Gangster, Psycho, Gigolo & Pie

Have you ever wondered as I did in the past, each time the same epithet was used and repeated over and over, the why and wherefore? I am talking about the film 'American Gangsters' on Spanish TV right this moment. A must-see for me, I love Ridley Scott as director and adore Denzel Washington as actor.

 

It had probably begun with the surprise box office hit the 'American Graffiti'. I had never seen that film or knew what it was about, but those who had thought it great, new wave and most refreshing. Then there were "American Gigolo" which I did see and enjoyed, except the part where the lady used 4 letter words most unnecessarily. I liked also 'American Beauty' which I appreciated the acting more than the story. Outstanding acting can keep me glue to the screen for 3 hours even without a story. Some I only saw the write-up somewhere, or merely heard of, like 'American Splendour'.

 

Two I had seen just a small part of and gave up disgusted, deemed total waste of my time, These were 'American Pie', a nonsense comedy, crude and coarse; and 'American Psycho', a needlessly brutal and bloody film. I am not swearing, or maybe I did softly to myself, not wanting to ruin my hard to keep reputation of being a lady. It's literally bloody; you could almost see the blood dripping down from the screen. Audiences are not idiots, even the purpose was to present the story of a heartless and scrupulous psycho killer true to the novel it based on. They could imagine there would be buckets of blood when a person was chopped up alive, horror enough without having the gore shown.

 

So back to my query; why the epithet 'American' adding to all sorts of things not uniquely American? To define and differentiate from those of other nations? Are these depicted personalities more American than other nationalities? The Italian gangsters? The English psycho ? The Indian beauty? Oh, they are very beautiful the Indian ladies. What about the Spanish gigolo? Rumour has it that they are phenomenal and delicious. Are they the same but different being American ones?

 

I am not criticising, just curious. Hollywood spends millions and millions to employ the best specialists to devise the publicity and advertising with the most drawing power. Do the gurus in charge of that department think the added emphasis 'American' make their gangsters more ruthless but all love their mothers more, the gigolos more desirable and the psychos more round the bent than the rest?

 

Last but not least, have the American pies contain any special secret or ingredients to be worthy of such distinction? Or is it something else all together not meant for the stomach? That got to be it!

Tags: Gangster, Psycho, Gigolo, Pie