#Valachi Papers

[gatutor]

Charles Bronson-Jill Ireland-Lino Ventura "Los secretos de la Cosa Nostra" (The valachi papers) 1972, de Terence Young.

[samtrapani]

anyways who was going to tell me the valachi papers had a scene where joe and don vito literally lie down together in bed and talk shop because i need to see that happening with vito and leo. vito's soul in the palm of leo's hand, and leo considering what to do with it.

[zayaanhashistory]

The Mafia in Popular Culture

From Al Capone and Vito Corleone to John Gotti and Tony Soprano, real-life and fictional mafiosos have captured the public imagination since the 1920s. Ruthless and violent, these men are nonetheless often seen to maintain their own personal brand of honor and decency. In this way, they are modern-day versions of the outlaw heroes of the Wild West, such as Jesse and Frank James or Billy the Kid. Gangsters were only a tiny percentage of the huge migration of Italians, primarily from the south of Italy, to America in the early 20th century. Still, “The Mafia” has become the primary pop culture expression of the Italian American identity–much to the dismay of many Italian Americans. This is due largely to the enduring influence of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 Oscar-winning smash hit film “The Godfather” (based on Mario Puzo’s novel) and its reinvention of the gangster movie genre. 

As the era of Prohibition gave way to the Great Depression, the first wave of gangster movies mirrored the growing anger and frustration of many Americans at their worsening economic conditions. In movies like “Little Caesar” (1931) with Edward G. Robinson, “The Public Enemy” (1931) with Jimmy Cagney and “Scarface” (1932) with Paul Muni, the main characters–all Italian Americans, some based on real life mobsters such as Capone–suffered the consequences of their law-breaking, but many audiences still identified with their willingness to go outside the bounds of the traditional system to make a living. After 1942, gangsters largely disappeared from the screen, as Nazis and monsters took the place of mobsters as Hollywood’s preferred villains. This began to change after 1950, when a Senate committee set up to investigate organized crime began holding public hearings. Thanks to the new medium of television, millions of Americans watched the testimony of real-life mobsters like Frank Costello (or more accurately, they watched Costello’s shaky hands–the only part of him shown by the camera). In the early 1960s, Joseph Valachi, a soldier in the Luciano “family” organization, took a starring role in later televised hearings. It was Valachi who introduced the now-famous Mafia euphemism “La Cosa Nostra” (Our Thing), and his testimony revealed the evolution of Italian-American organized crime in America, especially in New York. “The Valachi Papers,” a book by Peter Maas, came out in 1969, the same year as the novel that would do more than any other to establish the mythology of the mafia in popular culture: Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather.” 

Puzo’s novel tells the story of Sicilian immigrant Vito Corleone and the family and “business” he built in New York, including the struggles of his son Michael, who will succeed him as the new “Don.” Paramount Pictures bought the film rights to the novel, and studio head Robert Evans turned to the young Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola to direct. (Coppola also co-wrote the screenplay, with Puzo.) With Marlon Brando (Don Corleone) and Al Pacino (Michael) leading a stellar cast, “The Godfather” gave a fuller, more authentic and more sympathetic glimpse into the Italian-American experience than had been seen on screen before, even as it framed that glimpse through the lens of organized crime. It also painted an undeniably romantic portrait of the mafioso as a man of contradiction, who was ruthless toward his enemy but devoted to his family and friends above all else. Unlike previous gangster films, “The Godfather” looked at the Mafia from the inside out, instead of taking the perspective of law enforcement or of “regular” society. In this way, “The Godfather” reinvented the gangster movie, just as it would influence all those that came after it. “The Godfather, Part II” (1974) was darker and more violent than the first film, but both were box office smashes and multiple Oscar winners. (“The Godfather, Part III,” released 16 years after “Part II,” failed to impress critics or audiences.) Over the next three decades, Hollywood never lost its fascination with the Mafia. A partial list of related films includes dramas like “The Untouchables” (1987), “Donnie Brasco” (1997) and especially Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” (1990), which showed the underside of “The Godfather's romantic vision of Mafia life. Mafiosos also made their way into comedies: “Prizzi’s Honor” (1985), “Married to the Mob” (1988), “My Blue Heaven” (1990) and “Analyze This” (1999). From animated films to children’s cartoons, video games to “gangsta”-style hip-hop or rap music, the myth of the Mafia was everywhere, thanks in large part to the enduring legacy of “The Godfather.” On TV, of course, mobsters turned up regularly on crime shows like “NYPD Blue” and “Law and Order.” In 1999, however, came the debut of a cable TV show featuring a mafioso like none ever seen before. 

In Tony Soprano, David Chase, the creator of the HBO series “The Sopranos” and an Italian American from New Jersey, managed to create a new kind of gangster. Chase moved the action from the traditional urban environment to the New Jersey suburbs, where Tony (James Gandolfini) visits a psychiatrist to deal with the stresses of work and family (including wife Carmela, mother Livia and two teenage kids). In the world of “The Sopranos,” gangsters like Tony are simply trying to achieve the same kind of affluent lifestyle as their fellow suburbanites, all while struggling with a sense that something is missing, that things aren’t like what they used to be. “The Sopranos” ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2004, won more than 20 Emmy Awards and was hailed by some critics as the greatest show in TV history. In acknowledgement of Chase’s debt to other works of Mafia-related popular culture, the series continually referenced those works, including “Public Enemy,” “Goodfellas” and, especially, “The Godfather.” 

Like “The Godfather,” one of the most impressive aspects of “The Sopranos” was its richly detailed portrait of first- and second-generation Italian Americans, as seen through the experience of one extended family. The fact that both of those families were Mob families, however, means that many Italian Americans had mixed feelings toward these works. In 1970, the Italian American Civil Rights League held a rally to stop production of “The Godfather.” As for “The Sopranos,” the National Italian American Foundation has railed against the show as an offensive caricature, while organizers of New York City’s Columbus Day Parade refused to permit “Sopranos” cast members to march in the parade for several years running. Though pop culture’s fascination with the Mafia has undeniably fueled certain negative stereotypes about Italian Americans, acclaimed works like “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas,” and “The Sopranos” have also given many Italian Americans a sense of shared identity and experience. Despite its controversial nature, the myth of the Mafia–as created and nurtured by “The Godfather” and its many pop culture descendants–continues to enthrall the masses of Italian and non-Italians alike. 

[nerdyken77]

Chicago TV Flashback - May 15-16, 1982

WLS channel 7 TV schedule for Saturday, May 15, 1982

Morning

7a - Super Friends 7:30a - Thundarr the Barbarian 8a - Goldie Gold and Action Jack 8:30a - Laverne & Shirley in the Army 9a - The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show and Scrappy Too! (1 hour) 10a - Fonz and the Happy Days Gang 10:30a - Heathcliff & Marmaduke 11a - ABC Weekend Special 11:30p - American Bandstand (1 hour)

Afternoon

12:30p - Miss Teenage Black Scholarship Awards (1 hr 30 min) 2p - Sugar Ray Leonard's Golden Gloves 3p - Wide World of Sports (1 hour) 4p - ABC Sports Horse Racing: The 107th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico (1 hour) 5p - Wide World of Sports (1 hour)

Evening

6p - Chicago: On Location 6:30p - Where Were You? 7p - The Love Boat (1 hour) 8p - The Love Boat (1 hour) 9p - Fantasy Island (1 hour) 10p - Eyewitness News at 10 10:30p - Weekend Report with Tom Jarriel 10:45p - Saturday Night Movie: The Valachi Papers (2 hrs, 20 min)

Early Sunday, May 16, 1982

1:05a - Late Night Movie: Bedlam (1 hr, 40 min)

A new episode of The Love Boat followed after its rerun. Aloma's Ruler wins the 107th Preakness Stakes race, and with this win, this horse stopped Gato del Sol's chances on going for the Triple Crown.

[cinemajunkie70]

Happy Birthday in the afterlife to Terence Young!

[nitrateglow]

The highlight of The Valachi Papers is how the filmmakers try to convince the audience Charles Bronson is under 30 with this delightful wig.

[meme-streets]

my stupidly long watchlist vs the urge to rewatch a grainy '70s gangster movie

[veryslowreader]

The Valachi Papers by Peter Maas

The Sopranos: "The Test Dream"

[the-haunted-toybox]

[cinemasentries]

Indicator’s January 2020 releases.

[pygartheangel]

[visplay]

Chris: This is not standard Charles Bronson fare, it is a crime film about early organized crime very much as if it is a true story, violent and surprising at times, only for crime film fans, a watch: When Free.

[andersonvision]

CHARLES BRONSON COLLECTION, THE

CHARLES BRONSON COLLECTION, THE

THE CHARLES BRONSON COLLECTION REVIEWED

“The Charles Bronson Collection” brings 4 of the best early 70 to mid 70s Bronson films to home video. Hell, two of these titles were previously Twilight Time releases. Comparing my Hard Times TT disc to the Mill Creek release, the only thing that the TT disc improves upon is the audio. The special features for those boutique labels were superficial at…

[cultfaction]

Preview- The Valachi Papers (Limited Edition Bluray)

Preview- The Valachi Papers (Limited Edition Bluray)

Based on the disclosures of mobster Joe Valachi, as recounted in Peter Maas’ best-selling biography and at a sensational congressional hearing, The Valachi Papers tells the story of one man’s brutal journey through the ranks of the Cosa Nostra, and a betrayal that would reveal the secrets of the Mob to the world. Terence Young (From Russia with Love) skilfully renders the clandestine world of…

[dozydawn]

vintage bridal fashion: 1972

this veil trim!

royal wedding: birgitte van deurs in norman hartnell. white swiss organdie with floral embossing.

maria del carmen martinez-bordiu y franco in balenciaga, 1972.

charlotte rampling. the butterfly choker (also in the dress print)

carol kane in wedding in white (1972) designed by patti unger.

ana belén in morbo (1972) designed by josé maría tresserra.

cybill shepherd in the heartbreak kid (1972) designed by anthea sylbert.

talia shire in in the godfather (1972) designed by anna hill johnstone.

simonetta stepanelli in the godfather (1972) designed by anna hill johnstone.

jill ireland in the valachi papers (1972) designed by ann roth.

[poychachi]

How to Write About Mafias

@writinghaven on instagram || NO REPOSTS!

Today, the word "mafia" is used to refer to almost any organized crime group, and in some cases is even used to describe groups completely unrelated to crime. In this article, we will focus on the traditional meaning of "mafia": organized criminal organizations of Italian or Sicilian heritage.

Mafia-dom is neither a political nor a religious affiliation. Because of their Italian roots, many Mafioso are Catholic, but part of the oath a mobster takes when he becomes a "made man," a member of a Mafia family, is that the Mafia comes before birth family and God. Most mafias make their money through participating in illegal activities such as dealing alcohol during the Prohibition, illegal drugs, prostitution and illegal gambling.

The Structure of The American Mafioso 

This section specifically talks about the structure of the American mafioso (La Cosa Nostra). While this may vary from group to group, this organization is the one typically portrayed in literature and the media.  

The Boss/Don- The leader of each family. All major decisions are made by the boss, and money made by the family ultimately flows to him. The boss's authority is needed to resolve disputes and keep everyone in line.

The Underboss- is the second in command, although the amount of power he wields can vary. Some underbosses resolve disputes without involving the boss. Some are groomed to replace the boss if he is old or in danger of going to jail.

The Capos-  The number of capos varies depending on the overall size of the family. A capo acts like a lieutenant, leading his own section of the family. He has specific activities that he operates. The capo's territory may be defined geographically (as in, "everything west of 14th Street belongs to Louie 'The Key' DiBartolo.") or by the rackets he operates ("Alfonze 'Big Al' Maggioli is in charge of illegal gambling."). The key to being a successful capo is making money. The capo keeps some of the money his rackets earn and then passes the rest up to the underboss and boss.

Soldiers-  A soldier is the lowest rank among made men and they do the dirty work. They're part of the family, but they hold little power and make relatively little money. The number of soldiers that belong to any given capo can vary tremendously.

Associates- Not actual members of the Mafia, but they work with Mafia soldiers and capos on various criminal enterprises. An associate is simply someone who works with the mob, including anyone from a burglar or drug dealer to a lawyer, investment banker, police officer or politician.

Consigliere- The consigliere is not supposed to be part of the family's hierarchy. He is supposed to act as an advisor and make impartial decisions based on fairness rather than personal feelings or vendettas. This position is meant to elected by the members of the family, rather than appointed by the boss. In reality, consiglieres are sometimes appointed and are not always impartial.

Mafia Induction Ceremony (according to Joe Valachi’s 1960 testimony)

TRIGGER WARNING: blood, oaths

First, the potential gangster is told simply to "dress up" or "get dressed." He is taken to a private place and seated at a long table, right next to the boss. 

Other Mafioso who are present will join hands and recite oaths and promises of loyalty. 

The inductee must then hold a burning piece of paper. In some families, the new soldier is paired with a more experienced mobster who will act as his "godfather," guiding him into Mafia life. 

The inductee must promise that he will be a member of the family for life, and then a drop of blood is drawn from his trigger finger.

Mafia Slangs

La Cosa Nostra - The term cosa nostra, which is sometimes translated from Italian to mean "our thing," originally referred to the general lifestyle of organized criminals in Sicily. When the Mafia moved to the United States, FBI agents listening in on wiretaps heard the term. They began using the term La Cosa Nostra (which is grammatically incorrect) to refer to the Mafia. In time, La Cosa Nostra referred specifically to American Mafioso, differentiating them from "old world" mobsters.

Omerta - Omerta is the Mafia code of silence.

Made man - This is a man who has been officially inducted into a Mafia family.

Family - Each individual gang within the Mafia is known as a family. Not everyone within a family is actually related to one and other, although it is common for relatives of mobsters to be inducted into the same family as their brothers or fathers.

Wiseguy - This is someone who is involved with the Mafia

SOURCES: https://people.howstuffworks.com/mafia.htm, wikipedia, history.com