Change Your Image
youngian67
Reviews
Gangs of New York (2002)
Other 19th century urban America films
After watching this it occurred to me that I could not think of any other 19th century films that are set in urban America as they are all Westerns or about the civil war.
Cities sometimes feature only briefly in a few movies such as Gone with the Wind but even then it is a mainly rural setting.
Many European set stories in the 19th century are urban; Dickens and Victor Hugo adaptations, Shelock Holmes etc.
The industrial urban expansion of the late 19th century was effecting America just as much as Europe so it is not because cities were in their infancy.
Any movies spring to mind or know why their histories aren't explored more?
Shadowlands (1993)
A love story for grown ups
It was rare to see a grown up love story at the time when predictable saccharine Hollywood dross (that Hanks/Meg Ryan email nonsense and the loathsome Notting Hill spring to mind) ruled the day.
Richard Attenborough is more associated with directing epic scale pictures more this is the most movign film of his career.
Hopkins played a man who reflects many people's lives, who fulfil their lives in other ways than falling in love, either out of fear, necessity or weariness.
Debra Winger's forthright Joyce Gresham demolishes his tough defences and despite the tragic consequences of their relationship this a tender and life affirming piece of work.
Comrades (1986)
A mystery why this is never shown
This is one of the greatest underrated epics of Brtish cinema.
Not only does it chart a pivotal event in the development of trade unionism but one of the few films portrays the harshness of the Australian exile system.
Everyone looked like they wanted to make this film and excel in it. The narrative slow burning but riveting, pausing to allow the audience to taste life of that period.
We see much of the wretchedness of late Victorian urban life on the screen but this early rural period is often pasteurised like a Constable painting or concentrates on the upper classes.
Bill Douglas owes more to Ken Loach than Merchant Ivory.
I believe this film was made by Channel 4 but it is never shown and or has a DVD release.
If anyone who has any experience of Channel 4 , I would be interested to know what they have against this film.