Mean Streets

What do you think? I loved it. Not as good as Goodfellas but a wonderful movie.

"Mean Steets" is a genuinely brilliant film. I regard it as second only to "Raging Bull" as Scorcese's greatest. Pinnacle performances by Harvey Keitel and DeNiro.

I agree that "Raging Bull" is Marty's best, but "Mean Streets" is still my personal favorite. It just captures the grittiness of the New York City (alright, Little Italy in NYC) of the '70s like no other movie I've ever seen. Plus, it's the first movie that I remember where music played such an integral part. When you look back on it now, can you picture a Marty film without an outrageous soundtrack?

Great film. De Niro is electric and Keitel is fabulous also!

My favorite performance by De Niro.

Absolutely one of my favorite films.

I would almost call it the "anti-Godfather" or "anti-Goodfellas." For me, one of the best parts of the film will always be the brawl in the poolroom. No fancy Hollywood-style fight choreography; it is clumsy, ungainly, and fits perfectly into the film.

I know that some previous posters on the BB have called Mean Streets dull and uninvolving, but I think they're missing something here. This is not a story about the Vito Corleones, this is a story about the low-level people.
Scorcese perfectly captures the feel of everything - the film just works on so many levels. You are drawn in and believe the characters, the atmosphere, etc.

What I found most telling is that by the end of the film, none of the characters achieves any of their goals.

Definitely a film that improves with each viewing.

Signor V.

Very insightful, SV.

Also, a brilliant doo-wop soundtrack, with perfectly placed songs that support the scenes they're used in. And did you check out Scorsese in the film as "Shorty"?

Great film, not seen for a few years..

"Now's the time!"

A great moment, but - even here - nothing quite works out as planned because even the "hit" is botched.

Signor V.

It's got to be the least noisy car crash ever, too.

Two other performances of note to board members are that of David Proval, who plays gentle bartender Tony (he was vicious Richie Aprile in The Sopranos); and Richard Romanus, who plays the loanshark Michael (and is Dr. Melfi's fixated-on-all-things-Italian ex-husband, Richard La Penna, in Sops).

Romanus has a younger brother, Robert, who looks just like him. He usually plays one type of lowlife or another. He's probably best remembered as the ticket scalper in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH.

Amazing movie, but my personal favorite is Raging Bull.

A piece of trivia that a number of you will doubtless be aware.

The late David Carradine plays the drunk who gets inconveniently whacked inside Tony's place, while the kid who whacks hims is played by one of his less famous brothers, Robert Carradine.

I love this great film!

I just bought this, so glad to have seen it. Just about seen every classic mob movie, only a few to go now.

Thats with Robert Deniro right?When his Buddy i forget his real name{He got killed by Janice on the Sopranos}was a made or connected guy and Deniros always owing $$$ to someone and being a dimwit busone.
Classic.

The BEST scene in the whole movie.

"And I'll tell you somethin else, Mikey, I fuck you right where you breathe, cuz I don't give two shits about you, or nobody else."

Great scene.
I thought Richie Aprio got whacked by Janice in New Jersey somewhere?LOL.
"DUNSKE"-Reminds me of "DONNIE BRASCO"

DeNiro's anger in that scene is so genuine it's scary. Anger isn't even the right word, it's more like an angry frustration that only someone who's been in debt can understand. The way he hits the word motherfucker so captures the way it would be used in a heated argument. It's uncanny.

I liked that scene. But, I think my favorite is early on, when Charlie and Johnny Boy are in the back of Tony's bar, and they do the "Is she the one on your left or my left" routine. Scorsese swears that scene was scripted, not ad libbed. You coulda fooled me.

Yeah, it's a self-hatred that shines through that scene. I need to see this film again. Been too long.

Great scene, TB. Let's call your scene the best comedic one and mine the best dramatic one .

Johnny Boy and Charlie had a real Abbott and Costello chemistry going on here.

Another great thing about "Mean Streets" is how Scorsese used Fifties and Sixties music. Starting with "Be My Baby"--perfect complement to those home movies. And "Rubber Biscuit" by the Chips for the party scene. And "Florence" by the Paragons while driving to the poolroom--quintessential NY doo-wop. But the best, IMO, was Charlie trying on the monogrammed shirt so admiringly--and the Chantels' "I Love You So" playing as Charlie loves himself so.

"Mean Streets" is the first movie that I recall using so much music. Marty really invented the formula for the movie soundtrack.

TB, another great us of a Doo-Wop by Marty was "Glory of Love" in "Casino." If I remember correctly, James Woods gets his ass kicked to it .

That is a GREAT song, PB. My brother is a doo-wop fanatic and he first turned me on to that stuff. It's funny how no matter where you go or what time you're in, some things don't change between men and women.