Once Upon a Time in America (Two-Disc Special Edition)

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GANGSTER EPIC, 2008-11-18
Once Upon a Time in America (Two-Disc Special Edition) br /THE LEADING ACTOR IN SERGIO LEONE'S DREAMING EPIC IS NOT JAMES WOODS NOR IS IT ELIZABETH McGovern; NOR FOR ALL THE EXCELLENCE IN HIS PERFORMANCE, IS IT ROBERT de NIRO. THE MAIN CHARACTER IN THE FILM IS 'TIME'! THE THEME IS ONE THAT HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED MR.LEONE. ONE COULD POINT TO SOME OF THE MORE OBVIOUS SYMBOLS IN HIS EARLIER FILMS LIKE THE HANDLESS CLOCKS THAT LITTER THE LANDSCAPE OF 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST' OR THE MUSICAL FOB-WATCH IN 'FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE' THAT WAS A CONTINUOUS REMINDER OF RAPE AND REVENGE AND WAS USED TO TIME THE FINAL SHOOT-OUT! br /IN 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA', THE ITEM WHICH FIRST BRINGS THE YOUNG NOODLES(de NIRO) AND MAX(JAMES WOODS) TOGETHER IF THEIR LIFE TIME OF CRIME IS A STOLEN POCKET WATCH, AND IT PASSES BETWEEN THEM THROUGHOUT THE FILM AS A KIND OF TALISMAN. MOREOVER, THE ALL-IMPORTANT KEYS THAT CAN OPEN br /THE LEFT-LUGGAGE LOCKER, WHERE THE GANG STORE THEIR LOOT ARE HIDDEN IN A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. QUITE LITERALLY, SERGIO LEONE IS SAYING, THE KEY TO THE MYSTERY IS IN THE CLOCK. IN STRICT CHRONOLOGICAL TERMS, THE FILM, IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PHASES. (1)1923: THE ADOLESCENT GANG OF NOODLES, MAX, COCKEYE, DOMINIC AND PATSY IS FORMED ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN. br /(2)1933: WHEN AFTER SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF TRADING IN HOOCH, THE END OF PROHIBITION SPELLS AN END TO THE GANG'S ACTIVITIES, AS A RESULT OF WHICH MAX PLANS TO PULL AN AMBITIOUS BANK RAID , AND NOODLES, ANXIOUS TO AVOID THEIR DESTRUCTION IN THIS MAD SCHEME, BETRAYS THEM TO THE POLICE AND THEY ARE ALL SLAUGHTERED IN THE RAIN; AND (3)1968: WHEN NOODLES AFTER ANONYMOUSLY LIVING IN BUFFALO IN A SELF-IMPOSED EXILE FOR THIRTY FIVE YEARS, RETURNS TO NEW YORK, SUMMONED BY A STRANGE LETTER WHICH SEEMS TO HOLD A SOLUTION TO THE MYSTERIES HE HAS BEEN PONDERING WHILE IN EXILE. br /THE FILM RECREATES THE STARING POINT OF 1968. IT THEN, SHIFTS TEASINGLY BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS IN TIME, IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT HUMAN MEMORY DOES. IT MAY NOT BE MUCH, BUT IT IS EVERYTHING THAT IS CINEMA. br /

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A hallmark production, 2008-10-27
I had no idea that a movie could be so interesting. It truly is an absorbing and well made movie. All of the characters are unforgettable. Thank you, Sergio Leone.

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Once Upon a Time in America, 2008-10-01
Great movie. It's quite long and takes a little time to get into it, but it's worth the time.

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A Great Gangster Movie, 2008-09-28