"If you get all of us together, we ain't got a gang, we've got an army."
-Amsterdam Vallon
Gangs of New York
2002
A good ole dose of self revenge and self redemption. Often at times we believe that once we do unto others as they would do unto us; we will find solitude and understanding in the pain inflicted upon oneself to deal with the pain. However, its not necessarily the greatest way to cope, nor the most practiced way of life, survival and repentance.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Amsterdam Vallon, a man in search of revenge on another man who took his father's life in the streets of New York. That other man, Bill "The Butcher" Cutting; was engaged in a gang fight in the middle of the infamous Five Points district in New York. The ending for Bill was the death of Amsterdam's father; yet the beginning for Amsterdam solitude for healing.
"Civilization is crumbling." - Bill
Finding meaning and understanding in circumstance is like finding meaning and understanding in environment. You know that saying; "being at the wrong place at the wrong time"? Well, that is how revenge begins. The deep thought that civilization is actually crumbling around you, is the actualization that civilization continues to thrive sometimes without you.
Many of us have lost those we love, some too early, some too abruptly and some without explanation. Finding a middle ground between coping mechanisms and proactive suffering is what separates men from one another. Its difficult to say someone is really in someones shoes when tragedy strikes; but, is it those that avoid it, that make us hesitant to forgive so quickly?
We will never forget the way in which someone leaves us; however, how do we move past the way in which we have left them in our memory?
In the film, Gangs of New York, the bottom line theme not only brings about the concept of finding comfort and acceptance into a world that is so blindly changed and evolving corruptly; it actualizes that each of us at some point in our lives have to conform to our plausible cause of acceptance. New York, a euphemism in itself, is as linguistic as words in a poem or song; it is inevitable that you dictate the interpretation of your surroundings based on your own derived meaning of the definition. You are the only one in control of how you receive messages. You are the only one that can control your agreement or dismissal of the facts.
This film was postponed from being released in 2001. It's original release date was I believe late in the fall of 2001, however, the 9/11 tragedy struck and it wasn't politically correct to expose New York in such a difficult time. The question is; were there similarities in this film to the terrorist acts of our beloved New York City?
Only a critic can claim that timing was of the essence here; but, you and I can concur that loss, tragedy, perception, redemption, vengeance and release, are all similar with regards to explanations. There is never the right time, or the right answer to a question revolving grief. It is something that can't be explained.
"It was four days and nights before the worst of the mob was finally put down. We never knew how many New Yorkers died that week before the city was finally delivered. My father told me we was all born of blood and tribulation, and so then too was our great city. But for those of us what lived and died in them furious days, it was like everything we knew was mildly swept away. And no matter what they did to build this city up again... for the rest of time... it would be like no one even knew we was ever here." - Amsterdam Vallon
Perhaps those that succeed us, or those that have explained our history will keep people at an arm's length in revenge and acceptance. However, it is you and I that are teachers to the world when someone can't look past regret.
I've never been to New York; but, I know that its history, its present and its future are awaiting my interpretation.
For now... here's Alicia Keys and Jay-Z... love this tune!
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
bobbot
Alpha Whiskey
Gary Gladstone
fingerlakeswanderer
Dennis Knight
Gabby Fox
Salon.com
Comments
Rated.
Rated
Brian B... yes, self revenge. I believe that Amsterdam's character blamed himself; yet, his own revenge turned out to be a redemption. At least that's what I took away from it. Great thought there! Thanks,
Scorsese is a talented man... yet, his themes seem to be very deep and insightful! Let me know if you enjoy the flick.