The long anticipated return of the Scorsese/Winter collaboration that gave us the genius of "Boardwalk Empire" and culminated with a new motion picture classic "The Wolf of Wall Street". They both return to tell the story of the dawn of the Punk scene in NYC, and the one record producer who saw it all. This Pilot episode recounts his fall from grace, and the moment in which his journey to redemption begins. From the early days of managing a blues singer, to the worst Led Zepplin deal of the century. Everything goes to hell by the end, only until he discovers the New York Dolls in a dingy rocker club. Just think, do you remember the time when you discovered a song that you really loved? The euphoria you felt? How you danced to it? Times that by a thousand, and you'll know how Richie Finestra felt.
This is a masterpiece of a film.. but it's not a film, it's the pilot to a new HBO series. To say that I'm hooked would be a total understatement. It just doesn't get any better than this. Scorsese and Winter are the duo of the decade. Just as we last saw them on "The Wolf of Wall Street", the editing, dialogue and storytelling is fast and loose. It's total chaos. Instead of sex and drugs, this time, it's music and drugs. It's vulgar, and proud of it. Bobby Cannavale is a damn hero. He is acting his heart out, with every last drag of his cigarette. Olivia Wilde shines as Richie's very beautiful, and very battered wife of his. Ray Romano is hysterical as Zak Yankovich, Richie's obnoxious head of promotions at American Century. The shining star of this episode, however, is Andrew Dice Clay as "Buck Rodgers", renowned radio owner and coke-binging psychopath. A climactic scene at Buck's house, which appears near the 90 minute mark of the pilot, is perhaps the funniest, craziest, musically genius scene i've seen since Dirk Diggler's drug deal in "Boogie Nights".
My praise doesn't get much higher than that. I'm ready for whatever this show is about to throw at me. Bring it on. Vinyl Rocks.
This is a masterpiece of a film.. but it's not a film, it's the pilot to a new HBO series. To say that I'm hooked would be a total understatement. It just doesn't get any better than this. Scorsese and Winter are the duo of the decade. Just as we last saw them on "The Wolf of Wall Street", the editing, dialogue and storytelling is fast and loose. It's total chaos. Instead of sex and drugs, this time, it's music and drugs. It's vulgar, and proud of it. Bobby Cannavale is a damn hero. He is acting his heart out, with every last drag of his cigarette. Olivia Wilde shines as Richie's very beautiful, and very battered wife of his. Ray Romano is hysterical as Zak Yankovich, Richie's obnoxious head of promotions at American Century. The shining star of this episode, however, is Andrew Dice Clay as "Buck Rodgers", renowned radio owner and coke-binging psychopath. A climactic scene at Buck's house, which appears near the 90 minute mark of the pilot, is perhaps the funniest, craziest, musically genius scene i've seen since Dirk Diggler's drug deal in "Boogie Nights".
My praise doesn't get much higher than that. I'm ready for whatever this show is about to throw at me. Bring it on. Vinyl Rocks.