The Sopranos: James Gandolfini stars in series trailer
A new documentary is set to reveal secrets with rare behind-the-scenes footage of The Sopranos and what inspired the creator of the mob drama. Often heralded as the best TV series of all time, the late James Gandolfini starred as mob king Tony Soprano, who struggled to balance family life while running a dangerous criminal organisation.
The American crime drama first burst onto our screens in January 1999 and due to its incredible popularity ran on HBO for a whopping 86 episodes until 2007. The Sopranos featured some brutal deaths - 88 deaths in fact - alongside many twists, turf wars and some great performances.
Series creator David Chase helped launch the careers of several cast members including Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco and helped pave the way for violent crime shows including The Wire, Breaking Bad or Mad Men. Wise Guy David Chase and The Sopranos, created by acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney, delves deep into the psyche of The Sopranos creator, David Chase, with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of The Sopranos.
The two-part documentary will air back-to-back from 10pm on Sky Documentaries on Sunday, September 8. The documentary will be available on catch-up as well.
The documentary will see interviews with various cast members and producers on a replica set of Dr. Melfi’s psychiatrist’s office as Gibney flips the script on David Chase, excavating and analysing the origins of “The Sopranos,” his creative process, and the intimate connections between his own life and many of his characters.
Wise Guy will talk about the origins of The Sopranos as being a feature film about a mobster whose mother plots to kill him, how the series was rejected by various TV networks and how David Chase and writers drew on personal experiences to inspire the mob drama’s plots.
Chase digs into the challenges of running a successful show, the inevitable deaths of some of the show’s favourite characters, and his creative working relationship with the late James Gandolfini. Wise Guy David Chase and The Sopranos takes viewers into the writers’ room, from the groundbreaking pilot episode to the controversial final episode and how a show about a multi-layered mob boss became a cultural milestone, a beloved fan-favourite, and changed television.
The cast also came together to share their memories of the late James Gandolfini, his generosity and genius, and how he struggled with being in the spotlight.
Interviews include writer and producer Robin Green, former president of HBO Entertainment Carolyn Strauss as well as Sopranos actors Michael Imperioli, Drea de Matteo, Lorraine Bracco, Steven Van Zandt, Edie Falco. The documentary archival interviews with late actors Nancy Marchand, James Gandolfini, and Tony Sirico.
