C LA S S I C LUX UR Y
Bonnie & Clyde, and
Mob City
By Sherrie Wilkolaski
I
f you have spent anytime watching TV lately you might
think you’ve stepped back in time. The networks
are feeding us stories from the neo-noir era, with
tales from our grandparents’ generation. Real life
gangsters can be found with a few clicks of the
remote as we’re drawn back to a period of
prohibition, bank robberies and mob hits. What
is our fascination with going back in time? And
why now are we fixated on a period of rebellion,
poised in a such a classic setting? Can we do it
better now?
BONNIE & CLYDE
Lifetime released their version of Bonnie
Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910 – May 23,
1934) and Clyde Chestnut Barrow (March 24,
1909 – May 23, 1934) story as mini-series back in
December. I marked my calendar and had my
popcorn ready. It was a bore. It could have been
cut back by two hours. The costumes were nice,
but it moved like molasses. The 1963
80
MARCH 2014 •LUXE BEAT MAGAZINE
version with Warren Beatty and Faye
Dunaway blows it away, it is a classic.
If you’re in the mood for reliving the
life of two young villains, watch it on
Netflix.
MOB CITY
Another flashback program is rue-life
crime drama, Mob City. It should have
been scheduled as a mini-series, it has
been cancelled in February 2014 and
currently has aired only six episodes.
The set design and costuming was
gorgeous, but the dialogue was just not
there.
Have we heard these stories too many
times to enjoy the classic history of the
mob in the 1940’s, or are production
studios rushing to fill their timeslots
with content that just isn’t ready for
airing?
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
HBO has gotten it right. Boardwalk
Empire is something to watch. This
crime show drama has depth. Bugsy
Segal is a character to be loved. The
production quality is as good as it gets.
HBO is quality. They are not looking
for quantity.
Boardwalk Empire is a series that will be
a classic for years to come, ironically
telling the account of another classic
age. It is interesting how everything
comes back around again, yet even
with today’s technology and resources,
we can still identify those things that
will stand the test of time. It’s not
something that can be developed, it
just is.