A Hollywood spotlight is on Boston once again as three different Whitey Bulger film projects are underway, including “Black Mass,” in which Johnny Depp will play the South Boston gangster. In addition, the new ABC mob drama “Red Widow” premieres on Sunday. Here are our top five mob movies and top five mob television shows.
TOP 5 MOB MOVIES AND TV SHOWS
A Hollywood spotlight is on Boston once again as three different Whitey Bulger film projects are underway, including “Black Mass,” in which Johnny Depp will play the South Boston gangster. In addition, the new ABC mob drama “Red Widow” premieres on Sunday. Here are our top five mob movies and top five mob television shows.
Film: “The Godfather” (1972)
Based on Mario Puzo’s crime novels, “The Godfather” follows Michael Corleone (Al Pacino, pictured) as he becomes more and more involved in his family’s criminal organization. The horse head scene is not for the squeamish.
Film: “The Godfather, Part II” (1974)
In this continuation of the Godfather story, Michael expands the Corleone family’s operations, while flashbacks tell the story of his father, Vito (Robert De Niro, pictured).
Film: “The Untouchables” (1987)
The film is about the officers who brought down Chicago gangster Al Capone, with Kevin Costner (pictured) as Elliot Ness and Robert De Niro as Capone.
Film: “Goodfellas” (1990)
This classic follows Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his friends, including Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro, as they rise in the Lucchese crime family. According to IMDb, the f-bomb is dropped 296 times in the film, at a rate of 2.04 times per minute.
Pictured, from left: Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Paul Sorvino, and Joe Pesci
Film: “The Departed” (2006)
Matt Damon is a gangster’s mole in the Boston Police Department, while Leonardo DiCaprio plays an undercover cop trying to infiltrate the mob. The film, loosely based on the Bulger story, won Martin Scorsese an Oscar for best director (finally!).
Pictured, from left: Scorsese, DiCaprio, and Damon
TV: “Crime Story” (1986-88)
This underrated NBC show focused on Ray Luca (Anthony Denison), a Chicago mobster, and Lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina), who pursues him to Las Vegas.
Pictured, from left: Bill Smitrovich and Dennis Farina
TV: “Wiseguy” (1987-90)
Ken Wahl (pictured) plays undercover FBI agent Vinnie Terranova in this CBS drama, which followed his efforts against different organized crime groups in various story arcs.
TV: “The Sopranos” (1999-2007)
New Jersey’s Soprano crime family, headed by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini, pictured) are the focus of this HBO series, which won five Golden Globes and is considered by many to be the best television show ever.
TV: “Brotherhood” (2006-08)
This Showtime drama followed a leader in the New England Irish mob and his brother, a local politician. Sound familiar?
Pictured, from left: Jason Clarke as Tommy Caffee and Jason Isaacs as Michael Caffee
TV: “Boardwalk Empire” (2011-present)
Steve Buscemi (pictured) plays gangster and scheming politician Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in this series that portrays organized crime in Atlantic City in the ’20s. Not bad for the guy who got fed into the wood chipper in “Fargo.”
