toddly6666

VERSUS


I just rented We Own The Night yesterday and it's one of the best movies I've seen from 2007, along with Eastern Promises. I've been sick of mafia movies for a very long time now, but it turns out what I'm really sick of are "Italian" mafia films. I know there aren't too many Russian mafia films compared to Italian ones, but i'm just tired of these cliched Italian ones. I can't watch Godfathers, Goodfellas, Casino without laughing, because the characters are just so cartoonish and cliched. The Godfathers 1 & 2 are great films, but I still feel like they have become transformed into black comedies, due to the endless amount of other cartoonish Italian mafia movies/tv shows over the years. I suppose the same can happen if tons of Russian mafia movies get created over the next 20 years, but as of now, I'm pretty impressed with the originality of Eastern Promises and We Own The Night.

PopcornTreeCt

Being part Italian I'm partial to Italian Mafia flicks. I can understand what you're saying about the cliched characters in Italian films but Viggo Mortensen is no Robert DeNiro and Cronenberg ain't no Scorsese.

Speaking of which, I'd love to see more Russian Mafia flicks that don't start with Eastern and end with Promises.

hardercore

Being as Eastern Promises is the only Russian Mafia movie I can name, I'm gonna go with Italian Mafia movies. What about Irish Mafia movies (where the only film I can name is The Departed) or Black "Mafia" movies? (American Gangster is all I got).

Goat3001

Italian Mafia films:

I've never seen Eastern Promises, I've heard good things, but I'm willing to bet all my assets that it is not better than the Godfather, Godfather part II or Goodfellas.

Giggles

Actually Russian mafia characters are also cartoonish and cliched whereever you see them in movies. I'll go for Italian mafia - I like their cliches more than Russian ones that I'm already tired of

wm lopez

Where's the poll?

FantasticVSDoom

Well considering you have Godfathers 1&2 + Goodfellas in one category alone pretty much makes this no contest imo...

BambooLounge

Considering We Own the Night was more a cop film than a mafia film, I suppose that leaves Eastern Promises (not exactly a gangster genre film itself) competing against the likes of Scarface(original), Goodfellas, The Godfather Trilogy, among others. I would go with films about the Italian mafia here. Hollywood has always painted Italian-Americans in film with the "mafia" brush, so it makes sense that there would be a greater number of Italian mafia movies, which makes this "poll" a no contest.

Any particularly excellent non-Italian mafia movies to be on the look out for besides the questionably categorized films noted in the first post?

BambooLounge

As for Irish Mafia...Road to Perdition and Miller's Crossing to an extent come to mind. Black "mafia" movies tend to just be drug gangs movies...not that they aren't great...my favorite of the lot is King of New York. (see also: New Jack City) And of course there was the great Jewish "mafia" film...Once Upon a Time in America

DeanoBKN

No contest...I love my Italian gangsters.

islandclaws

Being Sicilian I've gotta go with my heritage and pick Italian Mafia flicks. Not only becauseof that reason, but because they are some of the best films I've ever seen. I could watch The Godfather I & II, Casino, Goodfellas or Mean Streets anytime. I do like other Mafia flicks, like the Irish (Road to Perdition, Miller's Crossing), Russian (Eastern Promises) and hispanic (Scarface, Carlito's Way), but I always hold a special place for the Italian flicks.

Kudama

I'd really like to see a well done Eskimo Mafia film, but I ain't holdin' my breath.

Mine too. I was gonna bring up the genre of Chrostopher Walken Mafia movies, but you hadda go and steal my thunder.

Mondo Kane

Well, since the Irish was mentioned earlier, you have to bring up State of Grace. But for me, the biggest runner-up to Italian-mob movies are Yakuza flicks like:

Sonatine
Rainy Dog
Graveyard of Honor (Fukasaku's version, not Miike's. This is the most relentless gangster movie I've ever seen)
Yakuza Demon (No, it's not a horror flick)
Sympathy for the Underdog

thecrazydude

Italian...hands down!

Giantrobo

At this point Russian (Eastern Promises), Irish(The Departed), Japanese (Black Rain) or just about any other culture. I've always been fascinated by Jewish Mobsters and would be interested in seeing more of that.

I simply realized about a year ago that "The Sopranos" and years of Italian Mob Flicks have worn me out.

JPRaup

I can only think of Eastern Promises, so Italian hands down.

PopcornTreeCt

I love the yakuza flicks!

visitor Q

"runner-up"



Is just about the only series of films I need. Little bit of everything. Aside from the Yakuza, sukeban films are very fun as well. Female Yakuza Tale is a blast .. and not entirely off the beaten track.

Mondo Kane

Yeah.
Yakuza flicks lost a point because they don't have the edge in music soundtracks compared to their Yankee mafiosos.

inri222

Yakuza attack dog

Michael Ballack

The other little things that make the Italian mafia films better are the food, the women, and the music. How many people eat russian food? Russian music vs Frank Sinatra and other famous Italian musicians? You can't compete with the curves and beauty of Italian women, at least Russian women can't. I couldn't name one famous Russian mob guy, but the Italian mob is full of icons. The Italian mafia has a history that goes way back to the Roman empire. No contest, not even close.

al_bundy

when i visit the in-laws there is almost always a russian mafia movie on the russian tv station. italian mafia movies all the way

visitor Q

As sad as it is to say (as I myself am a huge animal lover) that was one funny ass scene!! Wrong, but funny. It also set the tone for what was to come ...

Mercury&Solace

IMO Russian>Italian

hardercore

New thread suggestion: Russian women vs. Italian women, which do you prefer?