As a die-hard Sopranos enthusiast who’s spent countless hours dissecting every episode and theory surrounding Tony Soprano’s enigmatic world, I must admit that it left me somewhat bewildered when I realized Alex Gibney’s insightful documentary, Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos, overlooked the 2021 prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark.
You can now catch “David Chase and the Sopranos: Wise Guy” on HBO or stream it with a Max subscription. This series is worth watching, as Alex Gibney’s two-part documentary offers insights into the creation of one of TV’s finest shows and provides a more personal look at its creator. As a fan, I found this documentary particularly enjoyable due to the fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses. However, while it discusses numerous aspects of the mob drama, there’s one topic that remains untouched that I wish had been explored in greater depth.
What Topic Wasn’t Covered In Wise Guy?
In a comprehensive chat with Alex Gibney, David Chase shared numerous aspects about his cherished HBO series. Topics ranged from his initial idea to create The Sopranos as a film rather than a TV show, early plans for the character Tony, and a deep dive into James Gandolfini’s portrayal of the lead role. However, what wasn’t brought up in their conversation, as viewers are aware, is the 2021 prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark.
In a nutshell, “Alan Taylor’s film is set in the 1960s and ’70s and revolves around Dickie Moltisanti, father to Michael Imperioli’s character Christopher. The main plot centers on Dickie maneuvering through a major gang conflict that erupted following the Newark Riots. A significant side story explores Dickie’s bond with his teenage ‘nephew,’ Tony Soprano, portrayed by Alessandro Nivola. The ensemble cast includes Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Michela De Rossi, Corey Stoll, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, and Michael Gandolfini, who plays the young Tony.
In summary, “The Many Saints of Newark” received positive reviews, with TopMob’s review describing it as a captivating return to Jersey. Personally, I found the film engaging, which leads me to question its absence in the latest documentary.
Why This Particular Piece Of Sopranos Lore Should’ve Been Included In The Documentary?
It’s understandable why “The Many Saints of Newark” might align well with the theme of “Wise Guy,” as it belongs to the same “Sopranos” universe. While Alex Gibney’s two-part series primarily serves to spotlight the show and its creator, the film is also an extension of David Chase’s creative portfolio. He, along with Lawrence Konner, wrote the script, and initially intended to direct, although director from the original series, Alan Taylor, was eventually chosen instead.
It’s hard not to notice that Saints seem conspicuously absent from the conversation when discussing David Chase’s decision to return to the world of his show, particularly since he stated he had no lingering business. It would have been delightful to gain some insights from him about his motivation for creating a prequel and hear his thoughts on various aspects such as whether he was satisfied with the final product, why he chose to exclude a main character’s cameo in the original series, and more.
In summary, including a reference to the movie might have sparked debate in the documentary regarding the controversial ending of the show led by James Gandolfini. It seems our own Sean O’Connell believes the film offers some closure to the series’ enigmatic finale. I believe there are others who share this view, and it would be interesting to explore this theory further in the discussion.
Let me clarify: While “Wise Guy” is undoubtedly a must-watch for fans and skipping “The Many Saints of Newark” seems insignificant in the bigger picture, being a completist myself, I can’t help but feel that the movie could have provided another fascinating topic for this documentary. Nevertheless, you can stream both the film and the popular series that came before it on Max right now.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-09-18 22:07