Comments on: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

By: يوتيوب

يوتيوب — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:09:21 +0000

Thank you dear

By: MaPeel

MaPeel — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:14:51 +0000

I went to see 25th hour in a mall in Pest (as in Budapest) in 2003. My friend and I didn't know anything about it, except that it was playing in English. I was literally stunned by the tribute in lights and WTC plot points. All I could do is sob. I think it's the worse when memories comes up unexpectedly, like in a Hungarian mall. I barely remember the film. Should probably watch it again.

By: That Fuzzy Bastard

That Fuzzy Bastard — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:30:35 +0000

Love Donnie Brasco. It's a really brave performance from Pacino—he plays a guy who's an utterly uncharismatic loser, in the worst set of glasses ever. I think that's what's so frustrating about Pacino—he can *still* pull out a great performance when a director demands it of him, and so often doesn't. On some level, this makes him a good actor—he gives the director what the director wants. Unfortunately, he lacks the instinct for self-preservation a lot of Hollywood stars have, so when the director wants bullshit, that's what they get.

By: That Fuzzy Bastard

That Fuzzy Bastard — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:26:58 +0000

Anyone who didn't know about Spike Lee's “Dog Day Afternoon” obsession would be pretty quickly cued in by “Inside Man”, which pays all kinds of tribute to that flick. Oddly, Lee is often a warmer filmmaker than Lumet when it comes to dealing with crowds—his crowds are way more helpful than Lumet's seething mass. But that may also have to do with a change in NYC.

By: Vanwall

Vanwall — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:39:15 +0000

Jeez, I'm always late to the buffet. I can speak better for Serpico than 25th Hour - only saw parts of it before the kid took the DVD back to his place…along with a few of mine. I seem to have the bad luck of reading the books before the movies are made, and am generally disappointed. MASH, Serpico, and a few others have been cruelly excised into a kind of dual-personality limbo for me - Serpico was enough like the true story to pass as a good adaptation, tho rather dry and slow. Personally, i preferred Across 110th Street for crooked NYPD flicks, and it had tremendous energy compared to Serpico, plus Pacino had a whinier voice than Yaphet Kotto. I saw Serpico in the theater on its first run, tho, and it had a full house - Pacino was a magnet and benefited from his genuinely magnetic performance in The Godfather, but I think Serpico was not a good role for him IMHO, altho he struggled valiantly like the marble of Laocoön against the serpents - perhaps that was what caught the Oscar Eye. He had to carry the whole thing around on his back without the benefit of a strong supporting cast - few of them helped, and a lot of 'em hindered - Eda-Young was totally unconvincing as his girl. She said “Paco” like she was a Midwestern tourist ordering a hot dog from a pushcart. Pacino was already starting his yelping, screeching, bellowing stuff in small ways that irked me some, but he managed to convey the crushing day-to-day of possible betrayal…atho maybe that was just the serpents of the production. Lumet was right in not dwelling on Serpico, but maybe it has hidden charms for some.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:08:35 +0000

Tony, nice job of bringing it back to Lee.

I'm partial to his role in Donnie Brasco. I think he did ok in The Insider too. He's rarely paired with another actor who can force him to play within the scene instead of to the back of a very large theater. In Glengary he was surrounded by guys who could out act him if they had a mind to. I think it calmed him down.

Merchant of Venice is another one I like a lot.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:59:46 +0000

Goodnight, C. And thank you. It was a fun, fun series. I assume you're already planning your next one?

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:47:28 +0000

Well, I am fading and am going to sign off a bit early. Thanks all for this great run at Wednesday Night at the Movies. It's been fun!

By: Tony Dayoub

Tony Dayoub — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:46:35 +0000

Don't remind me about his overacting. To think, Michael Corleone is so underplayed (at least in the first two Godfathers). That character has the most complete and dynamic arc an American performer has ever had the privilege to play.

The year that Pacino won for Scent, I remember he was also nominated for Supporting Actor for Glengarry, a role I would have been happy if he won for. And Denzel surely deserved Best Actor for Malcolm X that year (full cicle back to Lee).

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:46:01 +0000

No, but I want to despite the reviews. Summer of Sam got pretty bad reviews and I liked that one.

I just connect with Lee as a filmmaker. I think he knows his film history but uses it in a really intelligent, seamless way. It isn't like “ooh, now spot THIS cool reference!”

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:40:04 +0000

By the way, anybody seen Miracle at St Anna?

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:38:56 +0000

Hi Tony, thanks for the vote. I also mentioned Carlito's Way up a bit too. I think Pacino's as talented as he ever was but he has some tricks he falls back on in certain circumstances. Like Scent of a Woman — not too many people sticking up for that Oscar-winner. Hard to believe it's the same actor as in Serpico. He shouts on occasion in Serpico but he has many, many moments that are played entirely with looks and gestures.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:36:36 +0000

He's the pseudo-hipster in Jake, the quasi-outlaw in Frank. He's what's most ridiculous and pretentious in both of them. He's what's keeping them both from growing up.

By: Tony Dayoub

Tony Dayoub — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:35:14 +0000

Hi folks. I'm chiming in because I feel compelled to bring up what a tremendous performance Pacino gave as Carlito Brigante in De Palma's “Carlito's Way”. Cahiers du Cinema even had the nerve to name that movie the best of the 90s. if I'm not mistaken. Don't know if I'd go that far, but I think it comes pretty close.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:34:15 +0000

Monty's not a Christ figure, but he's definitely a sacrificial lamb. He's symbolic of something New York is cutting out of itself.

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:33:48 +0000

that's one key difference between the two movies — one is almost obsessively realistic, the other one emphatically not.

By: tomwatson

tomwatson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:33:05 +0000

Glengarry yeah, he's more cut out for those roles really. Carlito was ok, but it was Penn's flick to me, but yes quite good.

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:30:36 +0000

oy vey. I wish I could forget Dick Tracy.

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:30:07 +0000

Haven't seen Cruising, was always put off by that one. I think he's quite good in Scarface although I have never thawed out toward the movie for reasons I guess I could post about sometime.

But he was good in Glengarry, also Carlito's Way and I know Mr. C liked him in Donnie Brasco, which I haven't seen. Even his performance in GIII has it moments. The old Pacino is certain still there, he just needs a director who can still get it out of him.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:29:34 +0000

Dick Tracy. You forgot Dick Tracy.

By: tomwatson

tomwatson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:27:13 +0000

I think Scarface was pretty good - not the brilliance other see - but he totally inhabited that character. Unfortunately, he also learned to scream. And scream. And scream.

And scream s'more.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:26:40 +0000

Just for the record, I don't believe Monty's an actual drug dealer, the way I believe Frank is a trader and Jake's an English teacher and Doyle's a good dog. He's about as real a person as Prince Mishkin in The Idiot.

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:26:32 +0000

Battery Park? I am not sure what you can see from there. Maybe the Brooklyn.

By: tomwatson

tomwatson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:25:58 +0000

C - the STAR part I can't argue with. Yeah, he was a star.

By: tomwatson

tomwatson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:24:42 +0000

Since Scarface, certainly - and not much between that and Dog Day. I mean, that was really his brief run - Godfather, Serpico, GFII, Dog Day Afternoon. (I'm not fond of And Justice for All or Crusing). Then a comeback in middle age for Scarface. Then not much. Just the screaming.

He's literally acted his way out of the hall of fame.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:23:41 +0000

Same location where Monty blows off one of his regular customers. Lots of benches.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:21:40 +0000

Pacino delivered two what should have been career-killing performances after Serpico and survived them. Cruising and Scarface. Three if you count And Justice For All.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:17:50 +0000

Think it's all been down hill from Serpico for him, Tom?

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:17:38 +0000

I confess to having forgotten the shot…

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:16:49 +0000

Well, Pacino did a number of great movies after Serpico. It was sort of the opposite problem. Williams never became a big star (I just looked at his IMDB filmography and I'm damned if I know what the man was doing for about three years after Pince of the City, when he should have been red-hot and capitalizing on that performance).

Pacino, on the other hand, became HUGE and I think eventually he was able to indulge his worst habits as a actor to the point where they became ingrained. He's still capable of great stuff, it's a matter of telling him not to substitute volume for emotion, for one thing …

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:14:34 +0000

Btw, what bridge is that that Frank's looking at?

By: Campaspe

Campaspe — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:12:49 +0000

Yeah, his father obviously thinks Monty has some character qualities that he just doesn't. Monty's best attributes are an ability to retain friends, kindness to animals and enough self-knowledge to be self-loathing. He also has nerve, which he shows in the confrontation with the mobster. Beyond that he's an unappealing character for sure.

By: tomwatson

tomwatson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:10:26 +0000

Yeah, it's a lost world - like we're still walking around on the bones.

You guys wonder above what happened to Treat Williams. I'd ask: “What happened to Al Pacino?”

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:09:39 +0000

I think it's also in the final shots of Jake and Frank. They're too sad.

By: Mannion

Mannion — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:07:42 +0000

His father says that Monty has a gift for making friends, but then he describes him as “strong” and having his mother's backbone. Makes me think part of Monty's problem is that his father thought he was somebody else.