes, beginning with the episode The Sting, which Thelonious "T.C." Capricornio, another hip huckster type, whom he also eventually becomes friends with, appears with during the first season.

Character description Edit Always trying hard to keep up on the urban fashion and "hip" street ebonics slang talk, Mike is from the suburbs, from an affluent family in Long Island who befriends Marlon, even for allowing Marlon to move in with him in his "crib" after a brief fallout with Shawn, whom T.C. moved in with in Marlon's old apartment. Mike kicks Marlon out, saying that he is too boring for him, he being a hard-partying type. He also becomes cool with Shawn and Pops, even running Pop's Diner with Marlon. while Pops was laid up at home sick from the flu, turning an unseen before big profit while turning the place into a health food restaurant, where they served tofu, and all types organic foods, with the exception of the cheesecake, which Marlon deceives some lovely young females who work at the nearby aerobics center into thinking they're low cal!!

The White Mike character served as a vehicle for Mitch Mullany to earn a title role as Nick Freno on the WB series titled Nick Freno:Lisenced Teacher the next season, where he appeared in 43 episodes before its cancellation.

Burrell Communications '-- Our Agency

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:31

Our agency

Our Capabilities

Clients

Our Leadership

Our People

SCROLL DOWN

WE DO TRANSCULTURAL. And we do it well. Our 40+ years of experience has given us the expertise, finesse, and empathy to connect with and engage Millennials, Boomers, and Gen Xers, remember them? From the financially underserved to the socially responsible to gearheads and sneakerheads. We'll do it for the Gram and clap back on SnapChat if necessary. We create work that gets clicked, liked, and shared. Work that rings both the phones and the register. We'll make you think'...laugh'...and we're especially good at the work that gets you right here <3. No matter what we do, we move brands.

We're a diverse collective of passionate and involved cultural mavens. Our talented family includes authors and musicians, artists and activists, sneakerheads and fashionistas.

As an agency and as individuals, we're always striving to improve ourselves and our communities. We've donated our time and voice to increase awareness and make changes for the better in our communities.

Burrell Communications Group - Wikipedia

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:21

Burrell Communications GroupIndustryAdvertisingFounded1971 ( 1971 ) FoundersThomas J. Burrell, Emmett McBainHeadquartersChicago, Illinois

,USA

Key people

Fay Ferguson, McGhee Osse, co-chief executive officers Lewis Williams, chief creative officer Website www.burrell.com Burrell Communications Group L.L.C. is an American advertising agency. Founded by chairman emeritus Thomas (Tom) J. Burrell, and headquartered in Chicago, IL, Burrell Communications is one of the largest multi-cultural marketing firms in the world. Some of the company's work is part of a collection in the Library of Congress.[1] Burrell Communications is now under the leadership of co-chief executive officers, Fay Ferguson and McGhee Osse and chief creative officer, Lewis Williams.[2]

History [ edit ] Burrell Communications was founded in 1971, by Tom Burrell and then partner, Emmett McBain, and was originally named Burrell McBain.[3] The company was established with the intention of forging an authentic and respectful relationship with the African-American consumer, and to tap into how the black aesthetic could also appeal to the general market consumer. It was at this time that Burrell coined the phrase, "Black people are not dark-skinned white people." Recognizing that there existed inherent cultural differences, and the fact that these differences drove patterns of consumption, became a driving force and inspiration for future ad campaigns at Burrell.

1971-73'--Burrell McBain quickly establishes itself as a leading shop for niche African American -focused communications. Beginning with the creation of the Black Marlboro Man for Philip Morris, accounts quickly expanded to include marquis brands McDonald's and Coca-Cola.[3]

1974'--Emmett McBain leaves the agency, and it is renamed Burrell Advertising[3]

1975-80'--Burrell's business grows steadily, garnering acclaim in particular for their work on The Coca-Cola Company and McDonald's campaigns. The Coca-Cola commercial entitled "Street Song" wins Burrell its first Clio Award.[4] By 1979, Burrell tops $10 million in billing per annum, making it one of the most successful multi-cultural advertising shops in the United States.[3]

1981-83'--Burrell Advertising picks up Martell Cognac and Stroh's accounts. The McDonald's "Double Dutch" Commercial in particular gains national attention and gains a Gold Award at the U.S. Television Commercials Festival.[5] Agency billing climbs to $20 million annually.[6] In order to accommodate increased needs for their Coca-Cola account, Burrell opens an office in Atlanta, GA.[6]

1984- 86'--Burrell Advertising gains the Procter and Gamble account. Their work for Crest Toothpaste becomes the first major packaged goods account to target an African American consumer audience. Burrell agency billing surpasses $50 million.[3]

1987-90-- Burrell gets the Polaroid account, and gains new campaigns on Procter and Gamble's Tide, and Kraft Foods Stovetop Dressing.[3]

1991-96-- The agency is renamed Burrell Communications. Alma Hopkins is named CCO, while Sarah Burroughs is named President. Burrell Communications is awarded the Grand Effie by the American Marketing Association for its work on "Who Wants," a spot created for the Partnership for a Drug Free America.[7] Burrell garners new clients including Nynex, Mobil, Nabisco's A1 Steak Sauce, Maxwell House Coffee and Sears. Agency billing tops a record-breaking $128 million.[3] Burrell acquires DFA Communications, a general market advertising and direct marketing agency based in New York, adding direct marketing expertise as well as a New York presence.[8]

2000-01'--Burrell sells a 49% minority stake to French media giant Publicis Groupe in order to fund its expansion.[9] Burrell Communications gains Toyota, Hewlett-Packard and General Mills as its clients.[10][11]

2002'--Burrell Communications is named Black Enterprise's Advertising Agency of the Year [12]

2004'--Tom Burrell announces his retirement. Fay Ferguson and McGhee Osse purchase the 51% majority stake, becoming Co-CEOs of Burrell Communications.[13]

2005 '' Burrell is named African-American agency of record for Allstate.[14]

2006'--Lewis Williams is welcomed as CCO at Burrell.[15] Co-CEO Fay Ferguson is named Chicago Advertising Woman of the Year.[16]

2007'--Burrell launches Toyota Camry's highly successful "If Looks Could Kill," the first digital campaign of its kind to target African American women.[17]

2009'--Burrell garners the American Airlines account and launches American Airlines "Black Atlas." Toyota launches Burrell's Toyota Venza "Faces" as its featured Super Bowl spot.[18]

2010--Burrell launches Threshold Nation, a subsidiary dedicated to marketing toward the multi-ethnic urban male.[19]

2011'--Burrell Communications is named Black Enterprise's Advertising Agency of the Year [17] and adds Comcast to its list of clients[20]

2013'--Burrell launches Rising Tide, a Tide-sponsored aspirational social network for millennials looking for professional access. The program features hip-hop media mogul, Russell Simmons, sharing his wisdom with the young, professional audience.

2014'--Burrell scores a major win the 2013 Toyota Avalon "Only The Name Remains" campaign, starring Academy-Award nominee Idris Elba. The campaign won a Gold National ADDY Award, an Official Webby Award Honoree, and was listed as the FWA Site of the Day.

Clients [ edit ] McDonald's, Comcast, Procter and Gamble, General Mills, SuperValu, American Airlines, Toyota, Lilly and Disney's Dreamers Academy

References [ edit ] ^ "Coca-Cola Company donates its collection of Black advertising by Burrell Communications Group to Library of Congress". Jet Magazine. October 20, 2003 . Retrieved March 31, 2012 . ^ "Our Leaders". Burrell Communications Group. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012 . Retrieved March 31, 2012 . ^ a b c d e f g Fawcett, Adrienne W. (June 3, 1996). "Burrell at 25, A Commemorative". Advertising Age. ^ Chambers, Jason (2009). Madison Avenue and the Color Line: African Americans in the Advertising Industry. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 24. ^ "Double Honors". Jet. December 27, 1982 . Retrieved March 31, 2012 . ^ a b Fawcett, Adrienne W. (June 3, 1996). "BURRELL AT 25:A COMMEMORATIVE". Advertising Age. ^ Stuart, Elliot (June 8, 1994). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: Advertising; An anti-drug public service campaign wins a prestigious prize for advertising effectiveness". New York Times . Retrieved March 31, 2012 . ^ "Burrell Communications Group". Advertising Age. September 2003 . Retrieved June 12, 2012 . ^ Valcourt, Josee (October 1, 1999). "Burrell Communications sells 49% of firm to Publicis Will black ad agencies have to merge to stay alive?". Black Enterprise. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012 . Retrieved March 27, 2012 . ^ "Toyota Announces Partnership With African American Advertising Agency". PRNewswire . Retrieved May 24, 2012 . ^ Brown, Monique R. (June 2002). "Born to transform: the Burrell Communications Group bursts out of the ad agency box to become bigger, better, and bolder - B.E. Advertising Agency Of The Year - Company Profile". Black Enterprise . Retrieved June 3, 2012 . ^ Finkelman, Paul (2009). Encyclopedia of African American history, 1896 to the present: from the age of segregation to the twenty-first century, Volume 1. Oxford University Press. p. 317. ^ Hughs, Zondra (July 27, 2011). "Burrell Communications Celebrates 40 Years". Rolling Out . Retrieved April 2, 2012 . ^ "Burrell Communications Wins Allstate African-American Account". Business Wire. August 3, 2005 . Retrieved June 13, 2012 . ^ "Burrell names Lewis Williams new Chief Creative Officer, replacing Steve Conner". Target Market News. April 10, 2006. ^ "Burrell Communications' Fay Ferguson named Advertising Woman of the Year". Target Market News. May 24, 2006 . Retrieved June 3, 2012 . ^ a b Alleyne, Sonia (June 2011). "Growth By Reinvention". Black Enterprise . Retrieved April 2, 2012 . ^ Tedesco, Richard. "Toyota Ties Events to Venza Spots in Big Game". Promo. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014 . Retrieved June 3, 2012 . ^ "Burrell Communications(TM) Launches Threshold Nation(TM)". PR Newswire . Retrieved June 3, 2012 . ^ "Comcast names Burrell Communications African-American agency of record". Target Market News. March 8, 2011 . Retrieved June 14, 2012 .

A First Rate Madness | Psychology Today

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:18

Many great leaders have been mentally ill, mainly with severe depression and sometimes with mania. This is not an entirely controversial statement. It is generally accepted by historians that Abraham Lincoln had severe depression, and so did Winston Churchill. Both were suicidal at times. Some other figures are less well-known but the documentary evidence is relatively strong: General William Sherman was removed from command because of concerns that he was insane. He appeared, in retrospect, to have experienced a manic episode with paranoid delusions; he also had,throughout his life, episodes of severe depression, along with occasional suicidal thoughts. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King both made suicide attempts in adolescence, and each had at least two severe depressive episodes in their lifetimes.

Other examples are not as extreme. The concepts of dysthymia (mild depression) and hyperthymia (chronic hypomanic symptoms) are reasonably well-validated scientifically as abnormal temperaments, genetically and biologically related to depression and mania, respectively. Using the definitions of those conditions, some leaders appear to have had hyperthymic temperaments (such as Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, and John Kennedy).

This is not to say that all leaders had mental illness. Most leaders did not; most leaders were mentally healthy. And that may be the problem. Mental health may not be as good for leadership as people often assume.

This would be the case if mental illness confers certain psychological advantages that may be useful for leadership. Mania, for instance, is well associated with creativity. Depression, in many psychological studies, is associated with enhance realism. Both may increase resilience. I have reviewed the scientific evidence for the occurrence of these positive aspects of mental illness elsewhere. If this evidence is correct, it may explain why mental illness might enhance, and mental health hinder, crisis leadership.

These are the themes of A First Rate Madness, just published. I plan to provide more detail on various aspects in future posts, including some reaction to comments that I receive from readers.

In response to initial reactions to my recent article in the Wall Street Journal, and other interactions, I'll begin by emphasizing four points:

1. My examples are not chosen superficially. There is good documentary evidence for the symptoms that I describe. Diagnosing leaders from the past is more valid than in the present because the documentary evidence often increases with time, and our feelings about distant leaders are usually more objective than is the case with living leaders.

2. I am not diagnosing everyone. In fact I am diagnosing most leaders as healthy. Only a minority are ill, but they happen to be the best crisis leaders.

3. I am distinguishing between crisis and non-crisis leadership. Those who are mentally healthy are fine leaders in non-crisis situations, but they fail during crises. Vice versa for great mentally ill leaders.

4. The intuition against my thesis has its roots in stigma, I believe. This prejudice underlies the notion that a leader we dislike must be mentally ill, or that mental health inherently is better than mental illness for leadership. These ideas are based on a stigmatizing attitude towards mental illness, the view that it is inherently and completely harmful. Mental illness certainly can be harmful in many ways, but not inherently and completely.

DAYZOFNOAH - YouTube

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 22:09

Boss Tweed - Money Scam, Life & Tammany Hall - Biography

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 21:26

Boss Tweed is chiefly remembered for the cronyism of his Tammany Hall political machine, through which he bilked the city of New York of massive sums of money.

SynopsisBorn in New York City in 1823, Boss Tweed was a city alderman by the time he was 28 years old. Elected to other offices, he cemented his position of power in the city's Democratic Party and thereafter filled important positions with people friendly to his concerns. Once he and his cronies had control of the city government, corruption became shockingly widespread until his eventual arrest in 1873.

Early LifeBoss Tweed was born William Magear Tweed on April 3, 1823, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Tweed married Mary Jane Skaden in 1844, and in 1848 he organized a volunteer fire company. When he was 26 years old, in 1850, he ran for city alderman but lost. On his second try, a year later, he ran again and won, and in 1852 he was elected to one term in Congress (which was unremarkable). His influence in New York politics was growing, and in 1856 he was elected to a new city board of supervisors, the first position he would use for corrupt purposes.

"I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating." -- Boss Tweed

He worked on strengthening his position of power in Tammany Hall (the seat of New York City's Democratic Party), and by 1860 he controlled all Democratic Party nominations to city positions. Soon, Boss Tweed dominated the city and state Democratic Party to such an extent that his candidates were elected mayor of New York City, governor of New York and speaker of the state assembly.

The Years of Corruption: The Tweed RingAll the while, he had his associates appointed to key city and county posts, thus establishing a network of corruption that became known as the "Tweed ring." In 1860, Tweed opened a law office, despite not being a lawyer, and began receiving large payments from corporations for his "legal services" (which were in fact extortions hidden under the guise of the law). He was reaping vast sums of illegal cash by this time, and he bought up acres of Manhattan real estate. He began wearing a large diamond attached to the front of his shirt, an object that received endless lampooning from his detractors (whose numbers were growing quickly).

"I don't care a straw for your newspaper articles, my constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing them damned pictures." -- Boss Tweed

In 1868, Tweed became grand sachem (leader) of Tammany Hall and was also elected to the New York State Senate, and in 1870 he and his cronies took control of the city treasury when they passed a new city charter that named them as the board of audit. In full force now, the Tweed ring began to financially drain the city of New York through faked leases, false vouchers, extravagantly padded bills and various other schemes set up and controlled by the ring.

DownfallWith the Tweed ring's activities reaching a fever pitch, and with the losses for the city piling up (to an estimated $30 to $200 million in present-day dollars), the public finally began to support the ongoing efforts of The New York Times and Thomas Nast (a political satirist for Harper's Weekly) to oust Tweed, and he was at last tried and convicted on charges of forgery and larceny in 1873. He was released in 1875, but soon after his release, New York State filed a civil suit against him in an attempt to recover some of the millions he had embezzled, and Tweed was arrested again.

Before long, he escaped from custody and fled, first to Cuba and then to Spain. In November 1876, he was captured and extradited to the United States, where he was confined to a New York City jail. A year and a half later, Boss Tweed died there from severe pneumonia.

circa 1865: American politician William Marcy ''Boss'' Tweed (1823 - 1878), notorious ''Boss'' of Tammany society who headed New York City''s ''Tweed Ring'' until his financial frauds were exposed in 1871. (Photo by C. T. Brady Jr/Museum of the City of New York/Getty Images)

Fact CheckWe strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Gangs of New York - Wikipedia

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 21:12

2002 film directed by Martin Scorsese

Gangs of New York is a 2002 American epic crime drama film[3] that was directed by Martin Scorsese, set in the New York City slums, and inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1927 nonfiction book The Gangs of New York. The screenplay was written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz.

In 1863, a long-running Catholic''Protestant feud erupts into violence, just as an Irish immigrant group is protesting the low wages caused by an influx of freed slaves as well as the threat of conscription. Scorsese spent 20 years developing the project until in 1999 Harvey Weinstein and his production company Miramax Films acquired it.

Made in Cinecitt , Rome, and in New York, the film was completed by 2001, but its release was delayed by the September 11 attacks. Released on December 20, 2002, the film grossed $193 million worldwide against its $100 million budget and received positive reviews from critics for Day-Lewis' performance, Scorsese's directing, the production design and costume design; but criticized for its story. It was nominated for ten Oscars at the 75th Academy Awards.

Plot [ edit ] In the slum neighborhood of Five Points, Manhattan, in 1846, two gangs have engaged in a final battle (or "challenge") in Paradise Square over "who holds sway over the Five Points"; these two factions participating in this event are the Nativist Protestants led by William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, and a group of Irish Catholic immigrants, the "Dead Rabbits", led by "Priest" Vallon. At the end of this battle, Bill kills Vallon and declares the Dead Rabbits outlawed. Having witnessed this, Vallon's young son hides the knife that killed his father and is taken to an orphanage on Blackwell's Island.

Sixteen years later, in 1862, Vallon's son, using the alias of Amsterdam, returns to the Five Points seeking revenge and retrieves the knife. An old acquaintance, Johnny Sirocco, familiarizes him with the local clans of gangs and thieves, all of whom pay tribute to Bill, who controls the neighborhood. Amsterdam is finally introduced to Bill, but keeps his past a secret, seeking to be recruited. He learns that many of his father's former loyalists are now in Bill's employ. Each year, Bill celebrates the anniversary of his victory over the Dead Rabbits; Amsterdam plans to murder him secretly during this celebration.

Amsterdam becomes attracted to pickpocket and grifter Jenny Everdeane, with whom Johnny is infatuated. Amsterdam gains Bill's confidence and Bill becomes his mentor, involving him in the dealings of corrupt Tammany Hall politician William M. Tweed. Amsterdam saves Bill from an assassination attempt, and is tormented by the thought that he may have done so out of honest devotion.

On the evening of the anniversary, Johnny, in a fit of jealousy over Jenny's affections for Amsterdam, reveals Amsterdam's true identity and intentions to Bill. Bill baits Amsterdam with a knife throwing act involving Jenny. As Bill toasts Priest Vallon, Amsterdam throws his knife, but Bill deflects it and wounds Amsterdam with a counter throw. Bill then beats him and burns his cheek with a hot blade. Going into hiding, Jenny nurses Amsterdam back to health and implores him to escape with her to San Francisco.

Amsterdam, however, returns to the Five Points seeking vengeance, and announces his return by hanging a dead rabbit in Paradise Square. Bill sends corrupt policeman Mulraney to investigate, but Amsterdam kills him and hangs his body in the square. In retaliation, Bill has Johnny beaten and run through with a pike, leaving it to Amsterdam to end his suffering. The incident garners newspaper coverage, and Amsterdam presents Tweed with a plan to defeat Bill's influence: Tweed will back the candidacy of Monk McGinn for sheriff and Amsterdam will secure the Irish vote for Tammany. Monk wins in a landslide (the election had been rigged by the Dead Rabbits), and a humiliated Bill murders him. McGinn's death prompts an angry Amsterdam to challenge Bill to a gang battle in Paradise Square for order, which Bill accepts.

Citywide draft riots break out just as the gangs are preparing to fight, and Union Army soldiers are deployed to control the rioters. As the rival gangs face off, cannon fire from naval ships is fired directly into Paradise Square, interrupting their battle shortly before it begins. Between the cannons, soldiers, and rioters, many of the gang members are killed. Bill and Amsterdam face off against one another until Bill gets wounded by a piece of shrapnel. Amsterdam then uses his father's knife to stab Bill, killing him and ending his reign at last. Afterward, Amsterdam and Jenny leave New York together to start a new life in San Francisco. Before they leave, Amsterdam buries Bill in a cemetery in Brooklyn next to his father. As Amsterdam and Jenny leave the cemetery, the final scene of the film shows the skyline changing in a time-lapse over the next hundred and forty years as modern Manhattan is built, from the Brooklyn Bridge to the World Trade Center, and the cemetery becomes overgrown and forgotten.

Cast [ edit ] Production [ edit ] The country was up for grabs, and New York was a powder keg. This was the America not the West with its wide open spaces, but of claustrophobia, where everyone was crushed together. On one hand, you had the first great wave of immigration, the Irish, who were Catholic, spoke Gaelic, and owed allegiance to the Vatican. On the other hand, there were the Nativists, who felt that they were the ones who had fought and bled, and died for the nation. They looked at the Irish coming off the boats and said, "What are you doing here?" It was chaos, tribal chaos. Gradually, there was a street by street, block by block, working out of democracy as people learned somehow to live together. If democracy didn't happen in New York, it wasn't going to happen anywhere.'-- Martin Scorsese on how he saw the history of New York City as the battleground of the modern American democracy[4]Filmmaker Martin Scorsese had grown up in Little Italy in the borough of Manhattan in New York City during the 1950s. At the time, he had noticed there were parts of his neighborhood that were much older than the rest, including tombstones from the 1810s in Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, cobblestone streets and small basements located under more recent large buildings; this sparked Scorsese's curiosity about the history of the area: "I gradually realized that the Italian-Americans weren't the first ones there, that other people had been there before us. As I began to understand this, it fascinated me. I kept wondering, how did New York look? What were the people like? How did they walk, eat, work, dress?"[4]

Writing [ edit ] In 1970, Scorsese came across Herbert Asbury's The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld (1927) about the city's nineteenth-century criminal underworld and found it to be a revelation. In the portraits of the city's criminals, Scorsese saw the potential for an American epic about the battle for the modern American democracy.[4] At the time, Scorsese was a young director without money or fame; by the end of the decade, with the success of crime films such as Mean Streets (1973), about his old neighborhood, and Taxi Driver (1976), he was a rising star. In 1979, he acquired screen rights to Asbury's book; however, it took twenty years to get the production moving forward. Difficulties arose with reproducing the monumental city scape of nineteenth century New York with the style and detail Scorsese wanted; almost nothing in New York City looked as it did in that time, and filming elsewhere was not an option. Eventually, in 1999, Scorsese was able to find a partnership with Harvey Weinstein, noted producer and co-chairman of Miramax Films.[4] Jay Cocks was retained by Scorsese for the film script adaptation which was reported in The New Yorker in March 2000 as having gone through nine revised drafts of development with Scorsese.[5]

Set design [ edit ] In order to create the sets that Scorsese envisioned, the production was filmed at the large Cinecitt Studio in Rome, Italy. Production designer Dante Ferretti recreated over a mile of mid-nineteenth century New York buildings, consisting of a five-block area of Lower Manhattan, including the Five Points slum, a section of the East River waterfront including two full-sized sailing ships, a thirty-building stretch of lower Broadway, a patrician mansion, and replicas of Tammany Hall, a church, a saloon, a Chinese theater, and a gambling casino.[4] For the Five Points, Ferretti recreated George Catlin's painting of the area.[4]

Rehearsals and character development [ edit ] Particular attention was also paid to the speech of characters, as loyalties were often revealed by their accents. The film's voice coach, Tim Monich, resisted using a generic Irish brogue and instead focused on distinctive dialects of Ireland and Great Britain. As DiCaprio's character was born in Ireland but raised in the United States, his accent was designed to be a blend of accents typical of the half-Americanized. To develop the unique, lost accents of the Yankee "Nativists" such as Daniel Day-Lewis's character, Monich studied old poems, ballads, newspaper articles (which sometimes imitated spoken dialect as a form of humor) and the Rogue's Lexicon, a book of underworld idioms compiled by New York's police commissioner, so that his men would be able to tell what criminals were talking about. An important piece was an 1892 wax cylinder recording of Walt Whitman reciting four lines of a poem in which he pronounced the word "Earth" as "Uth", and the "a" of "an" nasal and flat, like "ayan". Monich concluded that native nineteenth-century New Yorkers probably sounded something like the proverbial Brooklyn cabbie of the mid-20th century.[4]

Filming [ edit ] Principal photography began in New York and Rome on December 18, 2000, and ended on March 30, 2001.[6] Due to the strong personalities and clashing visions of director and producer,[clarification needed ] the three year production became a story in and of itself.[4][7][8][9] Scorsese strongly defended his artistic vision on issues of taste and length while Weinstein fought for a streamlined, more commercial version. During the delays, noted actors such as Robert De Niro and Willem Dafoe had to leave the production due to conflicts with their other productions. Costs overshot the original budget by 25 percent, bringing the total cost over $100 million.[7] The increased budget made the film vital to Miramax Films' short term success.[8][10]

Post-production and distribution [ edit ] After post-production was nearly completed in 2001, the film was delayed for over a year. The official justification was after the September 11, 2001 attacks, certain elements of the picture may have made audiences uncomfortable; the film's closing shot is a view of modern-day New York City, complete with the World Trade Center's towers, despite their having been destroyed by the attacks over a year before the film's release.[11] However, this explanation was refuted in Scorsese's own contemporary statements, where he noted that the production was still filming pick-ups even into October 2002.[8][12] The filmmakers had also considered having the towers removed out of the shot to acknowledge their disappearance, or remove the entire sequence altogether. It was ultimately decided to keep the towers unaltered.[13]

Weinstein kept demanding cuts to the film's length, and some of those cuts were eventually made. In December 2001, Jeffrey Wells[who? ] reviewed a purported workprint of the film as it existed in the fall of 2001. Wells reported the work print lacked narration, was about 20 minutes longer, and although it was "different than the [theatrical] version ... scene after scene after scene play[s] exactly the same in both." Despite the similarities, Wells found the work print to be richer and more satisfying than the theatrical version. While Scorsese has stated the theatrical version is his final cut, he reportedly "passed along [the] three-hour-plus [work print] version of Gangs on tape [to friends] and confided, 'Putting aside my contractual obligation to deliver a shorter, two-hour-and-forty-minute version to Miramax, this is the version I'm happiest with,' or words to that effect."[11]

In an interview with Roger Ebert, Scorsese clarified the real issues in the cutting of the film. Ebert notes,

His discussions with Weinstein, he said, were always about finding the length where the picture worked. When that got to the press, it was translated into fights. The movie is currently 168 minutes long, he said, and that is the right length, and that's why there won't be any director's cut '-- because this is the director's cut.[14]

Soundtrack [ edit ] Robbie Robertson supervised the soundtrack's collection of eclectic pop, folk, and neo-classical tracks.

Historicity [ edit ] Scorsese received both praise and criticism for historical depictions in the film. In a PBS interview for the History News Network, George Washington University professor Tyler Anbinder said that the visuals and discrimination of immigrants in the film were historically accurate, but both the amount of violence depicted and the number of Chinese, particularly female, immigrants were much more common in the film than in reality.[15][16]

Asbury's book described the Bowery Boys, Plug Uglies, True Blue Americans, Shirt Tails, and Dead Rabbits, who were named after their battle standard, a dead rabbit on a pike.[4] The book also described William Poole, the inspiration for William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting, a member of the Bowery Boys, a bare-knuckle boxer, and a leader of the Know Nothing political movement. Poole did not come from the Five Points and was assassinated nearly a decade before the Draft Riots. Both the fictional Bill and the real one had butcher shops, but Poole is not known to have killed anyone.[17][18] The book also described other famous gangsters from the era such as Red Rocks Farrell, Slobbery Jim and Hell-Cat Maggie, who filed her front teeth to points and wore artificial brass fingernails.[4]

Anbinder said that Scorsese's recreation of the visual environment of mid-19th century New York City and the Five Points "couldn't have been much better".[15] All sets were built completely on the exterior stages of Cinecitt Studios in Rome.[19] By 1860, New York City had 200,000 mostly Catholic Irish immigrants[20] in a population of 800,000.[21]

According to Paul S. Boyer, "The period from the 1830s to the 1850s was a time of almost continuous disorder and turbulence among the urban poor. The decade from 1834''1844 saw more than 200 major gang wars in New York City alone, and in other cities the pattern was similar."[22]

As early as 1839, Mayor Philip Hone said: "This city is infested by gangs of hardened wretches" who "patrol the streets making night hideous and insulting all who are not strong enough to defend themselves."[23] The large gang fight depicted in the film as occurring in 1846 is fictional, though there was one between the Bowery Boys and Dead Rabbits in the Five Points on July 4, 1857, which is not mentioned in the film.[24] Reviewer Vincent DiGirolamo concludes that "Gangs of New York becomes a historical epic with no change over time. The effect is to freeze ethno-cultural rivalries over the course of three decades and portray them as irrational ancestral hatreds unaltered by demographic shifts, economic cycles and political realignments."[25]

In the film, the Draft Riots are depicted mostly as acts of destruction but there was considerable violence during that week in July 1863, which resulted in more than one hundred deaths, mostly freed African-Americans. They were especially targeted by the Irish, in part because of fears of job competition that more freed slaves would cause in the city.[26] The bombardment of the city by Navy ships offshore to quell the riots is wholly fictitious. The film references the infamous Tweed Courthouse, as "Boss" Tweed refers to plans for the structure as being "modest" and "economical".[citation needed ]

In the film, Chinese Americans were common enough in the city to have their own community and public venues. Although Chinese people migrated to America as early as the 1840s, significant Chinese migration to New York City did not begin until 1869, the time when the transcontinental railroad was completed. The Chinese theater on Pell St. was not finished until the 1890s.[27] The Old Brewery, the overcrowded tenement shown in the movie in both 1846 and 1862''63, was actually demolished in 1852.[28]

Release [ edit ] The original target release date was December 21, 2001, in time for the 2001 Academy Awards but the production overshot that goal as Scorsese was still filming.[8][12] A twenty-minute clip, billed as an "extended preview", debuted at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and was shown at a star-studded event at the Palais des Festivals et des Congr¨s with Scorsese, DiCaprio, Diaz and Weinstein in attendance.[12]

Harvey Weinstein then wanted the film to open on December 25, 2002, but a potential conflict with another film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Catch Me If You Can produced by DreamWorks, caused him to move the opening day to an earlier position. After negotiations between several parties, including the interests of DiCaprio, Weinstein and DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg, the decision was made on economic grounds: DiCaprio did not want to face a conflict of promoting two movies opening against each other; Katzenberg was able to convince Weinstein that the violence and adult material in Gangs of New York would not necessarily attract families on Christmas Day. Of main concern to all involved was attempting to maximize the film's opening day, an important part of film industry economics.[8]

After three years in production, the film was released on December 20, 2002, a year after its original planned release date.[12] While the film has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, there are no plans to revisit the theatrical cut or prepare a "director's cut" for home video release. "Marty doesn't believe in that," editor Thelma Schoonmaker stated. "He believes in showing only the finished film."[11]

Reception [ edit ] Box office [ edit ] The film made $77,812,000 in Canada and the United States. It also took $23,763,699 in Japan and $16,358,580 in the United Kingdom. Worldwide the film grossed a total of $193,772,504.[29]

Critical reception [ edit ] On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 210 reviews, with an average rating of 7.11/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though flawed, the sprawling, messy Gangs of New York is redeemed by impressive production design and Day-Lewis's electrifying performance."[30] Another review aggregator, Metacritic, gave the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[31]

Roger Ebert praised the film but believed it fell short of Scorsese's best work, while his At the Movies co-star Richard Roeper called it a "masterpiece" and declared it a leading contender for Best Picture.[32] Paul Clinton of CNN called the film "a grand American epic".[33] In Variety, Todd McCarthy wrote that the film "falls somewhat short of great film status, but is still a richly impressive and densely realized work that bracingly opens the eye and mind to untaught aspects of American history." McCarthy singled out the meticulous attention to historical detail and production design for particular praise.[34]

Some critics were disappointed with the film, with one review on CinemaBlend feeling it was overly violent with few characters worth caring about.[35][36] Norman Berdichevsky of the New English Review wrote in a negative critique that some locals in Spain who had watched Gangs of New York had several anti-American beliefs "confirmed" afterwards, which he felt was due to the film's gratuitous violence, historical inaccuracies, and general depiction of American society "in the worst possible light".[37] Others felt it tried to tackle too many themes without saying anything unique about them, and that the overall story was weak.[38]

Top ten lists [ edit ] Gangs of New York was listed on many critics' top ten lists.[39]

1st '' Peter Travers, Rolling Stone1st '' Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper[40]2nd '' Richard Corliss, Time Magazine2nd '' Ann Hornaday, Washington Post3rd '' F. X. Feeney, L.A. Weekly3rd '' Scott Tobias, The A.V. Club[41]5th '' Jami Bernard, New York Daily News5th '' Claudia Puig, USA Today6th '' Mike Clark, USA Today6th '' Nathan Rabin, The A.V. Club[41]6th '' Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun8th '' A.O. Scott, The New York Times9th '' Stephen Holden, The New York TimesTop 10 (listed alphabetically) '' Mark Olsen, L.A. WeeklyTop 10 (listed alphabetically) '' Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia InquirerAwards [ edit ] See also [ edit ] Irish Americans in New York CityIrish Brigade (US)List of identities in The Gangs of New York (book)References [ edit ] ^ "Gangs of New York (18)". British Board of Film Classification. December 10, 2002 . Retrieved October 5, 2016 . ^ a b "Gangs of New York (2002)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved February 27, 2017 . ^ "Gangs of New York (2002) - Martin Scorsese | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie . Retrieved February 21, 2020 . ^ a b c d e f g h i j Fergus M. Bordewich (December 2002). "Manhattan Mayhem". Smithsonian Magazine . Retrieved July 15, 2010 . ^ Singer, Mark (2000). "The Man Who Forgets Nothing". The New Yorker. March 19, 2000. [1] ^ "Gangs of New York (2002) - Original Print Information". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved August 19, 2020 . ^ a b Laura M. Holson (April 7, 2002). "2 Hollywood Titans Brawl Over a Gang Epic". The New York Times . Retrieved July 15, 2010 . ^ a b c d e Laura M. Holson, Miramax Blinks, and a Double DiCaprio Vanishes, The New York Times, October 11, 2002; accessed July 15, 2010. ^ Rick Lyman (February 12, 2003). "It's Harvey Weinstein's Turn to Gloat". The New York Times . Retrieved July 15, 2010 . ^ Dana Harris, Cathy Dunkley (May 15, 2001). "Miramax, Scorsese gang up". Variety . Retrieved July 15, 2010 . ^ a b c Jeffrey Wells. "Hollywood Elsewhere: Gangs vs. Gangs". Archived from the original on October 26, 2007 . Retrieved December 20, 2010 . ^ a b c d Cathy Dunkley (May 20, 2002). "Gangs of the Palais". Variety . Retrieved July 15, 2010 . ^ Bosley, Rachel K. "Mean Streets". American Cinematographer. American Society of Cinematographers . Retrieved July 26, 2015 . ^ "Gangs all here for Scorsese". Chicago Sun-Times. December 15, 2002 . Retrieved September 6, 2010 . ^ a b History News Network Archived December 9, 2003, at the Wayback Machine ^ DiGirolamo's, Vincent (2004). "Such, Such Were the B'hoys". Radical History Review. 90: 123''41. ^ "Gangs of New York", HerbertAsbury.com; accessed October 5, 2016. ^ "Bill the Butcher" Archived August 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, HerbertAsbury.com; accessed October 5, 2016. ^ Mixing Art and a Brutal History Archived August 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine ^ The New York Irish, Ronald H. Bayor and Timothy Meagher, eds. (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996) ^ Ruskin Teeter, "19th century AD", Adolescence (1995) via findarticles.com; accessed June 29, 2017. ^ Paul S. Boyer (1992). Urban Masses and Moral Order in America, 1820-1920, Harvard University Press; ISBN 0674931106 ^ Gangs, Crime, Smut, Violence. The New York Times. September 20, 1990. ^ Riots, virtualny.cuny.edu; accessed October 5, 2016. ^ (RE)VIEWS: Vincent DiGirolamo "Such, Such Were the B'hoys..." '' Radical History Review, Fall 2004 (90): 123''41; doi:10.1215/01636545-2004-90-123 Gangs of New York, directed by Martin Scorsese. Miramax Films, 2002, rhr.dukejournals.org; accessed November 10, 2014. ^ Johnson, Michael."The New York Draft Riots". Reading the American Past, 2009 p. 295. ^ Hamill, Pete. "Trampling city's history." New York Daily News; retrieved October 4, 2009. ^ R.K. Chin,"A Journey Through Chinatown", nychinatown.org; accessed May 11, 2017. ^ "Gangs of New York" . Retrieved September 6, 2010 . ^ "Gangs of New York (2002)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media . Retrieved October 19, 2019 . ^ "Gangs of New York Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. February 7, 2003 . Retrieved July 10, 2011 . ^ Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper. "At the Movies: Gangs of New York" . Retrieved December 20, 2002 . [dead link ] ^ Paul Clinton (December 19, 2002). "Review: Epic 'Gangs' Oscar-worthy effort". CNN. Archived from the original on May 3, 2007 . Retrieved December 19, 2002 . ^ Todd McCarthy (December 5, 2002). "Review: Gangs of New York Review". Variety . Retrieved December 5, 2002 . ^ "Gangs of New York". CINEMABLEND. May 27, 2016 . Retrieved February 21, 2020 . ^ "Joshua Tyler Movie Reviews & Previews". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 21, 2020 . ^ "Scorsese's Gangs of New York: How the Left Misuses American History". www.newenglishreview.org . Retrieved February 21, 2020 . ^ "Gangs of New York negative reviews". ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20090122093012/http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2002/toptens.shtml ^ https://www.innermind.com/misc/e_r_top.htm ^ a b https://www.avclub.com/the-year-in-film-2002-1798208253 ^ Bafta.org ^ Chicagofilmcritics.org Archived May 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine ^ BFCA.org Archived June 4, 2012, at Archive.today ^ Ropeofscilicon.com Archived December 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine ^ Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, LVFCS.org; accessed May 11, 2017. ^ NYFCC.com Archived December 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine ^ Rottentomatoes.com Archived February 6, 2003, at the Wayback Machine ^ Ropeofsilicon.com Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine ^ Sefca.com Archived December 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Further reading [ edit ] Baker, Aaron, ed. A companion to Martin Scorsese (2015)Lohr, Matt R. "Irish-American Identity in the Films of Martin Scorsese." A companion to Martin Scorsese (2015): 195-213.Gilfoyle, Timothy J. "Scorsese's Gangs of New York: Why Myth Matters." Journal of Urban History 29.5 (2003): 620-630.O'Brien, Martin, et al. " 'The spectacle of fearsome acts': Crime in the melting p(l)ot in Gangs of New York." Critical Criminology 13.1 (2005): 17-35. onlinePalmer, Bryan D. "The Hands That Built America: A Class-Politics Appreciation of Martin Scorsese's The Gangs of New York." Historical Materialism 11.4 (2003): 317-345. OnlineScorsese, Martin, et al. Gangs of New York: making the movie (Miramax Books, 2002).External links [ edit ] Gangs of New York on IMDbGangs of New York at the TCM Movie DatabaseGangs of New York at AllMovieGangs of New York at Rotten TomatoesGangs of New York at Box Office Mojo

The Shootist - Wikipedia

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 21:11

1976 American Western film by Don Siegel

The Shootist is a 1976 American Western film directed by Don Siegel and based on Glendon Swarthout's 1975 novel of the same name.[2] It is notable as John Wayne's final film role. The screenplay was written by Miles Hood Swarthout (the son of the author) and Scott Hale. The supporting cast includes Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, Hugh O'Brian, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, Sheree North, Scatman Crothers, and Rick Lenz.

In 1977, The Shootist received an Oscar nomination for Best Art Direction (Robert F. Boyle, Arthur Jeph Parker), a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Actress (Lauren Bacall), and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Ron Howard), as well as the National Board of Review Award as one of the Top Ten Films of 1976. The film received widespread critical acclaim, garnering a 90% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Plot [ edit ] The film begins with clips of John Wayne's past films.

Aging gunfighter John Bernard "J.B." Books arrives in Carson City, Nevada on the same date as Queen Victoria's death: January 22, 1901. Books' life is also ending soon as he is diagnosed with terminal cancer by "Doc" Hostetler. Doc directs Books to a boarding house owned by Bond Rogers, a widow who lives with her teenaged son, Gillom. Books' attempt to remain anonymous fails and Bond, unreceptive to Books, summons Marshal Thibido. Thibido orders Books to leave town until Books says he will die soon. Thibido allows him to stay, but wishes him a quick death. Word spreads that Books is in town, causing all manner of trouble from those seeking to profit off his name to those seeking to kill him. Doc prescribes laudanum to ease Books' pain, and advises him to choose how he dies, as opposed to allowing the cancer to do it. Books orders a headstone, but rejects the undertaker's offer of a free funeral, suspecting he would charge the public admission to view his remains. Two strangers seeking notoriety try to ambush Books as he sleeps, but he kills them. Gillom is impressed, but his mother is losing boarders and she is angry. She is also concerned the fatherless Gillom will be influenced by violence and alcohol. Books and Gillom have a dispute over Gillom procuring a buyer for Books' horse without his permission, but resolve their differences and their relationship improves after a shooting lesson. Books asks Gillom to tell three men - Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford and Jay Cobb - that he will be at the Metropole Saloon at 11 am on January 29, Books' birthday. Sweeney seeks revenge for Books' killing of his brother, Pulford owns the saloon and gambles professionally, and Cobb is Gillom's employer.

On January 29, the headstone arrives which includes Books' death year as "1901" but no day carved. Books gives Gillom his horse, bids farewell to Bond, who has grown to like him, then boards a trolley for the Metropole Saloon. The room is deserted except for the four men and the bartender. Books orders a drink and raises a toast to his birthday and his three "guests". First Cobb, then Sweeney, and finally Pulford all attempt to shoot Books, who successfully shoots and kills all three, but is wounded in the gunfight. Gillom enters the bar in time to see the bartender fire a shotgun into Books' back as Books turns to leave. Gillom kills the bartender with Books' gun, then throws the pistol across the saloon. Books smiles, nods approval at Gillom's decision, and dies. Gillom covers Books' face and leaves the bar in silence as Doc arrives. Gillom sees his mother outside and they walk home together.

Cast [ edit ] Production [ edit ] After producer Mike Frankovich announced that he had purchased the movie rights to Glendon Swarthout's novel The Shootist, Wayne expressed a strong desire to play the title role, reportedly because of similarities to the character Jimmy Ringo in The Gunfighter, a role he had turned down 25 years previously.[3][4] He was not initially considered due to the health and stamina issues he had experienced during filming of his penultimate film, Rooster Cogburn.[5] Paul Newman passed on the role, as did George C. Scott, Charles Bronson, Gene Hackman, and Clint Eastwood, before it was finally offered to Wayne. Although his compromised lung capacity made breathing and mobility difficult at Carson City's 4,600 ft (1,400 m) altitude, and production had to be shut down for a week while he recovered from influenza, Wayne completed the filming without further significant medical issues.[6]

The Shootist was Wayne's final cinematic role, concluding a 50-year career that began during the silent film era in 1926. Wayne was not, as sometimes reported, terminally ill when the film was made in 1976. A heavy cigarette smoker for most of his life, he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in 1964, and underwent surgical removal of his left lung and several ribs. He remained clinically cancer-free until early 1979, when metastases were discovered in his stomach, intestines, and spine; he died in June of that year.[7] Nonetheless, following the release of The Shootist, Wayne appeared in a television public service announcement for the American Cancer Society that began with the scene in which Wayne's character is informed of his cancer. Wayne then added that he had enacted the same scene in real life 12 years earlier.[8]

The film's expansive outdoor scenes were filmed on location in Carson City. Bond Rogers' boarding house is the 1914 Krebs-Peterson House, located in Carson City's historic residential district. The buggy ride was shot at Washoe Lake State Park, in the Washoe Valley, between Reno and Carson City. Though it was a Paramount production, the street scenes and most interior shots were filmed at the Warner Bros. backlot and sound stages in Burbank, California.[9] The horse-drawn trolley was an authentic one, once used as a shuttle between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico.[10]

Wayne's contract gave him script approval, and he made a number of major and minor changes, including the location (from El Paso to Carson City),[11] and the ending. In the book and original screenplay, Jack Pulford was shot in the back by Books, and a fatally wounded Books, in turn, was put out of his misery by Gillom; Wayne maintained that over his entire film career, he had never shot an adversary in the back and would not do so now. He also objected to his character being killed by Gillom and suggested that the bartender do it, because "no one could ever take John Wayne in a fair fight".[12]

Wayne was also responsible for many casting decisions. Several friends and past co-stars, including Bacall, Stewart, Boone, and Carradine, were cast at his request. James Stewart had not worked in films for a number of years, due in part to a severe hearing impairment, but he accepted the role as a favor to Wayne. Stewart and Wayne had worked together in just two previous films, also Westerns, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and How the West Was Won, both released in 1962.

While filming the scene in the doctor's office, both Stewart and Wayne repeatedly muffed their lines over a long series of takes, until director Don Siegel finally pleaded with them to try harder. "If you want the scene done better," joked Wayne, "you'd better get yourself a couple of better actors." Later, Wayne commented in private that Stewart knew his lines, but apparently could not hear his cues.[13]

Another casting stipulation was the horse owned and given away by Wayne's character, a favorite sorrel gelding named Dollor that Wayne had ridden in Big Jake, The Cowboys, True Grit, Rooster Cogburn, Chisum, and The Train Robbers. Wayne had negotiated exclusive movie rights to Dollor with the horse's owner, Dick Webb Movie Productions, and requested script changes enabling him to mention Dollor's name several times.[14]

By one account, Wayne's numerous directorial suggestions and script alterations caused considerable friction between director and star,[11] but Siegel said that Wayne and he got along well. "He had plenty of his own ideas ... some I liked, which gave me inspirations, and some I didn't like. But we didn't fight over any of it. We liked each other and respected each other."[15]

Reception [ edit ] Box office [ edit ] Upon its theatrical release, The Shootist was a minor success, grossing $13,406,138 domestically,[1] About $6 million were earned as US theatrical rentals.[16]

Critical [ edit ] It was named one of the Ten Best Films of 1976 by the National Board of Review, along with Rocky, All the President's Men, and Network. Film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times ranked The Shootist number 10 on his list of the 10 best films of 1976.[17] The film was nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA film award, and a Writers Guild of America award. The film currently has a 86% "Fresh" rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 22 reviews.[18] The film was nominated by the American Film Institute as one of the best Western films in 2008.[19]

Quentin Tarantino later wrote, "There's nothing in The Shootist you haven't seen done many times before and done better...but what you haven't seen before is a dying John Wayne give his last performance. And its Wayne's performance, and the performances of some of the surrounding characters (Howard, Richard Boone, Harry Morgan, and Sheree North) that make The Shootist, not the classic it wants to be, but memorable nonetheless."[20]

Awards nominations [ edit ] NovelWestern Writers of America, Spur Award winner - "Best Western Novel" - 1975 (as: "one of the best western novels ever written." and as: "one of the 10 greatest Western novels written in the 20th century.")Also in 2008, the American Film Institute nominated this film for its Top 10 Western Films list.[22]

See also [ edit ] John Wayne filmographyReferences [ edit ] ^ a b Box Office Information for The Shootist. Worldwide Box Office. Retrieved September 18, 2013. ^ Swarthout, Glendon (1975). The Shootist, New York, New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-06099-8 ^ Roberts, R. and Olson, S. John Wayne: American. New York: Free Press (1995), pp. 121-2. ISBN 978-0-02-923837-0. ^ Hyams, J. The Life and Times of the Western Movie. Gallery Books (1984), pp. 109-12. ISBN 0831755458 ^ Shepherd, Slatzer, & Grayson (2002), p. 306. ^ Shepherd D, Slatzer R, Grayson D. Duke: The Life and Times of John Wayne. Citadel (2002), pp. 293-5. ISBN 0806523409 ^ Bacon, J. "John Wayne: The Last Cowboy". Us Magazine, June 27, 1978, retrieved August 19, 2016. ^ YouTube: "John Wayne & Jimmy Stewart: American Cancer Society - Classic PSA (1970s)". Uploaded Sept. 13, 2012; retrieved June 3, 2019. Note: uploader misidentifies the film as The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. ^ The Shootist locations. movie-locations.com, retrieved August 30, 2016. ^ Shepherd, Slatzer, & Grayson (2002), pp. 300-1 ^ a b Shepherd, Slatzer, & Grayson (2002), p. 298 ^ Hyams, J. The Life and Times of the Western Movie. Gallery Books (1984), pp. 214-5. ISBN 0831755458 ^ Shepherd, Slatzer, & Grayson (2002), p. 301. ^ Texas Couple Tend John Wayne's Horse To See That Fans Get Dollor's Worth. Texas Morning News (January 13, 1985), retrieved August 19, 2016. ^ Munn, M. John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth. NAL (2005), p. 333 ^ Box Office Information for The Shootist. The Numbers. Retrieved September 18, 2013. ^ Roger Ebert's 10 Best Lists: 1967 to present. Archived January 13, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Roger Ebert's Journal. Retrieved September 18, 2013. ^ Movie Reviews for The Shootist. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 18, 2013. ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees" (PDF) . Archived from the original on July 16, 2011 . Retrieved August 19, 2016 . CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) ^ Tarantino, Quentin (December 24, 2019). "The Shootist". New Beverly Cinema. ^ "NY Times: The Shootist". NY Times . Retrieved December 30, 2008 . ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees" (PDF) . Archived from the original on July 16, 2011 . Retrieved August 20, 2016 . CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) External links [ edit ] The Shootist on IMDbThe Shootist at the TCM Movie DatabaseThe Shootist at AllMovieThe Shootist at Rotten TomatoesGlendon Swarthout website

Bass Reeves - Wikipedia

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 21:02

American lawman

Bass Reeves (July 1838 '' January 12, 1910) was an American law enforcement officer. He was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. He worked mostly in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory.[a] During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. He shot and killed 14 people in self-defense.

Early life [ edit ] Reeves was born into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1838.[1][2] He was named after his grandfather, Bass Washington. Reeves and his family were enslaved by Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves.[1] When Bass was eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters Colony.[1] Bass Reeves may have been kept in bondage by William Steele Reeves's son, Colonel George R. Reeves, who was a sheriff and legislator in Texas, and a one-time Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives until his death from rabies in 1882.[3]

When the American Civil War began, George Reeves, Bass' enslaver, joined the Confederate Army, taking Bass with him. It is unclear how, and exactly when, Bass Reeves left his enslaver, but at some point during the Civil War, he gained his freedom. One account recalls how Bass Reeves and George Reeves had an altercation over a card game. Bass severely beat his enslaver, and fled to the Indian Territory where he lived among the Cherokee, Creeks and Seminoles.[2][3][4] Bass stayed in the Indian Territories and learned their languages until he was freed by the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, in 1865.[3]

As a freedman, Reeves moved to Arkansas and farmed near Van Buren. He married Nellie Jennie from Texas, with whom he had 11 children.[5][6][7][8]

Career [ edit ] Reeves and his family farmed until 1875, when Isaac Parker was appointed federal judge for the Indian Territory. Parker appointed James F. Fagan as U.S. marshal, directing him to hire 200 deputy U.S. marshals. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Indian Territory and could speak several Indian languages.[5] He recruited him as a deputy; Reeves was the first black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi River.[2][5] Reeves was assigned as a deputy U.S. marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, which had responsibility also for the Indian Territory.[9] He served there until 1893. That year he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. In 1897, he was transferred again, serving at the Muskogee Federal Court in the Indian Territory.[9]

Reeves worked for 32 years as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, and became one of Judge Parker's most valued deputies. Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous criminals of the time, but was never wounded, despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions.[2]

In addition to being a marksman with a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills during his long career. When he retired in 1907, Reeves claimed to have arrested over 3,000 felons.[2][5] He is said to have shot and killed 14 outlaws to defend his life.[5]

Once, he had to arrest his own son for murder.[2] One of his sons, Bennie Reeves, was charged with the murder of his wife. Deputy Marshal Reeves was disturbed and shaken by the incident, but allegedly demanded the responsibility of bringing Bennie to justice. Bennie was eventually tracked and captured, tried, and convicted. He served his time in Fort Leavenworth in Kansas before being released, and reportedly lived the rest of his life as a responsible and model citizen.[2]

When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Bass Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee Police Department.[2] He served for two years before he became ill and retired.[5]

Later years and death [ edit ] Reeves was himself once charged with murdering a posse cook. At his trial before Judge Parker, Reeves was represented by former United States Attorney W. H. H. Clayton, who was a colleague and friend. Reeves was acquitted.[10]

Reeves' health began to fail further after retiring. He died of Bright's disease (nephritis) on January 12, 1910.[5]

He was a great-uncle of Paul L. Brady, who became the first black man appointed as a federal administrative law judge in 1972.[11] His great-great-great-grandson is National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves.[12]

Legacy [ edit ] Historian Art Burton postulated the theory that Bass Reeves may have served as inspiration for the character of the Lone Ranger. Burton makes this argument based on the sheer number of people Reeves arrested without taking any serious injury, coupled with many of these arrested were incarcerated in the Detroit House of Correction, the same city where the Lone Ranger radio plays were broadcast on WXYZ.[13] This theory is disputed.[14][15]In 2011, the US-62 Bridge, which spans the Arkansas River between Muskogee and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, was renamed the Bass Reeves Memorial Bridge.[16]In May 2012, a bronze statue of Reeves by Oklahoma sculptor Harold Holden was erected in Pendergraft Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas.[17]In 2013, he was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame.[18]Television [ edit ] Reeves is the subject of the Season two Episode four of Gunslingers, "The real lone ranger".Reeves figures prominently in an episode of How It's Made, in which a Bass Reeves limited-edition collectors' figurine is shown in various stages of the production process.[19]In "The Murder of Jesse James", an episode of the television series Timeless (season one, episode 12), Bass Reeves is portrayed by Colman Domingo.[20]Reeves was a featured subject of the Drunk History episode "Oklahoma" in which he was portrayed by Jaleel White.In "Everybody Knows", a season two episode of the television series Wynonna Earp, Reeves is portrayed by Adrian Holmes.Bass Reeves is mentioned in the plot of "The Royal Family", a season two episode of the television series Greenleaf. Reeves' name is used as an alias by pastor Basie Skanks to support his church with gambling earnings.Bass Reeves' status as one of the first black sheriffs plays a significant role as a childhood role model for the character of Will Reeves in the Watchmen television series.Bass Reeves is mentioned in Season 3 Episode 2 of the television series Justified as two US Marshals are discussing their all-time favorite historical US Marshals.Film [ edit ] Bass Reeves, a 2010 fictionalized account of Reeves's life and career, stars James A. House in the titular role.[21]In They Die by Dawn (2013), Bass Reeves is portrayed by Harry Lennix.Hell On The Border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of Bass Reeves, starring David Gyasi. It was written and directed by Wes Miller and features Ron Perlman in a supporting role.[22]A miniseries based on Burton's 2006 biography (and co-produced by Morgan Freeman) is reportedly under development by HBO.[23]As of April 2018, Amazon Studios is developing a biopic of Reeves with the script and direction helmed by Chlo(C) Zhao.[24]Theatre [ edit ] A stage play about Reeves entitled Cowboy written and directed by Layon Gray was presented at the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival.Games [ edit ] Bass Reeves is a character in the miniature wargame Wild West Exodus.Bass Reeves is a playable character in the board game Western Legends.Bass Reeves served as the inspiration for Sheriff Freeman in Red Dead Redemption 2.[citation needed ]Bass Reeves served as the inspiration for Cornelius Basse in the miniature wargame Malifaux.Hall of fame [ edit ] In 1992, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[25]

Literature [ edit ] Reeves is featured in the semi-biographical 2019 novel, Miss Chisum, by Russ Brown. Where as a boy in Paris, Texas in the 1850s he is portrayed as being befriended by a young adult John Chisum. They meet again later in life where it is revealed that Chisum had been a role model for the young Reeves.Reeves is also featured in the historical fiction novel, Follow the Angels, Follow the Doves: The Bass Reeves Trilogy, Book One, by Sidney Thompson, which follows Bass Reeves' origin as a slave in the 19th century south, before he could stake his claim as one of the most successful American lawman in history--capturing over 3,000 outlaws during his thirty-two-year career as a deputy U.S. marshal, deep in the most dangerous regions of the Old Wild West.[26]Bass Reeves is the subject of a 2020 comic book titled "Bass Reeves", produced by Allegiance Arts & Entertainment, and written by Kevin Grevioux with art by David Williams.Bass Reeves will appear in Un cow-boy dans le coton, an upcoming album in the Lucky Luke Belgian comic book series by Jul and Achd(C).Bass Reeves is the subject of the book, The Legend of Bass Reeves, by Gary Paulsen, which features both true and fictional accounts of Reeves.[27]Notes [ edit ] ^ Indian Territory comprised most of what became Eastern Oklahoma on November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Reeves's former position as a U.S. Marshal was abolished at that time, so he became an officer with the Muskogee Police Department, where he served for two years until he was forced to resign because of his declining health. References [ edit ] ^ a b c Burton, Art T. (2008). Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves. Lincoln, Nebraska: U of Nebraska Press. pp. 19''20. ISBN 9780803205413. ^ a b c d e f g h Burton, Art T. (May''June 1999). "The Legacy of Bass Reeves: Deputy United States Marshal". The Crisis. 106 (3): 38''42. ISSN 0011-1422. ^ a b c Burton, Art T. (2008). Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves. Lincoln, Nebraska: U of Nebraska Press. pp. 21''23. ISBN 9780803205413. ^ "Bass Reeves - Black Hero Marshal". Legendsofamerica.com . Retrieved June 9, 2016 . ^ a b c d e f g "Bass Reeves, the Most Feared U.S. Deputy Marshal". The Norman Transcript. May 3, 2007. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012 . Retrieved August 31, 2016 . ^ "United States Census, 1870". FamilySearch.org. p. 10, family 75, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,550 . Retrieved April 1, 2016 . Bass Reeves, Arkansas, United States ^ "United States Census, 1880". FamilySearch.org. enumeration district ED 50, sheet 582A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0042; FHL microfilm 1,254,042 . Retrieved April 1, 2016 . Bass Reeves, Van Buren, Crawford, Arkansas, United States ^ "United States Census, 1900". FamilySearch.org. citing sheet 20B, family 468, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,853 . Retrieved April 1, 2016 . Bass Reeves, Muscogee (part of M K & T Railway) Muscogee, Creek Nation, Indian Territory, United States ^ a b "Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves". U.S. Marshals Museum. U.S. Marshals Museum, Inc. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014 . Retrieved August 27, 2013 . ^ Burton, Arthur; Art T. Burton (2006). Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 139''148. ISBN 978-0-8032-1338-8. ^ "Judge Paul L. Brady Retires from Job Safety Commission" Archived February 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. press release: United States Occupational Safety and Health Review Committee. April 15, 1997. Retrieved August 13, 2007. ^ Gold-Smith, Josh. "Reaves putting Kane feud aside, joining him for 'much bigger cause ' ". theScore.com. ^ Morgan, Thad (August 31, 2018). "Was the Real Lone Ranger a Black Man?". History . Retrieved November 27, 2019 . ^ LaCapria, Kim (February 13, 2019). "Was the Original 'Lone Ranger' a Black Man?". TruthOrFiction.com . Retrieved May 27, 2020 . ^ Grams Jr., Martin. "Bass Reeves and The Lone Ranger: Debunking the Myth, Part 1" . Retrieved May 27, 2020 . ^ Goforth, Dylan (November 11, 1977). "Bridge to be renamed in tribute to famed lawman". Muskogee Phoenix . Retrieved August 6, 2013 . ^ "Statue of U.S. marshal to travel from Oklahoma to Arkansas Wednesday", Associated Press in The Oklahoman, May 16, 2012 (pay site). ^ "Bass Reeves". Western Heritage from the Texas Trail of Fame. www.texastrailoffame.org. December 26, 2013 . Retrieved April 14, 2018 . ^ "How It's Made: Resin Figurines". science.discovery.com. Science Channel. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013 . Retrieved June 19, 2014 . ^ The Murder of Jesse James at IMDb.com ^ Bass Reeves at Amazon.com ^ Hell On The Border at imdb.com ^ "Mini About Hero Lawman Bass Reeves In Works At HBO With Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary & James Pickens Producing". Deadline.com. May 18, 2015 . Retrieved January 25, 2017 . ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 20, 2018). "Amazon Studios Lands Biopic on Bass Reeves, First Black U.S. Deputy Marshal, From 'The Rider' Helmer Chlo(C) Zhao". Deadline.com . Retrieved May 12, 2018 . ^ "Hall of Great Westerners". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum . Retrieved November 22, 2019 . ^ "Book Page : Nebraska Press". www.nebraskapress.unl.edu. ^ "The Legend of Bass Reeves". Kirkus Reviews. 2006. Further reading [ edit ] Paulsen, Gary (2006). The legend of Bass Reeves: being the true and fictional account of the most valiant marshal in the West. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 978-0-385-74661-8. Thompson, Sidney (2020). Follow the angels, follow the doves: The Bass Reeves trilogy, book one. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-1-496-21875-9.External links [ edit ] Bass Reeves at Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & CultureBass Reeves at Oklahoma Historical Society Encyclopedia of Oklahoma Culture and HistoryBass Reeves at Handbook of Texas OnlineBass Reeves at Find a Grave10 Facts about Bass Reeves at BlackArtBlog.BlackArtDepot.comBass Reeves [permanent dead link ] at Angelfire.comThe Bass Reeves Legacy Monument at BlackArtBlog.BlackArtDepot.comBass Reeves (2010) - A film about his life

Juice (film) - Wikipedia

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 20:36

1992 American crime drama film directed by Ernest Dickerson

Juice is a 1992 American crime thriller film directed by Ernest R. Dickerson, and written by Dickerson and Gerard Brown. It stars Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine Hopkins and Khalil Kain. The film touches on the lives of four black youths growing up in Harlem, following their day-to-day activities, their struggles with police harassment, rival neighborhood gangs and their families.[3] The film is the writing and directing debut of Dickerson and features Shakur in his acting debut. The film was shot in New York City, mainly in the Harlem area, in 1991.[4]

Plot [ edit ] Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Raheem (Khalil Kain), and Steel (Jermaine 'Huggy' Hopkins) are four teenage African-American friends growing up together in Harlem. They regularly skip school, instead spending their days hanging out at Steel's apartment, at a neighborhood arcade, and also a record store where they steal LPs for Q's DJ interests. Generally, they are harassed daily by the police or a Puerto Rican gang led by Radames (Vincent Laresca).

Fed up with all of the torment he and his friends have endured, Bishop decides that the group must go on to do bigger things in order to win respect. However, Q is unsure if he wants to become involved in a life of crime. One Saturday night, under Bishop's persistence, the friends decide to rob a local convenience store to teach the owner, Fernando Quiles, a lesson. At first Q hesitates to go through with the robbery, unsure whether it will be successful.

He also fears it will affect his chances of participating in a DJ competition in which he has yearned to compete for years. After being pressured by his fellow crew members, he decides to join in. Q manages to sneak out of the nightclub where he is competing in a DJ contest and joins his friends. During the heist, Bishop shoots the owner in the head, killing him.

After fleeing the scene, the four young men gather in an abandoned building where they argue over the evening's events. Q, Raheem and Steel become angry at Bishop for killing Mr. Quiles, and Raheem demands that Bishop give the gun to him; Bishop resists. A struggle ensues between the two, and Bishop shoots Raheem dead. Panicking, Bishop, Q and Steel flee to another abandoned building, where Bishop threatens to kill Q and Steel if they reveal to anybody that he murdered Raheem.

Q and Steel realize that Bishop is beginning to break down and is becoming addicted to the thrill of killing. They agree to give Bishop as wide a berth as possible. However, while attending Raheem's funeral, they are surprised to see Bishop there. Bishop goes as far as to hug Raheem's mother (Lauren Jones) and promise to find his killer. Q and Steel are mostly generally able to avoid Bishop, but he finds them and confronts them one at a time, questioning their loyalty.

After a scuffle, Bishop kills Radames. In order to cover his tracks, he begins planning to frame Q for the murders of Quiles, Raheem and Radames. Fearful of Bishop, Q resorts to buying a gun for his own protection. Meanwhile, Bishop confronts Steel in an alley, accusing him of disloyalty, and shoots him. However, Steel survives the attack and is rushed to the hospital, where he informs Q's girlfriend Yolanda (Cindy Herron) that he has been shot by Bishop and he plans on framing Q. Frustrated with both the tension and troubles brought upon him, Q throws his gun into the river and decides to confront Bishop unarmed. Q and Bishop meet up, where a scuffle and chase ensues.

Q is shot once in the arm during the chase, and he is subsequently chased into a building where a party is being held. Bishop begins firing into a group of partygoers in an attempt to hit Q, but Q escapes unharmed. Q disarms Bishop while he's distracted, and Bishop leaves the scene with Q following him. Q eventually finds Bishop on the roof of a high-rise building, and the two become engaged in a physical confrontation. Bishop eventually falls off the ledge, but is caught by Q. Bishop begs Q not to let go, but Q eventually loses his grip, and Bishop falls to his death.

As Q is leaving the rooftop, a crowd from the party gathers to see what happened. One of the people in the crowd turns to Q and says, "Yo, you got the juice now, man." Q turns to look at him, shakes his head in disgust, and walks away. The film ends with a flashback clip of the four friends together in happier times as Bishop yells, "Wrecking Crew!"

Cast [ edit ] Omar Epps as Quincy "Q" PowellTupac Shakur as Roland BishopKhalil Kain as Raheem PorterJermaine Hopkins as Eric "Steel" ThurmanCindy Herron as YolandaVincent Laresca as RadamesSamuel L. Jackson as TripGeorge O. Gore II as Q's little brother BrianGrace Garland as Q's motherQueen Latifah as Ruffhouse MCOran "Juice" Jones as Snappy Nappy DugoutFlex Alexander as Contest AuditioneerDoctor Dr(C) & Ed Lover as Contest JudgesFab 5 Freddy as himselfDonald Faison as StudentMerit House party crowdEPMD as Bar PatronsProduction [ edit ] The movie was filmed between February and April 1991. Daryl Mitchell, Treach, Money-B, and Donald Faison had auditioned for the role of Roland Bishop, but none were considered right for the role. Tupac Shakur accompanied Money-B to the audition and asked producer Neal H. Moritz to read. He was given 15 minutes to rehearse before his audition, and ultimately secured the role of Roland Bishop.[5] Treach and Faison landed cameo roles as a rival gang member and a high school student, respectively.

Reception [ edit ] The film received generally favorable reviews.[6] Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, praising the film as "one of those stories with the quality of a nightmare, in which foolish young men try to out-macho one another until they get trapped in a violent situation which will forever alter their lives.".[7] Entertainment Weekly gave the film a "B+" grading, based on how it depicts four young characters who try to gain complete self-control over their surroundings.[8]

The film is an inflammatory morality play shot through with rage and despair. Like Boyz n the Hood and Straight Out of Brooklyn, it asks: When every aspect of your environment is defined by violence, is it possible to avoid getting sucked into the maelstrom?[8]

Dickerson also received praise for his directorial skills:

Coming out from behind Spike Lee's camera, Ernest Dickerson has instantly arrived at the forefront of the new wave of black directors. His film aims for the gut, and hits it.[8]

Juice holds a rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews.[9]

Soundtrack [ edit ] YearAlbumPeak chart positionsCertificationsU.S.U.S. R&B1991JuiceReleased: December 31, 1991Label: MCA173US: GoldSee also [ edit ] List of hood filmsBoyz n the HoodMenace II SocietyNew Jack CityReferences [ edit ] External links [ edit ] Juice at AllMovieJuice on IMDbJuice at Rotten TomatoesJuice at Box Office Mojo

Bring in the U.N. to solve Chicago 'genocide,' Boykin says - Chicago Tribune

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 20:18

Chicago Tribune |

Dec 14, 2017 at 4:30 PM

Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin traveled to New York to discuss Chicago's violence probelm with the United Nations assistant secretary-general for peacebuilding support, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

President Donald Trump's implicit threat to put the National Guard on the streets of Chicago to tackle the city's violence problem attracted widespread ridicule earlier this year.

But if the soldiers were instead wearing the sky blue helmets of United Nations peacekeepers there might not be such a problem, according to Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, who flew to New York on Thursday to discuss what he described as a ''quiet genocide'' in Chicago's black community with the U.N.'s assistant secretary-general for peacebuilding support, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco.

''The United Nations has a track record of protecting minority populations,'' Boykin told Inc. before his meeting. ''There was tribal warfare between the Tutsis and the Hutus in Africa, and they deployed peacekeeping troops there to help save those populations and reduce the bloodshed. We have to do something '-- black people in Chicago make up 30 percent of the population but 80 percent of those who are killed by gun violence.''

Asked how that might differ from sending in the National Guard, Boykin said, ''The difference is, I'm not so sure that the National Guard is so used to peacekeeping and a peacekeeping role: The U.N. is trained in this.''

You'd welcome foreign troops on the streets of Austin, North Lawndale, Englewood and Roseland, commissioner?

''I'm talking about whoever the U.N. would decide to send in,'' Boykin responded, adding, ''I think that the assistant secretary-general may have some ideas outside of sending in troops. He may have some ideas about how we get to peace in these communities.

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''We can't wait for the mayor to put another 1,000 police officers on the streets, and I'm not so sure that's going to be the panacea, anyhow,'' said Boykin, who added that he wanted local officials to sit down together to come up with a solution.

''It's been a total devastation of the African-American community,'' he said.

Asked Wednesday about Boykin's plan to involve the U.N., Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not respond directly but noted improvements in crime statistics and said he was working to ensure that ''people feel a sense of security'' in every neighborhood.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

United Nations Richard Boykin Recommended on Chicago Tribune

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