We’ll never get tired of watching Robert De Niro in gangster movies – so it’s just as well that there’s one coming to Cineworld cinemas next week. Released on 21 March, The Alto Knights sees the legendary star playing not one but two real-life crime figures from 1950s New York, giving him an opportunity to really show off his acting chops. Directed by the brilliant Barry Levinson, the movie promises to be truly gripping, making it a must-see for fans of the genre. But why else do you need to watch The Alto Knights on the big screen at Cineworld? Here’s the full lowdown on one of the year’s most eagerly awaited releases…
It was written by the same person that penned Goodfellas and Casino
As any fan of gangster movies will tell you, Goodfellas and Casino are among the greatest films of that particular genre. The scripts for both of those were written by Nicholas Pileggi, based on his books Wise Guy and Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas respectively – and, excitingly, the very same author penned the screenplay for The Alto Knights, making those three releases a trilogy of sorts. Incredibly, the film – initially titled Wise Guys – has been in the works since the 1970s.
It's about the rivalry between two Mob bosses
As with Goodfellas and Casino, The Alto Knights is based on a true story, focusing on two of New York’s most powerful Mob bosses from the 1950s, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello (both played here by Robert De Niro). Partners in crime at first, they soon become deadly rivals as they battle for control of the city’s streets. Speaking at the film’s European premiere in London, De Niro admitted that he enjoyed playing Genovese more, because he was “more explosive”, “more spontaneous” and “probably closer” to his own personality.
The director has made some great films
Diner, Rain Man, Sleepers; Good Morning, Vietnam… Barry Levinson has numerous revered films in his back catalogue, and he’s accumulated a whole bunch of awards for his efforts. This is the fourth time that he’s directed Robert De Niro, the acting legend also having appeared in Levinson’s films What Just Happened (2008), Wag the Dog (1997) and the aforementioned Sleepers (1996). Seeing as they know each other so well, we’re expecting big things from this latest collaboration.
It features some familiar faces from TV gangster programmes
Robert De Niro isn’t the only member of The Alto Knights cast to have previously featured in gangster-themed productions. The movie also features The Sopranos actors Michael Rispoli, Matt Servitto and Kathrine Narducci, who played Jackie Aprile, Special Agent Dwight Harris and Charmaine Bucco respectively, plus James Ciccone – probably best known for portraying Mob boss Carmine Patriccia in crime drama The Deuce.
The film looks great from the trailer
If you haven’t seen the trailer for The Alto Knights yet, take a look (see above). Robert De Niro may be a fair bit older now than he was in Goodfellas and Casino, but he still exudes menace – in both the parts he plays. As Genovese and Costello discuss business at the table, you can almost cut the tension with a knife – and, judging by the scenes at the end of the clip, that tension eventually spills into all-out violence. We can’t wait to see how it all pans out.
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