Wise Guy: David Chase And The Sopranos

[DanaK]

Quote

The HBO Original two-part documentary WISE GUY David Chase and The Sopranos directed by Academy Award(R)-winner Alex Gibney (HBO's "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief" and "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley") debuts SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. The two-part documentary had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival.

25 years after the show first debuted, HBO's paradigm-shifting series "The Sopranos" remains a cultural phenomenon and a touchstone for prestige television. In WISE GUY David Chase and The Sopranos, acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney delves deep into the psyche of renowned "Sopranos" creator and writer, David Chase, to illuminate his life and career while offering a unique window into his unparalleled work on the iconic program. On a replica set of Dr. Melfi's psychiatrist's office, Gibney flips the script on David Chase, excavating and analyzing the origins of "The Sopranos," his creative process, and the intimate connections between his own life and many of his characters.

Note that both parts will be played back to back on September 7

Full press release http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2024/08/20/hbo-original-two-part-documentary-wise-guy-david-chase-and-the-sopranos-debuts-september-7-536115/20240820hbo01/

Trailer

 

[EtheltoTillie]

This is pretty interesting, and I’m not a Sopranos super fan. I liked seeing the casting films in episode one. I could never understand the casting of Nancy Marchand and I still do not. When you hear him discuss it, he must have seen something very personal in how she played the part. 

Edited September 8 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

I'm in the middle of episode 2 now, and I am appreciating more how brilliant the show was.  The acting and writing were superb. 

More on the casting of Nancy Marchand.  He was very particular about casting only Italians, yet Nancy Marchand was not Italian.  This always stood out to me.  She was Mrs. Pynchon acting like a crazy lady.  Even David Chase says in the interviews that he knew she was Mrs. Pynchon and that's what he expected before he cast her, but she gave something more.  As I said above, he must have seen something very personal, as he was writing about his own mother. 

Edited September 8 by EtheltoTillie

[kathe5133]

I loved the ending!

 

[Soapy Goddess]

17 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I'm in the middle of episode 2 now, and I am appreciating more how brilliant the show was.  The acting and writing were superb. 

More on the casting of Nancy Marchand.  He was very particular about casting only Italians, yet Nancy Marchand was not Italian.  This always stood out to me.  She was Mrs. Pynchon acting like a crazy lady.  Even David Chase says in the interviews that he knew she was Mrs. Pynchon and that's what he expected before he cast her, but she gave something more.  As I said above, he must have seen something very personal, as he was writing about his own mother. 

Jamie Lynn Sigler (Meadow) wasn't Italian either. But she looked Italian. So, he went with his gut. I believe that has a lot to do with him selecting Nancy to play Tony's mother. Obviously, he saw something in her that we don't see on the surface. Maybe it was her deadpan delivery...the fact that she appeared so unemotional...similar to his own mother. Whatever it was, he found exactly what he was looking for in Nancy.

[sugarbaker design]

On 9/8/2024 at 9:02 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

Even David Chase says in the interviews that he knew she was Mrs. Pynchon and that's what he expected before he cast her, but she gave something more.  As I said above, he must have seen something very personal, as he was writing about his own mother. 

He most likely saw a very capable actress.  I still get the chills when I think of Tony telling her he knows what she did, while she's laying on the moving gurney, smiling.  Livia Soprano had to be named after Livia from I, Claudius, right?

[EtheltoTillie]

11 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

He most likely saw a very capable actress.  I still get the chills when I think of Tony telling her he knows what she did, while she's laying on the moving gurney, smiling.  Livia Soprano had to be named after Livia from I, Claudius, right?

Has to be!

[heatherchandler]

On 9/8/2024 at 7:10 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

This is pretty interesting, and I’m not a Sopranos super fan. I liked seeing the casting films in episode one. I could never understand the casting of Nancy Marchand and I still do not. When you hear him discuss it, he must have seen something very personal in how she played the part. 

It’s funny, he’s mentioned this in other interviews, most people think sweet and cuddly when they think Italian mom or grandma but his mother was cold and angry.  My grandma was also EXACTLY like Livia.  Nancy nailed it.  I always thought her casting was perfect.

[Tachi Rocinante]

On 9/8/2024 at 8:10 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

I could never understand the casting of Nancy Marchand and I still do not. When you hear him discuss it, he must have seen something very personal in how she played the part. 

She was brilliant.  The only issue I ever had with her performance is that a character her age probably would have spoken with a bit more of an accent.

[Soapy Goddess]

13 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

She was brilliant.  The only issue I ever had with her performance is that a character her age probably would have spoken with a bit more of an accent.

Yes, but if you saw the "many saints of Newark" (Sopranos prequel) Livia doesn't have an accent...so it follows through.