Anyone else see this film with Michael Shannon? What were your thoughts... particularly you NY guys? I thought the acting was great and enjoyed it. If I wasn't interested in organized crime I'm not sure how much I would have liked it. Ray Liotta was pretty good as Roy DeMeo. While I don't know all that much about the Gemeni, it seemed fairly accurate (at least within the context of Kuklinski likely being a complete liar about a lot of things).

I doubt the movie will be much of a success. It's probably too dark for most viewers. It starts with the protagonist killing a completely innocent man at DeMeo's order to prove he's loyal. You immediately pretty much hate everyone in it. But it did a fairly good job of showcasing how Kuklinski at least in the film did care deeply for his family.

I suppose that was the interesting part, that he was a total monster who, at least in the film, really did care for his family.

Overall it was pretty good.

That Gemeni Lounge scene was as sick an operation as anywhere. It seems to have veered more toward complete psychopathy than traditional organized crime.

Very good
Best mob movie since the departed

Havent seen it- hesitant because I just know so much of this guy's story is bullshit. The vast majority in fact. Kinda pathetic a scumbag like this has a legacy in film.

LOL - Richard Kuklinski was responsible for nearly every mob related murder in NY city from 1960 to about 1986 if you believe him.
I've not seen the movie but probably will get around to watching it as it cant be any worse than some of the low budget horror films that frequent the market.
In otherwords, it'll be worth a watch even if the guy was a grade A bullshitter.

I would agree with the fact that he was full of it, but with one caveat: Unless he had some other means of income, he would have had to kill a helluva lot of people to raise a family in the manner he did.

How long did he keep up his facade, 20 years? Even if he only killed 3 people a year to support his family, that's a lot of people.

Just guesstimating obviously. I don't know what the going rate for a murder was, and maybe he stole cars etc. as well. But if he was really a full time hitman I would imagine you would have to do them fairly often to keep up the appearance of a middle-class businessman.

As entertainment the movie was decent. But in my opinion it's just one bullshit story after another like him killing the Nino Gaggi character in the movie.

As far as i know there is no proof the Iceman even knew DeMeo let alone killed for him. Yes he was probably at the Gemini a few times but so were alot of other people. I don't believe Roy ever used him for any hit. He just tried hitching his wagon to DeMeo's in my opinion for the extra hitman cred. No doubt Kuklinski was a killer but i think they were all local guys he was doing business with or had a grudge against.

At the end of the movie it said something like foul play was suspected in Kuklinski's death after he named a former Gambino underboss in a murder case. Who would give a shit about Gravano being framed? Nobody. If anything they would of loved to see Sammy go down on a bullshit story like the Iceman most likely made up.

Roy had a army of killers. Why would he ever pay the Iceman to kill anyone when he had a dozen or so killers at his disposal? He wouldn't and i bet he didn't.

Definitely on the last part. Dr. Michael Baden who is one of the world's leading pathologists examined him and said he died of natural causes. That was pretty goofy of them to put in there. As far as I can tell there was nothing remotely suspicious about his death.

It was a good movie but obviously not word for word fact.. The guy claimed to be on every hit from Hoffa to Big Paul- who the hell knows what the truth is with him.

Michael Shannon unbelievable.
Closing scene you'd swear it was him.

Little annoying how he's portrayed as a pseudo 'victim' ie you almost sympathise with the character a little. RL he beat the fuck out of his wife, his kids, killed christ knows how many innocent people, some for kicks/boredom etc. Tortured animals.

He was hardly a good family man who just did pro hits on bad guys.

And the 'died in mysterious circumstances pre testifying against the Gambino family underboss' is possible the most gross exxaggeration of literay license Ive ever scene.

The feds had as much interest in laying charges as the Gambino family had on aveging/protecting the most hated rat in LCN history. They'd have loved to see Sammy locked up.

Jonnynonos:
The notion of a professional hitman is one of those stereotypes that stubbornly refuses to go away. There may be some rare exceptions,but in the OC world the job of hitman doesn't exist. No made guy or wanabee associate is going to be paid for doing "work" for the Family. If you get the order,you do the job,end of story.
Kuklinsky not only was full of more s**t than a Xmas turkey,but he was only photographed at the Gemini Lounge once,and may have never even met DeMeo. He sure as hell didn't do any hits for the Gemini crew. There would be no reason for Roy to ever go outside of his army of psychos to have a guy killed.
Bottom line,the idea of someone being paid on a regular basis for doing nothing but killing,is a cinematic fantasy.

I don't necessarily disagree but how do you suggest he was financing his lifestyle. I've never heard alternate theories.

From what I've read,Kuklinski was a fringe guy who operated in the shylock business as both a lender and a collector until (Kuklinski claimed) he took a beating from DeMeo without resisting,and thereby earned his respect ,and a spot in DeMeo's crew.
According to at least one Gambino soldier,Kuklinski was involved with Robert DiBernardo in the production and distribution of child porn and other illegal porn movies,debt collection,and other rackets.I don't think any Mob informants have disputed that he was a decent earner,but none have backed his claims as far as his killings.

I watched the IceMan last night. It was an okay movie. Could of been better. but it still was definitely bad ass. Michael Shannon did a great job playing Kuklinski.

He must have killed some people, though. He was convicted for five murders. If he was innocent I wouldn't imagine he would have essentially given up on parole/an overturned conviction and start bragging that he was in fact guilty of things 50 times worse than he was convicted of.

Agreed that there are probably not a ton of contract hitmen in OC, though there are people within families whose primary position seems to be to killing people, such as Harry Aleman.

I don't know that much about DeMeo but he wasn't 'made' for a while, right? So he wasn't really running his crew, necessarily, like he was part of a family.

I thought Michael Shannon was excellent as the Iceman regardless of all the BS.

David Schwimmer as Chris Demeo (rosenberg) was a fucking joke..come on Ross Geller really? The outfits and fake ponytail were laughable.

Ray Liotta did a good job

Another thing I dont like is when they film movies in Toronto and pass it off as NYC.
I forgot how cute Winnona Ryder is.

does anyone know where I can view this online?

Looks like it's on Amazon streaming for $4, which means its probably available via all the other streams as well. I got it at a Redbox for like $1.20 or whatever it is.

oh okay i may just get it at redbox, does anyone know of any other sites that i can download or stream it from? thanks in advance.

yes go to vioo.co ya dont gotta dwload nada just click cinema ect u can watch tons movies in theatres and past....good luck

Iceman was involved in the Porn trade and that's possibly why he visited the Gemini, to purchase (or set up a purchase) of some porn.
Possibly he bought guns there too but I don't believe any of his claims about him being Roys special lone wolf assassin

Just above the 'straight to DVD' fodder, nothing great but tried weakly to be accurate at least-don't buy it....

Awhile back, I watched a documentary were he was interviewed throughout the film. This guy is full of sh*t. He even claimed to be the one that got rid of Hoffa. My opinion, he probaly did a few mob related hits. 2 or 3. Maybe a few more, non mob-related. But, I highly doubt he offed over 100 people or Hoffa

I actually found this movie on youtube about 2 weeks ago so you might still find it there.

I thought Michael Shannon did a really good job in the movie but overall I thought it was quite lame.

Especially the scenes with him and "Robert Pronge" where they had multiple bodies being kept....I mean c'mon....any murderer who wants to stay free isn't holding on to vic's the way it was portrayed in this flick

And that's just for starters...it's a one-star movie but of course since it's about the Iceman it's a curiosity thing to want to see it.

I agree with Eddie's comments... Shannon was the most compelling reason to see that movie. From the interviews I saw of Kuklinski, it seemed he did a good job nailing his character.

Kuklinski is indeed full of shit but I do believe he has murdered a lot of people. Like others above have mentioned, it is extremely unlikely that he ever did any "Work" for DeMeo. I also doubt his tales about placing victims in a cave in the woods and placing cameras nearby to film rats eating them alive. I think this is his fantasy. Good riddance to him.

Kuklinski is indeed full of shit but I do believe he has murdered a lot of people. Like others above have mentioned, it is extremely unlikely that he ever did any "Work" for DeMeo. I also doubt his tales about placing victims in a cave in the woods and placing cameras nearby to film rats eatig

I'm in the camp that thinks he whacked just a few. He made up the rest to get attention and sell his book.

Did he really claim to be Hoffa's murderer? Then, I know he's full of shit. I believe he also claimed to be the guy that clipped and tortured John Favara- the dude that ran over John Gotti's boy.

This movie was pretty bad

I could be wrong but I thought the cops had confiscated a tape of one of those cave/rat murders? I think I saw it in one of those HBO interviews, but I could be wrong.