This is one of my favorite films of the 80's.
I never get tired of watching it.
The combo of the cinematography and the musical score makes it a winner for me.
The theme of Chinatown vs Little Italy leaves a bitter after taste but it is somewhat essential for the 'Romeo & Juliet' storyline that it seems to follow.
The two young leads as the sweet but doomed lovers 'Tye & Tony', Richard Panebianco and Sari Chang, did an OK job. It's I believe their film debuts. They really didn't have any chemistry together but they look good and cute together and they tried. I feel Panebianco was doing his best imitation of John Travolta's Tony Manero from Saturday Night Fever (1977)! LOL He was portraying an Italian named Tony however so...
James Russo as his older brother 'Alby' (Alberto), did a better job. Even though he was billed the leading star I felt his role was a supporting one. I don't know why, but Russo always seems shorter on film but in real life he is 5'11! Man, what the camera does to you!
David Caruso as 'Mecury', Russo's right-hand man is as intense and hyper I had seen Caruso do in acting. Here Caruso just let's go like a pit bull. He really stands out with his red hair. He looks more Irish than Italian but maybe he is a mix. His one scene where they are after the Chinese gang members, and they escape, he goes 'bananas' and starts shooting off his machine gun just everywhere! He really went 'ape sh*t' in that moment!
Russell Wong as the leader of the Chinese gang and older brother to Tye, did a very subdue and great job. I actually could see he and Tye as brother and sister. He really essayed being torn between his loyalty to the gang which includes his hot-wire cousin Tsu Shin played by a good and believable Joey Chin and the main Chinese Mob Boss Gung Tu played by the great and wonderful character actor, James Hong.
Robert Miano plays the head Wiseguy,Enrico Perit, that Russo answers to. he did a good job also. His scene with Russo was all "Soprano" worthy.
Oh and before I forget, the one gang member of the Chinese gang who really stood out for me was the bulky and muscular guy. I don't know what his name was in the movie so I can't tell which one he is in the credits but he must have impressed Ferrara because this 'Bolo Yeung-looking dude' had his very own death scene! After being shot in the arm by Caruso, he escapes and makes it to his hideout and treats his wound and falls asleep. Where he is awakened by Hong's Gung Tu's henchmen who is there and stabs him in the chest! He is so strong that he gets up and takes the knife out and raises it to use it on the henchmen when another knife through the back finishes him off. It was one of Miano's Enrico Perit's henchmen. So all in all a great end to this muscular but evil young gang member.
All in all, a great film. Like I said, one of my all-time favorites. I highly recommended it. It deserves a least one good viewing in your lifetime.
I never get tired of watching it.
The combo of the cinematography and the musical score makes it a winner for me.
The theme of Chinatown vs Little Italy leaves a bitter after taste but it is somewhat essential for the 'Romeo & Juliet' storyline that it seems to follow.
The two young leads as the sweet but doomed lovers 'Tye & Tony', Richard Panebianco and Sari Chang, did an OK job. It's I believe their film debuts. They really didn't have any chemistry together but they look good and cute together and they tried. I feel Panebianco was doing his best imitation of John Travolta's Tony Manero from Saturday Night Fever (1977)! LOL He was portraying an Italian named Tony however so...
James Russo as his older brother 'Alby' (Alberto), did a better job. Even though he was billed the leading star I felt his role was a supporting one. I don't know why, but Russo always seems shorter on film but in real life he is 5'11! Man, what the camera does to you!
David Caruso as 'Mecury', Russo's right-hand man is as intense and hyper I had seen Caruso do in acting. Here Caruso just let's go like a pit bull. He really stands out with his red hair. He looks more Irish than Italian but maybe he is a mix. His one scene where they are after the Chinese gang members, and they escape, he goes 'bananas' and starts shooting off his machine gun just everywhere! He really went 'ape sh*t' in that moment!
Russell Wong as the leader of the Chinese gang and older brother to Tye, did a very subdue and great job. I actually could see he and Tye as brother and sister. He really essayed being torn between his loyalty to the gang which includes his hot-wire cousin Tsu Shin played by a good and believable Joey Chin and the main Chinese Mob Boss Gung Tu played by the great and wonderful character actor, James Hong.
Robert Miano plays the head Wiseguy,Enrico Perit, that Russo answers to. he did a good job also. His scene with Russo was all "Soprano" worthy.
Oh and before I forget, the one gang member of the Chinese gang who really stood out for me was the bulky and muscular guy. I don't know what his name was in the movie so I can't tell which one he is in the credits but he must have impressed Ferrara because this 'Bolo Yeung-looking dude' had his very own death scene! After being shot in the arm by Caruso, he escapes and makes it to his hideout and treats his wound and falls asleep. Where he is awakened by Hong's Gung Tu's henchmen who is there and stabs him in the chest! He is so strong that he gets up and takes the knife out and raises it to use it on the henchmen when another knife through the back finishes him off. It was one of Miano's Enrico Perit's henchmen. So all in all a great end to this muscular but evil young gang member.
All in all, a great film. Like I said, one of my all-time favorites. I highly recommended it. It deserves a least one good viewing in your lifetime.