Gangs of New York, The (Paperback)

by Martin Scorsese (Author) "GANGS OF NEW YORK takes place in the early 1860s, in a slum district of Manhattan called the Five Points..." (more)
Key Phrases: action unit director, stunt coordinator, New York, Dead Rabbits, Martin Scorsese (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Featuring interviews with almost every big job title among the cast and crew, copious production stills, the ostensibly complete screenplay and a nearly scholarly essay by New York historicist Sante, this melange of documentation and memorabilia pays homage to the epic production of Gangs of New York. Much of the information found in its pages is absorbing, in particular the list of films director Scorsese drew on for his grimy mise-en-scene, some of which seem intuitive, like The Bowery (1933) and Oliver Twist (1948), and others, like Fellini Satyricon (1970), that are more surprising. Also intriguing is the explanation of Scorsese's personal obsession in driving the film from its conception in the early 1970s to its final execution in 2002. The bloody New York street history and the nuts and bolts of filmmaking depicted in these pages makes for good browsing, and those inspired by the film will relish this celebration of it.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Set in the turbulent streets of Lower Manhattan in the mid-nineteenth century, Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York depicts the politically corrupt and volatile social climate of New York during the early years of the Civil War. While the North is fighting in the South, the difference between the insular opulence of uptown life and the lawless destitution of those living downtown becomes more intolerable. Irish immigrants and emancipated slaves add to the swelling numbers of the poor. The city is a bomb ready to explode.

The action unfolds at the Five Points, a notoriously corrupt, gang-infested area between New York harbor and lower Broadway, where the native-born (Protestant) Americans and the Irish (Catholic) immigrants battle for control of the city. Amsterdam Vallon (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young Irish-American who has returned to New York, after fifteen years in a house of reform, to seek revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis), the nativist gang leader who had killed Vallon's father. The movie follows Amsterdam as he infiltrates Bill's inner circle, falls in love with Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz), a beguiling pickpocket, and fights for the honor of his family and people. His personal struggle explodes in tandem with the 1863 draft riots, the most dramatic episode of urban unrest in American history.

Included in the book are interviews of the principal people involved with the making of the film: the director, actors, cinematographer, designers, screenwriters, and producers; the complete shooting script; a historical introduction by the writer Luc Sante, the film's technical advisor; color stills taken during the shooting; sketches of the lavish sets and costumes, and a portfolio of behind-the-scenes photographs taken by Brigitte Lacombe. This is an inside look at how an epic movie, one which the director had envisioned for twenty-five years, got made.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Miramax; 1st edition (January 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786868937
• ISBN-13: 978-0786868933
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #330,226 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Book marred by poor interviews, January 4, 2003

By	Anthony Thompson (Big Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The movie is astounding, but this book is less than great because the interviewer of cast and crew was amateurish at best. EVERYONE was asked: "What did you think of the sets?" and "What was it like working with (fill in the blank)?". Those are the type of questions one would expect of a high school journalist. Some of the interviewees, however, managed to rise above the questions and provided some interesting insights into the film and it's making. The photos are very good, but don't show much of the "behind the scenes" perspective that would have been interesting. Get the book if you loved the movie as I do, but be aware that it is more of a coffee-table book than an exhaustive making-of book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible, December 28, 2002

By	Shelby H. Swatek (Simi Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thumbing through this book in the bookstore, I decided to see Gangs of New York in the theater. The movie was an incredible experience -- gorgeous, stirring, horrifying, thrilling, heart-poundingly beautiful. A great story. Superb acting. What research! Direction, cinematography, set design, costume design, casting, on and on -- brilliant. A period of history seldom visited, little known, that has such a powerful effect on who and where we are today. (And since I had lived blocks from Five Points for five years, in the East Village, a personal connection... ) The next day I returned to the bookstore, thumbed through the book again, and understood even more. I'm ordering it now. If you love history, and love America, see the movie (though you will cover your eyes on some parts!) Then buy this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Making of an Epic, June 4, 2003

By	Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

It's a given: if you love a movie, you'll love every "The Making Of..." that comes out about it. This is no exception. I loved this film. I enjoyed reading the script, and all the interviews and photographs were delicious gravy. The story of how Scorsese and his team captured, very accurately for the most part, the way The Five Points looked is itself worth the price. If there is anything negative to be said, it's that some of the photographs are not of the best quality. But I'm nitpicking. Treat yourself to this superb book!