Once
Upon a Time in America This movie has
a checkered history, having been chopped
from its original 227-minute director's
cut to 139 minutes for its U.S. release.
This longer edition benefits from having
the complete story (the short version has
huge gaps) about turn-of-the-century
Jewish immigrants in America finding their
way into lives of crime, as told in
flashback by an aging Jewish gangster
named Noodles (Robert De Niro). Continue
Below
On the other hand, it's
almost four hours long, and this
sometimes-indulgent Sergio Leone film is
no Godfather. Still, it is notable for the
contrast between Leone's elegiac take on
the gangster film and his occasional
explosive action, as well as for the mix
of the stoic, inexpressive De Niro and the
hyperactive James Woods as his lifelong
friend and rival. -- Marshall Fine
Product Details
* Sales Rank: #2331 in DVD
* Released on: 2003-06-10
* Rating: R (Restricted)
* Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
* Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned,
Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special
Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
* Original language: English, French
* Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
* Dubbed in: French
* Number of discs: 2
* Running time: 229 minutes
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Customer
Reviews
Haunting and Brilliant. 5
This is an unbelievably
beautiful story which is multi-layered
and textured to a great extent. Yes, it
certainly is a gangster movie and it
also is a love story; although, one
about as politically incorrect as they
come. Both aspects of the film are
conceptually executed well. I can't say
the same thing about many of its
technical aspects, however. At 3:45,
this movie is far too long and moves too
slow. It could easily have been just as
good if an hour had been cut out of it.
Furthermore, Sergio Leone is no Martin
Scorsese. There's an element of
amateurism inherent to the production as
the reunion of Elizabeth McGovern and
DeNiro is rendered ridiculous as he was
an old man despite her not aging a day
after 35 years.
Once Upon a Time in America is a very
unique film as unlike a Goodfellas or
Casino it is rich in sentimentality and
the effect is mesmerizing but also very
depressing. Ennio Morricone's musical
score adds to the film's melancholic
feel. It's not the type of thing you can
see more than a couple of times but
there's no denying that it's excellent.
I still say its the best 5
I'll see your "Godfather"
your "Godfellas" your "Departed" and
your "Scarface" and still beat you every
time with "Once Upon a Time in America".
Now outright violence in these types of
movies has its place and so does subtly
of plot but I think it is only "Once
Upon a Time in America" that manages to
walk the line between both aspects. It
also has something that many other
movies, not just mobster movies forget,
great charecter development. It has a
great cast and a great story to go with
it although it can throw people off with
the quick pace with which it changes
points of view.
If you can't get everything on the first
try don't worry watch it a 2nd or 3rd
time if you have to that is why god made
good movies.
When you finally get it you will be
amazed how attached and interested you
get in the affairs of David 'Noodles'
Aaronson and his friends.
Once
Upon a Time in America
