Tag: Al Pacino

Happy 35th, Frankie and Johnny

Hard to believe, but Frankie and Johnny opened in theaters thirty-five years ago yesterday, on October 11, 1991. Feels like yesterday, kids. What more can I say about a movie I consider my most favorite of all time? Well, plenty! It’s Pfeiffer at her absolute pfinest, and she carries the movie with a permanence so … Continue reading Happy 35th, Frankie and Johnny →

“Favor Gonna Kill You Faster Than a Bullet”: Carlito’s Way at 30

Brian De Palma’s deeply moving morality tale Carlito’s Way (1993) recently had its thirtieth anniversary. The film has long held a special place in my personal movie pantheon, ever since seeing it opening night, November 12, 1993. Based on two novels by New York State Supreme Court Judge Edwin Torres (which I’ve read and highly … Continue reading “Favor Gonna Kill You Faster Than a Bullet”: Carlito’s Way at 30 →

Rush Rush at the Babylon

Miami’s Babylon Club is a favorite hangout of criminal-element types in Brian De Palma’s grotesque and glorious gangster film, Scarface (1983). The Babylon is where Tony Montana (Al Pacino) first puts the moves on Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer). Tony visits the club as a guest of drug lord Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia). Elvira might be … Continue reading Rush Rush at the Babylon →

The World is Yours: Scarface at 40

In December of this year, Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983) will celebrate its fortieth anniversary. At nearly three hours long, Scarface tells the mythic tale of the rise and fall of Cuban drug lord Tony Montana (Al Pacino), whose obsessive quest for the American Dream ends in a hail of bullets. It’s a grandiose, profane, … Continue reading The World is Yours: Scarface at 40 →

A Sampling of Movies with Big Anniversaries This Year

As always, a new year brings with it new, milestone anniversaries. For instance, 2023 is the twentieth anniversary of Lost in Translation (2003), the thirtieth anniversary of Dazed and Confused (1993), and the fortieth anniversary of Scarface (1983). It’s also the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Last Days of Disco (1998), the thirty-fifth anniversary of two … Continue reading A Sampling of Movies with Big Anniversaries This Year →