Mean Streets — Mean Streets( UHD/ Blu Ray boxset)
From the early 1970 Mean Streets was the third feature film from Martin Scorsese. It’s largely an episodic fly-on-the-wall drama set in the streets & clubs of New York City's Little Italy- with light touches of crime thriller mixed into its make-up. The film is the first collaboration between director and actor Robert De Niro- who have gone on to work together many times over the years since. Here from Second Sight Films is a new box set release of the film- taking in a UHD & Blu Ray, a new 4k scan, a good selection of new/ archive extras, a one hundred and seventy-eight-page book, and eight art cards- all packaged in a ridged slipcase with new artwork.
Mean Streets was made in the year 1973. It was directed & co-written by Scorsese- with his writing partner on the film been Mardik Martin, who worked on early/ later projects with the director such as the short It's Not Just You, Murray! (1964), and Raging Bull (1980).
The film is centred around two American Italian friends- Charlie (Harvey Keitel) a smartly suited stanch catholic small town hood, and Johnny Boy( Robert De Niro) who rolls through life taking out loans, causing trouble, and womanizing. The film's central focus is Johnny Boy’s dodging of paying back loans, and in particular, one he took out with local wheeler-dealer/ loan shark Michael (Richard Romanus)- who is also big buddies with Charlie- hench he’s been a little more kind/ patience with Johnny.
The film runs at the one hour and fifty-two-minute mark- it’s decidedly darting & episodic in its unfold- giving us snapshots of the pairs lives over a week or so in NYC’s Little Italy. We spend a fair bit of time in the bar/ club the pair frequent- seeing how they interact, and meet the characters who drift through there. Next, there is Charlie's well-presented apartment, the streets themselves & its denizens. A few other club locations, and the church where Charlie goes to pray/ confess.
The film is first & foremost a drama- which is decidedly talky/banter-bound. Yes, we do get one or two fights, a few moments of gunplay, and touches of crime/ thriller plotting- but really if you looking for that side of things, you’ll be very underwhelmed/possibly a little bored with what you find here.
The relationship/ interaction between Keitel and De Niro is very believable/ real- with Keitel constantly putting his name & his neck on the line for De Niro, keeping out of trouble, trying to get him work, and of course paying up what he owes.
They are surrounded by a selection of friends & acquaintances- taking in Tony (David Proval) the tieless shirt-wearing and bandaged up-hand owner of the club the pair hang out- and from time to time he’ll go out with the two to pick up outstanding loans. And Teresa (Amy Robinson) the skinny brunette cousin of Johhny Boy, who is having a hush-hush relationship with Charlie.
The whole film is captured in a very fly-on-the-wall manner- with at times an almost documentary feel to its capture. As mentioned earlier the whole thing has a highly episodic, at points jarring/ unpredictable feel to its unfold- with quite often sub-storylines being cut off before they resolve. I’d say you’ll certainly have to enjoy drama first & foremost to get the most out of Mean Streets- as the crime genre tropes are there, but largely subdued.
Moving onto this new UHD & Blu-Ray set. And the new 4k scan looks full of depth & clarity- enhancing both the fly-on-the-wall doc side of things, as well as the skilful/creative use of camera/ scoping.
On the on-disc extras, we get a few new things. First, we have a commentary track with Demetrios Matheou -author of BFI Classics Mean Streets, and David Thompson- Co-Editor of Scorsese on Scorsese. This is a well-researched and informative track- worth a play or two. They start off by talking about how this third film was very much the director's breakthrough film, with its blend of retelling of stories from Scorsese youth, exploitation filmmaking and cinephile obsession. They discuss the super 8 film clips which are used in the credits- and how they mix real home movies, with those made with the film's characters. We find out Scorsese had been trying to make the film for some time before he finally got backers, with the early versions of the script having different titles like Season Of The Witch. They discuss how the interiors were filmed in LA, and the exteriors in NYC- with a total shooting time of just twenty-six days. We find out that as a child the director seriously thought of joining the clergy. They talk about the film's unexpected quality and the spontaneity of violence in the picture. We find out the actors rehearsed for two weeks, and how one or two key dialogue scenes were improvised. They talk about the importance of both money & clothes in the picture. Later on, they point out supporting actors- giving brief bios. They dissect key scenes, and the use of camera- in particular the use of a camera shoulder strap. We find out how the film's title came about, and how the director was less than keen on it.
Otherwise, on the new side, we get: Keep Moving Forward (31.00) which is an on-camera interview with Producer Jonathan T Taplin. Saints and Sinners (12.38) a visual essay by Dr Catherine Wheatley discussing the film balancing of the moral and amoral.
On the archive side, we get the following- Mardik: Baghdad to Hollywood (115) a 2008 documentary regarding screenwriter Mardik Martin. Scene-specific audio commentary with Martin Scorsese and Actor Amy Robinson. 2011 Film at Lincoln Center screening introduction, interview, and Q&A with Martin Scorsese. Back on the Block (6.57) Home Movies (10.09). So, a good selection of new & old extras.
In finishing you can certainly see why/ how Mean Streets launched Scorsese's career- as it is an engaging fly-on-the-wall drama, with sudden explosions of violence & gangster film genre traits. As we’ve come to expect from Second Sight Films- here is the definitive release of this classic slice of 70’s American cinema- with a classy scan, and a nice selection of extras- both new & old.