King Of New York (DVD)

King Of New York was directed by Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant, The Funeral, Body Snatchers) in 1990. It is by no means a masterpiece but it is a very solid movie held together by Christopher Walken’s performance as Frank White, New York drug baron. Frank is released from prison and outside a Limo awaits him. At the same time a drugs dealer (presumably) surrounded by a bevy of beauties leaves his Apartment and is in the process of making a call from a telephone kiosk when he is gunned down and a newspaper is thrust into his face bearing the headlines “Frank White is released from prison” The opening credits come into view, among the supporting ...  Read the complete review

This easily rates in my top ten movies of all time. As a film it's one of those moments of syncronicity where we capture the lead actor and the director at the height of their abilities, and have a support cast who simply would be unaffordable now because they were all unknowns when they shot this, and now they're stars. Abel Ferraras direction is taught and snappy with much dark lighting lending support to the feel of grubbiness and sleaze that pervades the movie. The basic story is thus. Mobster Frank White (Christopher Walken at his psychotic best) is released from prison and immediately sets about recovering his drugs empire from ...  Read the complete review

This is a superb gangster film, with Christopher Walken outstanding in that understated, yet manic way that characterises so many of the roles he plays. So much of his menace is carried in a furtive glance from his beady eyes, or a fleeting half-smile, that he does not need to say much to loom dark and threatening on the screen. Walken plays Frank White, a New York gang lord just released from the penitentiary and intent on recovering the turf that has been taken from him by other Italian, Hispanic and Chinese warlords during his incarceration. Surrounded by his henchmen (roles played by, among others, then then virtually unknown Laurence Fisburne and ...  Read the complete review

For anyone who has seen Christopher Walken in the likes of the Dead Zone knows his talents when it comes to protraying uncanny almost supernatural charecters. Frank, (played by Walken) has just been released from prison, though he is a convicted and well known gangster a legal team manage to free him on a technicality. Returning to New York to reseize his power base. This film has a whole host of talented young actors in it, Wesley Snipes, David Caruso and a whole host of others. Christopher Walken does not play the typical Italian Mafiosa gangster, but instead a cold, hard and yet in a weird way caring figure. In several scenes he ...  Read the complete review

This film was recommended to me so many times I decided that I badly needed to see it. So, I settled down one evening with my expectations running high. 'This is one of the best films I've ever seen' one friend had told me. This has better be good... Frank White (played to menacing perfection by Christopher Walken) is released from jail after serving time for drug offences. He indicates his desire to be a reformed man and have a positive effect on the city. To some extent, he does achieve this. He organises a fundraiser to raise some money to save a local hospital which has been earmarked for closure. However, to raise money himself he kills a number of ...  Read the complete review