GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | Reaction & Commentary | Woah Marty!!! 

Daniel Day Lewis absolutely crushed it in this movie like he always does. Bill the Butcher is genuinely one of the most underrated and scariest movie villains of all time.

Now that you've seen a movie with Daniel Day Louis, you HAVE TO watch There Will Be Blood. It's effing fantastic in imagery and metaphor, and superb acting. It'll make you realize how good Daniel Day Louis is.

35:15 "Walk away, get on that boat Leo." Well, Leo hasn't had that much of luck on boats I'm afraid.

When Priest Vallon said "finish it", I always assumed it was a simple command/request to the Butcher to kill him right there, and not leave him bleeding. Once he said it, Bill did just that. I didn't think he was talking to his son at that point, even though he was looking at him.

This movie was actually finished and ready for release in 2001, but they delayed due to 9-11. Then, the final scene shows the Twin Towers. Can you imagine seeing that while the world was still reeling from 9-11? It was quite a powerful image to end on.

Martin Scorsese hired "The Magician" An Italian man famous for having a 30 year career as a pickpocket to teach Cameron Diaz his techniques.

The ending is always so powerful. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched it and paused the transitions of the skyline. It’s oddly nostalgic of a bygone era. And yes, the silhouette of the trade center gives me chills.

The Old Brewery was the hub of action and crime in the five points. After it was torn down it was said hundreds of bodies were buried in the underground labyrinth.

Another great Scorsese/Day Lewis collaboration is The Age of Innocence.

The actor that plays Samuel is Elliot from the movie E.T.

My favorite Scorese! I will die on this hill, Daniel Day Lewis should have received the Oscar for his Bill The Bucher portrayal not his character in “There will be blood”

Nominated for 11 Oscars including Best Picture, but didn't win any

24:57 "Whoopsie daisy!" :)

Ciao Shanelle! I had the pleasure to visit the set of this movie in Roma at Cinecittà studios. Dante Ferretti did something amazing. The set was still complete (except the exploded parts) and the five points streets still intact. Even the ships were there. It was the last large set before all went digital. This movie is amazing, especially D.D. Lewis’ butcher.

When Liam Neeson said "finish it" he was talking to Bill, telling him to kill him. He said what he wanted to say to his son and he was ready to go.

Easily one of the best movies of the past 25 years.

This is one of those movies where if I see it’s on tv I have to watch it no matter how far in it is. Just so fascinating.

It's not without it's flaws but between the spectacular sets and the performances (in particular DDL, and ignoring Cameron Diazs terrible accent) with the crazy setting I unashamedly love this film.

The source material for this one is the history book Gangs of New York. Which doesn't include the plot of the movie but does cover the main rumbles between the gangs and the draft riots.

A love letter to a city. New York is the main character of this film.

The U2 song at the end always gets me.. Love it.

Daniel has done numerous period films. "Room with a view", "the age of innocence", last of the mohicans", "there will be blood" & this one to name a few.

Bill the Butcher is one of the best film antagonists ever.

Scorsese is the GOAT! Please watch Taxi Driver and Bringing Out The Dead. 2 of my absolute favorites from the master filmmaker.

Yes, truly epic. One of those "this is why I love movies" movies.

One of my favourite movies, but for some reason I always forget how brutal it is in its violence. Also that final scene where you see New York rising from its ashes and becoming the city we know today always gets me for some reason. Don’t know if it’s just the music or the idea of a city (or country) being built on the blood of its citizens that does it but I always get teary-eyed.

This movie is something else, entirely! Such a superb demonstration of what can be accomplished when the right actors are used, the pure love for the project is shared by everyone involved, and no holds are barred!! Love the reaction as well Shanelle! You're a sure card when it comes to reactions!

There were a bunch of extras on the DVD that you may be able to find, including a tour of the sets. Loved your reaction, as always. Peace …

I saw this 3 times in the cinema, absolutely still love ❤️ this movie

"Far and Away" is another excellent movie about this time period and stars Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. A very satisfying "love story."

You should check out The Age of Innocence. The OTHER Scorsese movie set in 1800s New York starring Daniel Day Lewis.

Not set in 1860s New York, it's set in the 1920s to 60s, but Once Upon a Time in America is one hell of a movie. You would really need to see the 4 hour plus version tho. Would be nice to see someone react to that movie.

When Priest said "finish it", he was talking to Bill The Butcher, asking him to unalive him quickly, instead of letting him slowly bleed to unlife.

Another fine New York City tale. Thanks for reacting to this, Shanelle.

This is one of those movies you HAVE to watch the directors commentary. You learn about the Rouge’s Lexicon and how the set was a REAL town. Also the fact that real events were thrown into this partially non-fiction story! The American Eagle in Bill’s eye you should recognize from the dollar bill… MS says the Chinese theater became like a horror movie, so you nailed that one; Yes, this is one of my faves too!

Speaking of dead rabbits my grandfather had a rabbit farm in greater riverside county and my father took my mother to thumper burgers on they’re second date. She could not stomach it so that’s how my dad took her to have her first in and out burger.

Besides all the excellent recommendations already mentioned, you really need to watch Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. Brilliant film.

The gangs depicted in this movie continued in some form up until nearly 1920. Al Capone was originally a member of the Five Points gang. Gangs like the Why-o's, the East Siders and, yes, the Dead Rabbits ruled the streets until gradually overtaken by Sicilian/Italian mobsters, just in time for Prohibition. Tammany Hall held its power into the 1920s as well.

I knew you’d love and appreciate this movie! Had to click as soon as I saw you post this reaction

The church in the movie is still in NYC today. It’s called Old St. Patrick’s in the Nolita neighborhood in Manhattan and looks exactly same complete with 200 year old gravestones

I haven't seen it since it first came out. Masterpiece. Apart from the movie making, what's equally shocking is how NYC used to be like this.

The ending into the credits is epic. It never gets old and always knocks me back in my chair.

I remeber when i rewatched this when i was old enough told apprciate certain thing, a tear came to my eye at the end when TWTC was in the back drop being a native new yorker and how the one of the themes of the movie struck so close to me

I saw this twice in theaters. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the commentary!

This film is something special. She DDL is just incredible.

I'm so glad you re-uploaded this. I saw it pop up on my feed the other day and opened it in a new tab, and RU-vid had screwed you by the time I went to watch it. One of my favorite movies. Daniel Day Lewis is a total legend. I don't know if you've seen There Will Be Blood, but if not, you should add it to your list! Another great DDL role.

27:32 - It does. It helps that N.Y.C. as such didn't really exist back then, just a bunch of scattered townships and villages all glomed together just adding to the look.

Managed to catch your brief first upload of this, and liked, so liked this too.

Jim Broadbent plays Boss Tweed. Kinda crazy that he also plays Slughorn in Harry Potter. Never would have guessed that. Great actor

The screenplay was based on Herbert Ashbury’s 1927 book The Gangs Of New York…….

Saw a RU-vid clip of her doing stand-up. She had a presence on stage. I wish she would watch, "The Road Dog" which is the most accurate depiction of road comedy ever put to film.

Everytime i see this movie, i'm amazed at the fact that it came at in 2002

Bill is certainly one of the coolest antagonists, and probably one of the more sympathetic as well.

I hadn't seen this movie in ages, I forgot how good it is. Thanks for reminding me.

Scorsese’s 1993 dramatic romance “The Age of Innocence”-also starring Daniel Day-Lewis-takes place in 1800s New York.

An amazing film Shan! I stop and watch every time it's on!

When you said "those are Lincoln hats", I started laughing because all I could imagine was that not far from this was another DDL, also in a Lincoln hat. Six degrees of DDL, only every degree is himself? 😂

Here are a few movies that nobody's reacted to... Three O'clock High, great cinematography and acting. Wonder Boys, star studded drama comedy. Billionaire Boys Club, based on true story. Career Opportunities, a John Hughes movie.

Another good film about New York Gangs is " The Warriors" 1979.

Shanelle you are so awesome, so fun to watch this with you especially you bein a New Yawka!!! LOL!!! This film is unbelievable & DDL's performance is killer, he really was scary!!! So i had already known about the unbelievably corrupt boss Tweed & Tamany Hall from school but it was great to see Scorsese bring it to life & like you i went hard in the paint & researched New York during this period!!! Great stuff, take care buddy, cheers!!! 👍💯😁😎

I watched this movie in the theater, I remember being disgusted with so much gore, impressed with Daniel D Lewis acting, and very curious about the historical facts. I have never wanted to re-watch this movie, but being aware is a masterpiece, I watched your reaction because you bring the point of view of film making and I wanted to hear your comments, and you didn't disappoint. Great reaction!! 👍

He's also hamish in Braveheart.

Great choice. Outrageously underrated film. Other than maybe "City of God" the best Picture of 2002.

It was a real trip to see the set on the lot of Cinecitta in Rome, sitting right there, the familiar 5 Points Paradise Square in Rome. The Schermerhorns were very real--I lived on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn Heights in a 19th century townhouse. It's funny how much of old New York is there if you know where to look, past all the chrome and plastic.

You mentioned a couple of times about the "Wild West feel" of it, and that's appropriate. The movie is set during the beginning of the Wild West era (which many would be surprised to know only lasted about 30 years). The end of the film is set during the Draft Riots, but contrary to the trivia, it really doesn't accurately portray them. Originally anger was mainly directed at the rich, who were able to pay $300 each to have someone else be drafted in their places, while the poor had no such recourse. The focus of the riots quickly shifted, though, and for most of the riots the targets were black people. Reasons varied. Some were Southern sympathizers. Some felt the whole thing was none of their concern, and didn't see why they should have to fight. Some were upset because blacks were being hired to do their jobs (especially longshoremen). Some were simply racists. Whatever the reason, blacks were targeted. Some were lynched, many others killed, still more dispossessed. A black orphanage was looted and burned to the ground. The first black-owned pharmacy was destroyed. Black families were evicted from their homes by landlords who feared the rioters would damage their property while targeting the black tenants. Basically, it was truly horrible in many ways. Unfortunately, the movie ignores most of that so that it can maintain its "white nativists vs white immigrants" narrative unmuddled by context or concurrent events.

Finally! Someone reacting to this awesome movie!! So happy now!!

I love every movie Daniel Day Lewis has ever starred in. "My Left Foot" was the first i saw him in. His portrayal of the real life artist with cerebral palsy that painted with his left foot was incredible.

i remember watching way back when it came out it was sooo amazing back then nothing else like it still just as good today !!

Looking forward to you watching 'The Warriors'....a different set of New York gangs.

I've been studying the gangs of New York since I was a kid in elementary school in the 80's, and read a book called Charley Skedaddle.

Yay it's back., I tried to comment on this the other night but there wasn't a comment section, so i refreshed the page and the whole video was gone. I was so confused lol

one of my favorite movies.

Herbert Asbury’s book The gangs of New York is quite a study of nineteenth century NYC but it does read like a history book. As the film is a mash-up of real and embellished events, the depiction of the period is delicious. The scene at 27:25 is an actual recreation of a Jacob Riis photo of a place near 59 Mulberry called Bandits Roost. IMO the day to day life in what was considered by some, the worst slum in the world, was is some ways worse than what was on the screen. It’s nice to see your enthusiasm for the film and the period.

one of the most underrated films ever

This is the first of the DD-L Trilogy: the 3 films that demonstrate Daniel Day-Lewis as possibly the greatest actor alive (or of this century): GANGS OF NEW YORK, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, and LINCOLN. Each one of them is a mic drop of acting, and he kept at it. Absolutely incredible catalog (and oddly enough, a 10-year span, one every 5 years). One interesting thing about Bill the Butcher is that his only shred of humanity comes through in his pride. Like the first battle: once he's won, he puts his rage and hate aside to give his enemy respect and even tenderness, letting him say goodbye to his son and waiting for him to ask for the killing blow; then forbidding anyone to desecrate the corpse. It's the closest we see to him NOT being a vicious, corrupt monster. So in a way he is a man of principle because those principles are strong enough--he believes in them so fervently--that they can overcome his impulses and personal desires. Cinecitta is pronounced "chin-ah-cheetah" and it was the studio where Fellini and many other of the Italian Neorealists shot their films during the golden age of European cinema.

When you said, I have not seen anyone bathe this entire movie I died laughing and subscribed. Also, yes the movie is a feast!

Another delightful period movie set in America: 'Belizaire the Cajun'.

I was like three minutes into this video the first time when it got smited. Glad to see it back.

Marty was robbed of his Oscar for this epic.

GONY is my absolute favourite Scorcese film. Masterful work.

I really like the world building in this movie, it really does a good job at introducing this world the characters live in and it truly comes alive.

Thank you Shan!

From what I remember the DVD had background on all the historical stuff. It was fascinating.

Saw this at a theater and remember there was a huge gasp in the audience at the beginning of the movie with the brutality of the gang fight. Don't think anyone expected that coming out of the gate. Great cast. Especially Daniel Day Lewis. He just doesn't just merely portray the character he is playing, he actually becomes that character.

43:03 - Oh are you? Are you fangirling? Are you really? Golly gee, I could not tell. 🤭

Masterpiece.

I like that triva piece about speilburg visiting the set, that's why his movies may be entertaining, but Scorsese movies are EPIC masterpieces. I'm fine with CGI when its needed, but this movie was so much better because it had a real set. NO Question!

I remember watching this movie with my dad in 2003 on vhs when I was like 10, it was wild! Such an awe-inspiring movie, was way too gruesome for me back than and still is till this day, but it's a great movie thanks for the review!

If you want see a film set in 1800's NYC, it's got to be 'The Age of Innocence'! Also directed by Scorsese starring Daniel Day Lewis. One of the best endings in film history. Exquisitely shot. A perfect gem.

This movie was my favorite movie that year. I bought the dvd the first day it went on sale for my mom. It became one of her favorite movies.

If you ever get back to New York to see where these events took place, most of 5 Points is completely different. 5 Points at Canal Street & Bowery now is the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, the neighbourhood is Manhattan's Chinatown right next to Manhattan's Little Italy (not to be confused with the real Little Italy in The Bronx). The big gang fight at the end, in reality took place at Columbus Park between Worth & Bayard Streets and the draft riots mainly took place where Walker Street intersects Canal Street. The draft riots took place in 1865, Bill the Butcher died in 1855 before any of this movie was supposed to have taken place.

Scrosesse always wanted to make a film based on the book by Ausberry, and he did a fantastic job. Based on true events, the draft riots were very real in serval northern cities

This movie was based on the book The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld. (1928) Herbert Ashbury. It is a tough read. It might have been easier for me if I had ever been to New York. Because it lists a lot of locals. The Minneapolis Star Tribune Newspaper had an article about this movie I had read and knew I had to see it. That time period is interesting to me as well. Daniel Day Lewis actually worked for a while in a butcher shop to prepare for this movie.

I, Charles Dickens, visited New York in the 1840s. It was a mess. Pigs were trotting across Broadway. Spittoons everywhere. My English sensibilities were rather rattled by it all.

The Schermerhorns were an old, wealthy New York family of Dutch colonial origins. At my alma mater Columbia U, I had classes in Schermerhorn Hall.

Funny enough, Daniel Day-Lewis did star in another Scorsese film a decade earlier called The Age of Innocence set in New York circa late 19th century. (It was also rated G)

when the priest said "finish it" he meant himself..as in "kill me"..he was talking to eagle eye without looking at him..

27:21 They created the famous book cover in that scene so you, with the camera, can go through Paradise Alley. 🤓 The name "Dead Rabbits" as the gang's name is supposed to be accidentally named by a journalist. The journalist did a piece on the biggest gangs in New York at the time and asked around and found out that the biggest was "The Dead Ráibéad" (The name basically means someone you really don't wanna mess with). But, because the gang were mostly Irish the journalist thought they said "The Dead Rabbits" but with a heavy old Irish accent. The people of New York and the gangs wondered at first who "The Dead Rabbits" were when they read the newspaper. But I guess they figured it out and liked the name and kept it. 🤓

Scorsese actually did another NYC in the late 1800s film in the early 90d. "The Age of Innocence", a romantic drama with Daniel Day Lewis, Winona Ryder and Michelle Pfeiffer. Scorsese did "Goodfellas", "Cape Fear" then "Age Of Innocence", then "Casino". The Scorsese movies I'm dying for you to see most are from the 8os though: "The King Of Comedy" and "After Hours", both wild satire/dark comedies, NYC in the 80s, "After Hours" is only an hour and twenty minutes, is downtown NYC at night, 1980s, with Catherine O'Hara, Teri Garr, Roseanne Arquette, Linda Fiortenio, Verna Bloom, Cheech & Chong......wild movie! It's totally NYC, indie, 80s........brilliant! Don't miss those two Marty's! You'll be blown away!!!!

love that music with the whistle, so effecting