every possible ending
$Zero
the Soprano's Finale was indeed a masterpiece.
-$Zero...
$Zero
> every possible ending
>
> the Soprano's Finale was indeed a masterpiece.
but maybe i'm the only one who thinks so because this was my "creative
genius" pre-show "essay":
Subject: gabagool -- The Soprano's Finale -- 25+ versions
http://groups.google.com/group/megablog/msg/d82b33a9908872db
$Zero
On Jun 10, 10:24?pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> On Jun 10, 10:08?pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> > every possible ending
>
> > the Soprano's Finale was indeed a masterpiece.
>
> but maybe i'm the only one who thinks so because of my
> "creative genius" pre-show "essay":
>
> Subject: gabagool -- The Soprano's Finale -- 25+ versions
> http://groups.google.com/group/megablog/msg/d82b33a9908872db
i just watched the it again as it repeated on HBO tonight.
and i had a good laugh.
as many who also watched that masterpiece know,
the song playing at the end (by a cheesy band called
"Journey") was "Don't Stop Believing".
and the last lyrics heard were:
"Don't stop..."
at which point it abruptly ends and the silent blank screen popped up
for several seconds before the credits rolled with no relevant closing
song playing.
the songless ending was contrary to every other episode besides this
one, the 86th (the episode which eighty-sixed the series).
but that's not why i laughed.
i already knew all of that from the first time i watched it.
what DID make me laugh wasn't the song that Tony chose to play on the
tabletop jukebox before everyone else arrived at the diner.
"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.
it was the "B" side of that song (which showed on the jukebox title
card as Tony scanned the selections)
"Anyway You Want It."
hilarious!
and brilliant.
"enjoy the music"
-- Tony Soprano
[suggestion Tony makes in the second
scene of the The Sopranos series finale]
-$Zero...
$Zero
> Re: every possible ending (Sopranos Finale Spoilers)
>
> On Jun 10, 10:24?pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> > On Jun 10, 10:08?pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> > > every possible ending
>
> > > the Soprano's Finale was indeed a masterpiece.
>
> > but maybe i'm the only one who thinks so because of my
> > "creative genius" pre-show "essay":
>
> > Subject: gabagool -- The Soprano's Finale -- 25+ versions
http://groups.google.com/group/megablog/msg/d82b33a9908872db
> i just watched the it again
> as it repeated on HBO tonight.
>
> and i had a good laugh.
>
> as many who also watched that masterpiece know,
> the song playing at the end (by a cheesy band called
> "Journey") was "Don't Stop Believing".
>
> and the last lyrics heard were:
>
> "Don't stop..."
>
> at which point it abruptly ends midsong
> as the silent blank screen popped up
> for several seconds before the credits rolled
> with no relevant closing song playing.
>
> the songless ending was contrary to every
> other episode besides this one, the 86th
> (the episode which eighty-sixed the series).
>
> but that's not why i laughed.
>
> i already knew all of that from
> the first time i watched it.
>
> what DID make me laugh wasn't the song that
> Tony chose to play on the tabletop jukebox
> before everyone else arrived at the diner.
>
> "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.
>
> it was the "B" side of that song
> (which showed on the jukebox titlecard
> as Tony scanned the selections)
>
> "Anyway You Want It."
>
> hilarious!
>
> and brilliant.
>
> "enjoy the music"
> -- Tony Soprano
> [suggestion Tony makes in the second
> scene of The Sopranos series finale]
see also my other post (written just before the first episode of this
last season):
Sopranos [write your own spoiler]
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/609d0919bff228c9
heh.
do i have my finger on the pulse of "creative genius" or what?
"THAT... was Mozart...
that vulgar little child i saw
crawling all over the floor."
-- Antonio Salieri
[actor: F. Murray Abraham; from
the movie: "Amadeus" (1984)]
-$Zero...
$Zero
> On Jun 12, 11:49 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> > On Jun 10, 10:24 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> > > On Jun 10, 10:08 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> > > > every possible ending
>
> > > > the Soprano's Finale was indeed a masterpiece.
>
> > > but maybe i'm the only one who thinks so because of my
> > > "creative genius" pre-show "essay":
>
> > > Subject: gabagool -- The Soprano's Finale -- 25+ versions
http://groups.google.com/group/megablog/msg/d82b33a9908872db
> > i just watched it again as it
> > repeated on HBO tonight.
>
> > and i had a good laugh.
>
> > as many who also watched that masterpiece know,
> > the song playing at the end (by a cheesy band called
> > "Journey") was "Don't Stop Believing".
and although i was never a big fan of their music
(too many others to keep me enthralled, i guess),
it's a beautiful song.
kinda like a Springsteen thinger,
only more sentimentally scored.
> > and the last lyrics heard were:
>
> > "Don't stop..."
>
> > at which point it abruptly ends midsong
> > as the silent blank screen popped up
> > for several seconds before the credits rolled
> > with no relevant closing song playing.
>
> > the songless ending was contrary to every
> > other episode besides this one, the 86th
> > (the episode which eighty-sixed the series).
>
> > but that's not why i laughed.
>
> > i already knew all of that from
> > the first time i watched it.
>
> > what DID make me laugh wasn't the song that
> > Tony chose to play on the tabletop jukebox
> > before everyone else arrived at the diner.
>
> > "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.
>
> > it was the "B" side of that song
> > (which showed on the jukebox titlecard
> > as Tony scanned the selections)
>
> > "Any Way You Want It."
from Journey's "Departure" album, aparently:
"any way you want it
that's the way you need it
any way you want it"
> > hilarious!
>
> > and brilliant.
>
> > "enjoy the music"
> > -- Tony Soprano
> > [suggestion Tony makes in the second
> > scene of The Sopranos series finale]
>
> see also my other post (written just before the
> first episode of this last season):
>
> Sopranos [write your own spoiler]
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.writing/msg/609d0919bff228c9
> heh.
>
> do i have my finger on the pulse of "creative genius" or what?
>
> "THAT... was Mozart...
> that vulgar little child i saw
> crawling all over the floor."
> -- Antonio Salieri
> [actor: F. Murray Abraham; from
> the movie: "Amadeus" (1984)]
[during a monopoly game, Bobby makes an observation]
"you Sopranos...
you go too far!"
-- Bobby Bacala
[episode: Soprano Home Movies]
-$Zero...
Towse
> On Jun 13, 12:09?am, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>> On Jun 12, 11:49 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>>> On Jun 10, 10:24 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>>>> On Jun 10, 10:08 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
You know, or maybe you don't, Z., that the East of Greenwich contingent
are behind us in their viewings through no fault of their own.
Talking on and on (and on) about the Sopranos finale is just mean.
--
Sal
Ye olde swarm of links: thousands of links for writers, researchers and
the terminally curious <http://writers.internet-resources.com>
$Zero
> $Zero wrote:
> > On Jun 13, 12:09?am, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >> On Jun 12, 11:49 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >>> On Jun 10, 10:24 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >>>> On Jun 10, 10:08 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> You know, or maybe you don't, Z., that the East of Greenwich contingent
> are behind us in their viewings through no fault of their own.
i'm aware of that, Sal.
and i took measures to avoid giving anything away, albeit minimal
ones.
maybe i'm giving them too much credit to be able to not read further?
> Talking on and on (and on) about the Sopranos finale is just mean.
my first post gave nothing at all away.
my second post was cryptic at best.
after that, i labeled it spoiler material.
so i think i was more than polite enough about it all.
YMMV, obviously.
"enjoy the music"
-- Tony Soprano
[suggestion Tony makes in the second
scene of The Sopranos series finale]
-$Zero...
Towse
> my first post gave nothing at all away.
>
> my second post was cryptic at best.
>
> after that, i labeled it spoiler material.
>
> so i think i was more than polite enough about it all.
I find the whole discussion boring.
Obviously.
> YMMV, obviously.
Very Busy Guy
"Towse" <se...@towse.com> wrote in message
news:Yr6dna_Ipe1JDfLb...@comcast.com...
> $Zero wrote:
>> On Jun 13, 12:09?am, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>>> On Jun 12, 11:49 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>>>> On Jun 10, 10:24 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>>>>> On Jun 10, 10:08 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> You know, or maybe you don't, Z., that the East of Greenwich contingent
> are behind us in their viewings through no fault of their own.
>
> Talking on and on (and on) about the Sopranos finale is just mean.
>
> --
> Sal
>
you misspelled shallow
Josh Hill
wrote:
So, what do you think will happen on "Lost"?
--
Josh
"Paranoia results from a proper perception
of the food chain." - Boots
$Zero
> "Towse" <s...@towse.com> wrote in message
> > $Zero wrote:
> >> On Jun 13, 12:09?am, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >>> On Jun 12, 11:49 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >>>> On Jun 10, 10:24 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
> >>>>> On Jun 10, 10:08 pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> > You know, or maybe you don't, Z., that the East of Greenwich contingent
> > are behind us in their viewings through no fault of their own.
>
> > Talking on and on (and on) about the Sopranos finale is just mean.
>
well, gee, just like half of the rest of America,
Geno didn't understand the ending either.
imagine that.
"i get it!"
-- Tony Soprano
[on the tail end of a mescaline trip]
-$Zero...
$Zero
> $Zero wrote:
>
> > my first post gave nothing at all away.
>
> > my second post was cryptic at best.
>
> > after that, i labeled it spoiler material.
>
> > so i think i was more than polite enough about it all.
>
> I find the whole discussion boring.
>
> Obviously.
obviously, you didn't watch the series.
> > YMMV, obviously.
[wise suggestion made in the second
scene of The Sopranos finale]
"enjoy the music"
-- Tony Soprano
-$Zero...
Thomas Armagost
http://tinyurl.com/2e6a4e
>> [nu-monet v8.0 wrote]
> "iDRMRSR" <idr...@sssssubgenius.com> wrote:
[si...@well.com wrote]
>
>>> They're going to sell it as an eight DVD set.
>
> Oh no. Just wait a few years. Eight director's cuts.
>
>> Hay! That would be a GREAT idea! Hire all these directors
>> to write and film the last epasode in a diffarant style!
>
>> I wanna see the one where Tony loses his head, literally, and
>> some street kid takes it into a shop where it's made into
>> pencal leads.
>
>> Wake me when that happans.
>
> Finally, the sequel to Eraserhead.
If it's worth stealing, it must be a good idea.
Be sure to take your blood pressure medication before reading the
following diatribe about The Sopranos in the Huffington Post.
Arrivederci Tony--and Good &%$@ing Riddance!
http://tinyurl.com/24a3eh
Tony Hendra was editor-in-chief of the National Lampoon magazine in
the 1970s. He grew up to become a gifted author. I find his
thoughts to be worthwhile and not a waste of my time.
That said, I disagree with his assessment of Jerry Seinfeld.
"The Sopranos displayed what might be called the Seinfeld Syndrome:
a talent-challenged eponymous star surrounded and sustained by an
exceptional cast"
The cast of Seinfeld was first rate, of course. So was the cast of
The Honeymooners. But Jackie Gleason carried his own considerable
weight. Likewise Jerry Seinfeld deserves a big share of the credit
for his show's success.
--
http://www.well.com/user/silly/blogroll.html
"Don't forget to register to vote" - Frank Zappa
$Zero
> Hey, Zero, someone stole your idea and posted it to alt.slack!
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2e6a4e
more disappointed fans, huh?
Gawd.
> >> [nu-monet v8.0 wrote]
> > "iDRMRSR" <idrm...@sssssubgenius.com> wrote:
> [s...@well.com wrote]
> >
> >>> They're going to sell it as an eight DVD set.
> >
> > Oh no. Just wait a few years. Eight director's cuts.
> >
> >> Hay! That would be a GREAT idea! Hire all these directors
> >> to write and film the last epasode in a diffarant style!
> >
> >> I wanna see the one where Tony loses his head, literally, and
> >> some street kid takes it into a shop where it's made into
> >> pencal leads.
> >
> >> Wake me when that happans.
> >
> > Finally, the sequel to Eraserhead.
Elephant Man was another masterpiece.
> If it's worth stealing, it must be a good idea.
if only Bush and his ilk could grasp that concept.
> Be sure to take your blood pressure medication before reading the
> following diatribe about The Sopranos in the Huffington Post.
>
> Arrivederci Tony--and Good &%$@ing Riddance!
> http://tinyurl.com/24a3eh
i'm not sure whose blood pressure that piece could possibly raise.
it was an interesting read no matter what you think about The
Sopranos.
albeit seriously flawed.
> Tony Hendra was editor-in-chief of the National Lampoon magazine in
> the 1970s. He grew up to become a gifted author. I find his
> thoughts to be worthwhile and not a waste of my time.
his opinions in that piece were not worthwhile since its clear from
many things he said that he didn't follow the series.
unless perhaps he was making all of those mistakes on purpose as some
sort of larger satirical comment.
> That said, I disagree with his assessment of Jerry Seinfeld.
>
> "The Sopranos displayed what might be called the Seinfeld Syndrome:
> a talent-challenged eponymous star surrounded and sustained by an
> exceptional cast"
Gandolphini's portrayal of Tony Soprano was brilliantly subtle.
mastering everything from the accent to the mannerisms to the seething
rage.
perhaps it was simply a perfect character for him to play and he has
no other range as an actor, though i doubt it consider the range he
displayed on the show, but it was still an amazing performance
transcendently captured on film.
> The cast of Seinfeld was first rate, of course. So was the cast of
> The Honeymooners. But Jackie Gleason carried his own considerable
> weight. Likewise Jerry Seinfeld deserves a big share of the credit
> for his show's success.
probably not nearly as much as Larry David.
who, likewise, will perhaps probably not be competing with Robert De
Niro as far as acting range goes, but whose character portrayal on
Curb Your Enthusiasm is equally great.
though Gandolphini is clearly much closer to De Niro in his acting
abilities than Larry David could ever hope to be -- not that he'd ever
want to.
[T' updates the boys about AJ's
physical and mental condition]
"he's under observation...
whatever the fuck that means"
-- Tony Soprano
"Are you so dumb that you can't see
the irony in your own actions?"
-- Ray (the nice guy) Haddad
-$Zero...
Josh Hill
wrote:
>Gandolphini's portrayal of Tony Soprano was brilliantly subtle.
>
>mastering everything from the accent to the mannerisms to the seething
>rage.
>
>perhaps it was simply a perfect character for him to play and he has
>no other range as an actor, though i doubt it consider the range he
>displayed on the show, but it was still an amazing performance
>transcendently captured on film.
Agreed. I don't know how Hendra managed to miss that, but then, I'm
not sure how he managed to miss the merits of the whole series either.
Reminds me of the songwriter who, in her 40th-year retrospective of
Sgt. Pepper, wrote
'I can't listen to ''Sgt. Pepper's'' anymore. As a musician, I'm burnt
out on it -- its influence has been so vast and profound. As a
lyricist, I find that my ear has become more attuned to the likes of
Fiona Apple and Elliot Smith, and though the words of ''Sgt.
Pepper's'' are full of vivid images -- Rita's bag slung over her
shoulder, Mr. Kite sailing through a hogshead of fire, the runaway
girl with her handkerchief -- there's an emotional depth that's
missing. I'm ashamed to say it, but sometimes John Lennon's melodies
feel a bit underwritten, while Paul McCartney's relentless
cheerfulness is depressing. The very jauntiness I used to love as a
girl feels as if it's covering up a sadder subtext. And what's bleaker
than a brave face?
'The whole experience is uncomfortable, like realizing you can beat
your own father at chess or arm-wrestling.'
Fiona Apple? The gods laugh. Jauntiness covering up a sadder subtext,
but oh, wait -- it lacks emotional depth. Realizing she can do better,
uh, sure, I'll just run down to the local record store, I mean, who
wouldn't rush out to buy a new album that's better than Sgt. Pepper
and -- Durn. Guess I forgot to write down the name.
Thomas Armagost
"$Zero" <ze...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
>
> Thomas Armagost <si...@well.com> wrote:
>
>> Hey, Zero, someone stole your idea and posted it to alt.slack!
>
>> http://tinyurl.com/2e6a4e
>
> more disappointed fans, huh?
>
> Gawd.
I'm not a fan of the series. For that matter, I've stopped watching
24.
> Elephant Man was another masterpiece.
"I am not an animal! I am a human being! I... am... a... man!"
"Of course you are, sir. I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. Just
the same, if you'd be so kind as to pick up that ciggie butt and
deposit it in yon rubbish bin."
Life's a reality TV show. If you drop some litter while walking on
a sidewalk in England, a bobby watching you on a camera will likely
take you to task. Politely. They're so damn polite. Somehow it's
worse than 1984.
>> If it's worth stealing, it must be a good idea.
>
> if only Bush and his ilk could grasp that concept.
>
>> Be sure to take your blood pressure medication before reading
>> the following diatribe about The Sopranos in the Huffington
>> Post.
>
>> Arrivederci Tony--and Good &%$@ing Riddance!
>> http://tinyurl.com/24a3eh
[chomp]
>> Jerry Seinfeld deserves a big share of the credit for his show's
>> success.
>
> probably not nearly as much as Larry David.
I would have mentioned him, but he told me to curb my enthusiasm.
> who, likewise, will perhaps probably not be competing with Robert
> De Niro as far as acting range goes
Within their narrow range, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld can be
frickin' hilarious.
Towse
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EwUG2nSLdw>
"It's The Ending HBO Didn't Want You to See"
Thomas Armagost
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070615/people-sopranos-cast
He had "no idea" what would happen to Tony Soprano.
Towse
> Gandolfini: "I thought it was a great ending."
>
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070615/people-sopranos-cast
>
> He had "no idea" what would happen to Tony Soprano.
Jon Swift: The Last Sopranos Finale Review Ever
<http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2007/06/last-sopranos-finale-review-ever.html>
"If there was one thing our divided country could still agree on, it was
that we like our narratives resolved like our wars--with the good guys
victorious and the bad guys punished and parades and speeches and a big
banner that says "Mission Accomplished." America is not France and we
would not tolerate a television show that ended ambiguously like an arty
French movie. We all believed that in the few minutes left creator David
Chase would somehow manage to tie everything up and leave us feeling
satisfied. He is a genius, after all. We could all agree on that."
$Zero
for those closure junkies out there who feel that David Chase has
betrayed them like some sort of Fredo, here's some interesting
thoughts from a poster over in alt.tv.sopranos
=========================
[...]
If you follow the logic of some people, no show has closure unless it
does what Six Feet Under did, which is show you how and when each
character died.
What storyline on the Sopranos do they feel wasn't "wrapped up"?
If he as arrested and they didn't show whether he got convicted or
aquitted, is that "wrapped up"?
If he got arrested and then convicted would that be "wrapped up" since
it is possible he may get paroled at some point?
If he was sentenced to life in prison, is that "wrapped up"?
Maybe not, because in the future maybe the conviction will be
overturned.
If the family went into the witness protection program, is that
"wrapped up"?
Maybe not, because maybe, like Henry Hill, Tony will get kicked out of
the program, or maybe he will leave voluntarily, or someone will track
him down.
[...]
=========================
-$Zero...
$Zero
> Found on some guy's tumblr list:
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EwUG2nSLdw>
>
> "It's The Ending HBO Didn't Want You to See"
i think that's even funnier than the one i saw where, instead of
cutting immediately to black, some YouTuber spliced-in that shower
scene just at the point where Vito junior takes a screw-you! crap.
there's some angry fans out there.
it's all too amusing.
apparently HBO didn't think that one was very funny because YouTube
took it down for some TOS violation of some sort. and it only had
about 400 hits when i first saw it (it was gone a few hours later when
i went back to show it someone).
it was posted to the alt-tv-sopranos, so maybe the guardians of good
taste at HBO are monitoring that usenet group.
and i think i just figured out how it might be financially
advantageous to delay the last season for those in Europe, etc.
i mean, consider how hard it must have been for David Chase (and the
relatively small crew and producers) to keep the ending a secret in
America.
but now there's 30 million loud-mouthed Americans who know the ending.
imagine how hard it would be to keep the ending a secret, now!
yikes.
do you think that there might be a big DVD market for wealthy
Europeans who want to see the last season without any spoilers?
although, i suppose that would have to be a black market since the
DVDs aren't released yet.
see that?
always thinking like a Sicilian.
hey!
i think i just figured out what the title of the finale refers to.
"Made in America"!
LOL.
a big fuck you to the rest of the world's Sopranos fans as well.
too funny.
so why the fuck am i still flat broke?
it's unimaginable.
...
The Fat Lady Sang (but she was a Soprano!)
"enjoy the music"
-- Tony Soprano
[suggestion made in the second scene
of The Sopranos series finale]
"i get it!"
-- Tony Soprano
[on the tail end of a peyote trip]
-$Zero...
Thomas Armagost
http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,2104350,00.html
Nicola Ingarao took a "university philosophy exam the day before he
was murdered" and passed it with flying colors.
He was the "reputed leader of the Porta Nuova clan of Sicily's Cosa
Nostra."
His professor described him as "having a courteous manner." Needless
to say, Ingarao made no mention of his underworld activities, and
instead claimed to own a toy shop.
--
http://armagost.wordpress.com
$Zero
i just wrote a very long but highly insightful piece about the
following very convincing and articulate and literate case for Tony
having been whacked (written by someone posting as Cyberiade):
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.sopranos/msg/413cbf83d1bf7636
...but the thing accidently got lost in the ether.
what a shame.
it was a really interesting and amusing analysis.
ending with this:
it's not a book.
it's not TV.
it's HBO.
but i'm way too demoralized (by it having disappeared while i did a
quick reference check) to rewrite it just now.
so consider yourself seriously cheated until then.
anyway, it revolved around the most sublime conclusion that the other
dude wrote at the end of his (or her) reply to someone who didn't want
to accept the conclusions made, to which the dude answered several of
the counterpoints and closed with this:
"We could go on and on about this all day long, but I hope
you can see that "T" met his maker, and that "Cleaver" is
the much-anticipated 'The Sopranos' movie that David Chase
has already made, and has already debuted at the theaters."
but reading just that alone will probably leave you scratching your
head.
however, i'm posting this here to remind me to rewrite it all later.
when i get my wind back.
yikes.
i hate writing several paragraphs for nothing.
heh. irony.
(in that the same could be said about posting to usenet, i suppose).
anyway, here's just a taste:
it wasn't the butler in the library with the flashlight.
it was the cat in the backroom of the sausage factory with the
portrait of Christofuh sitting in the director's chair (wearing his
Cleaver baseball cap) as Tony fed and petted and saved the life of the
cat from a superstitious Paulie.
so The Sopranos movie has already been made, but you can't buy a
ticket to see it.
(unless they already made the thing starring the Baldwin lad)
more later if you're good.
and if i can remember even half of the rest.
-$Zero...
$Zero
> On Jun 15, 11:24?pm, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com> wrote:
[...]
"i get it!"
-- Tony Soprano
[on the tail end of a peyote trip
partying in Vegas with Christofuh's
Vegas goomah girlfriend shortly after
unjustifiably smothering Christofuh]
now who can possibly argue that this was no more than a silly TV show?
it's Shakespearian in it's simplicity as well as its complexity.
like i said:
it's not a book.
it's not TV.
it's HBO.
> so The Sopranos movie has already been made,
> but you can't buy a ticket to see it.
>
> (unless they already made the thing
> starring the Baldwin lad)
>
> more later if you're good.
>
> and if i can remember even half of the rest.
sorry, but i think i'm too prolific to remember even a small
percentage of it.
"oh, poor you."
-- Sopranos catchphrase
-$Zero...
$Zero
but here's the really brilliant thing about this ending.
for months, perhaps years, people will be debating the ending.
and after a shitload of research is made by devoted fans and other
interested parties (as season DVD sales go "cha' ching! cha' ching!
cha' ching!" -- with everyone buying up the whole masterpiece
collection) there will eventually form a consensus about what the
ending meant.
because of all of the artfully placed clues that David Chase placed
throughout the series run, everyone will eventually conclude that Tony
was whacked by the guy in the Members Only jacket. there will be no
possible credible argument against it.
and then...
David Chase will whack that consensus with a theatrical release of a
happy ending.
and everyone will see how wrong they were to jump to all of those
"conclusions".
and it won't be some cheesy happy ending.
it'll be a masterpiece.
[bowing]
...
and no, this wasn't part of what i had written prior when i accidently
lost the text while checking a reference. these are all new ideas.
the other stuff had to do with various proofs that Tony had been
whacked (as well as commenting on how brilliantly the hit was
"executed") -- mostly explaining the connections to Christofuh and
Tony's relationship as played out in the movie-within-the-movie
"Cleaver", etc..
it also went into how amazingly rich the series was/is -- Shakesperian
in its scope -- in that it could appeal to the vulgar sex and violence
right wingish crowd as well as the left wingy intellectuals and other
independent-minded lovers of "literary" masterpieces about the human
condition (psychological, theological, political, humorical, romantic,
pragmatic, etc.) and whatnot.
can you tell i liked the show?
anyway...
it's not a book. it's not TV. it's HBO.
-$Zero...
Josh Hill
wrote:
>Warning: "Six Feet Under" Spoilers
>
>for those closure junkies out there who feel that David Chase has
>betrayed them like some sort of Fredo, here's some interesting
>thoughts from a poster over in alt.tv.sopranos
>
>=========================
>
>[...]
>
>If you follow the logic of some people, no show has closure unless it
>does what Six Feet Under did, which is show you how and when each
>character died.
>
>What storyline on the Sopranos do they feel wasn't "wrapped up"?
>
>If he as arrested and they didn't show whether he got convicted or
>aquitted, is that "wrapped up"?
>
>If he got arrested and then convicted would that be "wrapped up" since
>it is possible he may get paroled at some point?
>
>If he was sentenced to life in prison, is that "wrapped up"?
>
>Maybe not, because in the future maybe the conviction will be
>overturned.
>
>If the family went into the witness protection program, is that
>"wrapped up"?
>
>Maybe not, because maybe, like Henry Hill, Tony will get kicked out of
>the program, or maybe he will leave voluntarily, or someone will track
>him down.
When they say that the prince and princess lived happily ever after,
does that leave you yearning to know how many children they had and
whether the princess was 60 or 80 when she died? It's a story, not
real life: any reasonable coda will leave you happy as long as you end
on the tonic.
$Zero
> On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:24:59 -0700, $Zero <z...@whooooooosh.com>
i think it was Orson Welles who quipped something along the lines of:
if you want a happy ending, it all depends on where you stop the
story.
man, you should see all of the great Soprano related videos i've been
coming across on YouTube.
everything from animated satires of the finale, to hilarious fan
reviews.
some enthusiastically raving (yikes, this guy is something else):
Sopranos Final Episode! *Exclusive* Awesome Ending!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GudIkvsdhyM
some suicidally ranting (hopefully he'll find another show):
Sopranos Final Episode (disappointed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4U8J6VHINU
...to key clips from the series, like this gem:
The Sopranos Season 3 Final scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zvRE3pi_IU
it's the last scene from season three, which has so many metaphors
related to the series finale you won't believe your Soprano-loving
eyes.
for instance, Meadow running across the street AWAY from the family
gathering, Uncle Joon singing, strong and lucid (compare that with his
singing in the mental hospital and notice that, years ago, Meadow is
doing exactly to Uncle Joon what Junoir's psycho ward Chinese pal did
before Junior voluntarily deballed himself and sang along with the
rest of "the sheep" -- both Junior's pal and Meadow disrespectfully
throw spitballs at the singers and Uncle Joon respectively -- finale
season Joon compared to third season Joon, and Meadow's majorly
contrasted, too).
all of the future whacked characters are at this thrid season family
gathering (Meadow's exed out EX: it's Jackie Junior's post-wake
banquet, i think) -- the panning portraits are quite interesting.
Johnny Sack is there (in awe of Uncle Joon's singing), Ralphie's there
for the food and networking opportunities (wishing he could just eat
and run), Christofuh and Ade sharing tender kisses, etc..
and while Junior gently caresses the Italian ballad, Artie (in his
chef's uniform) listens intensely with his big-titted hottie wife
(meanwhile Artie's weeping for the liberated-by-Christopuh's-promotion
Adrianna), and Furio's providing a strong shoulder for Bobby who's
tearing up.
[regarding the lyrics]
Adrianna: "what's that mean, gwoidingdarda?"
Silvios wife: "ungrateful heart."
i guess Sylvio took care of that pending problem, aye?
heh.
in retrospect, it looks like quite a bit of foreshadowing.
Meadow leaving in a drunken huff, wisely telling Tony on the street
that "this is such *bullshit!*" compared to her informing him in the
last season that she wouldn't have given up on "med" school and become
a lawyer if she hadn't witnessed how the FBI had disrespected him over
the years (while Tony cringes in an impossible silence).
and after chasing her outside and witnessing her almost get hit by
several cars as she ran across the street to get away from his
hypocritical (but loving) bullshit, Tony returns to the gathering,
flustered and speechless, but finally summarizing to Carmella:
"back to school, i guess.
she'll be alright."
Carmella receives this update assessment awkwardly -- appearing to be
at the gathering in body only, probably majorly angry at Tony for some
prior marital relationship "conflict" of some sort (can you say
goomah?).
AJ's comfortably safe in his oblivious teenage years, laughing up a
storm at Meadows spitballs of disapproval, happily clueless as to why.
meanwhile, Tony can barely contain his rage over Meadow's disrespect
at the gathering -- he stands there increasingly embarassed and
uncomfortably astonished about how things are unraveling, wondering
where it all went wrong, almost forgetting that he gave the ok for
Ralphie to whack Meadow's exed out EX, (if that's how Ralphie wanted
to handle it) -- not that Jackie Junior didn't earn his clipping,
having flubbed it all up, killing a few innocent poker players in an
attempt to "earn some dough", and "win some respect", trying to copy a
daring poker heist which Tony "accomplished" years ago, thanks to
Professor Ralphies mobster college in the kitchen tip-sharing session
-- where he also instructs Jackie Junior on how to serve a good dish
of pasta (after giving him a gun).
the series was incredibly well written, at least after the fact, if
not totally premeditated.
but here's one of the most inventive of the satirical videos that i've
come across so far:
Sopranos Final Episode Last Scene (SPOILER!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XfdMOvmis
enjoy!
-$Zero...
Josh Hill
wrote:
>On Jun 16, 10:23 am, Josh Hill <userepl...@gmail.com> wrote:
'Sides which, I watched the ending for a second time and I couldn't
see any possibility that Tony didn't die. So -- was Chase making a
cynical comment on the possibility of an afterlife? "Don't stop
believing," then, from Tony's viewpoint, nothing.
>some suicidally ranting (hopefully he'll find another show):
>
> Sopranos Final Episode (disappointed)
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4U8J6VHINU
I think he's right that the season lagged (that old television
bugaboo, stretchoutitis), but I thought the last two episodes were,
er, killer. And while he's right about those gang members who appeared
from nowhere, it is television, after all, and you have to make
allowances for budgets. Most TV shows have that problem. My favorite
example: the 1950's Superman and the great metropolitan newspaper with
four employees.
Great reminder of how remarkably good the show was in its first
seasons. I suspect that not a little of it was after the fact. Meadow,
the wine, and the traffic, say. In the third season finale, it's a
reminder of parental helplessness -- of the concern parents have for
their fledging children, and the difficult necessity of letting go --
as well as of Tony's way of dealing with his culpability, with the
fallout from his activities. In the final episode, it's a reminder
that even the successful and pure of heart are vulnerable to fate,
that parent and child are reversing roles, and I think making a
symbolic point. Chase builds on the earlier episode by way of building
suspense and making a comment about Tony's failure -- just as the one
true success of his life enters, one that as Meadow herself pointed
out a few episodes back his cultural background doesn't allow him to
appreciate, he's deprived forever of the possibility.
Or something like that.
>but here's one of the most inventive of the satirical videos that i've
>come across so far:
>
> Sopranos Final Episode Last Scene (SPOILER!)
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XfdMOvmis
>
>enjoy!
LOL