KING OF NEW YORK

US, 1990, 103 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Walken, David Caruso, Larry Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, Steve Buscemi.
Directed by Abel Ferrara.

King of New York is a gangster thriller from the team of writer Nicholas St John and director Abel Ferrara. They were responsible for such thrillers as China Girl and Fear City. Ferrara was also responsible for the television series Crime Story. He began with the very violent Driller Killer and moved, by the end of the '80s, to the accomplished Elmore Leonard thriller, Cat Chaser. He received more prominence and film festival success in the 90s with Bad Lieutenant, The Body Snatcher, The Addiction, The Funeral.

This film shows a brutal and sleazy New York, the world of drug deals, the world of prostitutes, the world of gangsters. Christopher Walken plays a loser, Frank White, who emerges from prison, rejoins his old black buddies (led by Larry Fishburne) and attempts to take over from the Italians and the Asians. He is also confronted by the police, who are desperate to arrest him and stage their own gangster like raid on him and his gang.

The colour photography relies on blue shades with touches of garish red - indicating something of the blues in the night in downtown New York City.

The film is particularly violent, especially with massacres of the various gangs. There is a final confrontation between the King of New York and the police chief who is out to get him - both being destroyed.

The film relates to the world of both The Godfather and Goodfellas, but St John's blunt writing style and Ferrara's stylist melodramatic approach make the films seem much rougher and readier in their treatment of gangster themes.

1. The popularity of gangster films? Gangsters in New York City?

2. Location photography, the emphasis on blue shadings with garish red? Shadows, darkness? The world of New York, the downtown city and streets, the subways, the apartments of the gangsters? The musical score?

3. The title, the irony of the King of New York, New York City and who rules it - gangsters? The mayor? Police?

4. The portrait of Frank White and Christopher Walken's style? Getting out of prison, unreformed? His idea of vengeance? Winner or loser? The meeting with Jimmy and his men? His being reunited with them - the touch of uncertainty about their not visiting him in prison? The immediate confrontation with the Italians, sending a message, coming himself, murdering the leader? The link-up with the Asians, the drug deals - and the massacres? His own men, the deals, the confrontation with the police? The set-up, his believing the set-up, his vengeance on the connection who made the deal? The confrontation with the police - and the massacre? His own personal life, women, the counsellor and her relationship with him? Her getting his men out on bail? His relationship with his men? Loyalties? Money? The final confrontation with Bishop, in his apartment, handcuffing him? The confrontation in the subway, his holding the black woman for ransom? The shoot-out? His declaration of himself - considering all the other gangster leaders as scum and his executing only those who deserved it? (Yet his shooting Dennis at point-blank at the funeral?) His emerging wounded into the streets, getting the taxi - being left to die in the taxi, the traffic jam and the police moving in on him? What doth it profit...?

5. Jimmy and his friends, their violence, the initial shoot-up? The death of the Italians? Their enjoying the killing? Their style of life, drugs, sex? Loyalty to Frank? The confrontation and their being arrested, out on bail? With the Asians, the set-up by the police, the chases - and the final shoot-outs and their deaths? Kings of New York streets - with little else to help them in life? Their being proud of their being gangsters? (And the young black hoods on the subway confronting Frank and his giving them money and employing them?)

6. The Italians, their racism, arrogance, control of the drugs, card-playing, messages, the boss urinating on the floor - and sending that as a message to Frank? The confrontation and Frank's killing him?

7. The Asians, taking over from the Italians, the drug deals? The set-ups, the deals, testing the drugs? The shoot-outs and executions?

8. Bishop and his work, his research on Frank, the computers? Dennis, Tom and the squad? Their determination to get Frank and his gang? The interlude with the wedding, the speeches, the joviality? The irony of their taking the law in their own hands, the set-up, the attack and their shoot-out? Dennis and the pursuit? Tom and his being killed - his funeral? Dennis being shot at the funeral? Bishop, alone, handcuffed, getting himself free? The final confrontation with Frank, the shoot-out on the subway, his death?

9. The background of Frank's reputation, seen at restaurants - and his liaison with his counsellor? Her getting his men out on bail? The guest appearance of column writer, Pete Hamill, and his portraying himself - and giving some status to the gangsters?

10. The world of New York city, corruption, the control of professional criminals, their motives, ruthlessness? Racist and racial confrontations? Death by violence?