Cinematic Style Of Mean Streets
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Mean Streets is a film by Martin Scorsese which portrays the life of Italian American men living on the mean streets of Little Italy, New York. The movie mainly follows the lives of Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and his best friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro). Charlie is caught between his religion and trying to help Johnny Boy pay his debt, in which he owes to the mob. Charlie desperately wants to lead a normal life but his loyal support to Johnny Boy will not allow Charlie to do so. Martin Scorsese is a definite auteur and his unique style is evident in Mean Streeets. There is one scene in particular that demonstrates Martin Scorsese's distinctive cinematic style and that is the scene where a sizeable brawl occurs in a shoddy pool bar. This scene illustrates Scorsse's unique cinematic style by its dialogue, sound and incredible camera work.
The brawl in the pool bar scene takes place past the midway point of the movie. Charlie and his boys go to this pool bar in Little Italy to collect money from the owner of this bar. But, when Johnny boy is called a 'mook', a brawl erupts...