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Last night whilst the SO snored away I watched 2012's The Iceman about Mafia contract hitman & real life serial killer, Richard Kuklinski. I know a lot about Kuklinski because, throughout the years, I've seen his chilling HBO interviews (no pun intended), now on YTube, heard authors being extensively interviewed on radio shows & read 2 books about him, beginning with the far-too-graphic tome by the now, sadly deceased Philip Carlo. As an aside, Carlo's life, in fact, was as interesting as his mainly serial killer subjects, if one ever has the inclination to listen to some of his early interviews, mostly on the late night Coast to Coast radio show, before MS ravaged his body & he developed speaking difficulties.
For me, therein lies the problem in that, once I've read a book, the movie is always a let down (perhaps, save for 'The Exorcist'), mainly as it moves too quickly for time's sake & can't possibly include the details of a long, good page-turner. So, far too much was glossed over quickly & of course, there were huge, very important chunks of details which just couldn't be referenced. Add to that the Hollywood factor... by all accounts RK was a violent animal at home, too, absolutely brutalized his wife, mentally, physically & otherwise & his daughters were terrified by him... yet, the movie made him a murdering lout 'til he hit his doorstep, where he suddenly transformed into a loving dad & doting husband. In real life it's made further ridiculous by the fact that he wouldn't contract-kill women or children... yet his family of 3 girls were his regular, brutalized whipping boards.
Michael Shannon, who I'd never seen before, did a good job playing the angry, unemotional RK, but, with a bit too much stoicism, which got tired after awhile. If you think of Randy Travis' face... well, he held that frozen, hard expression throughout. Winona Ryder was wretchedly annoying as his wife. It's the first time I've seen her on film since her tag-cutting, shoplifting episode in CA & I couldn't help but be reminded of that & her silly denial despite being caught redhanded on CCTV, blaming the event on amnesia & her prescription pills. I don't know if I just don't like Winona, or the way she played the character with a bit too much sappy vapidity, but I disliked every second she was onscreen. And, for some reason, voices can strongly affect me in a distracting way... she created this partially Marilynesque voice with a NJ accent to feign innocence & goodness & simultaneously has that annoying popping 's' in real life. Gosh, I dislike Winnie.
All the character parts were very well played, mainly by unknowns, particularly the outstanding Chris Evans, who is 30-yrs old in real life but made up to look decades older... he was intense & quirky & managed to not lose his likeability whilst playing a sordid thug. Ray Liotta was surprisingly vicious & scary as real life Mafia boss, Roy DeMeo, as was Robert Davi & a sleazy weasel played by David Schwimmer in a role in which I almost didn't recognize him... he either wore a bit of padding or gained about 40-lbs to play his character... I think it was the latter, since he's normally a right tall, thin lad.
A distraction was that the film was shot in such darkness, I kept thinking something was wrong with my screen. It's no doubt supposed to add to the seediness of the film, but those dark bar/night/low-lit, cramped office scenes get depressing & annoying if there are too many.
If one has read the biographies about RK, I think this movie will be a bit of a let down. If one knows nothing or little of RK, I'd suggest viewing The Iceman Tapes on YTube first, to see the real monster in his own words. There's a chilling point in the 3 part series in which the psychiatric interviewer annoys him with a question... he grinds & clicks his teeth for a long, long time, narrows his eyes, stares down the psychiatrist & pauses as he quietly states, 'You just made me mad'... one can clearly see the violent potential of this monster. In later days, the psychiatrist admitted that he felt RK, a giant of a man & 6'5", was going to leap over the table at him & that he'd never felt that kind of fear... what his victims must have felt before being butchered.
2.5* out of 5. Probably 3.5* if one hasn't read his bios. I'd say skip the movie & watch The Iceman Tapes on YT, from the HBO 3-part series, then read one of his bios, if so inclined... but be prepared to skip many pages of graphically gruesome accounts of ways he devised to kill. According to the books, he sometimes tortured for hours then killed pedophiles or child murderers for free for the mob, just for the enjoyment of it. Far more unnerving than any movie could be. Those I give 5*. Still & all, not for the squeamish.
Last night whilst the SO snored away I watched 2012's The Iceman about Mafia contract hitman & real life serial killer, Richard Kuklinski. I know a lot about Kuklinski because, throughout the years, I've seen his chilling HBO interviews (no pun intended), now on YTube, heard authors being extensively interviewed on radio shows & read 2 books about him, beginning with the far-too-graphic tome by the now, sadly deceased Philip Carlo. As an aside, Carlo's life, in fact, was as interesting as his mainly serial killer subjects, if one ever has the inclination to listen to some of his early interviews, mostly on the late night Coast to Coast radio show, before MS ravaged his body & he developed speaking difficulties.
For me, therein lies the problem in that, once I've read a book, the movie is always a let down (perhaps, save for 'The Exorcist'), mainly as it moves too quickly for time's sake & can't possibly include the details of a long, good page-turner. So, far too much was glossed over quickly & of course, there were huge, very important chunks of details which just couldn't be referenced. Add to that the Hollywood factor... by all accounts RK was a violent animal at home, too, absolutely brutalized his wife, mentally, physically & otherwise & his daughters were terrified by him... yet, the movie made him a murdering lout 'til he hit his doorstep, where he suddenly transformed into a loving dad & doting husband. In real life it's made further ridiculous by the fact that he wouldn't contract-kill women or children... yet his family of 3 girls were his regular, brutalized whipping boards.
Michael Shannon, who I'd never seen before, did a good job playing the angry, unemotional RK, but, with a bit too much stoicism, which got tired after awhile. If you think of Randy Travis' face... well, he held that frozen, hard expression throughout. Winona Ryder was wretchedly annoying as his wife. It's the first time I've seen her on film since her tag-cutting, shoplifting episode in CA & I couldn't help but be reminded of that & her silly denial despite being caught redhanded on CCTV, blaming the event on amnesia & her prescription pills. I don't know if I just don't like Winona, or the way she played the character with a bit too much sappy vapidity, but I disliked every second she was onscreen. And, for some reason, voices can strongly affect me in a distracting way... she created this partially Marilynesque voice with a NJ accent to feign innocence & goodness & simultaneously has that annoying popping 's' in real life. Gosh, I dislike Winnie.
All the character parts were very well played, mainly by unknowns, particularly the outstanding Chris Evans, who is 30-yrs old in real life but made up to look decades older... he was intense & quirky & managed to not lose his likeability whilst playing a sordid thug. Ray Liotta was surprisingly vicious & scary as real life Mafia boss, Roy DeMeo, as was Robert Davi & a sleazy weasel played by David Schwimmer in a role in which I almost didn't recognize him... he either wore a bit of padding or gained about 40-lbs to play his character... I think it was the latter, since he's normally a right tall, thin lad.
A distraction was that the film was shot in such darkness, I kept thinking something was wrong with my screen. It's no doubt supposed to add to the seediness of the film, but those dark bar/night/low-lit, cramped office scenes get depressing & annoying if there are too many.
If one has read the biographies about RK, I think this movie will be a bit of a let down. If one knows nothing or little of RK, I'd suggest viewing The Iceman Tapes on YTube first, to see the real monster in his own words. There's a chilling point in the 3 part series in which the psychiatric interviewer annoys him with a question... he grinds & clicks his teeth for a long, long time, narrows his eyes, stares down the psychiatrist & pauses as he quietly states, 'You just made me mad'... one can clearly see the violent potential of this monster. In later days, the psychiatrist admitted that he felt RK, a giant of a man & 6'5", was going to leap over the table at him & that he'd never felt that kind of fear... what his victims must have felt before being butchered.
2.5* out of 5. Probably 3.5* if one hasn't read his bios. I'd say skip the movie & watch The Iceman Tapes on YT, from the HBO 3-part series, then read one of his bios, if so inclined... but be prepared to skip many pages of graphically gruesome accounts of ways he devised to kill. According to the books, he sometimes tortured for hours then killed pedophiles or child murderers for free for the mob, just for the enjoyment of it. Far more unnerving than any movie could be. Those I give 5*. Still & all, not for the squeamish.
I like Michael Shannon in Jeff Nichols' movies (Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), and Mud (2012)). Thanks for your reivew. Netflix shows dvd is available for a 9/3/13 release - added to my queue.
I remember seeing The Iceman interview. Sometimes it was ... like he was talking about the weather. Other times, the guy seemed like a ticking time bomb.
He was so matter-of-fact about his killings.
If I remember correctly, he nearly teared up when talking about his family. That was strange to me. I guess he could kill strangers, but family was precious to him. That's understandable (in a weird way). The guy showed humanity towards his family. (In his mind) anyone else, who cares?
His eyes in this film clip look evil, cold, and deadly. He probably would have scared Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula, etc.
I like Michael Shannon in Jeff Nichols' movies (Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), and Mud (2012)). Thanks for your reivew. Netflix shows dvd is available for a 9/3/13 release - added to my queue.
You're welcome F.2 & cheers for the head's up on Shannon. I've never seen him before & wouldn't mind checking out another of his films.
I remember seeing The Iceman interview. Sometimes it was ... like he was talking about the weather. Other times, the guy seemed like a ticking time bomb. He was so matter-of-fact about his killings.
Hiya Soda... I agree. Isn't that amazing?! Many mobsters are like that, too, I've noticed. They can justify any of their crimes against anyone, but touch one of their family members by crime & one had better disappear before they make ya disappear.
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If I remember correctly, he nearly teared up when talking about his family. That was strange to me. I guess he could kill strangers, but family was precious to him.
I recall that & would have to watch the series again to refresh my memory with the question that got him a bit teary. I think it was finally admitting that he did damage to his wife & kids... maybe a tinge of guilt got the better of him in his final days.
But, I don't know that his family was precious to him. His wife said he repeatedly raped & beat her all through their marriage & in her words 'brutalized the kids'. Not sure what that included... but, at 6'5" with that intimidating demeanor, I don't think it would take much to cut down his children's sense of security & safety.
Further proof is that once in prison, his wife & kids changed their names & never visited him once. Here's one of the most chilling parts of Carlo's book (from Wiki), when he began serial killing as a teen, before being a contract killer for the mob:
"Beginning in the spring of 1954, Kuklinski began prowling Hell's Kitchen in a search of victims. According to author Philip Carlo, he came to Manhattan numerous times over the ensuing weeks and months and killed people, always someone who rubbed him the wrong way, for some imagined or extremely slight reason. He shot, stabbed, and bludgeoned men to death. He left some where they dropped. He dumped some into the nearby Hudson River. Murder became sport. The NY police never suspected that a full fledged serial killer from Jersey City was coming over to NY for the purpose of killing people, to practice and perfect murder. Richard made the West Side of Manhattan a kind of lab for murder, a school, he says."
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His eyes in this film clip look evil, cold, and deadly. He probably would have scared Frankenstein, the Wolfman, Dracula, etc.
Indeed. In fact, if you just watch the opening 30-seconds of the YT video above... he walks towards the camera & it's unforgettable... an angry, lumbering giant of a human. Sadly, he grew up in a home where his father beat one of his brothers to death & his other brother murdered a 12-yr old girl... Richard spent the end of his life in the same cell block as his brother.
Very sad story, particularly for his immediate family & those unfortunates who crossed him.
got 2 netflix dvds in the mail yesterday. i usually time it so i only get one, space them out better. anyway, one of them was the station agent (2003). i've caught bits and pieces of this on tv, with commercial breaks, etc. never watched it the whole way through but from what i had seen i knew it was a good movie. the dvd viewing did not disappoint. such a great story - from the beginning when he's doing what he loves, train modeling with henry. there's a few deleted scenes in the extras with henry. moving to nj to the train depot.
i had remembered from the scattered and splintered tv viewing that at one point fin describes what a station agent was. i couldn't recall which character he explained it to. now i know (emily). there is some great dialog in this film. no special effects. no high dollar highfalutin actors. great story. great dialog. fin explaining to michell williams (emily) about dwarfs: fin: dwarfs retire early. common fact. emily: yeah, lazy dwarfs. deleted scene gives more information on her sleep over. michell williams is great in this. patricia clarkson is also outstanding as olivia, separated, recently losing a child, she tries to cope after fleeing her husband and life. then there's the coffee guy, joe, played by bobby cannavale - wik i says he's known for a tv series third watch, never saw that 1. this guy makes the movie, along with fin, played by peter dinklage - whom you'll recognize.
give it a spin if you happen to add it to your queue. well worth it.
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to feign innocence & goodness & simultaneously has that annoying popping 's' in real life. Gosh, I dislike Winnie. 
