American Gangster
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| American Gangster | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ridley Scott |
| Produced by | Brian Grazer Ridley Scott |
| Written by | Steve Zaillian |
| Starring | Denzel Washington Russell Crowe RZA Tip "T.I." Harris Common Chiwetel Ejiofor Josh Brolin Ted Levine Cuba Gooding Jr. |
| Cinematography | Harris Savides |
| Editing by | Pietro Scalia |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 2007 |
| IMDb profile | |
American Gangster is a 2007 crime drama film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. The screenplay was written by Steve Zaillian.
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[edit] Synopsis
American Gangster is a biopic of Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas. Lucas grew up in rural, segregated North Carolina where he watched as his cousin was shot by the Klan for looking at a white girl. In the early 1970s he became the biggest heroin dealer in Harlem with a smuggling scheme that imported heroin out of Southeast Asia in the caskets of dead Vietnam soldiers. He soon made upwards of one million dollars a day in drug sales. American Gangster centers on narcotics lawman Richie Roberts' struggle to bring down Lucas, whose flamboyant style earned him the street name "Superfly", and catching the crooked cops and drug dealers who profited from Lucas's scheme.
[edit] Development
The film was originally set up with director Antoine Fuqua with Benicio del Toro and Denzel Washington to star. Universal stopped production after budget concerns. Beginning anew producer Brian Grazer set writer-director Terry George to rewrite and direct the film with Hotel Rwanda collaborator Don Cheadle set to star. However Universal cancelled production. In 2006, the project was resurrected with Ridley Scott in the directors chair. Scott brought back Washington and signed on two time collaborator Russell Crowe. Steve Zaillian rewrote the script under Scott's supervision.
[edit] Cast
| Principal Cast and Characters | |
|---|---|
| Denzel Washington | as Frank Lucas |
| Russel Crowe | as Detective Richie Roberts |
| Ted Levine | as Toback |
| Josh Brolin | as Detective Trupo |
| Norman Reedus | as Detective Norman Reily |
| Chiwetel Ejiofor | |
| Carla Gugino | |
| The RZA | as Jones |
| Common | |
| Tip "T.I." Harris | as Frank Lucas' Nephew |
| Warner Miller | as Frank Lucas' Brother |
| Melissia Hill | as Red Top |
| Cuba Gooding Jr. | as Nicky Barnes |
[edit] Trivia
- Denzel Washington has worked on three films with Scott's brother Tony Scott.
- Washington and Crowe both starred together in the sci-fi action film Virtuosity, with Crowe playing an out-of-control computer program and Washington as the officer assigned to track him down.
- Anthony Hamilton will have an appearance in the film.
- While Antoine Fuqua was working on the film, he wanted to cast John C. Reilly and Ray Liotta in supporting roles.
[edit] External links
Boy and Bicycle • The Duellists • Alien • Blade Runner • Legend • Someone to Watch Over Me • Black Rain • Thelma & Louise • 1492: Conquest of Paradise • White Squall • G.I. Jane • Gladiator • Hannibal • Black Hawk Down • Matchstick Men • Kingdom of Heaven • All the Invisible Children • A Good Year • American Gangster
