newcritics - Latest Comments in Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

MaPeel — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:14:51 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

That Fuzzy Bastard — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:30:35 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

That Fuzzy Bastard — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:26:58 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Vanwall — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:39:15 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:08:35 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:59:46 -0000

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

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:47:28 -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!

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Tony Dayoub — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:46:35 -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).

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:46:01 -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!"

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:40:04 -0000

By the way, anybody seen Miracle at St Anna?

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:38:56 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:36:36 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Tony Dayoub — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:35:14 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:34:15 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:33:48 -0000

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

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

tomwatson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:33:05 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:30:36 -0000

oy vey. I wish I could forget Dick Tracy.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:30:07 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:29:34 -0000

Dick Tracy. You forgot Dick Tracy.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

tomwatson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:27:13 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:26:40 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

Campaspe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:26:32 -0000

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

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

tomwatson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:25:58 -0000

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

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

tomwatson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:24:42 -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.

Re: Wednesday Night at the Movies: Serpico and 25th Hour

LanceManion — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:23:41 -0000

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