King Of New York (1990) [Blu-ray]
Crime | Drama | Thriller

In New York, crime gets done Frank's way - or it doesn't get done at all. Recently freed from prison, Frank White (Walken) hooks up with his old crew to challenge his fellow drug lords. Each bloody battle aims at a piece of the high-priced action where being at the top of the chain can mean the difference between life and death. Unable to keep him behind bars, the cops declare war on him. Frank's answer-put a contract out on the cops.

Academy Award winner Christopher Walken stars in this mesmerizing, ultra-violent street drama of a city on the edge. Larry Fishburne, David Caruso, Wesley Snipes and Giancarlo Esposito also star in director Abel Ferrara's (Bad Lieutenant, Dangerous Game) riveting and horrifyingly realistic story of one man who takes the city beyond its limits.

User Comment: Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater (sirjosephu@aol.com) from Sacramento, CA, 15 August 2005 • King of New York (1990) was Abel Ferrara's return to the his favorite style of film making (the urban street drama). Over the past fifteen years, this movie has achieved a cult status that one would have never imagined. During it's initial release on video, this film was a word-of-mouth hit. I remembered watching this in high school. Although the movie was never a major box office hit, film found an audience when it was released on tape. But the movie's popularity grew even more when rappers made numerous of references to it in music and song.

Christopher Walken stars as a crime lord who has done a stint in prison. Upon his release he begins to rebuild his fledging empire through violence and strong arming. Whilst he rotted in prison, his rivals became strong as they gobbled up his business. With time on his side, Frank launches a plan that'll make him KING OF NEW YORK. Can Frank do it by himself? How will the local authorities re-act to his new found activities? Will his soldiers remain loyal? What will his rivals do? To find out you'll just have to watch it!!

I found this movie to be very good. Abel Ferrara has found his niche audience and he should cater to it. He has a style that a director like Martin Scorese once had.

Highly recommended.

Summary: The Cinema of Abel Ferrara: King of New York.

User Comment: Doctor_Bombay from Lucas Buck, NC, 11 February 1999 • Do you like Christopher Walken movies? The good, the deep psychological studies, the creepy pseudo-underworld /misfit characters that have unfortunately typecast one of America's greatest and multi-talented contemporary actors?

Do you like Abel Ferrara movies? The down in the muck, inner-city examinations of the seedier motivations and lifestyles-the side of life many of us would like to ignore, but are intrigued by nonetheless?

Low budget and a lot of conjones are trademarks of Ferrara's films (Fear City, The Addiction, The Funeral) and this is no exception, but the term stylish is defined here..You see, you hear, you FEEL the environment-the nasty low morality hustlers of the five burroughs………….Much congrats to Alex Tovoularis' production design.

King of New York may not be as famous as Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant in the world of the cinema-geek, but maybe it should be.

Joe Delia's haunting soundtrack is a perfect compliment to Bojan Bazelli's moody visuals-Walken's confrontation scene of the old-style Mafiosos is as classic as it is intense.

Man, do I love this movie.

Summary: King of the Genre.

[CSW] -3- It was a good movie and although some of the scenes were just a little bit over the top, this turned out to be just about what I expected, no more no less. Sit back relax and enjoy.
[V4.5-A4.0] VC-1 - No D-Box.

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