Still A Classic

In 1999, a show premiered on HBO to a little bit of hype, but, low expectations. That show was ''The Sopranos'' and quality soon had a new best friend. For those of you who do not know or haven't seen the show, you have a homework assignment: ''make your bones'' with the show. The story evolves around the Soprano family, both the blood family and the family that deals in blood. Tony, played royally by the charismatic James Gandolfini, handles the day to day life problems of a husband, parent, friend, mob boss, and patient. Surrounding him are a marvelous cast of characters ranging from the names ''Meadow'' to ''Big Pussy''. All of these people have problems and situations that we all have, except their life is turned inside out by crime... That is all the synopsis that you need. Now go watch the show and enjoy.... For the rest of us who grew to be obsessed by Tony and his people, it became a benchmark in our entertainment history. I can talk all day about the plot twists and the deeper signifigance of the characters, but, it is too much an exercise in the obvious. What the heart of the show has shown is the extraordinary talents of those in front of and behind the camera coming together for perfect presentation... Start with the writing, headed by show creator David Chase. The richness of the dialogue seeps through the t.v. and instantly captures the viewers fancy. You can see the joy in the actors faces and in the energy of their performances when they say their lines. Followed hot on the heels of the words are the plot twists. The best way to describe them, I believe, is like one of those rides at a carnival-- as soon as you are going in one direction, WHOOSH, you zoom into another direction. Well thought out and well crafted, Mr. Chase and company deservedly received countless awards for their efforts.... Direction is a special mention. The sense of danger and tension are always present. It is there in the writing, but, very often in film with a loose director it is lost in translation. Not here!!! Like a perfect tennis game the writing and directors gather on one side and hit the ball to the other side that holds the actors... And, those actors... Not a flaw in the cast. From Gandolfini and Edie Falco to Michael Imperioli and Drea De Matteo, they all are a joy to watch. Gandolfini has the toughest assignment. Because Tony is so large, bigger than life, there is a temptation for an actor to go too broad and over the top. Gandolfini is too smart and too talented to let that happen-- and, I suspect Chase wouldn't let him. The loud moments are just as compelling as the quiet moments. Notice Gandofini's face and breathing in some scenes. They say more that 10 pages of dialogue. As his wife, Edie Falco is his match every step of the way in their scenes together. It is very refreshing to see strong men and women interact with each other-- my main complaint about t.v. is that one has to be dominant while the other has to be the fool, usually the man in a sitcom... Out of nowhere comes the supporting cast with memorable moments. My favorites being Johnny Sack, played by the great Vincent Curatola and, Drea De Matteo playing Adriana. Both of them started out on the show as one episode parts, but, the dynamic appeal of those actors could not be ignored and they were retained for most of the show, both dying-- with Adriana, perhaps the most decent character on the show, most heartbreaking... When the show ended in 2007-- and the famous last scene where we don't know what exactly happened to Tony--- there was a lot of press attention because quality was leaving us and some speculated whether ''The Sopranos'' deserved to be put in the same category as ''The Godfather Trilogy'' and Goodfellas''. I believe it belongs in the same pantheon. For what are those movies known for besides being about crime? Great acting, flawless direction, inventive writing, and compelling storytelling. Tony and the gang were of that class... Too bad there isn't much more of that around now. Bada Bing!!!