Once Upon a Time in America - Epic masterpiece or your favourite sleeping music

[Inferno]

What do you make of it? What do you think the end was all about? Was the smile for? Of course there's no one answer. It's meant to be kept ambiguous.

I absolutely love this film. Just got the DVD and am reminded who moving it is. And an amazing score that fits the film perfectly.

But I can understand why a lot of people don't like this movie. It's long, there's not much talking, and in a sense not that much happens.

[Neverending]

The best answer for the ending is the pipe he smokes in the beginning of the movie. Apparently that drug makes you relive the past and create a future for it. Noodles felt so guilty for the death of James Wood's character that to make himself feel better he envisioned a future where he was the one getting back-stabbed.

Actually it isn't that people hate this movie it is the fact that the DVD release is the first time people get to see the true version. 1984 was a bad year to release this movie because Heaven's Gates and other long-lentghed films had flopped at the box office, so studios were scared of releaseing a 4 hour movie. Basically a re-cut and shorter version was released which is what many people have seen for the past couple of years.

[Inferno]

Yeah I've heard about that interpretation of the ending. It's a possibility, but IMO i find it a bit of a cop out. Why the smile? Why the scene with the man and the garbage truck? It's not clear what happens there - despite what some people insist.

I think Noodles felt his life was a bit of a waste. He sold out his friends and treated his girl with total disrespect (to say the least). It seems that being high on the drugs was about the only thing that made him happy. I don't think at any other point in the film do we see him with a bigger smile.

Of course, the interpretation above could be right too. It's part of the enjoyment of the film to contemplate what it meant, what the director meant, and what you think would/should happen to the characters.

My other question is: Why was he called Noodles?

[poeman]

dude change that title to Once Upon A Time in the WEST

now thats a masterpiece

[Rizor]

Both are.

[Mat]

I love America

Of course I love all Leone pictures so I'm biased...

:p

[Inferno]

Originally posted by poeman
dude change that title to Once Upon A Time in the WEST

now thats a masterpiece

Yeah, i've got to see that film. Is it related to the dollars trilogy or a stand alone film?

[Stowe22]

Decent Film

[poeman]

Originally posted by Inferno
Yeah, i've got to see that film. Is it related to the dollars trilogy or a stand alone film?

let me tell ya its separate from the trilogy, but leone created a story which had more perfection then even the good the bad and the ugly.

[Se7en the movie]

leone is a genius! great film.....

[Neverending]

Once Upon a Time in the West is part of this trilogy. After the success of the Dollars trilogy Leone got the opportunity to work in the United States, but he was done with westerns. That wasn't good news for executives. They told him if he wanted to work in this country he must make another western. At the point Leone decided to make another trilogy. It would start with Once Upon a Time in the West then it would develop into A Fistful of Dynamite (a/k/a Duck You Suckers!) and end with Once Upon a Time in America. Three periods which touched america. However, the three movies were made by different studios so it isn't considered a trilogy.

[Dracula]

Originally posted by Mat
I love America

Of course I love all Leone pictures so I'm biased...

:p

I too love america and west and Good, bad, ugly but I never realy got into the fistfulls

[Neverending]

Originally posted by Dracula
I too love america and west and Good, bad, ugly but I never realy got into the fistfulls

I love a Fistful of Dollars. Classic Eastwood.

[Mat]

It's Yojimbo goes West...

Fun stuff...

[Andrey83]

Whats up with all filmmakers want to use that title :)

Once upon a time in the west
Once upon a time in China
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in Mexico
Once upon a time in the Midlands

Am i missing any? :)

[Jspitalieri]

Didn't care for this movie. The rape scene was too much and I felt like Uncle Leo in Seinfeld "Will someone answer the phone" It rang like 30 tines. I didn't find James Woods believable as a gangster.

[Inferno]

yeah, the rape scene was pretty horrific - especially since it was done without any music, just matter of fact there it is. I think i'm gonna skip the scene when i next watch the movie.

Understand on the telephone ring. But it was cool when you thought Noodles was finally answering it only for the ring to keep on going. Plus that phone call ends up being very important to the story.

[Brock Landers]

Once Upon a Time in America - Classic Leone. I loved it.

[poeman]

Originally posted by Andrey83
Whats up with all filmmakers want to use that title :)

Once upon a time in the west
Once upon a time in China
Once upon a time in America
Once upon a time in Mexico
Once upon a time in the Midlands

Am i missing any? :)

yes my 6th best movie, lagaan : Once Upon a Time In India