This two-part series features experts in Italian American history and culture and local Italian Americans, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, chef Lidia Bastianich, the late former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo, singer Tony Bennett, actress Susan Lucci, former New York Senator Al D’Amato, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, journalist Steve Adubato, actor Joe Piscopo and many others.
A beautiful collection of pictures ties Frank Cancian, an elderly photographer and retired professor of anthropology, American with origin from Veneto, to the people of Lacedonia, a small town in southern Italy. Thanks to the rediscovery of the photos taken in 1957 by the young Cancian in that rural village where he had arrived almost by chance, the story resumes there where it was interrupted 60 years earlier. And the thread of memories ties back to people and places, bringing with itself some essential reflections on how photography can become an ethnographic look at small communities.
Perrone Productions presents: Syndicates of Chicago! In our first original, feature-length film, we bring you the story of three mobsters who have big plans for their wonderful city of Chicago. With a mix of love, action, and twists, Perrone Productions assures you that you will wanna stick around!
A look at the life of chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich both on and off the screen as she celebrates 25 years on public television.
Hailed as the “godfather of Brooklyn pizza,” for forty five years Domenico DeMarco, Italian émigré and father of seven, has been slinging pizzas in his legendary corner shop, Di Fara. Employing five of his children, Dom works tirelessly from morning until night hand crafting each and every pizza himself while his kids take orders and manage the mob of devoted pizza aficionados. The Best Thing I Ever Done is a portrait of DeMarco and his beloved pizzeria, an exploration of his rise to fame and an ode to pizzaioli who take their time to 'make it right.'
Cultural and behavioral differences between Europe and the USA.
The Italian Americans reveals the unique qualities of one immigrant group's experience, and how these qualities have shaped and challenged America.
With humor, insight, and compassion, this documentary shares the journey of two Italian brothers who have run a successful restaurant for over 40 years, the sacrifices they’ve made for their children, and what it means to immigrants when they fulfill the American Dream.
It's May 1943, and two Italian American soldiers, Joe and Frank, are searching the North African desert for a Nazi general called Von Kassler. Von Kassler's aide captures them, and arranges for them to escape with fake war plans. But, things don't go exactly as planned for either side.
After Charlie Shivers' rug is ruined by painters, he hires his friend Tommy Two-Lips to steal him a new one. When Tommy profits off of it, Charlie gets his cousin Louie Lemmons to kill Tommy -- but it ends up making Charlie the main suspect.
Set in 1978, "The Uncle Gerry Show" chronicles the chaos of the most successful regional late night entertainer. Gerry Rocco is adored by all. His manager Donnie books the hottest acts of the 1960's and 1970's. Gerry struggles dealing with the temptations of fame, the time period, and a business run with his family, as a budding Italian film director captures the reality of Uncle Gerry's life. In the pilot episode John Lennon and Yoko Ono go head to head with Uncle Gerry.
Carlo Roma and his foster-son, Toma, and their friend Beppo, are living a happy fisherman's life in San Francisco until Carlo's widowed sister-in-law, Stella, shows up with her brat-son, Rudolph, and takes over. Poor Toma gets his feelings hurt and the idea he "isn't wanted" and runs away
Two elderly criminals spend their final night in Los Angeles, California at the Golden Eagle Hotel prior to their departure to Las Vegas, Nevada, to lead a life without crime. Unfortunately, on the hottest night of the summer, these two ex-criminals seemingly get caught in the malice of prostitutes, pimps, drunken bums, fighting monkeys, and young runaways.
This film has the typical air of Italian action/gangster comedies from that period - it is a perfectly charming and funny sort of comedy. The cliches of black and white are wonderfully maintained in this movie as the good guys are clever and witty and the bad ones are bad and pretty dumb. The "Shakespearian" dream of the "good" Mafioso a bit stupid but then a film like that seems in need of a few blunders.
A man confesses his sins and unveils the ugly truth of his life; he is killing for the same mobster that killed his father. Will Vinny Dapello follow his father's footsteps in the organized crime family? Or sacrifice his soul to save his life?
After an unfortunate incident causes him to leave the "family business" and move to Los Angeles, Vinny Pallazzo is living a quiet life. When his nephew, Anthony, moves in with him, Vinny slowly learns to live life to the fullest again. However, Anthony is young, and is living life in the fast lane. He brings out the demons from Vinny's past. Now Vinny must try to stop Anthony from making the same mistakes that changed his life forever.
A bartender wants rid of an obnoxious drunk but not until the drunk has left a decent tip. So the bartender tells the story of two mobster families, the Minetti's who work out of an Italian restaurant in the East San Fernando Valley, and the Mulroney's who work out of an Irish pub in the West San Fernando Valley. Mob war breaks out when one of the Minetti "boys" stiffs Big Paddy's daughter on her tip. We soon see why these hoods are called very mean men
Two police detectives must protect a beautiful call girl from mob hitmen and a crooked cop.