Exactly ten years and one day older than yours truly (or you could argue that if I were born in Australia; and he in the USA, given the time difference he is exactly ten years older than me to the day) I first noticed James Gandolfini in the Tony “Top-Gun” Scott Submarine thriller Crimson Tide (1995), as Lt Bobby Dougherty. It was only later I realized it was the same guy who played the sadistic hitman Virgil in Scott’s True Romance (1993). Both were delivered with just the right amount of menace and psychopathic violence to be able to later portray Televisions arguably greatest protagonist, Tony Soprano.
The last episode aired only last night here in Australia as I type this tribute, and as hyperbolic and protracted and pretentious as it sounds, words cannot even describe the impact this show and this man’s performance have made on myself and millions of viewers worldwide. I hesitate to use the term “fans”; as we can admire the quiet and humble Mr. Gandolfini, with his swag of Emmy’s and Golden Globes, but it’s hard to admire the monster-mobster that was Tony Soprano.
Never patronizing it’s audience, and elevating Television Drama to a new high-water-mark, every time we watched The Sopranos and chuckled at something funny Tony said, politically incorrect or otherwise, or when he endeared us to him through his warmth, kindness and loyalty, in-turn his next outrageous act of violence reminded us just what an absolute remorseless animal he could be.
Emotion never rode a roller-coaster quite like this, at least not for 86 episodes.
(Click on the image for a large-scale version; hold apple/control and wheel your mouse to fit in screen)
The last episode aired only last night here in Australia as I type this tribute, and as hyperbolic and protracted and pretentious as it sounds, words cannot even describe the impact this show and this man’s performance have made on myself and millions of viewers worldwide. I hesitate to use the term “fans”; as we can admire the quiet and humble Mr. Gandolfini, with his swag of Emmy’s and Golden Globes, but it’s hard to admire the monster-mobster that was Tony Soprano.
Never patronizing it’s audience, and elevating Television Drama to a new high-water-mark, every time we watched The Sopranos and chuckled at something funny Tony said, politically incorrect or otherwise, or when he endeared us to him through his warmth, kindness and loyalty, in-turn his next outrageous act of violence reminded us just what an absolute remorseless animal he could be.
Emotion never rode a roller-coaster quite like this, at least not for 86 episodes.
(Click on the image for a large-scale version; hold apple/control and wheel your mouse to fit in screen)
No comments:
Post a Comment