With the new (Finally!!) and last (fuck!) season of The Sopranos just around the corner, I got to thinking about my obsession with the Mafia. It's not really something unique about me. Infact I got it from my father. But what is it that draws my dad and I, and so many others to the mafia and the mafia movies? Let's see what I came up with.
For me anyway, there are many different aspects that interest me. Almost its own Perfect Storm (only not 2 hours to long and a big dissapointment) First its the old school values. Old school values? Like what, rob and kill? Well yes. But more than that, family. You put the family first. Loyalty. Honor. Now sure in the end most of those things are complete bullshit and some rat will roll over on you when the Feds get ahold of him. But to start with, it's great. From the begining there's consequences for betraying your friends, for not keeping your word. How can anyone argue with that? That's how things should be. Maybe not death, but then again. Maybe death.
Something else that gets me is the conflict. Not so much between familes or crews, although thats great, but inside each man. Sure it's easy to sit back and say they are all animals and the worst of the worst. And that's a fair assesment. But look at Tony Sorpano. As ruthless and violent as he can be. He still loves his kids, tries to get them on the right track and provide for them. He loves his friends, you knew it ate him up to whack Big Pussy. So everyday is an on going war inside each of them. And really, each of us. Yes Tony cheats on his wife. But who out there doesn't have one life, yet sometimes dream of having a different life? You might love the wife and kids but at times, still dream about rolling up and heading to Vegas to play poker. Or you might be in a good healthy relationship but you still eye other people. Do you act on it? No. But they do. And god damn that's sexy. They get to have their cake, eat it and tell the waiter to go fuck himself. Really, look at the list of people I've been interested in. Most showed the world their good side and their bad, and didnt apologize for either. Tupac, Eminem, Dwight Gooden, Mike Tyson, Lawrence Taylor. All have done some horrible things. All did some pretty remarkable things too. Tony, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Michael Corelone, Henry Hill, Ace Rothstein too. But their evil deeds, just that much more evil.
And lastly. The idea that you could have a group of friends who would literally die or kill for you. Sit around, bust each others balls, wear pinky rings and not get made fun of.
Really what it is, modern day cowboys and indians. Only the Feds keep winning.
7 comments:
So... if you really wanted to get recruited by the mob, isn't there a more direct way of going about it? Say dropping trou and blowing the first guy you see in at a meat or produce stand in River Market area? And you might want to rethink the NRJB moniker. Not nearly flashy enough. Perhaps Greggy Gerkin or Hirp Please would work better for you in this environment.
Oh, no you misunderstood me. I dont think cheating is sexy. What I like is loyalty. But I do believe people, just about everyone at some point or another, thinks about having a different life. His cheating ways are part of his bad side, that is always in direct conflict with the side of him that still wants to save his marriage. That tries to tell his kids right from wrong. I dont for one second like the fact or respect that he cheats.
But your line about "she doesn't even have to have two legs" Friggin hilarious.
Jess, I know since you're a woman with taste you also love the show. So please, enlighten me as to what is appealing to you about the show, and T?
She said "fuck."
I dig the show because I aspire to have a rug like Paulie's when I get old (easy NRJB... people with wood floors really can't comment on that one).
Here you are little man. Daddy's taking you to the promised land. http://www.mafiaflix.com/index.php
See where you're going but I still don't agree totally. I think something people love about the show so much is how his family life, isnt all that different then most peoples. Okay minus Russian women with 1 leg and all those other women on the side. But his fights with Carmela arent always about his whores. Not spending enough time, being selfish. He has to get on AJs ass to do his home work. Meadow comes to Daddy for money, butts heads with mom. So much of their family life, is just good ol Americana. Now add the sex and violence and damn that's a fun show!!
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