Film and TV has glorified the mafia for years. Expensive suits, watches, fast cars, whiskey and cigars…yes. Movies have certainly made it seem as though living the mob life is the good life. The reality however, is not that simple. The mafia, were not good people. Sure film audiences rooted for them and charismatic actors played many a crime lord, but the truth is that the mob was a group of criminals who extorted and murdered countless working class people in their quest for wealth and power. The new limited three part TV series Fear City: New York vs The Mafia shows just how deep their activity went, and how far they were willing to go to stay in power.
The new limited three part TV series Fear City: New York vs The Mafia shows just how deep their activity went, and how far they were willing to go to stay in power.
The series documents the early stages of the federal government’s knowledge of New York’s Five Families. The Italian mob at the time consisted of the Colombo, Gambino, Bonamo, Lucchese, and Genovese families. They were at the height of their power in the 1970’s when the FBI realized they had to change tactics in order to bring them down. What then ensued was a legal ‘cold war’ that took years to conclude. This series is an informative, intense, and entertaining tale of it all played out. A diverse group of participants, from both sides, all get a say in this gripping special. This includes former mobsters, law enforcement officials, FBI agents, and prosecutors. Former mafia members Michael Franzese and Johnny Alite add their perspective to what they knew at the time and their level of participation. Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani also tells of his role played in bringing down the leaders of the Five Families.
Director Sam Hobskinson does quite the job in shaping the narrative from law enforcement’s point of view, and the series encompasses the methods in which they had to resort to in order to prosecute the organization as a whole. The legal statute of RICO is covered at the beginning, as well as how the FBI was able to get certain members of the mafia under wire-taps. Much of what’s discussed is done so by re-enactment, and this is done so adequately. The editing of the series as a whole is also impressive, using footage and photos from the 1970s and 80s whilst integrating it with said re-enactments so as to provide full clarity and perhaps even to fill in missing pieces for the audience. The score heightens the intensity for much of the series, especially when the agents who actually planted the taps discussed the situations in which they had to do so.
Fear City paints the picture of reality, not romanticism. The realness of this series is what makes it interesting, and audiences will learn of how broad and sophisticated the mafia’s operations were. Though the movies can be fun and often champion these figures as ‘heroes’ in some lights, this new special shows the truth of what these men really were. Fear City is currently streaming on Netflix, so watch it and enjoy.
