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#110 - New York, New York
Martin Scorsese, 1977
In post-WWII America, a saxophonist and a singer team up and become a respectable musical team but have to contend with a variety of conflicts.
It seems almost fitting that Martin Scorsese should follow up a film as dark and nihilistic as Taxi Driver with a lovingly crafted homage to old-school musicals that's set in his beloved home town of New York City (and even uses the old standard that gives the film its name as a plot point). Unfortunately, the resulting film, while not exactly bad, isn't much good either. Sure, there's the usual Scorsese flair when it comes to camerawork and whatnot, but of course it's tied to a fairly banal narrative between Robert de Niro and Liza Minnelli. They meet, fall in love, it's a destructive love they share, etc. And it goes on for two-and-a-half hours. Now, of course I get that even back in 1977 any musical worth its salt had to go for at least two-and-a-half hours but it doesn't help that New York. New York can't seem to make up its mind if it's a musical or not. There are musical numbers, sure, but none of them feel engaging, not even with the obviously talented Minnelli belting out show-stopping songs in settings ranging from cramped recording booths and audition rooms through to elaborately choreographed numbers with huge sets and lots of dancers. The non-musical drama follows a fairly predictable narrative, but it's definitely helped by the fact that de Niro is still capable of exuding some serious intensity as the talented yet self-destructive Jimmy. Minnelli holds her own on the acting front, but it's not like either of them is given much to work with. The resulting film, well-shot and well-choreographed though it is, is just merely okay and I think one viewing was enough.
Martin Scorsese, 1977
In post-WWII America, a saxophonist and a singer team up and become a respectable musical team but have to contend with a variety of conflicts.
It seems almost fitting that Martin Scorsese should follow up a film as dark and nihilistic as Taxi Driver with a lovingly crafted homage to old-school musicals that's set in his beloved home town of New York City (and even uses the old standard that gives the film its name as a plot point). Unfortunately, the resulting film, while not exactly bad, isn't much good either. Sure, there's the usual Scorsese flair when it comes to camerawork and whatnot, but of course it's tied to a fairly banal narrative between Robert de Niro and Liza Minnelli. They meet, fall in love, it's a destructive love they share, etc. And it goes on for two-and-a-half hours. Now, of course I get that even back in 1977 any musical worth its salt had to go for at least two-and-a-half hours but it doesn't help that New York. New York can't seem to make up its mind if it's a musical or not. There are musical numbers, sure, but none of them feel engaging, not even with the obviously talented Minnelli belting out show-stopping songs in settings ranging from cramped recording booths and audition rooms through to elaborately choreographed numbers with huge sets and lots of dancers. The non-musical drama follows a fairly predictable narrative, but it's definitely helped by the fact that de Niro is still capable of exuding some serious intensity as the talented yet self-destructive Jimmy. Minnelli holds her own on the acting front, but it's not like either of them is given much to work with. The resulting film, well-shot and well-choreographed though it is, is just merely okay and I think one viewing was enough.