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Summary: Post Modern Mafia Saga
Review: A remarkable TV series that sustains the complexities of good film making and is worthy of the praise heaped upon it. All else having been said, it's worth noting how the the series is steeped in the lore of its cinematic geneology. The characters routinely refer to the great mafia epics Godfather and Goodfellas as though guiding oracles, reverentially quoting dialogue and invoking Coppolla and Scorsese as though Yoda-like figures in the mafia cosmology. Of course, the show, ever hip to itself, contains cast members who appeared in those films, and the playful, self-conscious references to the earlier films are used with terrific effect. For example, Imperioli, who plays Christopher, shoots a bakery boy in the foot for making smart remarks, but the true joke, for those who remember "Goodfellas," is that Imperioli played the hapless barboy who Pesci shot in the foot. Ever mindful of its pedigree, The Sopranos' tongue-in-cheek subtext is witty and alive in ways no other televison show can lay claim to. It also, alas, marks the end of the cycle for the genre. After "The Sopranos," a soap and bullets opera that capitalizes to the full on what's come before, one can only say "It's been done, what else can be said?"
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Summary: first season
Review: By far the best series HBO has ever had......Keeps you in suspense....
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Summary: When do we get Season Two (CY 2000)
Review: My wife and I have started looking at the videos for a second time. We don't really care for 95% of what passes for Prime Time TV 'entertainment' and , while I think the Soprano's are a great series, I certainly will not sign up for HBO.So the question we have (along with lots of others I suspect) is when will the Second Season be released on VHS?
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Summary: HBO HAS DONE IT AGIAN
Review: HBO has been known to give great TV Series and The Sopranos is no different. I missed eposides and was lost but when I got the DVD I watched them all in a span of 2 days. I love MOB movies and this tv series and such a great one. Trust me you can't just watch one eposide you will be hooked. You can't miss a eposide either or you will be lost. Take it from me if you don't have a favorite tv show watch this one. I love this show.
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Summary: Simply brilliant!
Review: I've been surprised by some of the reviews that have trashed this show for being stereotypical and maligning Italians. I would reject that criticism outright. What I see here are Italian Americans wrestling with their own demons. No one can deny that the Mob is alive and well, especially in the NY/NJ area. It is interesting that in the 7th or 8th episode, we are privy to a conversation between Dr. Melfi and her ex-husband about Italian defamation and the Mob. Clearly, the writers have heard the criticism and have woven it into the text of the show. I find this move masterful! But, let's back up a bit...the whole premise of the show is that Tony Soprano can't handle the life of crime anymore. He and other characters live with regret and nightmares. Their relationships are broken and need fixed. This is a show about a particular group of Americans dealing with the dysfunctionality that life holds for us: good vs. evil, love vs. hate, truth vs. lies, forgiveness vs. vengeance. I think the show is less about Italian Americans or the Mob as it is about crime and guilt and violence and what they do to the human psyche. In that sense it is less like the Godfather than it is Pulp Fiction or Boogie Nights. Controversy aside, the show is brilliantly written and acted. Gandolfini is superb, as is the supporting cast. What a great showcase for Nancy Marchand in the last days of her life. I am so greatful to have this series available to those of us who don't get HBO. Certainly, it is not for children or the weak at heart, but it is thrilling to have this much power and intensity on a regular basis. For those of you who hated to see Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs or other such films end, pick up the Sopranos. The fun, the drama, the real life just won't quit!
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Summary: How the Sopranos saved Christmas.
Review: On December 22, 2000, I recived the Sopranos First Season on DVD. It was a Birthday/Holiday gift form my girlfriend of 5 years. Over the course of the next week and a half, if there was any doubt of my whereabouts, it was a safe bet I was watching the next episonde. I am a 23 year old actor. My VHS collection numbers 350. My DVD collection a mere 20, however the Sopranos box set delivered more hours of riveting enjoyment than anything has in a long time. The show is, in my opinion a perfect blend of satire, drama, social comentary and fantastic story telling. Every person I introduce to the Sopranos is throughly impressed with all aspects of the series. On a personal note, I think James Gandolfini has finally given us something that Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino have long strived to achive. Gandolfini brings a familiarity to this roll that is one of the key elements to the show's success. He has created a character that is not out of reach for the veiwing audience. Edie Falco and Nancie Marchand are also invaluable components to the creation of the overall feeling of accesability. While we may not all know what it is to have an AK-47 within arms reach, we do know what it is to have a nagging mother and a confused and judgmental spouse. The icing on the cake of this series is its supporting cast, the boys at the club and kids at home create an atmosphere that is simply tantilizing to the veiwing audience. I recomend this set to mafia fans and house wives alike. Get it for the gangster in you, after all...a hit is a hit.
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Summary: Great Gift
Review: I bought this for my husband, my brother, and my sons godfather! They all loved it!
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Summary: Fughettaboutit -- This is one Great Series
Review: If you like gangster stories, you've got to see "The Sopranos." Though the show isn't as realistic as "Goodfellas," nor as grandiose as "The Godfather," it still ranks high on the list of Wiseguy entertainment. The acting is uniformly excellent, with stars James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco and Edie Falco creating strong believeable characters. But it is the supporting cast that make the series so memorable, particularaly the tour-deforce acting of Nancy Marchand as Tony Soprano's EXTREMELY difficult mother. Tony's "crew" consists of actors who've played small parts in many other gangster films, particularly "Goodfellas." Also excellent are the young actor and actress who play Tony's sometimes suffering children. They strike just the right note between loving their dad and being unsettled by how he makes his living. If there is one quibble with the series, it is that sometimes it sacrifices plausibility for humor (but not nearly as badly as does the recent lame gangster film "Analyze This"). But overall, this is a series for gangster buffs that can actually be enjoyed by those less enamored of "life inside" tales because of its great storytelling. Having the whole season in one set is a real treat.
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Summary: DIE HARD SOPRANO FAN
Review: HOW IS ONE SUPPOSE TO WAIT UNTIL "MARCH FOR MY NEXT SOPRANO "FIX"!! WITH THE 5 VOLUMN 1ST SEASON VIDEOS. I RECEIVED THEM AS A X-MAS GIFT AND BYPASSED ALL THE BOWL GAMES TO VIEW THESE AGAIN. THIS WILL BE A COLLECTOR'S ITEM. WHAT A GREAT IDEA.
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Summary: The Sopranos Hit A High Note
Review: When The Sopranos first hit the airwaves in January of 1999, it was unlike any other television show in history. In fact, it is almost unfair to classify it as a television show. They are more like mini-movies. By airing the show on HBO, show creator David Chase sacrificed ratings for quality. Without the limitations of network television, the show can realistically portray the dysfunctional life of Tony Soprano's two families. James Gandolfini gives one of television's all time best performances as the emotionally confused and tormented Tony Soprano. Edie Falco is magnificent as his shrill wife and the late Nancy Marchand is glorious as his menacing and conniving mother. Although the mafia is a central theme to the series, it has less to do with The Godfather and is more like of a bizarre combination of the dysfunctional family sitcom Everybody Love Raymond and the dysfunctional family drama American Beauty. A true television landmark and is worth repeated viewings.
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