Che Bruta: David Chase and his Monster

The Sopranos

.....This thing of ours. The life. My fascination for knowing more about the Cosa Nostra has never been more fanatical! The means and methods adopted by a quasi-corporation had no boundaries to observe but just one objective to fulfil; Developed over many years, turning into a fierce juggernaut that almost bled America dry. "We're bigger than US steel...", Meyer Lansky was quoted saying in the 50s. I've read books, watched documentaries, even walked around Mulberry Street with a map like an idiot, the area in Queens which had the infamous Ravenite Social Club; the den of Johnny boy, Frankie Loc and Sammy the Bull.

For many avid readers, the initiation starts with movies like The Godfather, Donnie Brasco or Goodfellas. All the events depicted in these movies are based on a timeline where in the mafia was at its strongest and had its roots in every conceivable business. If there was money to be made, the wiseguys would be there counting the bills. Among the five families that were predominant in New York, the Gambinos and the Genoveses ruled with an iron fist and competed with unparalleled ferocity. The Godfather was a movie set in the heart of the Corleone family, with events depicting the rise of a man pressed by circumstances into a Mafia boss. The spread of evil into his family was inevitable and the reigns were handed down from one generation to another.

Goodfellas on the other hand was a movie that told the story of wiseguys from the street level up. Jimmy Burke, Henry Hill and Tommy DeSimone were no capos. They weren't even "made" or sworn into the code of Omerta since Jimmy was Irish and Henry was only half Italian. They were soldiers under the leadership of Paul Vario, a capo in the Lucchese family. Yet, the lives they led, the 'heists' they planned, the muscle they commanded, the loansharking methods left us in awe and intrigue! The time line stretches from the early 70s through the late 80s when the FBI and Justice Department forged the RICO (Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization) act, the mother of all laws and indicted hundreds of wiseguys, soldiers and even bosses. The heat was on! Each time the then District Attorney Rudolph Giuliani cracked the whip, a hundred indictments were handed out. With the fall of John Gotti and the 'ratting' of Sammy Gravano, a lot of the soldiers and even wiseguys became turncoats and 'sang like canaries'.

Admist all the crack downs, another family from New Jersey was silently climbing the rungs and 'spreading the money around' in the 90s. The DeCavalcantes. Vinny Ocean and Joey O Masella. David Chase's crime saga, The Sopranos is roughly based on the structure, and rise & fall of the DeCavalcantes. What I like most about the Sopranos is its ability to carry a tale in today's world. Especially running a 'family business' with the FBI watching you 24/7 and yet becoming the most feared and respected family in NJ isn't as easy as it seems. The body count is real, the rats and informants are your closest friends and everybody wants a piece of the action. Each character in the serial is carefully sketched out and even as an observer without a biased attitude, it's yet hard not to like them! The storytelling is unique and the events are a complete surprise at times. But the performances are awesome! Gandolfini is truly a mean capo! Corrado "Uncle Junior" Soprano strikes fear in the heart of the courthouse artist by simply giving him his undivided attention in spite of his court hearing being in progress! Paulie Walnuts and his crew, the coolest fellas. Especially Moltisanti's visible anger over Paulie's policing techniques. The sense of humor is amazing! Moe Greene Special. What more do I need to say?

On a final note during the Presidential debate, Democratic candidate John Kerry had this to say about Dubya, "Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order." Nifty.