Mean Streets (1973)

Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Richard Romanus, Amy Robinson, David Proval, George Memmoli, Cesare Danova, Victor Argo, Jeannie Bell. [R]

Scorsese’s third feature finally put him on the map, a trend-setting glimpse into guilt, loyalty, and self-destruction, set among small-time hoods in Little Italy. Keitel’s punk is tortured over his criminal lifestyle and his devout Catholic upbringing, his dedication to ne’er-do-well friend Johnny Boy (De Niro) and the affection he feels for Johnny’s cousin (Robinson). Vital, dizzying, deeply-textured filmmaking that explodes with raw emotion, beautifully-staged pseudo-improvisation, and the kind of authenticity that guarantees semi-autobiographical insight. The handheld camerawork almost becomes a character of its own, observant and intrusive, tracking a handful of virtuoso long-takes (including one of the most realistic bar brawls ever captured for a fiction film). The usage of a whole jukebox worth of pop tunes, sewn into the very fabric of the visual aesthetic and storytelling, set a new and oft-copied standard. De Niro’s brilliant urgency and volatility kicked off one of the great star-director collaboration tandems in film history. Edited by Scorsese himself, though credit went to adviser Sidney Levin because he wasn’t a guild member; Brian De Palma also assisted in editing duties for a few scenes. Scorsese has a bit part as a gunman, brothers David and Robert Carradine appear briefly together (in a scene without much “brotherly love”), and look for Marty’s mom, Catherine, in a small role as well.

94/100