Sopranos 6/10 -- THE END

Here is a comment from David Chase from an interview he did with Jim Leher awhile back that I think is important and extremely relevant in the context of the finale:

DAVID CHASE: … The only thing that I guess I believe is that a lot of what I see on the air and in other places is giving answers, and I don’t think art should give answers. I think art should only pose questions. And art should not fill in blanks for people, or I think that’s what’s called propaganda. I think art should only raise questions, a lot of which may be even dissonant and you don’t even know you’re being asked a question, but that it creates some kind of tension inside you.

 

BTW, the Russian *did* come back.

Bet you'll read this link:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003596739

 

DD just covered this pretty well, but to add to it:

The final scene -- and pretty much the entire second half of the last episode -- was so effective because Phil was dead. If Phil had still been alive, then Tony would have had a clear, rational reason for nervously checking out the door of the restaurant every time someone walked in. But with Phil dead, the viewer realizes that Tony is doomed to live this way even when he doesn't have a contract out on his head.

On an unrelated note, just watched "Pine Barrens" again on A&E, and it reminded me of my proudest, most obscure Sopranos discovery ever. As many people noticed, Paulie's ringtone during the final season (including the final episode) is Simon & Garfunkel's "Ceclilia." And the song being played in "Pine Barrens" when Paulie leaves the woods is sung by Cecilia Bartoli.

Maybe it's a huge coincidence. But as I mentioned on an earlier Sopranos thread, I like to think of it as Chase's little way of bringing the Russian back...

 

There you go again, answering apples with oranges.

 

Not just an Italian thing.

 

What? You're a complete psycho. The complete lack of people racing to your defense only confirms it.

Now please carry on with your poo-throwing over the Sopranos finale.

 

Great get, Dedo.

It's always struck me as a bit strange that some of the people who take such pleasure deconstructing the mythology, coincidences and metaphors in LOST rage against that kind of analysis of Sopranos episodes.

 

It's definitely a cop thing.

I tend to do it now too just because I've spent so much time with cops and now I'm paranoid someone's going to rob the restaurant behind my back. Cops are the most paranoid people I know.

 

"Baby Bing"

 

Oh... but shot from a mere 100 feet away ... he just disappeared without a fucking trace (not a footprint nothing....) and jacked a car.

WHICH is more implausible? His utter disappearance, or his reappearance?

Bullshit.

 

Fucking apples and lugnuts.

How can anyone sanely explain his disappearance in the snow?

It hasn't happened in five years.

 

How many radio stations and others do you suppose played "Don't Stop Believin" today and stopped it at the exact same moment as on the show? And do you think Journey will release an appropriately truncated version of the song?