Magic City: Season 1
M**L
Please come back
I loved this series. It should have been more than just 2 seasons. I think the casting of actor Danny Huston & Jeffrey Dean Morgan are the best thing about this wonderful show. Some of the other actor needs recasting. But the 2 i mention are perfect in there roles
C**E
The Magic City (Miami) and the "World's Playground" Miami from its glory days in the late 1950's by designer Morris Ladipus.
A most interesting film, IMHO, obviously, of the original founder, and, private , the late Ben Novack, of the legendary Fontainbleau Hotel4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FLA. the story was part fiction,and a lot of the basic outline of the story was true, such as.. the lateFrank Sinatra, had a private suite at the Fontainbleau, for decades, from winter season of 1954/55 up thru, the end of the winter seasonof 1977, and founder Ben Novack, had a son, who had a reputation as being very cocky and gregarious, who also lived at his fathersllandmark hotel. Ben Novack was also, from hearsay, friendly, with the late 1930's mobster, Meyer Lansky, who lived just 2 blocks up thestreet in another high rise condo, next to the Eden Roc. I get a lot of this information, from my employment as a bellhop at the originalFontainbleau hotel in 1975 and 1976. The hotel was foreclosed on and closed down in April of 1977, (briefly) and Roland Int'l Corp/Steven Mussof Miami and Hilton Hotels did a big time rehab, especially of the pool, and eliminated the famous beach bungalows. The movie itself wasrather seedy at times, thus, I gave it a 4 star, rather than a 5 star rating. Season II was also very interesting to view IMHO. The Fontainebleauwas unfortunately closed down for about 18 months, in 2006, when two investors, stripped down the main bldg., and, spent so much moneyon it, they were facing foreclosure by 2008, heresay is the partner firm, a Dubai World, bailed out a near 2nd bankruptcy. The hotel, now isdwarfed by the 2004/2005 super high rise Fontainebleau II Condominium, (37 stoires) and furthermore, the former, Fontainebleau Spa, once theSorrento Hotel, until Ben Novack bought it, was imploded, and a 18 story Fontainebleau III condo has now replaced it (18 stories) making theonce spacious 22 acres, very, very crowded, in the here and now. Movies, "Goldfinger 1964" "Tony Rome 1967" "The Specialist" were allpartially filmed on location there. The Boom Boom Room, The Gardens, and the Tennis Courts are now gone, as, is Club Gigi, Tropigala Lounge,and the LaRonde Superstar theater are also gone, from ABC TV's "Surfside Six" days filmed 1960 thru 1962.(so is the famous Houseboat, thatthe murderer of fashion designer, Versace, hid out, until he was caught by LE.in the mid 1990's. Again, the movie is still quite contagious towatch for anyone, who ever vacationed there from the 1950's thru the 1990's heydays, under two different, managements. Miami, "truly theMagic City" has been totally transformed, as has Miami Beach, with the massive Cocaine Cartel influx of cash during the 1980's, and now thepopulation of greater Miami/Miami beach has changed from 25% Latino, to 65% Latino, based on the 2010 census.
A**R
This show has everything !!!
Set in and around a Miami Hotel in the 1950s - 1960's. This show is a feast for the eyes with its Mid Century Modern style, classic cars and fashion. Everybody in that show is so good, their characters will haunt you from episode one . The story follows the running of a great hotel full of intrigues, love stories, politics, murders, corruption, while the Cuban revolution is going on not so far away. This show has everything! If you are a fan of Mad Men you will love this one.
T**N
Mediocre at Best
I started watching this series because I love the cars, clothes and architecture of the early sixties. It does not disappoint in that respect. It's visually stunning. But that's all that's good about it. The plot and screenplay are mediocre at best: predictable, terrible writing, gratuitous sex and nudity. Some of the acting is OK; much of it is wooden.
L**T
Terrific Series
This is a great series with terrific story lines, acting, and production values. The story takes place in the Miami Beach of the fifties-just after Castro takes Cuba. Ike Evans' Miramar Playa is the showplace of the City. But everyone wants a piece of it. So the question becomes can he keep it and can he keep it legitimate. The Miami Beach of the series is populated by gangsters, politicians, "honest" businessmen and people on the make from every direction. The actors are uniformly good with special mention to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Danny Houston, and Elena Satine. This girl is amazing as a hooker dealt an extremely dangerous hand who is terrorized by gangsters and an underhanded DA but refuses to buckle under the weight of her own fear.The first couple of episodes set the general story line, the characters, and the place in time. The pace picks up considerably with each passing episode.This series can be compared to Boardwalk Empire. Both deal with a particular city and a particular historical period. But Magic City is superior for both the writing and the acting. I highly recommend this absorbing drama.
S**3
brillant gangster mix
a great look to how vagas was built great acting got to know about this series on european satelite never seen on uk tv but very glad i invested in the series
F**H
Five Stars
Excellent
N**L
Diese Serie ist....
...der Hammer!!! Angeblich wurde sie auch im deutschen Fernsehen ausgestrahlt. Vermutlich auf einem weit abgelegenen Sendeplatz. Schade darum. Aber schön, dass man das Versäumnis mit den DVD's zu jeder, einem selbst beliebenden Tages- oder Nachtzeit nachholen kann. Es lohnt sich die Serie in der Originalversion anzuschauen, dann ist die Wirkung gleich noch einmal etwas fesselnder.
N**F
How the gangsters operated in those days.
For entertainment purpose. I like how the film was done in the 60s. How the crime started in Miami and Cuba.It was well made and well acted during the crimes of the gangsters in the past.
S**T
I can't say I liked the show too much sex and murder for
dvd arrived on time. I can't say I liked the show too much sex and murder for me
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3 weeks ago