At least, it seemed so until I saw what the Wayans cut out of the movie to get it released in theatres. The guns go off at the climax, of course. In the fiction arena, absolutely the best thing on TV today is The Sopranos. Bursting with pop culture references, sublimely written, directed and acted, and intensely real with its use of raw language and violence, the series humanizes a network of Mafia members in New Jersey. And it does so without shying away from the monstrous things they do, from extortion to murder.
Tomorrow is a day to celebrate.
The Complete First Season on both VHS and in a stunning four-disc DVD box set that features the widescreen version of these first 13 episodes of the show. On VHS in full screen format, The Sopranos looks like a TV show. In the visionary widescreen format, it plays like an extended movie serial. Bogdanovich, an inspired choice for the job because of his journalistic command and wealth of film knowledge, methodically draws out the taciturn Chase and reveals a lot of the subtext and secrets of the remarkable show. Parts of the interview are also presented as an optional audio commentary for the pilot, although they work better when you can see Chase and Bogdanovich interacting.