Monday, October 11, 2010

Salon review of Boardwalk Empire

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/tv/boardwalk_empire/index.html?story=/ent/tv/feature/2010/10/11/boardwalk_empire_al_capone

How is this review working to make its point?
Is it effective?
What underlying criteria does the author seem to have?

3 comments:

  1. The review is working to make its point to interviewing Jonathan Eig, who is an author of a new biography about Al Capons life. I think that the interview is very effective in making a point of why this is a good television show. It has many of the criteria listed out and clear for the reader to find. One of the underlying criteria of author Eig, is that in order to be a “good Capon” the actor must be a bigger guy. Eig really likes that actor Stephen Graham physically looks similar to Capon, but it really bugs him that he is much smaller, and shorter than the actual Al Capon himself. Another criteria is that some events must be accurate. As Eig tells the readers, not all the events that occurred in the first episode were accurate, but the fact that the show mixes true events with some made up ones, makes it a little more interesting. I think that an interview is an effective way of reviewing a film.

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  2. This story was an evaluation between Al Capone's real life and the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire." This review is an interview of the author of "Get Capone" by Jonathan Eig. Is very effective in that Eig lists and explains why he believed that the show portrays Capone's life or not. Eig's criteria is that the characters need to resemble the real people in Capone's life. Eig believed that the show's actor for Al Capone needed to be a bigger and taller guy to resemble him. Another criteria of Eig is there should be a mix between fictional and real events. Eig is very pleased that show has a mix between the two to make the show more interesting and entertaining. For example, the bar in the show was a real bar that Al bartended at. Another criteria that Eig had was that it needed to show the real side of Capone and how he became famous. Movies and other entertainment did not depict Capone being discovered by Prohibition. The show accurately depicts Capone and his involvement with Prohibition and goes in depth on the importance of Prohibition. I think that this story was a very effective review of the TV show.

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  3. Katherine Don's article is an evaluation of HBO's new television show "Boardwalk Empire" and one of the main characters - Al Capone. Don attempts to make her point through an interview of Jonathan Eig, the author of "Get Capone: the True Story of Al Capone" (a biography of Al Capone). I believe Don's interview is extremely effective. She uses Eig to back-up the points she makes with her criteria throughout the entirety of her articles. These criteria vary, but all support one another and, more importantly, Don's evaluation. Don's criteria begin with whether or not the actor portraying Al Capone was effective - and Don was supported by Eig vehemently arguing that the actor Stephen Graham almost perfectly played the role of Capone. Don then continues with the plot of the story. She states that the storyline is a mixture of truths and inventions, and Eig supports her by saying that the combination of truths and lies is perfect. Don continues to base her criteria off of truths and lies and is continually supported by Eig's interview. Since Don's evaluation is continually supported by her resource, an interview with Jonathan Eig, I believe that this was a very effective evaluation.

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