Amazon.com Essentials:
Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his GoodFellas gang
(writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Frank
Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam
"Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life
gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modeled after on
Wiseguy and GoodFellas and Pileggi's true crime book Casino: Love and Honor in
Las Vegas.) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of
how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas
gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary,
intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon
Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar
nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl
who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast paced or
gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures (Mean Streets
and GoodFellas), but it's still absorbing. And, hey--it's
Scorsese! --Jim Emerson
Amazon.com Essentials:
Director Martin Scorsese reunites with members of his GoodFellas gang
(writer Nicholas Pileggi; actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Frank
Vincent) for a three-hour epic about the rise and fall of mobster Sam
"Ace" Rothstein (De Niro), a character based on real-life
gangster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. (It's modeled after on
Wiseguy and GoodFellas and Pileggi's true crime book Casino: Love and Honor in
Las Vegas.) Through Rothstein, the picture tells the story of
how the Mafia seized, and finally lost control of, Las Vegas
gambling. The first hour plays like a fascinating documentary,
intricately detailing the inner workings of Vegas casinos. Sharon
Stone is the stand out among the actors; she nabbed an Oscar
nomination for her role as the voracious Ginger, the glitzy call girl
who becomes Rothstein's wife. The film is not as fast paced or
gripping as Scorsese's earlier gangster pictures (Mean Streets
and GoodFellas), but it's still absorbing. And, hey--it's
Scorsese! (Additional note: the digital video disc has a "layer
switch," allowing you to watch the entire film without
interruption.) --Jim Emerson
