Gangster Films Genre Notes

1. Mitch Rager Gangster Films Genre Notes

2. Question 1: How do Gangster Film authors hook and hold readers? • The Gangster film genre, based on American mafia families, is very easy to hook readers with all of the sinister actions of those gangsters. (Crime and Gangster Films.) • People love to read about people who go against the law including robbing banks, stealing cars and other goods, selling and doing drugs, murdering. (Crime and Gangster Films.) • All of the action, and secretly cheering for the bad guy keeps the reader hooked. • "Film gangsters are usually materialistic, street-smart, immoral, meglo-maniacal, and self-destructive.” (The American Gangster Genre.)

3. Question 2: How do Gangster Film writers persuade their readers? • Gangster Film writers persuade their readers by either basing their stories on real life American history events, or using realistic fiction to show what could have happened. (Self) • This intrigues American citizens especially those who lived in areas that in happened such as New York, New Jersey, or New Orleans. (self) • Most Americans naturally glorify people who have power and money (The American Gangster Genre.) • "They glorify the rise and fall of a particular criminal(s), gang, bank robber, murderer or lawbreakers in personal power struggles or conflict with law and order figures, an underling or competitive colleague, or a rival gang.(The American Gangster Genre.)

4. Question 3: What is the relationship between Gangster Films and truth? • Gangster Films are about real life, real people and, in most cases real consequences. (Crime and Gangster Films.) • Some films and books are realistic fiction but, there is a lot of truth behind Gangster Films involving the American Mafia because many of the stories are based on true stories and real crime families involved. (Maas) • Real events that have happened make great stories for books which can be turned into great films. (self)

5. Question 4: What truths are best communicated through the Gangster Films genre? • The truths that are best communicated through gangster films are that there really is crime out in the real world, not just movies. (self) • Crime sparked in the 1930’s involving gangs(A brief history of movie crime - Crime Films ) • “Many people love the fascinating violence, low-life, and lawless actions of the criminals involved and cheer for them”, but in all reality these actions and murders happened in real life. (Wright)

6. Question 5: How much do Gangster Films change the story based on Gangster novels. • Gangster Films do not change the story behind the novel much. (List of films based on actual events.) • A lot of Gangster films are based on true stories and don’t need to add much “Hollywood” action behind it because the stories told by the crime families or researched by the author already have a lot of fast paced action that people love. (Nicholas Pileggi Biography - Yahoo! Movies) • -Some Gangster films are made up or changed, but the top Gangster Films and novels are true because people like the read about action, crimes, and murders especially if it is a true story and happened in America or even their area. (Pileggi.)

7. Question 6: Discuss some true story Gangster Films. Goodfellas– inspired by the best seller book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi about a crew of NYC gangster buddies and their violent rise thru mob ranks, and their fall from glory.The Godfather – based on the book inspired by Carlo Gambino, who headed the most powerful of the New York crime families – Gambino was arguably the last true "Boss of Bosses".Bonnie & Clyde – Depression era bank robbers / murderers who killed nearly 20 people before being cut down in LouisianaCasino – based on real life gambling man Frank Rosenthal (DeNiro) who ran several Las Vegas casinos, and mob enforcer Anthony Spilotro (Pesci).American Gangster – based on true story of Frank Lucas, a Harlem drug dealer, who smuggled drugs into the USA on planes returning from Vietnam war.The Untouchables – very loosely inspired by the infamous booze wars of the 1920's / 1930's in Chicago. Federal Agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop Al Capone; because of rampant corruption, he assembles a small, hand-picked team.Public Enemies – Updated story of John Dillinger and bank robbing gang. (Top Gangster Movies - A Look Back at the History of Gangster Films.)

8. Question 7: Is there a wide variety in themes of gangster films? Give examples of themes. • There is not a very wide range for themes in Gangster Films. (Self) • Although the film or novel could have a very different plot or be the stories of different families or men, the themes are not very different. (A brief history of movie crime - Crime Films) • There is always a central idea behind Gangster Films, which is Outsider Vs. Insider. (A brief history of movie crime - Crime Films) • In every film the families, people, and gangs involved are very tightly knit together and are not welcome to outsiders. (Wright) • In every Gangster Film there is a main Insider Group which is the gang, and the Outsider Group who is mainly the law enforcement, rival gangs or families, ect. (Wright)

9. Question 8: Does the author of the book or director of the movie make the crime family and gangs look like bad guys or good guys? What about the Law Enforcement involved? • In many novels and movies about Gangster Films the way you look at the gangs is determined whether or not you look at them as good or bad guys or the cops good or bad guys. (Self) • In a lot of Gangster Films and novels the author and director tell of the bad things these people did, but not in a bad way so the audience does not look at them as bad guys. (Pileggi.) • After the author catches your attention with all the action and interesting things they usually bring in the Law enforcement and they begin to look like the bad guys because you enjoy the actions of the Gangsters. (Nicholas Pileggi Biography - Yahoo! Movies.) • Whether the audience looks at the gangs and law enforcement as good or bad guys is based on what your moral views are before you watch the movie or read the novel. (Self)