King of New York (1990)

A drug kingpin is released from prison and seeks to take total control of the criminal underworld in order to give back to the community.

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer:

Nicholas St. John

Stars:

Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Walken	...	Frank White
David Caruso	...	Dennis Gilley
Laurence Fishburne	...	Jimmy Jump (as Larry Fishburne)
Victor Argo	...	Roy Bishop
Wesley Snipes	...	Thomas Flanigan
Janet Julian	...	Jennifer
Joey Chin	...	Larry Wong
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Lance
Paul Calderon	...	Joey Dalesio
Steve Buscemi	...	Test Tube
Theresa Randle	...	Raye
Leonard L. Thomas	...	Blood (as Leonard Lee Thomas)
Roger Guenveur Smith	...	Tanner (as Roger Smith)
Carrie Nygren	...	Melanie
Ernest Abuba	...	King Tito

Storyline

After completing a lengthy prison sentence, one-time drug kingpin Frank White returns to New York intent on reestablishing his empire and making things as they were before he left. Others of course have taken over the business during his absence but that clearly isn't going to stop White. While he is gunning down the opposition, he decides he's going to give away the money he'll make to modernize the hospital in his old neighborhood. Drug dealers aren't the only thing he has to worry about however: a group of rogue cops decide they are going to take him down.

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Plot Keywords:

mob boss | cult film | prostitute | mini skirt | underwear | 

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Taglines:

Where "Scarface" left off... "King of New York" begins.

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 August 1991 (Italy)

Also Known As:

King of New York

Filming Locations:

436 W. 162nd St., New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$411,597, 30 September 1990

Gross USA:

$2,554,476

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,554,476

Company Credits

Production Co:

Reteitalia, Scena International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first cut of the film originally ran for almost two hours and had to be edited down to 106 minutes to avoid an X rating.

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Goofs

In the scene in which Bishop enters the train to seek White, Bishop enters the #7 train. The #7 train begins at "Main St., Flushing Queens" and terminates at "42nd St. Times Square." The destination of this particular #7 train posts "34th St. Penn Station" as its terminus.

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Quotes

Roy Bishop: You're under arrest for the murder of Miguel Matta, Salvador Tito, and Raphael Santo Domingo.
Thomas Flanigan: What's this, huh? This the gun you used on Matta?
Jump: Yeah, it's the same one I'm gonna use on you, punk!
Thomas Flanigan: Heh! Laugh now, motherfucker! Cuz for the rest of your life, you're gonna be somebody's bitch - some motherfucker named Bubba!
Dennis Gilley: This... is the best day of my life, ya know why? Cuz we got a real, live, talkin, witness!
Jump: I don't leave no witnesses!
Dennis Gilley: Oh yeah, motherfucker, you must be getting old then!

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Alternate Versions

Orignally rated "X", edited and changed for R rating on appeal.

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Connections

Featured in 1,001 Movies You Must See (Before You Die) (2014)

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Soundtracks

Saturday Night
Written and Performed by Schooly-D (as Schooly D)
Courtesy of Jive Records
Published by Willesden Music Inc.

User Reviews

King of the Genre

Do you like Christopher Walken movies? The good, the deep psychological studies, the creepy pseudo-underworld /misfit characters that have unfortunately typecast one of America's greatest and multi-talented contemporary actors?

Do you like Abel Ferrara movies? The down in the muck, inner-city examinations of the seedier motivations and lifestyles-the side of life many of us would like to ignore, but are intrigued by nonetheless?

Low budget and a lot of conjones are trademarks of Ferrara's films (Fear City, The Addiction, The Funeral) and this is no exception, but the term stylish is defined here..You see, you hear, you FEEL the environment-the nasty low morality hustlers of the five burroughs………….Much congrats to Alex Tovoularis' production design.

King of New York may not be as famous as Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant in the world of the cinema-geek, but maybe it should be.

Joe Delia's haunting soundtrack is a perfect compliment to Bojan Bazelli's moody visuals-Walken's confrontation scene of the old-style Mafiosos is as classic as it is intense.

Man, do I love this movie.