History Film / KingOfNewYork

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Frank. This, more than anything else, is what Gilley and Flanigan hate about him.

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%%* BodyguardBabes: Melanie and Raye.

* PayEvilOntoEvil: some of the villains of this movie are really evil. And thus their downfall is going to be what they reap. Tito, who prostituted girls. Artie Clay, who exploited his workers.

* LeanAndMean: Frank. Look [[ChristopherWalken who he's played by]].

* ItsAllAboutMe: Gilley and Flanigan cares about getting Frank arrested rather than follow the rules.

* OffOnATechnicality: Why Gilley and Flanigan decide to take the law into their own hands. Odd, since Frank just got out of prison a couple weeks ago, so clearly he's been convicted before.
%%* OnlySaneMan: Bishop

%%* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Bishop

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Frank is a ruthless drug dealer and cold-blooded murderer who is working towards a noble end and genuinely trying to change. The police are correct when They say its obscene how Frank can get away with murder but are willing to break those same laws to catch him. The victims of Frank's reign are despicable individuals, who engaged in vile activities such as child prostitution and scamming illegal immigrants.

The story concerns Frank White (Walken), a powerful drug lord who is released from prison after serving a lengthy stretch, and reunited with his old gang, led by streetwise goon Jimmy Jump (Fishburne). Frank claims to have reformed and hobnobs with the cream of New York society to prove it, but continues to engage in his criminal pursuits. He has a dream: To unite the whole New York underworld in one multi-racial organization, with himself at the head, and use some of the profits to build hospitals for the poor and the needy. But there are a few roadblocks, like racist Mafia boss Arty Clay (Frank Gio) and greedy Triad gangster Larry Wong (Joey Chin), who will need to be cleared away first.

* CivilianVillain: After his release, Frank makes every effort to rebuild his image, attending swanky plays and ritzy restaurants, hobnobbing with politicians and celebrities, raising money for hospitals and jokingly announcing that his new life goal is to be Mayor. All while making eight-figure heroin deals and killing rival gangsters left and right.

A [[TheNineties 1990]] gangster film, directed by the legendary Creator/AbelFerrara. The film stars Creator/ChristopherWalken, [[Creator/LaurenceFishburne "Larry" Fishburne]] and Victor Argo, and features (in the first major screen roles for each) [[Series/CSIMiami David Caruso]] and [[Film/{{Blade}} Wesley Snipes]]. Though initially panned by critics for its enthusiastic use of violent and sexual images and its "glorification" of criminal activity, the film carved out a niche audience among fans of gangster movies and rap, and is today considered a classic example of 1990s crime cinema.

* EvilIsHammy: "Larry" Fishbourne is still picking the scenery out of his teeth.

* AffablyEvil: Frank.
** Jimmy has his moments too.

* BloodFromTheMouth
* BodyguardBabes: Melanie and Raye.

* CarFu
* ChekhovsGun

* DaChief: Bishop.

* TheDragon: Jimmy for Frank.

* GigglingVillain: Jimmy

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Gilley and Flanigan.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Frank and Jimmy.
** Gilley and Flanigan too.

* KarmicDeath

* TheMafia: Arty Clay.
* MagicBullets
* ManOfWealthAndTaste: Frank again.

* MoralMyopia: Both Frank and Gilley are guilty of this.

* MutualKill: [[spoiler:Frank and Bishop at the end.]]
* OddCouple: Frank and Jimmy.

* OnlySaneMan: Bishop

* RabidCop: Gilley and Flanigan.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Bishop

* TheStoolPigeon: [[spoiler:Joey Dalesio]].

* TheTriadsAndTheTongs: Larry Wong.
* TrueCompanions: Frank and his crew.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans
* VillainProtagonist: Frank and Jimmy, all the way.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Gilley and Flanigan.
** Frank too.

A [[TheNineties 1990]] gangster film, directed by the legendary Abel Ferrara. The film stars Creator/ChristopherWalken, [[Creator/LaurenceFishburne "Larry" Fishburne]] and Victor Argo, and features (in the first major screen roles for each) [[Series/CSIMiami David Caruso]] and [[Film/{{Blade}} Wesley Snipes]]. Though initially panned by critics for its enthusiastic use of violent and sexual images and its "glorification" of criminal activity, the film carved out a niche audience among fans of gangster movies and rap, and is today considered a classic example of 1990s crime cinema.

A [[TheNineties 1990]] gangster film, directed by the legendary Abel Ferrara. The film stars ChristopherWalken, [[LaurenceFishburne "Larry" Fishburne]] and Victor Argo, and features (in the first major screen roles for each) [[CSIMiami David Caruso]] and [[Film/{{Blade}} Wesley Snipes]]. Though initially panned by critics for its enthusiastic use of violent and sexual images and its "glorification" of criminal activity, the film carved out a niche audience among fans of gangster movies and rap, and is today considered a classic example of 1990s crime cinema.

-->'''King Tito:''' ''[looking at a briefcase full of tampons]'' What the **** is this?
-->'''Jimmy:''' They're for the bullet holes, ****!

-->'''Blood:''' ''[crashing through a hotel room door]'' Room service, mother****ers!

* SawedOffShotgun: Frank uses one to [[spoiler:reduce Gilley's head to [[ChunkySalsaRule the consistency of chunky salsa]].

* {{Jerkass}}: Gilley and Flanigan. Jimmy is pretty personally unpleasant to anyone outside the gang.

* TheDragon: Jimmy

* Evil is Hammy: "Larry" Fishbourne is still picking the scenery out of his teeth.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo
* JerkAss: Gilley and Flanigan. Jimmy is pretty personally unpleasant to anyone outside the gang.

* SawedOffShotgun: Frank uses one to reduce [[spoiler:Gilley]]'s head to [[ChunkySalsaRule the consistency of chunky salsa]].

* WhatTheHellHero: Gilley and Flanigan again.

* MutualKill: [[spoiler:Frank and Bishop.]]

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Frank is a ruthless drug dealer and cold-blooded murderer, but he also has higher moral standards than possibly anyone else in the Film. He genuinely believes that the hospital he's building is worth the bloodshed. Factor in that the men Frank has killed are considerably worse than himself and ran operations far worse than drug dealing. The police, meanwhile, firmly believe that Frank is a killer who needs to be stopped at all costs and it is their duty to stop the body count rising anymore. To achieve this, They are willing to commit murder and break the law They swore to uphold.

* KnightTemplar: Both Frank and the police fit this category as both believe that the other needs to be stopped for the greater good.

* BlackAndGreyMorality: Frank is a ruthless drug dealer and cold-blooded murderer, but he also has higher moral standards than possibly anyone else in the Film. He genuinely believes that the hospital he's building is worth the bloodshed. Factor in that the men Frank has killed are considerably worse than himself and ran operations far worse than drug dealing. The police, meanwhile, firmly believe that Frank is a killer who needs to be stopped at all costs and it is their duty to stop the body count rising anymore. To achieve this, They are willing to commit murder and break the law They swore to uphold.

A [[TheNineties 1990]] gangster film, directed by the legendary Abel Ferrara. The film stars ChristopherWalken, [[LaurenceFishburne "Larry" Fishburne]] and Victor Argo, and features (in the first major screen roles for each) [[CSIMiami David Caruso]] and [[{{Blade}} Wesley Snipes]]. Though initially panned by critics for its enthusiastic use of violent and sexual images and its "glorification" of criminal activity, the film carved out a niche audience among fans of gangster movies and rap, and is today considered a classic example of 1990s crime cinema.

* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: The first three-quarters or so of the movie is made of this.

* BlackAndGreyMorality: Frank is a ruthless drug dealer and cold-blooded murderer, but he also has higher moral standards than possibly anyone else in the Film. He genuinely believes that the hospital he's building is worth the bloodshed. Factor in that the men Frank has killed are considerably worse than himself and ran operations far worse than drug dealing. The police, meanwhile, firmly believe that Frank is a killer who needs to be stopped at all costs and it is their duty to stop the body count rising anymore. Only Bishop knows that this will lead to more carnage.