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Two years ago Scott Burnstein, a past writer for the Detroit Free Press and Metromix, shook up Arcadia Press (and a lot of other people) with a rather unexpected addition to that publishing firm's cozy series of Americana titles, “Motor City Mafia,” a comprehensive survey of Detroit crime and criminals from bootlegging days on the river to the present era of aging patriarchs.
And now Burnstein has collaborated with documentary filmmaker Al Profit to produce “Detroit Mob Confidential,” a visual chronicle of those same lawless years with the welcome bonus of fresh material, including new revelations about the abduction and death of Jimmy Hoffa. The film will be screened at 7 pm inside Detroit's Park Bar tonight ($10) with a Q&A session afollowing the sceening.
We cornered Al and grilled him with a few questions beforehand.
How long did it take you to make this "mobumentary"?
Four months.
Where does one find this sort of material?
Scott's relationship with law enforcement and mob "associates" helped us get all the surveillance/family photos. Scott also did tons of research while he was writing “Motor City Mafia.” But old newspaper articles (from 1912 until present day) were the real meat. Adam Rafalski helped us with that tremendously.
What is the erudite Burnstein like as a collaborator?
Scott and I had a lot of fun, we're both doing something we like to do. I also liked giving him a hard time while we were recording his on-screen segments. He said I was mean to him, but I got a great "performance" from him.
Without going into much detail - what new things will we be learning about Jimmy Hoffa's last lunch?
That he was killed in a private home near Square Lake and Orchard Lake Roads.
Do you have a favorite mob story?
The rise of Tony Giacalone from juvenile gang-member to being the day-to-day boss of a massive, profitable, and smooth running criminal operation.
