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Billy Budd - 1962 seafaring drama based on Herman Melville's unfinished novella. Co-written, directed and produced by and starring Peter Ustinov as Edwin Fairfax Vere - Post Captain Royal Navy. Terrence Stamp also stars as the title character Billy Budd, a seaman on the merchant ship The Rights of Man who is "impressed into service"with the Royal Navy onboard the HMS Avenger during the Napoleonic Wars.
This a talented cast with solid directing by Ustinov, good production values and well balanced performances from Stamp, Ryan Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, John Neville and David McCallum. Wasn't sure if it was for me but I gave it a shot and it drew me in.
80/100
WARNING: spoilers below
An easygoing and cheerful sort, Budd hits it off with his crewmates with the exception of the cruel and sadistic Master At Arms John Claggart (Robert Ryan). Claggart sees Budd as a threat and can't begin to fathom the young sailor's optimistic nature. He rules over the crew with an iron hand, doling out punishment in the form of flogging for the merest of offenses. He's openly despised and with news of two recent mutinies on other naval ships the Captain and officers are nervous and well aware of the razors edge between laxity and brutality.
The death of a crewmember after Claggart sends him up into the rigging despite the man's protestations of illness and Billy's promotion to replace him spur Claggart to an even greater acts of vengeance. He brings charges of mutiny against the young sailor and of conspiring to murder him and the other officers. Billy, having a problem with stammering in times of stress, lashes out at Claggart who falls, hits his head and dies.
A military tribunal is held and the officers and Captain Vere conclude that Claggart's death was an unfortunate accident. Even though the other three are ready to acquit Billy Captain Vere convinces them that, according to military code, the mere act of an enlisted man striking a superior during wartime merits execution. And that, given the recent mutinies, the recent and general malaise of the crew and the fact that they're sailing in French waters it is incumbent upon them to restore discipline and show no weakness.
The sentence is carried out the following morning and the crew come close to rioting until an unseen French warship opens fire on The Avenger. The men eventually choose to take their frustrations out on the French ship with the closing shot not really providing much information outside of the possibility that Captain Vere died during the attack.
The death of a crewmember after Claggart sends him up into the rigging despite the man's protestations of illness and Billy's promotion to replace him spur Claggart to an even greater acts of vengeance. He brings charges of mutiny against the young sailor and of conspiring to murder him and the other officers. Billy, having a problem with stammering in times of stress, lashes out at Claggart who falls, hits his head and dies.
A military tribunal is held and the officers and Captain Vere conclude that Claggart's death was an unfortunate accident. Even though the other three are ready to acquit Billy Captain Vere convinces them that, according to military code, the mere act of an enlisted man striking a superior during wartime merits execution. And that, given the recent mutinies, the recent and general malaise of the crew and the fact that they're sailing in French waters it is incumbent upon them to restore discipline and show no weakness.
The sentence is carried out the following morning and the crew come close to rioting until an unseen French warship opens fire on The Avenger. The men eventually choose to take their frustrations out on the French ship with the closing shot not really providing much information outside of the possibility that Captain Vere died during the attack.
This a talented cast with solid directing by Ustinov, good production values and well balanced performances from Stamp, Ryan Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, John Neville and David McCallum. Wasn't sure if it was for me but I gave it a shot and it drew me in.
80/100
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 02-09-22 at 03:14 PM.
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Gangs of New York is one of Scorsese’s many masterpieces. Even aside from the brilliant performances, especially Lewis and Gleeson, the vibrant costumes and set design, or even the technical exuberance, the film stands out due to the way he playfully upends a traditional period piece revenge film with his post modern “death of the grand narrative” musings into something existential and distinctly American.
The characters are so intertwined in this conflict and consumed by it that they seemingly miss out on how America doesn’t care and will passively discard and forget about them.
The characters are so intertwined in this conflict and consumed by it that they seemingly miss out on how America doesn’t care and will passively discard and forget about them.
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Gangs of New York is one of Scorsese’s many masterpieces. Even aside from the brilliant performances, especially Lewis and Gleeson, the vibrant costumes and set design, or even the technical exuberance, the film stands out due to the way he playfully upends a traditional period piece revenge film with his post modern “death of the grand narrative” musings into something existential and distinctly American.
The characters are so intertwined in this conflict and consumed by it that they seemingly miss out on how America doesn’t care and will passively discard and forget about them.
The characters are so intertwined in this conflict and consumed by it that they seemingly miss out on how America doesn’t care and will passively discard and forget about them.
Outside of some standout performances by Neeson, and DDL, it doesn’t come close to a masterpiece. Still, it does have some decent set pieces and a decent score.
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Gangs of New York, along with Bringing Out the Dead, is Scorsese overkill. Where his style became tacky and ornamental. I think they are both audacious enough films that they are worth watching, but if it wasn't for him slowly correcting himself through Aviator and Departed, then finding his sealegs again with Shutter Island, I would have thought these two movies would have been his last gasp at doing anything interesting. The beginning of the end.
I haven't seen Boxcar Bertha, Kundun or New York New York, but Dead and Gangs are almost certainly at the bottom of the heap for me.
I haven't seen Boxcar Bertha, Kundun or New York New York, but Dead and Gangs are almost certainly at the bottom of the heap for me.
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Gangs of New York, along with Bringing Out the Dead, is Scorsese overkill. Where his style became tacky and ornamental. I think they are both audacious enough films that they are worth watching, but if it wasn't for him slowly correcting himself through Aviator and Departed, then finding his sealegs again with Shutter Island, I would have thought these two movies would have been his last gasp at doing anything interesting.
I haven't seen Boxcar Bertha, Kundun or New York New York, but Dead and Gangs are almost certainly at the bottom of the heap for me.
I haven't seen Boxcar Bertha, Kundun or New York New York, but Dead and Gangs are almost certainly at the bottom of the heap for me.
New York New York is ok. I rate it about the same as, say Cape Fear or The King of Comedy, Which is to say it is strictly middle of the pack.
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New York New York is ok. I rate it about the same as, say Cape Fear or The King of Comedy, Which is to say it is strictly middle of the pack.
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Aw, I love The King of Comedy
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I actually like Gangs, but it’s a bit of a mess. The script is pretty uneven, as are some scenes, and I recall it had something like 3 or 4 different screenwriters credited. And it shows.
Outside of some standout performances by Neeson, and DDL, it doesn’t come close to a masterpiece. Still, it does have some decent set pieces and a decent score.
Outside of some standout performances by Neeson, and DDL, it doesn’t come close to a masterpiece. Still, it does have some decent set pieces and a decent score.
It has 3 or 4 screenwriters because it was a passion project he’d been working on since ‘79. Like virtually every Scorsese project, whether he’s credited or not, he’s the guiding hand that alters the script and molds it to his vision. This one being particularly and fittingly chaotic.
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Here we go
1) Mean Streets
2) Taxi Driver
3) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
4) Goodfellas
4a) The Last Waltz
4b) No Direction Home
5) Raging Bull
6) King of Comedy
7) Wolf of Wall Street
8) Shutter Island
9) After Hours
9b) Rolling Thunder Review
10) The Irishman
11) Who's The Knocking
12) Last Temptation of Christ
13) Casino
14) Age of Innocence
15) The Departed
16) Hugo
17) Cape Fear
18) Color of Money
19) Silence
20) The Aviator
21) Gangs of New York
22) Bringing Out the Dead
1) Mean Streets
2) Taxi Driver
3) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
4) Goodfellas
4a) The Last Waltz
4b) No Direction Home
5) Raging Bull
6) King of Comedy
7) Wolf of Wall Street
8) Shutter Island
9) After Hours
9b) Rolling Thunder Review
10) The Irishman
11) Who's The Knocking
12) Last Temptation of Christ
13) Casino
14) Age of Innocence
15) The Departed
16) Hugo
17) Cape Fear
18) Color of Money
19) Silence
20) The Aviator
21) Gangs of New York
22) Bringing Out the Dead
Last edited by crumbsroom; 02-09-22 at 05:09 PM.
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The messiness is the appeal. It’s Mean Streets invading a traditional revenge narrative. The world gets in the way of what our characters define themselves with.
It has 3 or 4 screenwriters because it was a passion project he’d been working on since ‘79. Like virtually every Scorsese project, whether he’s credited or not, he’s the guiding hand that alters the script and molds it to his vision. This one being particularly and fittingly chaotic.
It has 3 or 4 screenwriters because it was a passion project he’d been working on since ‘79. Like virtually every Scorsese project, whether he’s credited or not, he’s the guiding hand that alters the script and molds it to his vision. This one being particularly and fittingly chaotic.
To me, all of the above chaos serves as a disservice to it.
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I don't mind the mess of Gangs. I love mess. Usually, the more mess the better. I just don't think Scorsese elevates that much poetry or humanity out of this particular mess.
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I doubt they intended it to be that messy. The reason for the amount of screenwriters is irrelevant. It’s still a mish mash of scenes that sometimes don’t work well.
To me, all of the above chaos serves as a disservice to it.
To me, all of the above chaos serves as a disservice to it.
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I’m more inclined to believe that Scorsese made the film exactly as chaotic as he intended, given the pervasive thematic and stylistic reinforcement of it. And, ya know, his absolutely deft hand as a filmmaker.
Either way, I don’t want to bog this thread down on its flaws. It’s a good film regardless, and one I’ve seen many times. Twice at the theatre.
That opening theme! 🎵
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Scorsese ranked:
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Italianamerican
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Irishman
Mean Streets
The Last Waltz
Silence
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Departed
Bringing Out The Dead
Casino
After Hours
King of Comedy
The Age of Innocence
Hugo
Kundun
American Boy
Shutter Island
Cape Fear
The Aviator
The Color Of Money
New York Stories
The Big Shave
Rolling Thunder Revue
Boxcar Bertha
Pretend It’s A City
Shine a Light
New York, New York
Who’s That Knocking At My Door
It’s Not Just You Murray
Key to Reserva
What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Italianamerican
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Irishman
Mean Streets
The Last Waltz
Silence
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Departed
Bringing Out The Dead
Casino
After Hours
King of Comedy
The Age of Innocence
Hugo
Kundun
American Boy
Shutter Island
Cape Fear
The Aviator
The Color Of Money
New York Stories
The Big Shave
Rolling Thunder Revue
Boxcar Bertha
Pretend It’s A City
Shine a Light
New York, New York
Who’s That Knocking At My Door
It’s Not Just You Murray
Key to Reserva
What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This
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It’s true he has a deft hand, but he’s not immune to making a misstep here and there. I mean, he somehow missed the scene where Leo is wiping his wounded neck on the wrong side after all.
Either way, I don’t want to bog this thread down on its flaws. It’s a good film regardless, and one I’ve seen many times. Twice at the theatre.
That opening theme! 🎵
Either way, I don’t want to bog this thread down on its flaws. It’s a good film regardless, and one I’ve seen many times. Twice at the theatre.
That opening theme! 🎵
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Here we go
1) Mean Streets
2) Taxi Driver
3) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
4) Goodfellas
5) Raging Bull
6) King of Comedy
7) Wolf of Wall Street
8) Shutter Island
9) After Hours
10) The Irishman
11) Who's The Knocking
12) Last Temptation of Christ
13) Casino
14) Age of Innocence
15) The Departed
16) Hugo
17) Cape Fear
18) Color of Money
19) Silence
20) The Aviator
21) Gangs of New York
22) Bringing Out the Dead
1) Mean Streets
2) Taxi Driver
3) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
4) Goodfellas
5) Raging Bull
6) King of Comedy
7) Wolf of Wall Street
8) Shutter Island
9) After Hours
10) The Irishman
11) Who's The Knocking
12) Last Temptation of Christ
13) Casino
14) Age of Innocence
15) The Departed
16) Hugo
17) Cape Fear
18) Color of Money
19) Silence
20) The Aviator
21) Gangs of New York
22) Bringing Out the Dead
I’d definitely have Casino, After Hours and Color of Money higher than, say, King of Comedy, Wolf of Wall Street, and maybe Shutter Island.
I have a soft spot for Hugo as well.
Still need to see Boxcar Bertha and Kundun as well.*
Overall, pretty sold, however.
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Forgot about his music docs. No Direction Home and The Last Waltz would be around the top 5 for me. Rolling Thunder is pretty great as well, but a bit further down. Probably after the best stuff from his Golden Era
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A technical goof, especially for a director that revels in the energy of a scene coming before continuity, is a very different thing than saying he unintentionally made the film chaotic.
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