American Gangster [HD] DVD

American Gangster
Director Ridley Scott spins this yarn concerning a Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cast Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Nicky Barnes Josh Brolin as Det. Trupo Ted Levine as Lou Toback Armand Assante as Dominic Cattano Clarence Williams III as Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson John Ortiz as Javier J. Rivera John Hawkes as Freddie Spearman RZA as Moses Jones Lymari Nadal as Eva Yul Vázquez as Alfonse Abruzzo Ruby Dee as Mama Lucas Idris Elba as Tango Carla Gugino as Laurie Roberts Joe Morton as Charlie Williams Common as Turner Lucas Jon Polito as Rossi Kevin Corrigan as Campizi Roger Guenveur Smith as Nate Malcolm Goodwin as Jimmy Zee Ric Young as Chinese General Roger Bart as U.S. Attorney Tip "T.I." Harris as Stevie Lucas KaDee Strickland as Richie's Attorney Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Doc Norman Reedus as Detective in Morgue

Crew Nicholas Lundy - Art Director Avy Kaufman - Casting Jonathan Filley - Co-producer Sarah Bowen - Co-producer Janty Yates - Costume Designer Darin John Rivetti - First Assistant Director Ridley Scott - Director Alexander Witt - Second Unit Director Pietro Scalia - Editor Branko Lustig - Executive Producer James Whitaker - Executive Producer Karen Kehela Sherwood - Executive Producer Steven Zaillian - Executive Producer Michael Costigan - Executive Producer Nicholas Pileggi - Executive Producer Marc Streitenfeld - Composer (Music Score) Kathy Nelson - Musical Direction/Supervision Arthur Max - Production Designer Harris Savides - Cinematographer Ridley Scott - Producer Brian Grazer - Producer William Sarokin - Sound/Sound Designer Steven Zaillian - Screenwriter Bob Beemer - Re-Recording Mixer Michael Minkler - Re-Recording Mixer Per Hallberg - Supervising Sound Editor Leslie Rollins - Set Decorator Beth A. Rubino - Set Decorator

American Gangster
The difference between early Ridley Scott like The Duellists and Alien and late period Ridley Scott, like Black Rain and Hannibal, is the difference between "stylish" and "slick". In the former, the look of a film - the photography, the art direction, the costuming - is as much the subject of the film as whatever the story happens to be. In the latter, all the emphasis on surface things only underscore the fact that there is nothing going on at the heart of the films. American Gangster is a welcome return to the "stylish" Ridley Scott. Unlike Matchstick Men or Black Hawk Down, American Gangster feels like an impersonal work for the director, and in this case that is a very good thing. Scott allows his remarkably gifted collaborators - cinematographer Harris Savides, editor Pietro Scalia, and screenwriter Steven Zaillian - to do what they do best and simply uses his own skills to keep everything moving along in a solid professional way. Though they are kept apart for the vast majority of the film's 160 minute running time, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe carry their respective sections of the flick with movie star ease. As larger-than-life criminal mastermind Frank Lucas, Washington gets to utilize his formidable charm while only once falling into the overacting that afflicts him on occasion when playing outright bad guys. As the ethically pure cop out to bring Frank down, Crowe offers his nearly patented brand of brooding physicality. There is nothing new about these characters, or in the film as a whole, but the solidly structured story draws parallels between the two men - playing up the old "bad guy isn't so bad" and the "good guy isn't so good" themes that might seem incredibly tired in the hands of lesser actors and filmmakers. An end-of-film decision by Frank softens the film a great deal, this is after all Hollywood product and it would be unacceptable to not like both the leads, but seeing as nothing that has come before indicates anyone was aiming for art this twist can be forgiven. American Gangster is nothing more or less than product, sure to satisfy those who need a genre fix. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
 

Arthur Max: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Arthur Max: Art Directors Guild, Best Art Direction in a Period Film (nominated) Beth A. Rubino: Academy, Best Art Direction (nominated) Brian Grazer: British Academy Awards, Best Picture (nominated) Denzel Washington: Golden Globe, Best Actor - Drama (nominated) Denzel Washington: Golden Satellite Award, Best Actor - Drama (nominated) Harris Savides: British Academy Awards, Best Cinematography (nominated) Marc Streitenfeld: British Academy Awards, Best Music (nominated) Pietro Scalia: British Academy Awards, Best Editing (nominated) Ridley Scott: British Academy Awards, Best Picture (nominated) Ridley Scott: Golden Globe, Best Director (nominated) Ruby Dee: Academy, Best Supporting Actress (nominated) Ruby Dee: African American Film Critics, Best Supporting Actress (winner) Ruby Dee: Golden Satellite Award, Best Supporting Actress (nominated) Ruby Dee: Screen Actors Guild, Best Supporting Actress (winner) Steven Zaillian: British Academy Awards, Best Original Screenplay (nominated)

African American Film Critics, Best Picture (nominated) Austin Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated) Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated) Golden Globe, Best Picture - Drama (nominated) Screen Actors Guild, Best Ensemble Cast (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: Side A: Original theatrical version includes feature commentary with director Ridley Scott and writer Steven Zaillian Deleted scenes including an alternate opening And more! Side B: Unrated Extended Version over 18 minutes of additional footage not shown in theaters and an alternate ending Original theatrical version DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 335 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- American Gangster 1. What's Wrong With America 2. You've Been Served 3. Tampering With Evidence 4. Into the Jungle 5. Kill or Be Killed 6. Blue Magic 7. New Offensive 8. Big Money 9. Frank's Place 10. Old Friends 11. Business Is Booming 12. Special Investigations 13. Family Operated 14. On the Take 15. Ain't Gonna Run 16. Success Has Enemies 17. Search and Seizure 18. Out at Home 19. Turning Evidence 20. End Titles 1. What's Wrong With America 2. You've Been Served 3. Tampering With Evidence 4. Into the Jungle 5. Kill or Be Killed 6. Blue Magic 7. New Offensive 8. Big Money 9. Frank's Place 10. Old Friends 11. Business Is Booming 12. Special Investigations 13. Family Operated 14. On the Take 15. Ain't Gonna Run 16. Success Has Enemies 17. Search and Seizure 18. Out at Home 19. Turning Evidence 20. End Titles