The Sopranos' Steven Van Zandt Says James Gandolfini Contemplated Quitting the Show 'Every Other Day': 'It Just Got to Him'

People ^ | 09/08/2024 | JP Mangalindan

[mass55th]

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like I didn’t miss much, which at my old age, makes me feel good I didn’t waste my time on it to begin with.

[Glad2bnuts]

My niece married the Son of a “made man”. His Father was President of the Ironworkers Union, was a Bookie, and addicted to gambling. To hear him talk about it, he would come home from “work” and move everything out of his house, he lost gambling. That happened 3 times I was told. He was a nice enough guy, first words he uttered when meeting him at the Airport picking his family up was, “Women in Seattle are fat cows” which is true. Then introductions happened.

[lowbridge]

I didn’t start watching The Sopranos until after the 3rd or 4th season (can’t recall which)

Back when the first episode of the first season originally aired, I never bothered to watch because the premise of the show sounded too gimmicky to me: a mob boss sees a psychiatrist. And I’m a voracious reader of non fiction. I love true crime books. Particularly on the subject of the mafia.

So, a few seasons of the sopranos went by and I’m hearing all sorts of praise for the show. But also complaints from viewers who complain that the wait between seasons is too long. So, one time in between seasons, HBO decides to re-run a marathon of all the episodes up until then. I decided to tune in to see what all the hype and talk was about and I was hooked from the very first episode and watched it religiously from then on. It is indeed a great series.

Don’t make us tie you to a chair, tape your eyelids open, and make you watch The Sopranos. ;-)

Anyways, time to end your sabbatical. Some recommended prison movies:

Escape From Alcatraz (1979)
I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (1932)
The Shawshank Redemption
Cool Hand Luke
Stir Crazy
Sleepers
Stalag 17
Jailhouse Rock
I Want To Live!
Cell 2455 Death Row
White Heat

[mass55th]

I've been a reader all my life. Was reading before I went to kindergarten, and haven't stopped. I read historical mysteries that are in a series. About the only contemporary detective series I read is the Logan McRae Mysteries by Stuart McBride. McRae is a DS/DI with Aberdeen, Scotland's police force. I've been reading the Pendergast series by Doug Preston and Lincoln Child since their first book titled "The Relic" which was made into a movie in 1997. Pendergast's character was introduced in the first book and movie. He's a special agent with the FBI. The series is listed as Thrillers.

I also read a lot of history books about medieval England, WWI, WWII, basically any topic I find interesting and the people involved. I usually have 5 books of different time periods and genres going at once. I also have two books on my Kindle that I read at night. I've been retired for 21 years, so I've had a lot of time to myself to sit and read each day.

There was a day I liked true crime too, but then I went to work in NY State's prison system, and I got to meet some of the people the books were written about.

"Don’t make us tie you to a chair, tape your eyelids open, and make you watch The Sopranos. ;-)"

LOL!! That will never happen. Thanks for the list of movies, but I'll never watch any of them in the time I have left on this earth. At 77, my time is precious, and I only spend it on the things I find most enjoyable like reading.

Maybe I'll end up in Hell, and my punishment will be to watch prison movies for eternity. That's the only way anyone could get me to watch any of them.