Underbelly Razor - Sydney Razor Gang Crime in the 20s and 30s = new TV series

[lolly_loisides]

Interesting story with a few good pics - Tilly Devine's great grand daughter is a police woman.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...ran-tilly-devine/story-e6freuy9-1226096005090

 

[Benny Holiday]

Less than a week to go, and the local rags are touting good things about the show (not that that means squat). According to interviews with the producers in the Sun Herald, a good bit more dough was laid out for authentic wardrobe and altering suitable location sights, even using digital technology to erase modern elements from the film scenes. I want it to be good, to capture the essence of the time through period elements and good acting/production, like the ABC's movie on John Curtin a couple of years back, so here's hoping.

 

[Shangas]

Watched the pilot episode tonight.

It was alright. Maybe I had different expectations or something, but it didn't grasp me like I thought it would. The clothing was good. The sets etc were nice. The music...meh. The plot was pretty interesting; it kept my attention at least.

The bit that made me wonder is when all those gangsters are in the car and the Melbourne boy's handing out the straight-razors. Straight-razors have been used for weapons for centuries. I feel like the revelation that they could use these (instead of guns) as weapons was a bit...I dunno what the word is...overdramatised? Razor-crime would hardly have been new in the 1920s.

Apart from that, I reckon it was alright.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Is it at the same level as Boardwalk Empire?

 

[Shangas]

I'm not sure that it is. One thing I noticed was that there's a lot of pauses and 'Profile' shots and voiceovers...in some respects it's more like a documentary film than a crime drama.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Is it at the same level as Boardwalk Empire?

I read someones comment about Razor on another social networking site, "Underbelly Razor is like 'Boardwalk Empire' for people with a mild brain injury".

I knew what I was in for when the opening scene that's set in a sly grog shop, a singer is performing a badly "jazzed" up version of a rock song that was a hit in the 80's. Oh, & one of the first voice overs refers to prohibition. Huh? NSW never had prohibition. Do yourself a favour and read Larry Writer's book Razor instead.

 

[Shangas]

Let's not jump the gun too much now. There were temperance movements in Australia around the turn of the century. They didn't grow as strong as in the United States, but they did exist. Canberra had prohibition during the 1920s. Besides, it wasn't so much prohibition as they were trying to circumvent the drinking laws. You couldn't get a drink in Sydney after 6:00pm (closing time), so speakeasies sprung up to keep the booze flowing. Other than that, I do agree with Lolly. The music was "bleh" and the voice-overs got irritating before very long. I hope that it's not like this all the way through the series otherwise we could be in for a lot of trouble.

 

[flat-top]

I'd love to be able to watch this, but I live in the US......

 

[Shangas]

Here's a short clip for yah, Flat Top.

[video=youtube;O6-k7kvcJ_8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6-k7kvcJ_8[/video]

Interesting note. 0:29, you can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge under construction, as it was in 1927.

 

[lolly_loisides]

.....Besides, it wasn't so much prohibition as they were trying to circumvent the drinking laws. You couldn't get a drink in Sydney after 6:00pm (closing time), so speakeasies sprung up to keep the booze flowing.....

That was my point, in the initial voice over they refer to the sale of prohibition alcohol. There was never prohibition (in the American sense) in NSW. There was of course sly grog, but that's a different thing.

I must admit I did enjoy the use of locations in the tv show. It was fun recognising the different parts of Syndey, like The Block in Redfern (Tilly Devine's house), Central Station & (I think) the brothel that was supposed to be in East Sydney was actually Georgina St Newtown.

 

[MikeBravo]

I'm not sure that it is. One thing I noticed was that there's a lot of pauses and 'Profile' shots and voiceovers...in some respects it's more like a documentary film than a crime drama.

Isn't Razor based on fact, and Boardwalk on fiction? For fact-based drama maybe setting up the personalities is more necessary?

 

[Shangas]

Yes it is, and perhaps it is, but I found the interruptions an irritation. They kept breaking up the story and that frustrated me.

 

[Benny Holiday]

It was alright. Maybe I had different expectations or something, but it didn't grasp me like I thought it would. The clothing was good. The sets etc were nice. The music...meh. The plot was pretty interesting; it kept my attention at least.

I agree mate. It was all right, not great, and, if Boardwalk Empire is anything like The Sopranos, which I've read reviews that place in that standard, then it's a long way from Boardwalk and even the first Underbelly series. I'll keep watching and see how it goes. It does have its interesting moments.

 

[Shangas]

I'll watch it on Sunday to give it the benefit of the doubt, but I'm really not sure about this.

I mean yeah, it's based on historical fact.

Is Boardwalk Empire not also based on historical fact? It's not set out anywhere near like what U/Razor is.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I am watching the first episode now of this show. I think that naration is what makes the show feel funny and the sound effects. With Boardwalk Empire it is shot like you there in the 20's the manner of speech the way people act is true to the era. The feeling of being transported to that time is what I love. Not feeling it yet with this show.

 

[James71]

I enjoyed everything about it except the music. What possessed them to take 1980s songs and try to turn them into 1920s songs....

 

[Shangas]

I enjoyed everything about it except the music. What possessed them to take 1980s songs and try to turn them into 1920s songs....

"It's FULLY SICK, YEH?" is all the answer you're likely to get.

 

[flat-top]

I am watching the first episode now of this show. I think that naration is what makes the show feel funny and the sound effects. With Boardwalk Empire it is shot like you there in the 20's the manner of speech the way people act is true to the era. The feeling of being transported to that time is what I love. Not feeling it yet with this show.

Where are you watching this in the US?

 

[Shangas]

Torrents I bet.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Na, I have a Tellie connected by cable to the Australia TV.