Customer Reviews

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

When HBO first announced the showing of Boardwalk Empire, my calendar became marked with bright red highlighter. Every time I saw an image of actor Steve Buscemi in his dapper 1920's attire (my favorite decade in American history), my anticipation grew. I began to research, realizing that Martin Scorsese and producer Terry Winter (The Sopranos), and I was nearly breathless with anticipation.

What drew me to Boardwalk Empire? It was a combination of items. I love the 1920s. There was a romance to that particular era, evident in the films, the clothing, and the music. America was blossoming from a gawky teenage girl and into the full flower of beauty during that magical era. Much of the growing process involved film, music, gangsters, and Prohibition.

When HBO's BOARDWALK EMPIRE premiered, I was as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning.

Scoresese and Winter didn't let me down. Boardwalk Empire chronicles the life of Enoch (Nucky) Thompson (Steve Buscemi). Nucky Thompson is slick, smooth, and runs the Boardwalk with a suaveness that rivals the cunning of a fox. I don't think Scoresese could have found anyone better than Buscemi to play Thompson, for he's able to emit the perfect persona with his sly, crooked smile and darting eyes. Yes, Buscemi fits my image of a gangster of the era, more realistic than any Hollywood has ever attempted to portray in the past. Buscemi is not a handsome man, instead he has that down home reality to his features that makes him more believable as a human being with every close-up that is filmed. Human is what Nucky Thompson is, aspiring for more on the boardwalk. Nucky is complex in his greed and maneuvering, and all the while revealing the little bit of a compassionate heart that he still has beating within him. This heart is shown in his behavior toward Margaret Schroeder (Kelly MacDonald), a pregnant woman who endures a horrific beating from her drunken husband.

The storyline of Boardwalk Empire leaps from section to section, high paced, filled with action and the underground gangland activity that was so prevalent during the time. There are startling little bits of history that will make any fan of the era and mobster history smile with pleasure. My favorite clip was a war scarred Jimmy Darmody ( Michael Pitt) having a conversation with a very young Al Capone (Stephen Graham), while they waited to drive their bosses about town. (No, Al Capone didn't start out his gangster career as the headman;he started at the bottom).

My overall opinion of Boardwalk Empire--Excellent and stunning. I felt as if I had been drawn into a perfectly portrayed world of the past, from the movements of Prohibition, Women's Suffrage, and into the realm of organized crime. Beautifully written for the screen (adapted from the book by Nelson Johnson, Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City), Boardwalk Empire is a must have in your mobster collection.

The writer of the HBO series, Terence Winter (who also wrote the foreword for this edition of the book), was recently interviewed on public radio and explained how and why the HBO show deviates from many of the facts in the book "Boardwalk Empire." Last names were sometimes changed and certain information had to be imagined or created in order to allow the plot to veer away from the events in the book. Hence, Nucky "Thompson" in the series is actually based on the real life Nucky (Enoch) Johnson

None of this takes away from the entertainment value of the series but potential buyers of the book will get an added perspective and accurate historical detail."Boardwalk Empire" is an excellent way to round out the very entertaining cable television series. If you simply want to watch the show, it recreates Atlantic City in its heyday. Steve Buscemi is riveting in his role as "Nucky" and comes across as a complex person, although when it comes to business he can be harsh and no nonsense. Things go his way or else. Of course, I write this after seeing only the first episodes of the series so it will be interesting to see how his character evolves. There are hints of a romance in the future.

Not surprisingly, Terence Winter (again, writer of the HBO series) also wrote many episodes of The Sopranos and director Martin Scorcese steps to the helm and directs the first and possibly many more episodes of the cable show ( but guest directors aren't uncommon for cable series). In the show, Steve Buscemi plays Nucky but Winter has admitted that James Gandolfini would have fit the actual body type and appearance of Nucky. But because Buscemi captures the essence of Nucky so well it doesn't seem to matter if he looks exactly like the real Nucky.

Nucky Johnson provides what people want, primarily alcohol, gambling and sex. But if the public had wanted other things Nucky would simply have gone with public sentiment. His choices were based on what brought him the most profit -and it was as simple as that, although being in power was not so simple.

Having seen the first episodes of the series, I am able to compare both the book and television show. I'd urge you to buy the book. Both the book and the cable series made me yearn to visit Atlantic City in its prime. Women dressed in their finest outfits before strolling on the actual boardwalk. I'd love to have revisited that time - if only to understand the thrills that drew people to Atlantic City.

Since I've now seen the series, it is impossible to write about the book without comparing it to the film version. I have to admit that the HBO show recreates Atlantic City's mixture of people and often weird attractions, from side shows to palm readers - and it does make a difference seeing and hearing the combination of sights, sounds and dialogue.

There is also a portrayal of the young Al Capone and he comes off as far less confident in his youth. He still takes risks but he hasn't matured into the experienced man whose name became legend.

"Boardwalk Empire" reveals how the area was a place where families came, with children enjoying themselves by day and adults venturing off to enjoy other pursuits at night. You won't get a truly balanced historical take on Atlantic City without reading the book and the series should motivate viewers to want to learn more about the history of Atlantic City's entertainment area.

Reading "Boardwalk Empire" is well worth the time. But if you only want to watch the show you will still get a limitd sense of the sights and sounds of Atlantic City as well as the lure of booze, women and gambling.

Boardwalk Empire is a great show, the 21st century version of a 19th century novel. It's Dickens, Dostoevsky, Tolstoi. The relationship between Nucky and Margaret is like nothing else on TV. Buscemi was absolutely terrific in the finale. The exploration of criminal culture, and its relationship to political culture, is pretty fascinating. I cannot wait for next season!

Certainly one of the most eagerly anticipated shows on the 2010 television schedule, HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" boasted the year's most impressive pedigree with Martin Scorsese taking a production credit and even directing the pilot episode. This brain child of Terrence Winter, a primary creative force and writer for "The Sopranos," adapts the Nelson Johnson non-fiction work chronicling the sordid history of Atlantic City into a masterful blend of fact and fantasy. Embraced by mainstream critics and viewers alike, "Boardwalk Empire" recently picked up a Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Program and acting honors for lead Steve Buscemi at both the Globes and the SAG awards. Intended for adult audiences, this is a program whose real pleasures unfold as the season progresses--it has a slow build momentum and a subtlety in plotting and characterizations that might not appeal to more action oriented viewers. But patience is rewarded with a rich and compelling storyline that showcases equal parts politics and mob drama.

Buscemi plays Nucky Thompson, the most pivotal power player of this corrupt political empire. The charming Thompson rules Atlantic City as if he were its king! Set in the prohibition era, Thompson plays both the peacemaker and the enforcer--but in this turbulent time, keeping a tight grip on the city proves to pose some dangerous challenges. Backed by his muscle (Michael Pitt), pursued doggedly by a federal agent (Michael Shannon), and tentatively romancing a recent widow (Kelly Macdonald)--Buscemi does not play Thompson as a one dimensional villain, but instead as a multi-layered businessman. Within this fictional backdrop (yes, I know Thompson was a real person), other notorious real life personages populate the cast such as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. This is a startlingly realistic portrait of the outlaw days of prohibition!

In addition to Buscemi's fine work, the cast is uniformly excellent. At first, I thought Pitt a bit passive in the role of a henchman but his independence and intelligence start to emerge until he becomes more of an equal and less of an underling. Macdonald, as well, starts as a fairly tentative character but she experiences the story's most compelling transformation. At first she is seduced by the Thompson's clout, than complicit, than free to experience a newfound power of her own. Shannon is creepy menace in what could have been the show's most conventionally good character. But I also really liked Gretchen Mol (Pitt's mother although in real life she is only 9 years his senior), Shea Wigham (Buscemi's brother), Vincent Piazza (Lucky Luciano) and Jack Huston (as a disfigured vet who befriends Pitt). But really, all the supporting roles are played with verve and I could easily have listed an additional four or five actors that stand out.

In some ways, DVD is the perfect venue to catch "Boardwalk Empire" where you can allow the story to flow at your own rate. Intelligent and challenging, this isn't a slam bang gangster melodrama. It is a character driven piece occupied by perhaps the most morally ambiguous cast of characters ever assembled for a television program. No one is unscathed in this period saga! At this juncture, it is also noteworthy to include that the production values really do recreate an era gone by. Gorgeous to look at and authentically believable, this is smart and sophisticated entertainment! KGHarris, 2/11.

The blu-ray video/audio on each disc in the package is superb. I grew up near Atlantic City and lived in the same town as the author of the book. I cannot tell you the pleasure I felt when I first saw the Blueberry Capital of the World sign in the first couple of minutes of episode 1. My sister still lives "near mile marker 14 on the Black Horse." Mr. Buscemi has never been better and amply fills the saddle wing tips he wears. The actors, creative talent, and HBO have done an outstanding job on this series and blu-ray set. I hope Mr. Scorsese does more television projects.

As with many blu-ray DVDs, HBO included a small insert that said the discs were manufactured to the highest quality standards. I agree. They are not defective. If they don't play correctly, your player probably needs a software/firmware update and the player's manufacturer may not have the update available for download yet. My Sony BDP-S580 updated with 12/1/2011 update could not play the discs, my LG 630 updated with 11/30/2011 update could not play them. I was frustrated as many reviewers were. I even exchanged my set for another and had the same freezing problems (I could only select Play All (no features played), if you think yours works correctly select Picture in Picture and see if it plays past third event in first episode). However, my Samsung BD-5700 downloaded an update with 1022 in the numbers and there it was - Boardwalk Empire played correctly, all menus were listed, each episode was correctly identified in the menus. I could select features, especially the Picture in Picture feature. I couldn't get to the website on the HBO sheet, it probably only tells you the website of each blu-ray player's manufacturer. My recommendation is to go directly to your player maufacturer's website in the support for your product and look for/download the latest update.

Thanks, Amazon.com, for the opportunity to review this product. Keep up the good work.

Just watched the first 2 discs of the series. Loved the actual show, but the extra features are extremely limited, other than the commentaries. But what really drove me crazy was having to watch over five minutes of HBO previews on the first disc without any opt-out allowed. I should not be forced to sit through their advertisements before I am allowed to watch the show I purchased. I was considering adding HBO to my cable subscription, but not after this.

Having read the nonfiction book on which this show is based, I was pleased with the attention to detail. Physically, the show is wonderful. Atlantic City, the boardwalk, the tacky stores, even the incubators on display with premature babies presented like animals in a zoo. All were really in Atlantic City. Naturally, when creating the plot for the show, many liberties were taken. However, speculation can be amusing and seeing a young Al Capone at the beginning of his career was fun. There IS lots of violence, but it was a violent time. Watching Nucky Johnson run the town, deal with gangsters, influence the political scene in New Jersey, and have a pretty full private life kept me entertained through each episode. I've already pre-ordered season two and can hardly wait for it to arrive.

Boardwalk Empire is an exquisitely produced hour long drama on HBO. Some have expressed dislike for the slow storylines and pacing as well as what I've heard described as a weaker season long arc. I personally find the show to be fantastic and the pacing is refreshing and suits the atmosphere being created in 1920's Atlantic City. The Sopranos itself was a slower paced show if one really looks back on it, the deaths come but only at the leisure of the story. The one thing that cannot be contested in regards to this show is the production value, the boardwalk they've created, the sets, the period costumes and the sheer amount of quality casting/acting that fill this universe. The story also spans from Atlantic City to New York and Chicago. It's an amazing feat that they've pulled off at all let alone so well.

This long awaited first season set will thankfully contain not only the twelve first season episodes but a plethora of special featuers that take viewers behind the scenes. I wish the Sopranos had been granted season sets this elaborate, this set might rival the quality of the Breaking Bad season sets, which have themselves always been packed with extras.

The Twelve Episodes Included (Just out of interest):

Boardwalk Empire
The Ivory Tower
Broadway Limited
Anastasia
Nights In Ballygran
Family Limitation
Home
Hold Me in Paradise
Belle Femme
The Emerald City
Paris Green
A Return to Normalcy

An excellently crafted slow burn season that establishes this world and takes some interesting twists, turns and sudden plot developments but only once they've been earned. I don't want to give anything away to those who haven't seen it adn those who have seen it know how well constructed it is.

Special Features:

Exclusive to Blu-ray, Enhanced Viewing: fans will be able to enjoy a picture in picture experience on each episode that delves into the production process with cast and crew and also into the Atlantic City history the show is based on with Historians. (This sounds incredible).

Making Boardwalk Empire: A standard behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series with cast and crew.

Character Dossier: An evolving comprehensive character guide allows viewers to follow development of major players.

Creating the Boardwalk: Explores how they designed and built the massive 300 foot boardwalk.

Atlantic City: The Original Sin City - A 30 minute documentary that explores the roaring 20's in Atlantic City. (Nice to see them also focusing on providing historical material for a series such as this).

Speakeasy Tour: Cast members from the series provide an insider's tour of famed prohibition era speakeasies in Chicago and New York.

Audio Commentaries: Six will be provided featuring different combinations of actors Steve Buscemi, Michael Kenneth Williams and Michael Shannon. Creator/writer/executive producer Terence Winter, Director/Writer/Executive Producer Tim Van Patten, Writer?Supervising Producer Howard Korder and directors Brian Kirk and Allen Coulter.

This is quite the comprehensive set that should please any fan of the series and might interest some historians. I am now beginning to feel the long wait for this release was worth it. Every show should attempt to provide this much supplementry material.

Season 2 is already building up to be fantastic! If this isn't a five star series I don't know what is. Thankfully it seems to be receiving a five star set.

This show seemed to prove me wrong from the get go. Cast is slow moving and the show is very bland and very boring. I couldn't seem to finish watching the first season...nor did i want to. If it started upbeat and interesting, I would have continued watching. Wouldn't recommend on purchasing this. The cover and advertising were all the best parts!

Before the mob created Las Vegas, there was Atlantic City, a town where ambition ruled, not the law. All it took to succeed was an idea, a gun, and the gift of knowing when to use which.

The HBO period drama "Boardwalk Empire" kicked off its pilot episode, handled by director Martin Scorsese (also one of series' producers), by literally counting down the minutes until the dawn of Prohibition. Steeped in the sights, sounds and scandals of the era, this brilliant show illustrates what is ridiculously obvious in hindsight -- that the most ardent fans of Prohibition were bootleggers like Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi). His letterhead may read "Treasurer, Atlantic County, New Jersey," but his real title is Boss. Nuck flat-out runs the town. A dollar isn't spent on booze, gambling or salt-water taffy without him getting a cut.

Put in power by the aging Commodore (Dabney Coleman) and aided by his brother Eli (Shea Whigham), the country sheriff, "Boardwalk Empire's" first season sees Nuck fighting tooth and nail to stay on top. His biggest foes aren't political opponents. Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), fresh off fixing the 1919 World Series, wants to expand from Manhattan to Atlantic City and his gunman, Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), is only too willing to lead Italian henchmen against Nuck's Irish crew. The show's creator Terence Winter (The Sopranos) delivers plenty of sex and startling violence during the 12 episodes, which explode in jazzy color. (When I die, I want to be buried in one of Nuck's finely tailored suits by Martin Greenfield.)

When dead bodies start turning up, the feds bring the heat in the form of Prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon), who is like a twisted mix of Elliot Ness and Inspector Javert. Nuck may control the state and local law, but he doesn't run Washington (yet anyway).

Luckily, Nuck has a few allies in his corner, including the sharp-dressed Chalky White (Michael Kenneth Williams), a bootlegger who controls the local black vote. Nuck's protégé, Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt), a tortured war vet who thinks little about killing for Nuck, ends up banished to Chicago, where he pals around with a young tough on the rise named Al Capone (Stephen Graham).

But Nuck has no greater ally than the widow Margaret Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald). She's the one person capable of tapping into something positive buried deep within Nuck. And like Michael Corleone holding on to Kay Adams in "The Godfather," Nuck clings to Margaret as his soul's lifeline. When you reach the end of the finale, you'll feel like you've earned an honorary PhD in the Roaring Twenties.

The "Boardwalk Empire: Season 1" Blu-ray includes a staggering amount of extras, including but not limited to several cast-and-crew audio commentaries, three "making of" featurettes, a helpful character dossier featuring bios and key relationships, and a "speakeasy tour." (HBO Home Entertainment) Review originally published on MyDVDInsider.com.