The War of the Whiteys

It's time now to discuss something that this particular blog has been very eager to report on; something that involves a very significant piece of Boston history: A Whitey Bulger movie. Recently, I have been reporting a potential casting where Johnny Depp plays the Boston mobster in a Ben Affleck-directed movie. Well, it turns out that THAT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN. Reports came out in February that Johnny Depp will play Whitey Bulger, but the movie (still entitled Black Mass) will be directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man). The movie is reported to be based off of the best-selling book by the Boston Globe’s Gerard O’Neil and Dick Lehr entitled "Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob,". Don’t fret just yet Affleck fans, because Ben Affleck is still set to make a Whitey Bulger bio-pic with Matt Damon taking the lead. It looks like, after looking into who was going to make the better Whitey Bulger, we’re going to be able to see both Depp and Damon duke it out in a “war of the Whiteys”. Unfortunately, now that Depp is connected to a different project than Affleck and Damon, I’m sad to say that Black Mass will not be able to stand a chance against the Whitey Bulger bio-pic.

When it comes to Black Mass, there is a quality group coming together to make the movie led by Barry Levinson, who has also produced Donnie Brasco, and Johnny Depp. Depp has been able to successfully play a gangster in the past both in Public Enemy and as Joe Pistone in Donnie Brasco. The Depp/Levinson team will be sure to reunite and make a quality film based off of a quality book, but they are still trying to swim up “Affleck/Damon Creek” without a paddle.

For fast food, it’s McDonalds. For coffee, it’s Dunkin Donuts. When it comes to Boston movies, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon the best in the business. The two of them have been involved in a large variety of acclaimed Boston movies from Gone Baby Gone (Affleck’s first directing attempt) to The Town. This team knows exactly how to capture the heart of Boston in a camera. As a result, it makes it very difficult to bet against the bio-pic when it comes to a “War of the Whiteys”.

As a director, Ben Affleck knows how to capture Boston, plain and simple. This has given him a reputation as well as all the right connections to all the right actors. Affleck and Damon have been associated with unbelievable talent for his movies such Jeremy Renner (The Town), Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting), Mark Wahlberg (The Departed), and Jack Nicholson (The Departed). They have a long list of some of the finest actors in Hollywood that would be quick to jump on another opportunity to make some money as a supporting role in an Affleck/Damon movie. As a result, the well ends up running dry on Levinson as he looks for quality actors that can help boost the appeal of Black Mass while also capturing the soul of Boston.

It will also be interesting to see the literal head-to-head between Damon, a Boston native who has previously taken a role involving the Boston Mafia (The Departed) and Depp, who may still be good at impersonations, but he has yet to take on any project that involves him and the city of Boston. On paper, Damon has the clear advantage basing most of his work on this North Shore genre. If I was to give anything to Depp, it is that he is known to be a very talented actor who can play a variety of characters. Depp has been able to go from the outlandish and energetic Willy Wonka to a quiet and reserved Edward Scissorhands back to the cunning yet questionable Captain Jack Sparrow with ease. It would not surprise me in the least bit if Depp was able to pull off becoming a Boston gangster. However, it has yet to be seen and, therefore, I am still forced to give Matt Damon the edge based on certainty.

There is one final piece, the one straw that broke the camel’s back (if you will), that pushes the edge completely in favor of Affleck and Damon: the book, Black Mass. Levinson has put himself under the microscope by trying to base his movie off of a best-selling book. He is now forced to stick to the story of the book and if he steers away from the story even slightly, then the entire project will become scrutinized. It’s a more intense sense of pressure that Affleck doesn’t have because his project is not based off of any books. He has the creative license to make up his own story revolving around Whitey Bulger. With all these different factors, how can you not say that Affleck and Damon won’t come out on top in this Battle of the Bulge…ers.

The Casting Code: How To Cast a Boston Movie

Imagine if you will Justin Bieber as one of Boston’s finest in the middle of an investigation to crack down on the Boston Mafia, which is run by Jay-Z. No? How about the blue-collar bartender from Charlestown played by Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) who is taught all of life’s lessons by a homeless man played by Mike Myers, who camps out outside of his bar? It just doesn’t seem to fit all that well. That’s because there is an actual science involved in casting for a Boston movie. The goal of this little tutorial is to show you how to go about casting a Boston movie perfectly.

            1.       GO LOCAL

Any good actor tries to get a connection to their role. Therefore, getting someone who was born and raised on the North Shore will make connecting with the setting, characters, and story much easier to accomplish. Guys like Matt Damon (Cambridge) and Mark Wahlberg (Boston) fit perfectly in the criteria for their ability to take their routes and apply it to their characters. It also helps to have an authentic Boston accent, which brings us to the next point.

            2.       DON’T OVERDO IT

There may come a time when you just can’t find a good Boston actor (they don’t just grow on trees you know). If you have to cast an actor who isn’t from Boston, it is essential that you don’t focus on how much they can pretend to be from Boston. There is nothing worse than a fake Boston accent. Just ask Alec Baldwin, who sounds like a Kennedy reject as a Boston cop in The Departed. The accent either becomes painfully fake or it’s inconsistent and the actor does not keep the accent throughout the entire movie. Sometimes, it’s better to just not have a Boston accent at all. Guys like Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) and Jack Nicholson (The Departed) performed admirably in their respective Boston movies without ever having to attempt a Boston accent. A lot of it has to contribute to their ability to fulfill the third and final requirement.

            

            3.        PLAY THE PART

Whether the actor is a local actor or not, it is vitally important for an actor to be able to play the part. The base of close to every Boston movie involves characters that are blue-collar, Irish, and generally middle-to-lower class. That defines the majority of people living within Boston. If an actor can channel that kind of a character, then they will not only be able to depict Bostonians perfectly, but they are relatable as well.

So where do you go from here? Well, grasshopper, you will now be able to analyze just how good a Boston movie is based off of its cast, but why not go one step further than that? Take this new found knowledge and apply it to the Whitey Bulger movie. To this date, there is still no one person set to play Whitey Bulger. Therefore, I CHALLENGE YOU! Read up on the potential candidates to play Whitey Bulger then cast your vote as to who will make the best Whitey Bulger. Now, go forth and use your skills for the good of all that is Boston movies.

How To Talk Like You're From Boston (For Kids)

     People talk kind of funny don’t they? That’s because where people come from changes how they talk. Sometimes, it sounds weird when they talk and you don’t know what they’re saying. Other times, it’s really cool and you wish you could talk just like them. Well, what if I told you that you could? All you need to do is follow just two simple rules and you will be able to talk like you live in Boston. 

          1)     R = AH

When you say a word that has the letter “R” in it, all you have to do is make an “ah” sound instead of saying “r”. Give it a try on these words here. Say them out loud, but instead of saying the “r” in the word, say “ah” just like you would when you go to see the doctor.

               

 PARK – this should sound like “PAHK”

 RIVER – this should sound like “RIVAH”

CAR – this should sound like “CAH”

FAR – this should sound like “FAH”

Good job! Now here’s the second step.

      2) O = AW

When you are trying to say words that have an “O” in them, don’t make the sound of an “O”. Instead, make an “AW” sound like “AW, look at the puppy”. Try saying “AW” instead of “O” for these words.

              

  POT – this should sound like “PAWT”

  HOT – this should sound like “HAWT”

  TOP – this should sound like “TAWP”

If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you were living next door to Fenway Park…or Fenway “Pahk”.

When They Came Really Close to Knowing My Name

There was one show back in the eighties that gave people a feeling of community, family, and tradition that got them through life’s obstacles. That show was Cheers. For eleven seasons, the bar “where everybody knows your name” showed people a bar full of warmth and support for the common man trying to make it through the grind that comes with the blue-collar lifestyle. It was a picture perfect setting that did wonders on national television, but what if I told you that such a place existed in real life? Yep, Cheers is an actual bar right in the heart of Boston. When it comes to that communal feeling and blue-collar tradition of Cheers, look no further than the original Bull and Finch Bar.

      
The actual Cheers goes all the way back to 1969 with the founding of the Bull and Finch Bar on Beacon Hill. It had been established for thirteen years by the time that it was found by a couple from Hollywood looking to make the next big prime time sitcom. In the summer of 1981, Mary Ann and Glenn Charles walked into the Bull and Finch while looking for just the right bar to inspire them into what they wanted their sitcom to be based around. They fell in love with the comforting warmth and embrace of the bar, which was known very well in the Boston area for having such an enjoyable environment. They had even gone on to win “Best Neighborhood Bar in Boston” by the Boston Magazine. They took some pictures of the bar and brought them back to Hollywood to begin making the design and environment for Cheers, which began airing in 1982. From there, the show would last on prime time television for eleven years, 275 episodes, and become nominated for over 100 Emmys.

        
The bar from the show and the bar in real life are not completely similar, believe me. I ventured out to the original inspiration of the show with some of my roommates. While the show may have been a little before my time, I couldn’t sit there and say “Hey, this is what it looks like on TV”. There are still many similarities regardless. One of the main ones includes the island bar. When me and my roommates were there, we joked around at either end of the bar pretending to be Norman, Cliff, anybody whoever sat on the end of that bar. The best part is that not once were we heckled, judged, or told to stop by anyone. It went perfectly with the feeling of being welcome and right at home in the local watering hole.

The island bar was going to bring about an actual interpretation of the Bull and Finch, but it there is wasn’t exactly the first thing to come to mind. The directors figured it would be best to use an island bar when trying to shoot scenes with four camera angles on a live set. There is also the wooden Indian statue that greets everyone upon walking into the bar. However, the most important feature that does not always get recognized is the step down. In the show, whenever everyone entered the bar, they had to go down a set of stairs to get in and then go down another couple of stairs once they were inside. In the show, Norm would enter into the bar and stand there above everyone else as everyone greeted him in unison. It was cool to watch because it made Norm seem like somebody that mattered. It’s that sense of appreciation and acknowledgment that has always made it mean so much that everyone knew your name.

It is the same way in the actual Cheers bar, which helps in making the environment so welcoming. It was a warm and welcoming environment that, especially in the TV show, was a place where people would go to take a load off after a long and hard day. In those first few moments when you enter the bar and stand above the place as you’re greeted kindly by a server, it makes you feel a perfect sense of comfort and ease. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by a waitress who had that perfect amount of enthusiasm without coming off as bubbly and ditzy. She was so nice (and kind of cute to boot), which made the experience at Cheers feel so open and friendly right off the bat. This is a much overlooked, but crucially important aspect to the welcoming feeling of Cheers that has been incorporated into each setting.

A big difference between the set and the actual bar also involves the back. In the TV show, the back of the bar was a small room that had a pool table. At the actual bar, they had opted to turn this area into a place where people were able to eat by setting tables down. The pool table is nothing but a miniature decoration hanging from the ceiling that is out of the way of the hungry customer. There is also a room for merchandise and Cheers memorabilia. Like all other gift shops, this has the chance to jeopardize what customers think of the Cheers brand being used to make some more green. It’s like getting this great service from a waiter and being tended to perfectly until the very end when they remind you to tip. It can instantly change your perspective with the snap of your fingers.

“I mean, I can see how merchandising the name (Cheers) can make the whole experience feel cheaper. Know this kind of is a tourist attraction of sorts, but it really doesn’t feel like that until you see the shop.” One of my roommates said on the train back to Endicott. If you look on the website though, Cheers went about selling their merchandise in a comical way that focuses on supplying to the customer:

“This (gift shop) is because when it first became known that the Bull & Finch Pub was the inspiration for the TV show, Cheers, visitors came to the pub looking to take something home with them. They began by taking the ashtrays, the matches, the menus, and anything that wasn't tied down. There is still a barmaid missing. We decided that we had better do something about this. We started very simply by selling t-shirts and posters and now we provide a full array of souvenirs including other apparel items, glassware, and trinkets.”

 I sat down in the back of the pub and helped myself to a burger. It was a good burger and fries, almost stereotypical to what you’d expect to get at a pub: thick cut fries with a burger whose ratio between juice and grease leans a slight bit towards the latter. It still seemed like a much better option than the Norman Burger. It caught my eye right off the bat because of the name (obviously), but then I found out what it actually was: two burgers with Muenster cheese, mushrooms, onion rings, lettuce and tomato on a toasted bun. Our group had debated if we wanted to do it, but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to partake in such a heavy burden. The burger was enormous! After seeing a picture of the feast on a plate, the Norman burger looked like my burger had engulfed another one!

"That burger was immense!" Another one of my roommates commented during my makeshift interview on a train, "I feel like I'd definitely have to go in starving to get it done. Even then I bet I'd be passing out with a 'food baby' for a couple of hours. It's definitely worth a shot."
            
The Norman burger served as a food challenge. If you could eat the burger and the fries, then you earned yourself bragging rights and a spot in the Norman Burger Hall of Fame, which is posted on the Cheers website. It's not the most challenging food competition, but to have your name cemented (or typed) into Cheers history made it seem very worth while...some other time.

           
After a nice afternoon in the heart of Boston, I had felt very in touch with the city just by stepping into this one little bar. They may not have been completely similar, but everything I felt from watching reruns of Cheers I could feel again by sitting up against a wall looking at all the decorum from wall to wall with the infamous island bar in between. However, I couldn’t help but reflect on the other Cheers.

Another Cheers had been established in Boston’s Faneuil Hall, but after a few trips there over the last couple of years, it just never seemed to match up with the one time I hung out in the back of the original Cheers. As a part of Faneuil Hall, it is not a typical bar and is much different than both the original Cheers and the TV show. While it does still maintain the island bar and wooden Indian statue, it resembles a greenhouse as the walls and ceiling are all made out of a slanted glass attached to the outside of the original Faneuil Hall. Because of this glass, the entire environment is also much brighter as if the environment itself had some sort of a divine nature. The other Cheers’ are in a slightly dark setting with a feeling of smoky tradition and nostalgia. The Faneuil Hall location is also only one level, which means that you aren’t able to get that great empowering feeling when you first stand above the bar. However, you are able to head downstairs in order to go to the gift shop and/or eat at the restaurant. I still enjoy going there and it’s definitely a place I’d recommend, but there’s just no way that the Cheers in Faneuil Hall serves as an appropriate location to capture the feeling of Cheers. It’s too nice, fancy and, most of all, you just don’t go walking in feeling that same warm feeling “where everybody knows your name”.