Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season [5 Discs] [DVD]

When HBO first announced the showing of Boardwalk Empire, my calendar became marked with bright red highlighter. Every time I saw an image of actor Steve Buscemi in his dapper 1920's attire (my favorite decade in American history), my anticipation grew. I began to research, realizing that Martin Scorsese and producer Terry Winter (The Sopranos), and I was nearly breathless with anticipation. What drew me to Boardwalk Empire? It was a combination of items. I love the 1920s. There was a romance to that particular era, evident in the films, the clothing, and the music. America was blossoming from a gawky teenage girl and into the full flower of beauty during that magical era. Much of the growing process involved film, music, gangsters, and Prohibition. When HBO's BOARDWALK EMPIRE premiered, I was as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. Scoresese and Winter didn't let me down. Boardwalk Empire chronicles the life of Enoch (Nucky) Thompson (Steve Buscemi). Nucky Thompson is slick, smooth, and runs the Boardwalk with a suaveness that rivals the cunning of a fox. I don't think Scoresese could have found anyone better than Buscemi to play Thompson, for he's able to emit the perfect persona with his sly, crooked smile and darting eyes. Yes, Buscemi fits my image of a gangster of the era, more realistic than any Hollywood has ever attempted to portray in the past. Buscemi is not a handsome man, instead he has that down home reality to his features that makes him more believable as a human being with every close-up that is filmed. Human is what Nucky Thompson is, aspiring for more on the boardwalk. Nucky is complex in his greed and maneuvering, and all the while revealing the little bit of a compassionate heart that he still has beating within him. This heart is shown in his behavior toward Margaret Schroeder (Kelly MacDonald), a pregnant woman who endures a horrific beating from her drunken husband. The storyline of Boardwalk Empire leaps from section to section, high paced, filled with action and the underground gangland activity that was so prevalent during the time. There are startling little bits of history that will make any fan of the era and mobster history smile with pleasure. My favorite clip was a war scarred Jimmy Darmody ( Michael Pitt) having a conversation with a very young Al Capone (Stephen Graham), while they waited to drive their bosses about town. (No, Al Capone didn't start out his gangster career as the headman;he started at the bottom). My overall opinion of Boardwalk Empire--Excellent and stunning. I felt as if I had been drawn into a perfectly portrayed world of the past, from the movements of Prohibition, Women's Suffrage, and into the realm of organized crime. Beautifully written for the screen (adapted from the book by Nelson Johnson, Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City), Boardwalk Empire is a must have in your mobster collection.

Very well thought out and put together. Interesting show. Will continue to watch other seasons.

This is the first season of Boardwalk Empire that retells the ups and downs of one Nucky Thompson, a unsavory businessman in the days of Prohibition. There are many fine character performances, and some story lines may shock you. But you will never be able to say you were not entertained.

This is a great drama and I wish they would have kept it going but all good things must come to an end I guess. Following young Al to stardom along with all the others and to see how things were run back then is kinda cool. If you don't have it...get it!!

Boardwalk Empire occurs during a very interesting time in the history of NJ, IL, and USA. If you like gangsters, the mob and corruption, this is a must! Steven Buscemi is awesome and is supported with a great cast of intriguing characters. I was hooked after Episode 1.

What a great intro to the 1st season of Boardwalk Empire! The Blu-Ray looks great and the extras are awesome as well. If you haven't been able to watch this show I recommend picking this up if you can when its reduced in price as I did!

Purchased this entirely because of the low price not even realizing I already owned the same set. Anyway first season is a great intro to great series. Audio and video quality are great as expected for blu-ray.

There is nothing about this show that doesn't scream excellence. From the sets, to the acting, to the content, characterization, plot... This is easily one of the best shows out there and worthy of your time. While I can watch through several other great series in a few sittings, Boardwalk seems to demand a little more patience to really appreciate it. Pacing is good, but episodes can vary in topic greatly making it a little difficult to roll with the changes.