Sam Roberts interviews David Chase on The Sopranos

Creator of The Sopranos, David Chase, talks to Sam on The Sam Roberts Show about creating The Sopranos, writing in Sil, creative input, the Pine Barrens, Tony's fate, and a lot more.

[shellbacksclub]

short of having Tony's brain splat on the dinner table, Chase pretty much spelled out the fact that Tony was killed at the end, yet there's ppl who still give theories on why he lived because they can't accept it. that's a powerful show.

[ghost]

David Chase has the makings of a varsity director

[shydawghanbowski]

chase was being a smartass on the pinebarren explanation in case you didnt realize it but that was one hell of a interviewer on this show

[PhatBoyMedia]

Over ten years of the Russian storyline never being resolved and of all people it's Sam shitting Roberts that gets it out of him.
Well played, sir.

[TsadiMemKhet]

Of course the most compelling and important matter which is not addressed in a conclusive manner on screen in The Sopranos is just how long Phil Leotardo's happy ass was standing in that motel room closet before Vito got there.

[Danimalzx]

This interviewer (who btw is excellent) reminds me of Ralphie from the Sopranos. He both looks and talks like him..haha

[Zeupater]

Excellent interview. Insightful, nuanced questions. 11:57 I say yes.

[themusic]

The Sopranos was a show that purposely left a lot up to the viewers imagination. But humans as we are love conclusion and explanation so it’s hard for us to live with it. David Chase left the entire ending of the show up to viewers to decide how it goes on, that’s why 14 years after it’s ending (and probably for all time) people are still debating over what happened when the screen went black.

[BrianBaker]

This is a tremendous interview. You got mad skillz, yo!

[wolfstealth]

Mr Chase at the tippy top end of the interview is super appreciated lol

[TheAndrerion]

David Chase is a true advocate of auteur film making. An understated genius. But why did you kill CHRISTOPHER!?! WHY, OH WHY!?!?!

[demotivater]

193 views? This is quality stuff Sam Roberts!

[sssMusicFan]

Great interview Sam. I know this was in 2013 which was 6 years after the Sopranos ended. What happens in the last scene- all you need to know is "members only" and the only reason the shows end fading to black unexpectedly and minutes earlier before the credits is that Tony was indeed shot by the guy coming out of the washroom wearing the Members Only jacket. Notice he orig walks into Hausten's (the NJ restaurant) following right behind AJ). This might suggest he had to shoot AJ first then Tony. AJ might have looked to his right before Tony, so he saw the hitman coming out with gun drawn before Tony notices.

This Tony gets shot theory has more to do with the simple fact that, at the very least, David Chase would not write a final episode that simply has the Soprano family sitting down to dinner in a restaurant. He did that on particular earlier ep with the fam sitting at home during Christmas. He would not do this for a finale ep like that so there is a reason we see them dining out that night.

Suspense is developed as Meadow has difficulty parallel parking her car. Meadow walks in just as the shooter is about to kill Tony for sure, and maybe AJ shortly before killing Tony. This is all from Tony's perspective so that means he sees Meadow a microsecond before he's shot. So the shooter comes out, gun drawn, shoots to his left AJ, then Tony just as Meadow walks into the restaurant having a full vantage point and sees everything. So the shooter would be walking past Carmela (seated at the table) and Meadow then he leaves. You only see what Tony see's in that last moment before he dies and screen goes black.

One other point, Tony chooses to listen to Journey after hearing Little Feat . Maybe he gets shot just because of his taste in music... kidding, sort of.

[adnanasghar]

Tony is dead sadly :( if not in the Sopranos then atleast in real life

[thCenturySir]

Patsy Parisi's son is dating Meadow, Tony's daughter. He seemed genuinely happy and excited about that.

[TsadiMemKhet]

What does it mean that the music continues uninterrupted in the final scene of The Sopranos from the time Tony is standing in the doorway looking at the booth to him being shown sitting in the booth? Is the idea that it was only actually playing on the jukebox while he was sitting there, but faded in prior to that, or does it indicate that it isn't his waking life?

Also, are the airplane sounds relevant?

[schizm]

David Chase is the father of Bob Saget's voice.

[TsadiMemKhet]

I didn't think that either Pine Barrens or Employee of the Month required any closure, but that is a TOTALLY DIFFERENT MATTER FROM ENDING THE SHOW LIKE THAT!!

[CZinDC]

I think I finally get the ending. Tony walks into the restaurant and envisions himself sitting at the table. From there, we never see him actually go sit down. I think from there we’re in Tony’s imagination. One big tell was how the guy in the members only jacket sits unnoticed, but Tony knows he’s there. We’re in the perspective of Tony.
I think he is envisioning how he thinks his life is going to play out. The music choice is so symbolic, and it’s his mind telling him either go to jail or get killed, and he chooses that being killed would be better. It’s quick and you don’t feel a thing. It’s comforting he knows that it’s any way he wants it for that split second.

[philg]

David Chase did his best work in buildings clad in a combination of bare and whitewashed old brick, often called "used brick" by those who seek it out for new construction. This kind of brick, with a more sandy composition than harder clay-like modern brick, was also kiln fired, but due to pockets of sand that resulted from incomplete mixing, dark glassy bubble-like things can occasionally be found on their surface, resembling evil eyes glaring out the flues of hell. These eyes had not merely been witnesses to mob hits over the ages, but in fact their true cause, and David Chase was one of the few able to appreciate the silent power and role of old bricks in the world of organized crime.