An ex mob hit man (De Niro) living in rural comfort is lured back into his former profession by the scheming son of a Mafia Don.

 

Starring Robert De Niro... can't wait to see who the son of the mafia don is.

 

Director: Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: David Levien and Brian Koppleman (Rounders, Runaway Jury)

The excitement we felt over the reteaming of Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro in The Winter of Frankie Machine may be evaporating. According to Frosty over at Collider, Scorsese has dropped out of the project, and by leaving he has put the whole thing in jeopardy.

 

Frankie Machine was going to be DeNiro and Scorsese reteaming on a mob film; the main character in Don Winslow?s novel is a retired hit man who gets back into the family business one last time to solve a dispute. Unfortunately for him, there?s no dispute and it was all a set up to whack him. It?s a good story, and with Brian Koppelman and David Levien on the script it stood a chance of being a worthy entry in the DeNiro/Scorsese oeuvre.

 

If Collider?s scoop is correct, there?s no telling why Scorsese left. Marty?s been attaching himself to a lot of projects lately, especially in the aftermath of The Departed being a big hit, so it?s possible that something else was ready first. Or maybe Scorsese felt the film?s start date, March, was being rushed because of the impending strike. I don?t know, I?m making things up here to fill space.

 

There?s been no official announcement yet; if the project is doomed, expect it to quietly fall to pieces. If there?s still hope, a new director will be announced by sometime this fall.

 

*sad*

Marty has too many films lined up for a guy who releases a movie every two years.

I just hope he follows through with the Teddy Roosevelt project.

 

That seems to be on better foundation then this ever was though.

I just don't like all these forced reunions. If two actors or a director/actor pair are the best for the job so be it but don't just have Pacino/De Niro for the hell of it.

I just hope he follows through with the Teddy Roosevelt project.

Or "Silence"

 

I much prefer his departures from the mob films: Bringing Out the Dead and Gangs of New York (the latter being one of his very best).

 

Kundun and Age of Innocence aren't so bad either.

Wow, that is strangely close to my preferences. To me, Marty's best work is still Taxi Driver (might be #1 for you too). I saw it on HDNet Movies for the first time a couple nights ago. Still as memorable as when I first saw it on DVD around 6 years ago.

Rocky winning Best Picture over Taxi Driver.

 

If I was alive when that was announced I would have lol'd.

Rocky winning Best Picture over Taxi Driver.

 

If I was alive when that was announced I would have lol'd.

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" -- A line so fitting is so many ways for that year.

 

That was an extremely competitive year (4 out of the 5 nominated movies recently showed up on AFI's 100 Movies list) and I'm not suprised it won. It came out at the right time when America was celebrating its 200th birthday. Rocky was that inspirational movie everyone was yearning for.

I'm probably as big a Rocky hater (within reason) that you'll find so I'm probably biased but seriously. The hell?

 

I could be wrong and I don't feell ike looking it up because I'm watching the game but I'm pretty sure All The President's Men was nominated that year too. It would have definitely been a better choice.

 

Taxi Driver is just so much better than Rocky it isn't even funny.

Taxi Driver, Network, All The President's Men, Rocky, and that other movie ( :lol ) were nominated that year.

I just don't like all these forced reunions. If two actors or a director/actor pair are the best for the job so be it but don't just have Pacino/De Niro for the hell of it.

It's less about art, more about money.

 

Ironically, the best performance that came out of a Scorsese picture is not from De Niro, not from Di Caprio, but from DD Lewis.

 

I know I was hyping Scorsese's non-mob films but I thought The Aviator was trash.

 

1976 (1977 Oscars)...I haven't seen Network so I don't think I'm qualified to voice an opinion of the best film of the year. I haven't seen Truffaut's Small Change either. However, I can say that Ingmar Bergman's The Magic Flute is a very beautiful film (and one I've had the pleasure of seeing theatrically) and is one of the very few musicals I appreciate.

It's in my top 10 movies of all time. I suggest you give it a try. Paddy Chayefsky's script is incredible and the performances in the movie were excellent. Five acting nominations. Beatrice Straight was on screen for less than six minutes and she won the Oscar. It was an extremely powerful and authentic performance. Dunaway, Finch, and Holden gave their career-best performance. Then you've got Robert Duvall and Ned Beatty (nominated) who also gave extraordinary performances. :lol

 

When (and if) you watch it, let me know what you think.