In today's column, I write about my visit Monday to the set of "Boardwalk Empire," HBO's upcoming drama - produced by Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter, who was one of David Chase's right-hand men on "The Sopranos" - about gangsters in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition. The outdoor boardwalk set (which the story features several photos of, as well as shots of Steve Buscemi and Michael K. Williams) looks sweet.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire' sets Jersey scene - in Brooklyn
In today's column, I write about my visit Monday to the set of "Boardwalk Empire," HBO's upcoming drama - produced by Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter, who was one of David Chase's right-hand men on "The Sopranos" - about gangsters in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition. The outdoor boardwalk set (which the story features several photos of, as well as shots of Steve Buscemi and Michael K. Williams) looks sweet.
I'm so very excited by this. With the likes of Scorsese, Winter, Buscemi and Williams involved this surely can't fail. And the sets look superb. Roll on 2010.
ReplyDeleteEagerly awaiting this series, which will determine whether I switch HBO back on at Chez AG or not. Await yr eventual review with particular interest, Alan. You know, no pressure or anything.
ReplyDeleteCAPTCHA = rungie = someone who might be lurking on or near a venue such as that of Boardwalk Empire
I just saw signs up on W. 108th street that they'll be filming there in a few days and I'm really curious what they'll be using the block for. It's lots of later tenement buildings that I guess have a 20s vibe, but they don't strike me as very AC.
ReplyDeleteThe set sounds rich and beautiful. I am looking forward to this show!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait!
ReplyDeleteGreat tease for this series. With a late-2010 start, that gives me about 10 months away from HBO (after CURB ends).
ReplyDeleteFrom what you saw Alan, is the show more SOPRANOS or DEADWOOD?
From what you saw Alan, is the show more SOPRANOS or DEADWOOD?
ReplyDeleteI saw a set, and stood a hundred yards away from the filming of a 30-second conversation scene, and I listened to Terry Winter (whom I know a bit from the Sopranos days, and whose Sopranos eps were often my favorites) talk a while. I really have no idea what the show will be like. My guess is it'll lean more Deadwood, without the complicated language that's David Milch's stock in trade, but we'll see.
Hell, it could turn out to be a 1920s version of The Wire, or something else entirely.
Also, perhaps we should take a breath here before using quite possibly the three best dramatic series ever as comparisons before any of us has seen even a second of footage. The pedigree is fantastic, but that guarantees nothing.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal level, I never thought I'd be this excited to see Dabney Coelman again, but as a child of the 80s I have very fond memories of War Games and Cloak & Dagger and Dragnet, to name a few.
Thanks for the preview Alan. Hopefully this show will help serve as a comeback for HBO's drama efforts. Do you have any news on David Simon's "Treme" which is also set to air on HBO next year?
ReplyDeleteBetween Boardwalk Empire, Treme and Game of Thrones (if it gets picked up to series), I may have to subscribe to HBO again.
ReplyDeleteThey're filming down the street from me in Park Slope tomorrow! Lots of brownstones, no giant fake boardwalk, sadly.
ReplyDeleteScorsese, Buscemi, Omar... I guess I'm going to have to resubscribe to HBO. Damn.
Are you kidding me? True Blood is what helped get HBO out of it's ratings slump. Now, with Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Treme and True Blood, HBO is creating some truly great dramas. There's also a dramedy pilot from Amy Sherman palladino. But, it's True Blood is what started HBO's come back. Sure, the 1st season was horrible, but the 2nd season was great except for Maryann.
ReplyDeleteBetween Boardwalk Empire, Treme and Game of Thrones (if it gets picked up to series), I may have to subscribe to HBO again.
ReplyDeleteAfter The Wire ended I considered dumping HBO. However, hearing about these three shows is precisely the reason that I decided to hang on to it.
Good article on Boardwalk, Alan. Do you have any information on the prospective budget for the series? When Winter remarks on John Adams making him realize they can pull it off, that made me sit up and take notice.
ReplyDeleteThe effects work for John Adams was stunning, but the thing averaged like $10 million an episode. I can't imagine HBO's going that far, of course, but a big set like that and a decent number of digital shots per episode is going to run at least Deadwood-level budgeting, I figure.