SNOW JOKE, PINE BARRENS IS A FAVOURITE EPISODE
campus – he remembers thinking it was going to be good, but couldn’t imagine it would usher in the era of box set, cinematic high-end TV that dominates today.
Michael said: “I’d only read the pilot, which was good. But I can’t say it was a masterpiece, there weren’t really any series on cable (channels like HBO) so I didn’t have big expectations.
“In my first scene, Tony and I had to beat somebody up who owed him some money, there was a lot of running.
“We did the pilot in the summer of 97 and the show got picked up. So we went WHEN it comes to his own memories of The Sopranos, Michael Imperioli has his favourite episodes. He loved making the classic third season episode Pine back in the summer of 98 and we were getting these scripts which were more intricate and detailed and interesting and funny and I just fell in love with it.
“After shooting 13 episodes, I thought this was something crazy special.
“(Creator) David Chase was brilliant, his writing was as good as anyone writing for film or television, with his commitment to detail and character and doing things outside the box.”
The show, which followed James Gandolfini’s enigmatic psychopath mafia boss as he tried to balance family life with his mob family, was an instant hit. Barrens, which sees Christopher and shorttempered pal Paulie (Tony Sirico) have to chase a former Chechen special forces soldier across a snowy wasteland – and suffer a series of hilarious mishaps.
Michael said: “The Pine Gandolfini became a superstar while Michael and co-stars like Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico and Steven van Zandt became household names.
Michael, 53, is thrilled with its long lasting popularity.
He said: “The most exciting thing has been the fact there’s a whole generation of young people who were too young Barrens episode was fun. That was a little movie unto itself, with us lost in the woods. Even when we were making it, we felt that, for The Sopranos, this was something special, that was a really good one, it’s pretty cool.
“You couldn’t get two more fish out of water guys. And what’s really interesting was that it was not written to take place in the snow and right up to just before we went to the shoot, there was a blizzard.
“At first, they were talking about postponing it but then they said, ‘What are we talking about? This is perfect’.
“It made it even more extreme, it’s like we were on the moon and became more and more alien.
”It was a blessing to have the snow. “ to watch it when it was originally on air and are now binge watching it and come up me in the street or the supermarket or events and say they just discovered The Sopranos.”
The whole Sopranos family was shocked six years ago when the beloved star died of a heart attack in Italy, aged 51.
Amd loyal family man Michael insists his former screen uncle and real-life best friend Gandolfini is up there with the best of the acting greats.
Michael said: “James was as good as anyone, he’s fantastic. I worked with James more than any other actor and probably will never work with anyone as much as I worked with him and for that I feel very fortunate.
When Michael and pals Vincente Pastore (Big Pussy) and Steven Schirripa (Bobby Bacala) take to the stage in Glasgow and Edinburgh next year for their chats, they take time to recall fond memories of their former capo.
James’s character will return to the screen next year in creator David Chase’s prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark.
The role will be played by his son Michael Gandolfini and Chris is delighted with the way they are taking the story.
Michael said: “If they are gonna revisit the show, that’s a smart way to do it. I met Michael a few times when he was little. He’s a great kid, a smart kid.
“I’ve not seen him act but I’ve heard he’s very good.”