Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: HD DVD
Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
EAN: 0025193295224
Format: AC-3
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2008-01-08
Running Time: 104
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: 1991
MPN: 61032952

A terrific ensemble cast powers this fast-paced rise of organized crime in America. Mobsters traces the daring exploits of four close friends growing up in 1920s New York: the charming "Lucky" Luciano (Christian Slater), the savvy Meyer Lansky (Patrick Dempsey), the headstrong "Bugsy" Siegel (Richard Grieco) and the diplomatic Frank Costello (Costas Mandylor). From their humble beginnings, they formed an unbreakable bond that led them to the top of the underworld in this visually stunning film co-starring Oscar-winning actors F. Murray Abraham and Anthony Quinn.

Customer Rating:
Summary: classic mob movie
Comment: You have to love a smart arsed attitude lead like CS for a mob movie.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: ok not great
Comment: As a fan of the Mafia genre of movies, this is by far at the lower end of the totem pole. The actors could have been better, as well as the script. But at the same time there are far worse movies out there. Over all the movie is mildly entertaining, but in no way is on the same level as the godfather or goodfellas.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Mobsters
Comment: This movie is one of the more realistic movies to date. It is more of a biography of a man that is not as well known as Al Capone from Chicago. Not only he created a organized commission of all mob families which is not part of this movie, he was also was a patriot to the United States of America, even though he was native to Italy. He help the Navy with protecting the New York Harbor, and the envasion of Sicily during World War 2, which was were he originated from. Even though he was a man that did bad things he still helped us a in time of need. So this movie is in high recommened to history buffs that enjoy historically accurate movies.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: An OK telling of the rise of Luck Lucian and pals, but glamorizes them far too much
Comment: While this is an entertaining telling of the rise of Lucky Luciano, Myer Lansky, Benny (Bugsy) Siegel, and Frank Costello, it has the flaw of making them seem like rough and tumble fraternity members rather than the murderous monsters they really were. Still, given the material and the approach of the movie, Christian Slater (Lucky), Patrick Dempsey (Lansky), Richard Grieco (Siegel), and Costas Mandylor (Costello) are good in their roles. Two really nicely done performances are Michael Gambon as the vicious boss of all bosses, Don Faranzano and Anthony Quinn as his rival Don Masseria.

Since this is a movie about Depression / Prohibition era gangsters you would expect some violence, sex, and other immorality and the movie does provide them, but not in as extreme a way as more recent movies. I am not claiming this is a virtue or an excuse, just letting you know what is in this film.

The story takes us from the four gangsters as kids and seeing their lives in their ethnic neighborhoods and seeing their parents struggle under the heels of the Black Hand, corrupt politicians, and paid off police. Instead of deciding to fight against this and clean up the system, they decide to become a part of it and carve out their own niche on their path to money, power, and the carnal life. The movie ends with their finally achieving the top rung of the mobster career path as still relatively young men.

This is an ok movie and if you are into this sort of thing you might enjoy this. But I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Good movie, ok video quality, lacking in extras
Comment: I missed, or forgot this movie if I had seen it back when it was originally released (1991), but grabbed the HD DVD and sat down to watch it.

Other movies have spotlighted some of the characters from this 'based on the stories of...' movie, including Bugsy, etc., but this movie ventures into the origins of some of the bigger figures in organized crime from the early 1900's. It is also, as noted in the comments clipped by Amazon above, an excuse to put 4 hot young actors (at the time the movie was made) into these roles.

The movie itself it is ok with the story interesting and entertaining, but the experience on HD DVD does not live up to the 'look and sound of perfect' that I would expect. The film is ok, but not great and there are times when the image is disturbed with some noise or dirt in the field of focus. Not horribly distracting, but there to be seen at times.

Sound levels weren't bad and didn't suffer from problems of getting too loud or too quiet throughout the feature (as some discs definitely frustrate me with).

Extras are basically non-existent on this release. Some biographical information on the real figures would have been great, some making of of the movie information could have been included, but instead there's nothing.

If you like the movie, this might not be a bad purchase, but it seems underwhelming to me.

---