MEAN STREETS (includes footage)
October 12th 2010 23:41
A film by Martin Scorsese
The year was 1972 and an unheard of film maker, Martin Scorsese, had just completed an exploitation movie for B-film producer Roger Corman, this would be Scorsese's second film, following Who's That Knocking At My Door? Both showed some promise but failed to be taken seriously and Scorsese was set to shoot another film for Corman titled I Escaped From Devils Island. After the positive preview screening for Boxcar Bertha, Scorsese's mentor, John Cassavetes, privately had a long discussion with him. Cassavetes said to Scorsese, quite bluntly, “Marty, you just spent a year of your life making a piece of shit. It's okay for the kind of film it is, but you can do better than this, isn't there something that you really want to do? Something that's personal to you.” Scorsese responded, “There's a script I wrote, it's called Season Of The Witch, but it needs rewriting.” “Well then go rewrite it, but don't make another film like this one ever again”, Cassavetes told him.
By 1973, Scorsese finished editing a first rough cut of what was formerly known as Season Of The Witch, now called Mean Streets. Scorsese showed it to his mentor, who urged him in typical Cassavetes fashion, to not change a thing, to release it exactly as it was in it's rough cut. It's telling, as Mean Streets is a film that remains raw and unpolished, which still to this day probably needs that second trim, but explodes on screen with all the energy and passion of an important film maker's first important film.
Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction) plays Charlie, a young God fearing do-gooder who for all his many wrong doings and prejudices sees himself as a modern day St. Francis, but as his girlfriend Theresa (Amy Robinson) points out, St Francis never ran numbers in New York's lower east side. While Charlie's fear of God and sin keeps him up at night, he belongs to a crew of young wise guys, set to make their way up the mob ladder. Charlie collects protection money for his uncle, and his friends all make a buck from illegal racketeering in it's many forms. Charlie's conscience compels him to stick his neck out constantly for Johnny Boy, played by Robert De Niro (Taxi Drvier, Raging Bull), a trouble making gambler who owes big money to loan sharks all over New York.
Mean Streets plays as episodic rather than plot based and boasts the early powerhouse performances of Keitel and De Niro that made them known names. Scorsese's upbringing in New York, around these same mob figures trying to make names for themselves gives the film an auto biographical feel, particularly in the character of Charlie. This is a world that Scorsese understands deeply. The streets of New York itself feels like a main character, bursting with vitality and 'on the streets' energy. Actually, due to the severe limitations of this production, the exterior shots were filmed in New York, but most of the film was all shot in Los Angeles.
Evidently shot by the seat of it's pants, most of Mean Streets flaws are the result of these production limitations, the hand held camera work, at times feels sloppy, but hits it's fiery stride while filming action scenes. The camera gets right inside these fights, like it's another brawler and the impact is thrilling and visceral. Despite the middle section of Mean Streets lagging, it's cut in a dynamic and exciting way, matching visuals with the dynamics of it's rock n roll soundtrack. It introduces us in the beginning to it's four main characters – Tony (David Proval from The Sopranos), Charlie, Johnny and Michael and we're off! The Rolling Stones burst on to the soundtrack and the film's combined effect is electric. We're witnessing a director find his creative groove and the result is irresistible.
De Niro and Keitel, along with all the other cast sizzle on screen, with a combustible, spontaneous energy that gets right in your face. De Niro and Keitel were still young unknowns and had the hunger to prove them selves, giving their performances a freshness that would be unique here. That's not to say they both didn't give better performances later on, they did, many times, but Keitel and De Niro have seldom had such spontaneous, uninhibited energy in their acting outside of their of their collaborations with Scorsese.
Mean Streets isn't as interested in creating tension with portraying Johnny Boy's amounting troubles with mob figures around the city as it is in revealing his utter indifference and lack of respect towards others, it's a rough and tumble, brutally accurate account of this world we're exploring and all these aggressive encounters, apathetic young men and their emotions are all moments that feel lived through. It's a great dynamic of having two characters who are such close friends, where one is constantly trying to stay out of trouble and make piece (Charlie) while the other is always inviting it (Johnny Boy).
Scorsese has had many influences in this film from Federico Fellini's I Vitelloni to Abraham Polonsky's Force Of Evil to John Cassavetes' Husbands and Shadows and he mixes his own stories with these influences to create a real and immediately savage film of male bonds and allegiances, one where your word and promise dictate whether you survive. As Mean Streets goes out with a bang, that's when the weight of this young mobster world hits us, respect and fear rules the streets and when respect is ignored blood flows – but everything just continues, whether you live or die, it makes no difference to anyone, it's just another day on the mean streets of Little Italy.
Scorsese would go on to make some great films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, GoodFellas and The Last Temptation Of Christ, among many others, but here in Mean Streets, very seldom has a great director made such a splash which at once was fiercely unique and powerful, but one that so perfectly established the tone for everything he would do next in an astonishing body of work.
HERE'S A SCENE FROM 'MEAN STREETS'
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Thanks for the props. That opening with Keitel lying down and the Ronettes kicking in is still one of my favourite openings ever - such energy!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
You know the selections you and I have been tackling of late, I have a funny feeling we'll end reviewing the same movie on the same day, or thereabouts ... I can sense it happening.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Well given that i handed those films over to you the other day, that could very well happen.
Believe it or not I've already doubled with Jason King, but that was only a TRAILER (my one got more votes though
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
I thought it was great when it came out, but not having seen it since, I suspect I may have some more reservations today.
cheers
fog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Those raw edges to me are what lift the film. Despite what came after this is still my favourite Scorsese film.
The frantic energy is unmatched. The unpolished style serving to place you further in the world and mindset of the story.
Maybe it's because it had such a profound impact when i saw it as a kid. But each time I revisit the film that second half still knocks me flat with its collision course passion.
The scene in the bar with the two chicks while the Stones play in the background is still my favourite.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Those raw edges to me are what lift the film. Despite what came after, this is still my favourite Scorsese film.
The frantic energy is unmatched. The unpolished style serving to place you further in the world and mindset of the story.
Maybe it's because it had such a profound impact when i saw it as a kid. But each time I revisit the film that second half still knocks me flat with its collision course passion.
The scene in the bar with the two chicks while the Stones play in the background is still my favourite.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Fog - what reservations might those be?
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
camera work and editing come to mind immediately. I like to be unaware of their presence, unless it is part of the dramatic moment, hallucination, or something like Blair Witch, then it is acceptable because it is part of the reality,
However, seeing JD's comments above, is interesting, as he says he still gets a raw visceral experience from it, because of the way it was shot.
But, I remain unsure. And, the clip you embedded, there are some poorly staged fight action moments where the artifice is obvious, that always disrupts my immersion, albeit momentarily.
I have not seen this film since it came out, so I remain unsure how I will feel seeing the entire film... it has been too many years, and too much partying between then and now... but, it is worth me hiring it and watching it again, definitely...some day...
cheers
fog