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From Amazon.co.uk
In fine (and bloody) style, HBO's Boardwalk Empire returns to 1920 when the ban on booze led to a syndicate of bootleggers and smugglers. Created by Sopranos scribe Terence Winter and coproduced by director Martin Scorsese, the story centers on Atlantic City treasurer Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi), who schemes in private while preaching temperance in public (Mark Wahlberg and Tim Van Patten also serve as producers). Jimmy (Michael Pitt, Buscemi's Delirious costar), a war veteran, acts as his right-hand man, while zealous Agent Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and refined mobster Arnold Rothstein (A Serious Man's Michael Stuhlbarg) represent significant threats to his enterprise.
Nucky's other associates include his sheriff brother Eli (Shea Whigham), sexpot girlfriend Lucy (Paz de la Huerta), and distributor Chalky (The Wire's Michael K. Williams). If Nucky has little regard for law and order, his soft side emerges in his dealings with Irish immigrant Margaret (Kelly Macdonald, excellent), who segues from abused wife to kept woman. As Nucky puts it, "I try to be good. I really do." After he sends Jimmy away a spell, his sidekick joins forces with Al Capone (Stephen Graham, Public Enemies) and disfigured vet Richard Harrow (Jack Huston), abandoning his son, common-law wife Angela (Aleksa Palladino), and mother Gillian (Gretchen Mol), who has a fling with Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza).
Inspired by Nelson Johnson's book, Boardwalk Empire takes a Deadwood-like approach to history by combining characters both factual and fictional with blue language and ladies without brassieres. Winter, who won an Emmy for The Sopranos episode Pine Barrens, takes liberties with the historical record, but the series never claims to represent the truth and nothing but--which is only fitting when everyone's hiding secrets. If the entire ensemble deserves praise, Buscemi rules the show as thoroughly as Nucky rules the city. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By Merlin's Owl
Format:DVD
Prohibition and votes for women. I never linked the two before I saw this absorbing, clever show. It is suggested that women brought about Prohibition through Temperance Leagues for various reasons including ending poverty, hunger, domestic violence and gaining the vote.
There is much to be learnt here. We in the UK don't really here much about American involvement in World War One. Yet there are men shockingly disfigured and traumatised by their experience. Men that could never fit back into society, much like Vietnam vets. Some find a place in the underworld which blossomed with Prohibition.
Religion and race are examined and, of course, politics. It is a corrupt man's world with fat cats scratching each others backs.
So the breadth and depth of this series is what makes similar TV series more rewarding than a movie ever can be. With 12 hours you can build characters and plots to immersive and absorbing levels. I believe that we are seeing a phenomenon arising where people form such attachments to characters in movies that the sequel and part III are not enough. HBO recognizes this and is at the forefront of providing the remedy with 5 seasons of The Wire for example. Five seasons of The Wire AND IT WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH!
The most expensive TV ever does not actually guarantee quality, but, trust me - here it works. The Boardwalk of Atlantic City is resurrected with CGI and glorious sets and costumes. Steve Buscemi is delightful as a damaged but clever and generous man who sees life for what it is. Or is he a cold calculating murderer? You decide.
So, I would humbly suggest that you get on board this elevator at ground level and see where it takes you.
There is much to be learnt here. We in the UK don't really here much about American involvement in World War One. Yet there are men shockingly disfigured and traumatised by their experience. Men that could never fit back into society, much like Vietnam vets. Some find a place in the underworld which blossomed with Prohibition.
Religion and race are examined and, of course, politics. It is a corrupt man's world with fat cats scratching each others backs.
So the breadth and depth of this series is what makes similar TV series more rewarding than a movie ever can be. With 12 hours you can build characters and plots to immersive and absorbing levels. I believe that we are seeing a phenomenon arising where people form such attachments to characters in movies that the sequel and part III are not enough. HBO recognizes this and is at the forefront of providing the remedy with 5 seasons of The Wire for example. Five seasons of The Wire AND IT WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH!
The most expensive TV ever does not actually guarantee quality, but, trust me - here it works. The Boardwalk of Atlantic City is resurrected with CGI and glorious sets and costumes. Steve Buscemi is delightful as a damaged but clever and generous man who sees life for what it is. Or is he a cold calculating murderer? You decide.
So, I would humbly suggest that you get on board this elevator at ground level and see where it takes you.
65 of 72 people found the following review helpful
By J. Duducu
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
When I heard that HBO were going to do a period piece about gangsters set in the prohibition era, a kind of Sopranos in spats, it was one of those ideas that was so good you wonder why it hadn't been done before.
Well the wait was worth it as this is adult entertainment at its finest. What you have is a multilayered sprawling epic about prohibition era Atlantic City. At the centre of the story is Steve Buscemi's "Nucky" Thompson a corrupt politician (rather than gangster) who has his brother as the local sheriff and his fingers in all the city's pies.
Nothing is perfect so if there's one grumble the period detail is a little too perfect. Every room, even the run down ones, seem to be dressed to within an inch of their lives and I am not sure anywhere was quite that pristine outside of a lab.
This is a character piece so the emphasis is on characterisation rather than action but that's not to say that there aren't wonderful action set pieces too overall though it's the three dimensional characters that makes it breath. There's the ice cold boot legger Chalky White (Omar from the Wire) a terrifying prohibition officer Agent Nelson all fire, brimstone and a simmering self loathing of his own weaknesses.
There are also great female roles such Margaret Schroeder the Irish immigrant who discovers her own inner strengths at the same time the viewers do and Gillian the most complex grandmother you are likely to come across.
There is a veritable rogue's gallery in the show who are all more unusual than the usual ciphers you get in the average TV shows.
Well the wait was worth it as this is adult entertainment at its finest. What you have is a multilayered sprawling epic about prohibition era Atlantic City. At the centre of the story is Steve Buscemi's "Nucky" Thompson a corrupt politician (rather than gangster) who has his brother as the local sheriff and his fingers in all the city's pies.
Nothing is perfect so if there's one grumble the period detail is a little too perfect. Every room, even the run down ones, seem to be dressed to within an inch of their lives and I am not sure anywhere was quite that pristine outside of a lab.
This is a character piece so the emphasis is on characterisation rather than action but that's not to say that there aren't wonderful action set pieces too overall though it's the three dimensional characters that makes it breath. There's the ice cold boot legger Chalky White (Omar from the Wire) a terrifying prohibition officer Agent Nelson all fire, brimstone and a simmering self loathing of his own weaknesses.
There are also great female roles such Margaret Schroeder the Irish immigrant who discovers her own inner strengths at the same time the viewers do and Gillian the most complex grandmother you are likely to come across.
There is a veritable rogue's gallery in the show who are all more unusual than the usual ciphers you get in the average TV shows.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Mike Hendon
Format:DVD
This series started slowly for me. I was not sure if it was going to live up to expectations, as the characters were slow to bed into my consciousness. However, come episode four everything clicked. This is a vast , sprawling epic mixing real people with fascinating characters, fact with fiction. I was surprised by how much I did not know about this period and accepted that the plot lines were probably a bit too far fetched. However, I have since watched Ken Burns' 4 hour documentary "Prohibition" which I cannot praise highly enough. Going back to "Boardwalk Empire" armed with a more extensive knowledge of the period, I see that it is not at all far fetched. The various plot strands weave a fascinating tapestry of that period in American history. Every detail of the documentary seems to be covered by this show, the temperance movement, women's emancipation, the first world war, the corruption, the immigrants, the entertainment, the music. It is all there. Do yourself a favour get your hands on "Prohibition"
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING
Ridiculously addictive, could not turn it off, fortunatey watched it late on, and finished with Series 2 ready and waiting for me. Read more
Published 17 days ago by WJ
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nevermind the roaring 20s, here's the 30s in Atlantic City!
Definitely a good show. I believe it's from HBO (not sure though) which always delivers the most stellar performances. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Lotte Bongaerts
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great characters, realistic lifestyles and an epic story
Life during prohibition was tough, the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer.
What choices would you make? Where would you turn? Read more
What choices would you make? Where would you turn? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Samsam
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Steve Buscemi playing a gangster in this is absolutely class one of the writers is from the Sopranos in Terence Winter and you also get Martin Scorcese directing the first episode... Read more
Published 1 month ago by P. M. Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyed
Turned up on time and in good condition the price was good to I watched them and thought it was very good looking forward to the next series
Published 1 month ago by Stephen P.
5.0 out of 5 stars
SUPERB GANGSTER DRAMA
Well on the strength of reviews I read and the fact it came down to half price on Amazon I finally sent off for the 1st series of BOARDWALK EMPIRE. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. S. A. Woodward
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good
Very good service,as per its description it’s a good product at a good price and it arrived promptly. five stars
Published 2 months ago by Louis
5.0 out of 5 stars
boardwalk empire season 1
I came in late to watch this series, so I got the first series to sort out who was who!
Published 2 months ago by Zandra Cardy
4.0 out of 5 stars
He loved it..
I personally haven't watched Boardwalk Empire but the boyfriend loves it and has moved onto Season 2 and I think he'll continue to watch until the end.
Published 2 months ago by Sophie Kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars
great gift
arrived on time to send as gift for Christmas, recipient liked the DVD and hasn't mentioned any faults with product.
Published 3 months ago by boubou
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