Media A level, gangster crime

1. Gangster Crime

2. The Godfather is a classic film for most. After the
release of the film it went on to break many box
office record and became the highest grossing film
of 1972. This was mostly due to the film’s unique
selling point, previous films present a storyline from
outside looking in however The Godfather was told
from a gangster's perspective. The Film was
nominated for seven Golden Globes, five BAFTAs
and nine awards at the Academy awards.
Plot Summary
Reviews
The Godfather
Influence
Country: USA
Language: English | Italian | Latin
Release Date: 24 August 1972 (UK) See more »
Also Known As: Mario Puzo's The Godfather See more »
Filming Locations: NY Eye and Ear Infirmary, 2nd Avenue &
East 13th Street, New York City, New York, USA
Box Office
Budget: $6,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: £14,480 (UK) (11 July 1996)
Gross: $134,966,411 (USA) (11 May 1997)
The Godfather has received critical acclaim and is
seen as one of the most influential films of all time,
particularly in the gangster genre. The Godfather
won a record five Golden Globes, which was not
surpassed until 2017. The film is usually referenced
in sitcoms and other films proving that it was really
powerful, people usually reference the movie and
rein act the quotes.
Some of the famous lines from the film:
“I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse”
“Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
" One of Hollywood's greatest critical and commercial
successes, The Godfather gets everything right; not only
did the movie transcend expectations, it established
new benchmarks for American cinema“
“1998 Time Out conducted a poll and The Godfather
was voted the best film of all time”
“Epic in scope while maintaining a patience and intimacy
characteristic of European art cinema, "The Godfather"
is rightly considered one of the greatest films ever
made”
"Don" Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia
also known as the Godfather. His son, Michael
returns home a war hero and doesn’t want to be
part of the family's legacy; however he is drawn into
the family drama when his father’s biggest revival
tries to take over. There is a conflict between the
values shared between Vito Corleone and his rival, it
is not just about family anymore as business is seen
as more important.
Genre Conventions
Betrayal
Violence
Guns
Family above all
Police interference
Organised crime

3. Rating: R
Directed By: Ridley Scott
Written By: John Hawkes, Steven Zaillian
In Theatres: Nov 16, 2007 wide
On Disc/Streaming: Feb 19, 2008
Box Office: £130,127,620
Runtime: 157 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
Country: United States
Budget: $100 million
Box office: $266.5 million
American Gangster
Reviews
American Gangster is based on a true story and set in the
mid-70s. Frank Lucas, sees an opportunity to become
wealthy and build his own empire when his employer dies.
dies he establishes himself as the number one importer of
heroin so by buying heroin directly from the source in
South East Asia His product is superior to what is currently
available on the street and his prices are lower.
Richie Roberts is a detective whom intends to put the
ruthless gangster behind bars. During the film, we see that
Frank and Richie's relationship is complicated ; they're
opposite but also linked. Frank surrounds himself with
devoted family members as he tries to given them a better
life; the American dream." Ambitious and politically astute,
Frank sees his success as a representation of black
progress. Richie goes undercover and tries to uncover
Frank's business. The film is also about race as Richie’s
superior officer don’t believe that a black man could
outscore the Italian mafia at their own game. The destinies
of these two men will become intertwined as they
approach a confrontation where only one of them can
come out on top.
The film receive 4/4 from Robert Ebert and received
7.8/10 from IMBd
Influence
The film is fairly recent therefore it doesn't have a broad
influence however American Gangster was critically
acclaimed. It was nominated for five BAFTAs and three
Golden Globe Awards. In addition it won best thriller
Empire Awards and The film was up for four Satellite
Awards.
Genre Conventions
Crime
Family
Police intervention
The fall of an empire
USP: The story of a Black man taking on the Italian mafia,
this is unconventional as organised crime is usually related
to the mafia (that usually include white dominate male)
Plot

4. Set it off is one of the few examples that have a woman
lead cast. Women are not usually associated with crime
and if they are it is usually something petty or in
partnership with their lover; a ride or die situation. The
album was just as successful as the movie.
Set it offCountry: USA
Language: English
Release Date: 24 January 1997 (UK)
Filming Locations: Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue,
Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
Box Office
Budget: $9,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend: $11,807,451 (USA) (10 November 1996)
Gross: $36,049,108 (USA) (2 March 1997)
Reviews
“It may not boast an original plot, but Set It Off is a
satisfying, socially conscious heist film thanks largely to fine
performances from its leads.”
Roger Ebert stated that Set It Off is "a lot more" than a
thriller about four black women who rob banks. Comparing it
to Waiting to Exhale, but "with a strong jolt of reality," he
said, "It creates a portrait of the lives of these women that's
so observant and informed." He gave the film three and a
half stars, and added, "The movie surprised and moved me: I
expected a routine action picture and was amazed how much
I started to care about the characters.“
The movie received four stars from Empire magazine and was
given 6.8 by IMDb.
Plot
Set It Off is a crime thriller about four women bank
robbers from a poor area in L.A., they find it hard to
make ends meet. Life has been hard on these women,
Stony has had to act as a parent to her little brother. She
works endlessly to make ends meets as she tries to give
her brother a better future. The story really begins
when Frankie, a bank teller, who gets fired unjustly
because of her links to a bank robber. The four work at a
janitorial service. However when things get harder with
Frankie still angry from her firing , Stony angry from the
wrongful killing of her brother, and Tisean losing her
baby to the child protective services, the four friends
are motivated to rob a bank themselves. Their first few
attempts is successful. Conversely, the police start to
suspect something.
Influence
The film was not critically acclaimed however it is a
favourite for many as the stories told were representative.
Set It Off is one of the few films that actively involve women
in crime. It is a film about sisterhood and survival this was a
very popular storyline in the 90s.
Genre conventions
Violence
Organised crime
Police and suspicion intervention
USP: Women involvement (they are usually
behind the scenes)