So was SCARECROW(forgotten but now its on DVD, thankfully) where he was paired up with fellow 1970s movie-star-acting-badass Gene Hackman.

I would also add DOG DAY AFTERNOON, THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, the overslammed Billy Friedkin vehicle CRUISING, of course Michael Mann's excellent HEAT, DePalma's CARLITO'S WAY & SCARFACE, DONNIE BRASCO, Chris Nolan's INSOMNIA...

Oh and Michael Mann's THE INSIDER as well.

Pacino has become a characture of himself in the last few years but two movies of his are pretty good, and display his most honest work:

LOOKING FOR RICHARD (1996) - Pacino's little-seen documentary that is about the casting/rehearsing/acting of a RICHARD III theatrical production, but mostly its Pacino's love letter to acting in itself, and of Shakespeare's plays, and the relevancy they still play today. Plus, ever wondered why American actors, unlike their British counterparts, can't exactly do as well in acting the Bard's works? Heavily recommended

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (2004) - Pacino has been trying to get this Shakespeare adaptation done for years, and finally does. Too bad nobody went to see it, since he is acting the shit against everyone in the film(and that includes Jeremy Irons, a great actor in his own).

I have to throw in Sonny from DOG DAY AFTERNOON and Arthur Kirkland from ....AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Especially the latter. He became a Jewish lawyer, in my opinion, for that part.

Just look at all the roles mentioned here that Pacino has played. While everyone of them is not necessarily an award type performance, Pacino has done an outstanding job in almost everyone of them. Let's face it, the guy is one of the best actors ever.

SERPICO is my favorite Al Pacino film. I shit you not. It was Pacino's first big starring role. Compared to the vast majority of Pacino's work, I'd say SERPICO is seriously underrated.

I've probably seen it a thousand times and I've never tired of it. I may just watch it again tonight.

Well, it wasn't underrated at the time, it just kind of got lost in the age of dvd and on demand movies. Thankfully, it's getting played alot more often than it used to. I have the dvd and I watch it I'd say at least once a year. Great film.

THE GODFATHER may have made Pacino a household name, but SERPICO was the one that guaranteed that he had a great career.

Don Cardi, I think you might be right. Look at INSOMNIA. Its a genre-decective thriller thats a bloody remake of a Norweigian flick. The cast and filmmakers could have coasted and collected their paychecks.

Instead, Chris Nolan(a legend in his own lifetime already) churns out a pretty damn good movie in spite of the obvious genre-pitfalls, and the cast responds well to it. Hell, Pacino was excellent as a burned out demoralized guy thats exausted from his crimes back home...then to get blackmailed by the murderer(Robin Williams) into becoming his pawn.

I wanted to watch Dog Day Afternoon yesterday for some strange reason and went to the local Blockbuster. I was disappointed to not find it, instead I found elephant, which I enjoyed. I am yet to watch Serpico too. In Scarface, Pacino was almost clownish

Has anyone seen Pacino in "Glengarry Glen Ross"? I watched that the other day. He was ok in it but I wasn't thrilled with the whole movie.

Glengarry Glen Ross is a great film.

Boy, I soooo disagree with those who think GF was Pacino's only good performance. I loved DDA and Serprico, and along with GF I think were oscar worthy performances. The little seen "Scarecrow" along with "Panic In Needle Park" were also great performances. Let's give credit where credit is do. The guy is an excellent actor.


Oh, another of my favorites, Sea of Love.


TIS

Of course he is. If I were a director I would LOVE to cast him in one of my movies, TODAY!

I like him in Carlito's Way, too. I've never seen Serprico, though.

Yea, I liked Carlito's Way as well. There are so many, it's hard to remember off the top of my head.

Even though it was an "over the top" performance, and not necessarily one of his best films IMHO, the more I see Scarface, the more and more I like his performance. I wonder how many other actors could pull it off. Can you picture anyone else playing the part?

TIS

That was one of the best dramas I've ever seen!! Pacino shined but Jack Lemmon stole the movie.

It was a lttle strange seeing Lemmon in that role. I'm used to seeing him in Grumpy Old Men.

I couldn't see anyone else playing it, no. And actually, I don't think his performance in Scarface is "over the top" or anything like that. He is playing a hot-headed, Latin American, cocaine king who's got a chip on his shoulder from working his way up from the bottom. Seems to me that Pacino painted it pretty accurately. I've ran into a few Tony Montana personality types in my life, those guys are out there. It's not an unrealistic, fantasy caricature any more than most film characters are.

I just didn't get much "value" out of Scarface, though. Plus, I thought most of the other actors were HORRIBLE. But I guess that's not Al's fault!

Mig, Mig, Mig.... you disappoint me. Lemmon was one of the better actors of his generation. His dramatic roles were as good as any ... "Days of Wine and Roses" and "Save the Tiger" were among the best dramas I've ever watched and he was equally good in comedies ("Some Like it Hot" and "The Out of Towners" are two classics).

If you haven't seen any of these (that I mentioned) check them out!! He's a whole lot more than those stupid "Grumpy Old Men" films!

An indie film with a $60 million budget
That does'nt sound right somehow!
I thought indie films were supposed to be shot on threadbare budgets?

Mig, if you haven't already, you need to see these two Lemmon movies : The Out Of Towners and Days Of Wine And Roses.

He, along with Sandy Dennis, is hysterical in The Out Of Towners.

And Days Of Wine And Roses may be his best serious performance, although I agree with SC in that he stole the movie in Glengary Glenross.

EDIT : After making this post I saw that SC had already pointed these two Lemmon movies out to you yesterday. So yeah, what SC said above.

I'm sorry SC I haven't seen him in any drama roles except Glengary. He was good in it though. I'll have to check out those movies you and DC posted about. I liked him also in My Fellow Americans.

Back to AL & Robert.

Pacino is in the new "Ocean's 13" movie.....

And I want throw my props out there for "Sea Of Love" and
"Donnie Brasco" . . .

Surely I'm not the only one thats been so underwhelmed with the OCEAN'S 13 ads so far. Apparently the word on the street is that WB has another lukewarm sandwich like O12 was.

I think calling OCEANS 12 a lukewarm sandwich is being too nice.

For some reason, I always forget about Donnie Brasco, and when I'm reminded of it, I'm always stretched into saying it offers Pacino's best performance.

I too saw the Ocean's 13 trailer t'other day for the first time. There's something incredibly charming about the chemistry between Clooney, Pitt and Damon.

I AM the master of the understatement.

You know why that sequel failed?

(1) Everyone brought back...and I mean EVERYONE...even if they are absolutely redundant and waste frame-space.
(2) A third-act "twist" that is so retarded and makes no logical sense, I can't believe Steven Soderbergh greenlighted it. What the hell?!?!
(3) Clunky as a mother fucker in editing and in story.
[
With O12 and 13, you know what Soderbergh should have done?

Keep Clooney, Pitt, and Damon, but each movie has a whole new crew of robbers. That way, the audience is more interested and plus, it gives some groovy people a chance to shine and hitch themselves to a guaranteed money-maker.

Like I don't know....William H. Macy? Bruce Campbell? Will Patton? Jason Isaacs? Shit, even get guys that turned down the first OCEANS movie, like Luke & Owen Wilson.

OCEAN'S 11 (2001) - ***
OCEAN'S 12 (2004) - **

Aaah, you're just an old softie Ronnie.