Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos

If you are like me and can't get enough of the Sopranos this is a really great two part documentary. This conversation with David Chase and the world of the hit HBO Show in the year of the 25th Anniversary is worth watching. There is great footage from the history of the show and a ton of behind the scenes footage from the making of it. There are conversations with HBO Executives, Cast Members, Writers, and people related to the show. I loved the audition footage. The documentary takes the viewer on the journey from concept to creation and more. This is a good documentary and doesn't suffer from the disease of being too long, which many documentaries do.

I found myself tearing up, thinking about all the great scenes and characters, and most of all about the creative process. This series didn't just happen. It came together with a lot of hard work by everyone involved.

My wish is this: that Alex Gibney, or someone, will do a follow-up like Wise Guy, about The Wire. Perhaps David Simon could be the focal point, perhaps Ed Burns, perhaps a dozen other people, but like The Sopranos, The Wire created a world foreign to the viewers, that became so believable that you became part of it.

Hearing about David Chase drawing 13 lines down a page, then adding the character names, then creating a story arc for each-then bringing it into the Writers room to create 13 teleplays-it sounds simple but is fascinating. Then, the actors. James putting a sharp stone in his shoe to make himself angry, Andrianna finding out she was going to be killled at the end of the season, Pauli Walnuts and the hair. So much went into it, and the result was fantastic.

Just as 'The Sopranos' was a masterful combination of writing, directing and acting, so too is this documentary. I thought it would be good, but I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

Setting it in Melfi's old office set was a master stroke. The audition clips were fantastic; especially watching other actors read the lines that would become so iconic and so identified with the actors who eventually played those characters.

We got some real behind-the-scenes insight into the enigmatic James Gandolfini. When the director, Alex Gibney asked David Chase, upon hearing that Gandolfini had died (at age 51), were you surprised? Chase's one-word response was chilling: No.

My biggest complaint was that there was very little of Junior, and absolutely no Dominic Chianese. I would have also liked to have seen Steve Schirripa, John Ventimiglia, Vince Curatola, Federico Castelluccio, Max Casella, Joe Pantoliano, Steve Buscemi, Ray Abbruzzo, David Proval, Aida Turturro and Sharon Angela. Also, a brief 'In Memorium' of all the actors who have passed.

And then the ending...!!

Greetings again from the darkness. Being the creative force behind what many consider to be the best TV show of all time - one that changed the face of television - is both a blessing and a burden. David Chase is that man, and his often dour disposition hides the creative genius behind "The Sopranos" (1999-2007). Oscar winning documentarian Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, 2007; ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, 2005) re-creates Dr. Melphi's office for his sit down with Chase, and it's a smooth move to encourage Chase to open up in the same setting where his creation, Tony Soprano, often let his guard down. This is not really meant as an introduction to garner new fans for reruns, but rather as a tribute to David Chase and a peek behind the curtain for hardcore fans.

Don't worry ... it's not three hours of two guys talking. Gibney complements Chase's insight with a treasure trove of clips and interviews and background details, really serving up a deep dive for those who considered this show to be must-see TV. Chase actually quotes one of the best lines from the series when he says, "'Remember when' is the lowest form of conversation". By the end of the first (of two) part, many will be amazed at just how much of the show was inspired by David Chase's actual life and large Italian family. You might also be amazed at how fragile the environment can be for even the most successful of TV shows.

Chase lets us in on some personal details, and nothing is more personal than his proclamation, "My mother was nuts." Fans will eat up the segment on Nancy Marchand, the veteran actor who played Livia, Tony's mother. Chase said Ms. Marchand just "had it" (what he wanted for the character based on his own mother). It's also interesting to learn that Chase's early career aspirations were for movies, not television. In fact, he envisioned this as a movie starring Robert DeNiro and Anne Bancroft. Of course, no one would back him, and when he converted it to a series, none of the networks had an interest either. It took upstart HBO, who at the time was only beginning the transition from Movies and Sports to series. The reception of "Oz" (1997) and "Sex and the City" (1998) set the table for HBO to give the green light to the risky venture that itself eventually set the table for shows such as "Breaking Bad".

The conversation between Gibney and Chase is interspliced with clips from the show, as well as family video and pictures. Chase walks us through how the main characters were cast, and it's fascinating to watch the rough cuts of auditions - some who made it, and some who didn't (including former Cornell star RB and "Hill Street Blues" actor Ed Marinaro). This gives us a true behind-the-scenes glimpse at how things came together. We also hear from some of the show's writers who explain just how stressful things could get in the writers' room, even though HBO gave them significant creative control.

There are segments featuring Michael Imperioli, Steve VanZandt, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico, and Drea de Matteo. Perhaps the most enjoyable is watching Edie Falco (who was the last one cast in the principal cast) as she explains there were no "trigger warnings" for the show. She states it was just like real life, complete with racism, sexism, misogyny, and violence. It's hilarious hearing how sensitive Sirico was about his hair, and Drea walks us through her character's ending - just after Lorraine Bracco explains what happens when David Chase invites you to dinner.

There are clips of the infamous "ducks" from the pilot, and Chase comments on the critical raves that immediately rolled in - plus the pressures of additional seasons. Writer-Producer Terrence Winter joined the show in the second season, and he's interviewed here. Winter has since gone on to write and/or produce projects such as "Boardwalk Empire" and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013), the latter of which got him an Oscar nomination.

The deaths of Nancy Marchand and series star James Gandolfini are handled with grace, including a clip of an emotional Chase speaking at Gandolfini's funeral. We hear about the toll playing Tony took on Gandolfini, and how some of the cast were there for him in times of darkness and need. Gandolfini died in 2013 at age 51 from a heart attack. It's interesting to learn that Chase only directed two episodes himself - the first and the last. And speaking of the finale, we see clips of Holsten's and hear "Don't Stop Believin" while reliving how that finale shocked viewers and generated so much discussion. Chase addresses this by saying, "The truth is ..." Premiering on HBO/Max on September 7, 2024 (Parts 1 and 2)

I've been ready for this after watching Sopranos recently on HBO signature almost daily this week and I've seen the series a few times it's one of the best shows ever surprised there hasn't been a documentary sooner. David Chase is a genius all around and great of the director to make this 2 part documentary. I love the talent put into everything it's heartwarming learning about the background, worthy of high ratings and and spectacular vibe all around as should be for one of the best series the behind stuff better be great too! Nice to learn about the darkness more and how they didn't do it just for the sake of it. Highly recommend this magnificent mini doc series.