Is living history dying in East Dubuque?
Hit the link for the whole story. Here's an excerpt:
-- Dec. 30, 1926, The Chicago Daily Tribune
Illinois readers were riveted by the headline screaming, "CHICAGO GUNMEN CARRY WAR TO (EAST) DUBUQUE; 1 DEAD." The December 1926 special news bulletin read like a Dick Tracy comic strip, yet it was real life for East Dubuque -- the town reporters labeled "Little Cicero," a reference to Al Capone's then-headquarters in Cicero, Ill. This was the time of speakeasies and moonshine, mobsters and coppers, raids and roadhouses. This was the time when tavern owners connected their businesses by underground tunnels where they hid their illegal booze. This was the time when Al Capone came to East Dubuque to investigate after a liquor still explosion, according to one eyewitness. "This is our history -- Al Capone and prohibition and night life," said George Young, an East Dubuque bar owner, "and I think it's a really, really cool history. I'm telling you, all we'd have to do is really play up our whole history, and we'd really have something here, if they'd let us ..."
4/24/10
How The Income Tax Put Al Capone Behind Bars
Here's an excerpt from the 4/15/10 Huffington Post - It's from author Jonathan Eig's,
"Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America’s Most Wanted Gangster"
In 1931, when Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion and sentenced to 11 years in prison, the legendary gangster complained that he got a raw deal.
"I've never heard of anyone getting more than five years for income tax evasion," said the man known as "Scarface." "It's a blow to the belt." At the time, Capone's sentence was by far the stiffest ever made in a tax-evasion case. It put the Chicago mob boss forever out of business and crippled his criminal enterprise. A reasonable argument can be made that Capone was punished for his long list of perceived and actual crimes, not just for his failure to pay income tax. The income-tax charge wasn't the most precise weapon for bringing Capone to justice, but it was the quickest and surest, and the government preferred not to waste time.
Today, while Capone remains American history's most iconic gangster, his greatest legacy may be his punishment. Tax cases are used routinely to go after suspected criminals--including drugs dealers, spies, embezzlers and, most recently, terrorists--who might otherwise escape punishment. In today's cases, as in Capone's, a quick prison sentence is often deemed more important than a lengthy one, in order to prevent future crimes.
Some critics complain that Capone-style cases are disingenuous and damage the government's credibility. But there's no denying their efficacy. And the prosecutor in the Capone case--the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, George E.Q. Johnson--was among the first to hit on it: By separating Capone's failure to pay taxes from his other crimes, he made his case almost impossible to lose. He didn't have to prove that Capone earned his money through criminal conduct, only that he made money and failed to pay income tax.
The federal government had tried for years to build a strong case against the gangster, but he was slippery. He delegated the outfit's dirty work and left his name on none of the organization's bank records. But Herbert Hoover assumed the presidency on a law-and-order platform, and he was determined to show the government's strength--even as the Great Depression began to drag down his administration and the nation.
Hoover ordered his top cabinet officials to use all available manpower and spare no expense in going after Capone. They settled on tax evasion almost as a last resort. And, as newly discovered government documents reveal, federal prosecutors and Department of Justice officials fretted that Capone would get no more than a couple of years behind bars. If that happened, they worried, the government would once again appear weak and ineffectual.
Capone ridiculed the government's obsession and took a shot at Hoover: "I've been made an issue, I guess, and I'm not complaining," he said. "But why don't they go after all those bankers who took the savings of thousands of poor people and lost them in bank failures? How about that? Isn't it lots worse to take the last few dollars some small family has saved--perhaps to live on while the head of the family is out of a job--than to sell a little beer, a little alky? Believe me, I can't see where the fellow who sells it is any worse off than the fellow who buys it and drinks it."
Capone sounded a populist argument that rings true even today. He went a step further in his public-relations war with the president, sponsoring a popular soup kitchen on Chicago's South Side, as if to show that he cared more than Hoover for the nation's down and out.
Many in the press took the gangster's side.
"I ain't got nothing against Snorky Capone except wishing he would turn on a better brand of tap beer in the loop," wrote Damon Runyon, using the gangster's preferred nickname, which meant "ritzy" in the jargon of the day.
Get the rest here. Jonathan Eig's new book, "Get Capone: The Secret Plot that Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster," will be published April 27 by Simon & Schuster.
"Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America’s Most Wanted Gangster"
"I've never heard of anyone getting more than five years for income tax evasion," said the man known as "Scarface." "It's a blow to the belt." At the time, Capone's sentence was by far the stiffest ever made in a tax-evasion case. It put the Chicago mob boss forever out of business and crippled his criminal enterprise. A reasonable argument can be made that Capone was punished for his long list of perceived and actual crimes, not just for his failure to pay income tax. The income-tax charge wasn't the most precise weapon for bringing Capone to justice, but it was the quickest and surest, and the government preferred not to waste time.
Today, while Capone remains American history's most iconic gangster, his greatest legacy may be his punishment. Tax cases are used routinely to go after suspected criminals--including drugs dealers, spies, embezzlers and, most recently, terrorists--who might otherwise escape punishment. In today's cases, as in Capone's, a quick prison sentence is often deemed more important than a lengthy one, in order to prevent future crimes.
Some critics complain that Capone-style cases are disingenuous and damage the government's credibility. But there's no denying their efficacy. And the prosecutor in the Capone case--the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, George E.Q. Johnson--was among the first to hit on it: By separating Capone's failure to pay taxes from his other crimes, he made his case almost impossible to lose. He didn't have to prove that Capone earned his money through criminal conduct, only that he made money and failed to pay income tax.
The federal government had tried for years to build a strong case against the gangster, but he was slippery. He delegated the outfit's dirty work and left his name on none of the organization's bank records. But Herbert Hoover assumed the presidency on a law-and-order platform, and he was determined to show the government's strength--even as the Great Depression began to drag down his administration and the nation.
Hoover ordered his top cabinet officials to use all available manpower and spare no expense in going after Capone. They settled on tax evasion almost as a last resort. And, as newly discovered government documents reveal, federal prosecutors and Department of Justice officials fretted that Capone would get no more than a couple of years behind bars. If that happened, they worried, the government would once again appear weak and ineffectual.
Capone ridiculed the government's obsession and took a shot at Hoover: "I've been made an issue, I guess, and I'm not complaining," he said. "But why don't they go after all those bankers who took the savings of thousands of poor people and lost them in bank failures? How about that? Isn't it lots worse to take the last few dollars some small family has saved--perhaps to live on while the head of the family is out of a job--than to sell a little beer, a little alky? Believe me, I can't see where the fellow who sells it is any worse off than the fellow who buys it and drinks it."
Capone sounded a populist argument that rings true even today. He went a step further in his public-relations war with the president, sponsoring a popular soup kitchen on Chicago's South Side, as if to show that he cared more than Hoover for the nation's down and out.
Many in the press took the gangster's side.
"I ain't got nothing against Snorky Capone except wishing he would turn on a better brand of tap beer in the loop," wrote Damon Runyon, using the gangster's preferred nickname, which meant "ritzy" in the jargon of the day.
4/21/10
3/16/10
Boardwalk Empire and Kismet
Hey folks, what can I say? Long time no see. Well, we been mighty busy working every angle we can think of to bring C:KoC to the big screen ASAP. And we are seriously looking towards making some real progress on that front in the near future. Above is the first full look at HBO's forthcoming gangster series Boardwalk Empire, set to begin airing in the fall. We've been following this series with great interest since we first heard of it being developed a few years ago. Hard not to see a bit of kismet in the timing, as we are aiming to have CAPONE ready near the same time Boardwalk goes to air. And from what we've been able to learn so far, this series will serve as a great companion piece to our film, covering in depth the New York / Atlantic City side of the era as we, of course, focus on Chicago.
2/2/10
Oscar Nominated
Their film "The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant" profiles a group of workers at the GM factory in Moraine, Ohio as it prepares to close its doors for good. You can catch it right now in heavy rotation on HBO and it is one damn fine flick, let me tell ya.
And for the uninitiated, Julia there teaches film at Wright State University where both writers of CAPONE: King of Crime studied. Steve Bognar was a peer of our own big guy Jim VanBebber and actually appeared in Jim's 1988 cult classic, "Deadbeat at Dawn."
1/14/10
Boardwalk Empire promo
This series, coming later this year from HBO, has more than a bit of overlap with our own CAPONE: King of Crime
12/19/09
Top 20 of the Decade
As the decade comes to an end, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a "best of" list. Seems there's no end to the mad rush to chime in, but that doesn't mean there aren't any worth reading. Case in point, the website Psychobabble recently posted it's list of top 20 Horror films of the 00's and our very own Jim VanBebber made the cut with his opus, "The Manson Family." Here's what they had to say:
"The Manson Family may be based on a true story, but it is as horrific—no, more horrific—than most fictional horror movies you’re likely to see. This was a sort of labor of love for writer/director/egomaniac Jim Van Bebber, who began the movie in 1988 and didn’t complete it until it was to premiere at a European horror festival in 2003. The idea that the actors had to keep returning to this gritty, grisly, claustrophobic world for over a decade sounds a lot like torture to me. Van Bebber does an incredible job of recreating the grainy look of ‘70s grind house horror films, right down to the phony blood, which there are buckets of. Interestingly, the one instance in which Van Bebber decided to show a little restraint was the depiction of the murder of Sharon Tate, but he pulls no such punches anywhere else in this movie. The film’s one significant flaw was the decision to pad it with a completely unnecessary parallel story about some contemporary punks who, inspired by Manson and his gang of idiots, decide to commit some murders of their own. The Manson Family is still a must see for anyone looking to check out something truly disturbing."
You can check out the entire top 20 list at Psychobabble's website.
12/16/09
Dreams & Schemes
12/1/09
Back in the Swing
Hope you all had a nice break because we are right back at it and the big one is still on it's way. All the same, plenty of irons in the fire need tending. Heading into the New Year we're looking to expand a few of our recent alliances, while continuing to reach out to a wide variety of potential partners. Truth is, we'd much rather work with folks we know. This thing of ours is built on loyalty and we do not forget our friends. Best case, we rally the troops and get down to brass tacks before the calendar flips again. The boys remain busy, with MTC freelance editing & script consulting on a proposed new cop series in NYC, while JVB is out in LA, just starting to nose around with a story idea for a surprising "new" project. More on that later.
Anyway, drop us a line if you get a minute, it'd be swell to hear from you.
11/24/09
Happy Birthday
We first met Jim in the days of our youth, back in an analog era of dial telephones, drive-in movies and summer reruns. Jim was making elaborate Super-8 epics before we came across him shooting Deadbeat at Dawn alongside his full course work as a film student. Beside directing the picture, Jimbo was featured in most of it, often actually jumping off of or in to some legitimate danger. The kid was working around the clock and then some. Not that it showed. Jimmy was that guy that made you want to get involved. His fire and good heart and pure enthusiasm made the shoots for Deadbeat (and later Manson and My Sweet Satan) THE place we all wanted to be. Making movies was his absolute, defining passion back then and, in that way at least, nothing has changed. Taking a look back at the freaking world of change that's come along since then, that gives us a real warm feeling.
So happy birthday ya big palooka!
11/17/09
BOARDWALK buzz
Steve Buscemi as "Nucky Thompson"
The Management has been avidly following the development of the forthcoming HBO series Boardwalk Empire (Currently shooting in Capone's hometown, Brooklyn) and not just because it features our good buddy actor Vic Noto. This one is shaping up as a real killer!
Here's a bit from Cindy Adams column in today's New York Post:
" I already told you HBO's coming series "Boardwalk Empire" is about Atlantic City in the '20s. The set's in Brooklyn, the main character's politician-cum-gangster Nucky Thompson, producers are Martin Scorsese and Mark Wahlberg, and Steve Buscemi stars.
Says Steve:
"I could walk to work. I love it. It's a 10-minute car ride from my home. This came to me maybe through a combination of things. Having already worked with Scorsese plus HBO and set designer Terry Winter on 'The Sopranos,' possibly it was all those factors. We shot the pilot in June, although I'd known about this months before. Waiting for Marty to free up to direct was the longest wait of my life. I was ready to start the next day. "Nucky, a real character, rough as the day is long, a Lucky Luciano / Al Capone type who ran with the bootleggers, was the Republican machine's county treasurer. Everything went through him, though he wasn't too known on the outside. It was the prohibition era, people fighting to get the vote. I love movies of that time. "My character was best-dressed, so my suits are impeccable. He lived like a king in the Ritz Carlton, so in Greenpoint they re-created that plus they built a 1920s boardwalk complete with stores of that era."
11/15/09
Syndicate Meeting
Dark Valentine
And this bad boy from 1970's little seen Darker Than Amber - with Rod "Time Machine" Taylor as John D. MacDonald's popular literary hero, Travis McGee!
VanB planned an unpredictable mix of chaotic, parking-lot kung fu and unique props, utilizing staff, chain, iron bar and the obligatory booted-feet and bloodied knuckles. It looks like nasty business.
11/13/09
Hard at Work
The boys are keeping a lot of plates in the air these days. VanBebber has set himself to the task of early preproduction, working with his longtime partner, cinematographer Mike King, on what the visual approach to the flick will be. At the same time, Jim's polishing a couple screenplays, taking meetings with actors and carrying his normal weight in terms of getting CKoC up on it's feet. Meanwhile, alongside his daily efforts to produce the film, Capone is working a freelance editing gig, cutting a half hour interview with 50 Cent that's set to air on the Fuse cable network this coming November 25.
Clu Speaks
It features character-actor extraordinaire Clu Gulager, who's son John (pictured w/SS) is also a talented director. Here's a recent interview with Clu on the subject of acting.
11/10/09
Brought to Life
Vic in full costume at the helm of a period rig, leading his animal co-star through the rugged streets of Brooklyn. Hidden talents, don't ya know? Ride 'em cowboy!
11/7/09
Academy Buzz
FIGHT!
Put up yer dukes! Our own Jim VanBebber is fighting this weekend. Well, choreographing and fighting. In the desert. See, Jimbo's on location acting in a new movie and one scene has him caught up in an elaborate hand-to-hand battle. He's been revisiting some of his favorite movie match-ups, taking his vitamins and working out hard on the regular. This is all old hat to VanB.
As anyone who's seen Deadbeat at Dawn knows, the "Goose" is an old school king of kung fu.
That clip isn't actually from Deadbeat, but from one of the many Super-8 epics the man made back when he was just a wee lad. You can take a gander at a few of them as part of the recently released The Visions of Hell: The Films of Jim VanBebber DVD box set, which includes the acclaimed short film My Sweet Satan, featuring our man Michael T. in the small, but pivotal role of "Albert Q. Ellessdee."
We look forward to seeing what Jim comes up with this time. Go get 'em pal!
That clip isn't actually from Deadbeat, but from one of the many Super-8 epics the man made back when he was just a wee lad. You can take a gander at a few of them as part of the recently released The Visions of Hell: The Films of Jim VanBebber DVD box set, which includes the acclaimed short film My Sweet Satan, featuring our man Michael T. in the small, but pivotal role of "Albert Q. Ellessdee."
We look forward to seeing what Jim comes up with this time. Go get 'em pal!
10/30/09
10/29/09
Classic
"Many similarities exist between the film's characters and actual organized crime figures of the time. [In addition to Tony Camonte portraying Al Capone, Johnny Lovo resembles crime figure Johnny Torrio, and "Big Louis" Costillo represents rackets crime czar "Big Jim" Colosimo. The notorious St. Valentine's Day massacre (the slaughter of seven members of George "Bugs" Moran's gang on February 14, 1929), the hospital murder from the life of Legs Diamond, and the 1920 killing of Capone's Irish, North Side enemy Deanie (sic) O'Bannion in a flower shop are also recreated.]"
Even if you've seen it, do yourself a favor and check out Scarface.
10/28/09
Michael Pare'
In any event, we're thrilled to be associated with the star of Eddie and the Crusiers, The Philadelphia Experiment and my personal favorite, Walter Hill's "rock and roll fable" Streets of Fire. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Road to Hell is intended as an unofficial sequel to Streets of Fire (Pare's character is named "Cody") and also includes actress Deborah Van Valkenburgh as "Sister."
10/27/09
Sage
Our pal, actor Sage Stallone, has been a longtime supporter, so it's damn nice to give him a little verbal tip of the hat. Hey there, sport! How's tricks? Our man's read CAPONE and has a keen eye on a key part. It isn't well known, but Sage is also a talented filmmaker. His 2006 short film Vic features the wonderful character-actor Clu Gulager and chronicles a few days in the life of an aging, down-on-his-luck LA actor. Vic earned a "Best New Filmmaker" award at the 2006 Boston Film Festival. In 1996, Sage co-founded Grindhouse Releasing with ace film editor Bob Murawski. This LA based company restores and releases vintage exploitation films and had a major success with the midnight release of Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond." Just recently they announced plans to mount a midnight theatrical rerelease of Sam Rami's classic The Evil Dead. Much appreciated fellas!
The other guy, the one with the moustache, that's stone cold killer Frank Nitti.
10/26/09
We want to hear from you
Remember, we want to hear from you, so shoot us a note at mistercapone@gmail.com and get the conversation started.
"Big Bill" aka Al Capone
From appearing as himself (the only person to do so) in the popular 1932 french comic series, "Tintin in America," to films such as 1932's explosive Paul Muni classic, "Scarface" and 1933's "Gabriel Over The White House," which features a outrageous drive-by machine gunning of the White House, Capone was a certified pop culture phenomena.
Above is a detail seemingly from one of the many pre-code crime comics made popular by companies like EC Comics.
The story features an obvious Al Capone stand in in the person of "Big Bill Logan." The full page story can be viewed as a slideshow on the sidebar to your right.
Vintage Al Capone Interview Excerpt
Claude Cockburn interviewed Al Capone in 1930. Here's an excerpt:
'Listen,' he said, 'don't get the idea I'm one of these goddam radicals. Don't get the idea I'm knocking the American system. The American system . .' As though an invisible chairman had called upon him for a few words, he broke into an oration upon the theme. He praised freedom, enterprise and the pioneers. He spoke of 'our heritage'. He referred with contemptuous disgust to Socialism and Anarchism. 'My rackets,' he repeated several times, 'are run on strictly American lines and they're going to stay that way.'
His vision of the American system began to excite him profoundly and now he was on his feet again, leaning across the desk like the chairman of a board meeting, his fingers plunged in the rose bowls.
'This American system of ours,' he shouted, 'call it Americanism, call it Capitalism, call it what you like, gives to each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.' He held out his hand towards me, the fingers dripping a little, and stared at me sternly for a few seconds before reseating himself."
- The full excerpt can be found here.
10/21/09
Nose to Grindstone
The only way to do it is to get it done, which is why we're not out enjoying the beautiful weather here in New York today. What're ya gonna do?
Bona Fortuna
Recently a good friend of the production, character actor Vic Noto, was cast in the upcoming HBO series, "Boardwalk Empire." Set in 1920 at the dawn of Prohibition, it is produced by Martin Scorsese and takes a look at the origins of Atlantic City. Based on the book by Nelson Johnson, it stars Steve Buscemi as "Nucky" Johnson and Vic has been cast has a member of his gang. Nice work, Vic. Looks like the first season (according to IMDB's cast list) features appearances by Torrio, Frankie Yale and even the Big Guy himself. Seems those bootlegging days are really coming back in style!
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