King of New York
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne, Victor Argo, Wesley SnipesDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 106 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-08-15
Audience Rating: X (Mature Audiences Only)
Studio: Live / Artisan
Movie Reviews of King of New York
Movie Review: Amoral masterpiece from Ferrara
Summary: 5 Stars
Abel Ferrara does not make films that could be regarded as wholesome family entertainment; in fact, he is arguably the most raw, uncompromising filmmaker at work in America today. This is the man whose work includes such controversial classics as Ms. 45, the Driller Killer and the extraordinary Bad Lieutenant which featured a fearless, powerful performance from Harvey Keitel. However, King of New York manages to combine the edgy, hardcore tension of his earlier work with the kind of polish that comes from a director who is absolutely aware of his vision. The story begins with Christopher Walken's character, Frank White, being released from prison. No sooner has he left than his rivals in the drug business (who have been getting richer and more powerful since his absence) are being killed off by White's loyal subordinates. These minions include such well known character actors as Steve Buscemi and, giving a truly psychotic, energised performance, Laurence Fishburne as the somehow appropriately named Jimmy Jump. White's aim is to gain ultimate control of drug trafficking in New York, hence the title 'King of New York', a fact that impels the law, here represented by Victor Argo, Wesley Snipes and David Caruso, to take drastic (and unlawful) measures to prevent from happening. One of the most notable aspects of this film is that it steadfastly refuses to pass judgment on any of its characters, good or bad. For example, on one hand, we have Walken's character who is planning to use his ill-gotten gains to fund a local children's hospital. On the other, Caruso, Snipes and other members of the police force, furious that the hoods they arrest are back on the streets within hours, resort to posing as a rival drug gang so that, in one astonishing action-packed sequence, they may kill off the criminals they can't put away under the law. This amoral view of the world will no doubt be off-putting to some viewers but, believe me, if you like your films to be provocative, this is the movie for you. The performances are uniformly excellent; it's great to see such movie mad-dogs as Walken, Fishburne, Caruso and Snipes go up against each other, opposite sides of the same coin. Ferrara gets the pace just right, punctuating the sometimes genuinely moving high drama with scenes of explosive bloody violence. If you've seen some of his other work, you'll know what to expect; no-one stages violence as shockingly or as disturbingly as Ferrara. Just check out the night scene in the rain between Fishburne and Snipes or the scene at the funeral and you'll see what I mean. I personally love this underrated classic and I can't wait to see it in the DVD format. If you like gangster movies, this come highly recommended.
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