American Gangster is a 2007 crime film written by Steve Zaillian and directed by Ridley Scott. The film stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Washington portrays Frank Lucas, a real-life heroin kingpin from Harlem who smuggled the drug into the country in the coffins of American soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. Crowe portrays Richie Roberts, a detective who brings down Lucas' drug empire. Filming was done in New York.
Filming began in Queens in July 2006. Principal photography was done on both the East Side and the West Side of Manhattan. Filming particularly took place in Harlem, the original setting of Lucas's illegal activities. Production and costume design was emphasized, transforming the location into the rundown streets of upper Manhattan from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Denzel Washington, as Frank Lucas, went through 64 different costume changes. Russell Crowe finished filming in September 2006.
Between April and May 2007, composer Marc Streitenfeld recorded the musical score for American Gangster by using an 80-piece orchestra recorded in sections as well as acoustic pre-records, performed by Streitenfeld himself.
Cast
* Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas
* Russell Crowe as Detective Richie Roberts
* Josh Brolin as Det. Trupo
* Cuba Gooding Jr. as Nicky Barnes
* Common as Turner, the brother of Frank Lucas
* T.I. as the nephew of Frank Lucas
* Anthony Hamilton as a singer
* RZA as Jones
* Chiwetel Ejiofor
* Ted Levine as Toback
* John Ortiz as Javy Rivera
* Yul Vazquez as Detective Alphonse Abruzzo
* KaDee Strickland as Sheila, Richie Roberts's lawyer Wikipedia
