Brock Landers
12-15-2000, 03:46 PM
"Carlito's Way" A Brock Landers Overview of Brock Landers' Favorite Film from Director Brian De Palma (10/10)
"Carlito's Way" is the story of Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino), a former drug kingpin out of Spanish Harlem, New York City. Carlito is sprung from a long prison term by his cokehead attorney, played with wild spontaneity and brilliant energy by Sean Penn (great, great, great performance…there, I've said it three times, Tyler Durden-style). Carlito swears to himself…and everybody else, that he is finally going straight, heading to the islands and starting up a car rental agency. Most everyone who knows Carlito, knows that he won't follow through on this plan. But Carlito is convinced he can follow through and he's quite dedicated to his dream. Of course, it's sort of hard for Carlito, when these friends of his keep introducing elements that he really doesn't need in his life. Besides the ill-advised association with Sean Penn's character, Carlito has Luis Guzman (Maurice T. Rodriguez in "Boogie Nights") playing his right hand man who's only in it for the cash…and loyalty is secondary to the green stuff. There's also the over-the-top "Benny Blanco from the Bronx" (John Leguizamo…another good performance from the "Summer Of Sam" veteran) who represents the old Carlito, an analogy Carlito himself doesn't seem to recognize…or at least refuses to. Carlito would sooner smack Benny in the face and send him head long down a flight of stairs, than sit with him and share a glass of champagne. The one redeeming thing in Carlito's life is his ex-girlfriend (Penelope Ann Miller…she was great in 'The Freshman")…an aspiring dancer currently working in strip clubs…and hey bras, that's dancin' in my book…the best kind…dig? Carlito puts his sunglasses on and keeps moving forward, never minding the bloody family reunion (great scene by the way…"You think you're big time? You gonna' die big time!") he has with his young cousin, doublecrossing business associates, or the apocalyptic mob hit operated by his attorney. He heads towards his goal of making a legit seventy-five grand by operating a Latin disco (hence Luis Guzman runs a disco in 'Boogie Nights")…and he almost makes it too. But no, there can't be a happy ending for Carlito…there never is, for his type. The film opens with his assassination, and the following movie is just the random thoughts of a dying man, so it's not giving anything away to say Carlito is a dead man walking thoughout the film. I still like to think that the doctors do find "all the stitches in the world" and sew him back together again. It's just that I really dig Carlito…I mean, it's like I feel that I know him and what he is trying to accomplish…what his struggle is all about, and I feel compassion towards him at the end. Sometimes I think about Carlito walking on the beaches of his tropical island in an unseen epilogue…
Brian De Palma turns the camera into another player in his personal worlds. You can never simply watch a De Palma film…you live it…even if just for a few hours. I am writing this as someone who isn't a giant fan of a lot of De Palma's films. I find some of his films to be mediocre and derivative…but "Carlito's Way" is something else entirely…because one of the true talents De Palma has as an artist, is his appreciation of characters…it also helps that he gets really great writers to create some of his characters…and that he get's the world's greatest character actors to bring them to life (once again, Penn and Pacino are out-fuckin'-standing). "Carlito's Way" is De Palma's greatest film…combining a wonderful script, great camera work and one of the finest casts he's ever assembled (the exception being "The Untouchables"). If you are a collector of great films like I am, than this film is a must have. It is a true masterpiece…
(Note: Viggo Mortenson appears in a small wheelchaired role…Sean Penn brought him to the attention of Brian De Palma since they have known each other for a long time and were good friends…Viggo Mortenson also appeared in Sean Penn's directorial debut "The Indian Runner" with David Morse, Charles Bronson and a great cast of many…One of my favorite films about brothers…one is a cop, one is an outlaw…based on the Steve Earle song "The Highway Patrolman"…Steve Earle also wrote and performed the song "Ellis Unit One" in "Dead Man Walking"…and is about as close to a true rebel you will ever meet…)
(DVD Note: the film transfer is flawless…the colors are vivid and pure…the neon and rain shots are the best…the sound is bad-ass, just listen to the gunshots echo and ring and the scenes in the disco with the swirling beats…great shite…P.S. not really any extras…I don't think De Palma does commentaries…ever…still a kick-ass flick…)
[This message has been edited by Brock Landers (edited 12-15-2000).]
"Carlito's Way" is the story of Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino), a former drug kingpin out of Spanish Harlem, New York City. Carlito is sprung from a long prison term by his cokehead attorney, played with wild spontaneity and brilliant energy by Sean Penn (great, great, great performance…there, I've said it three times, Tyler Durden-style). Carlito swears to himself…and everybody else, that he is finally going straight, heading to the islands and starting up a car rental agency. Most everyone who knows Carlito, knows that he won't follow through on this plan. But Carlito is convinced he can follow through and he's quite dedicated to his dream. Of course, it's sort of hard for Carlito, when these friends of his keep introducing elements that he really doesn't need in his life. Besides the ill-advised association with Sean Penn's character, Carlito has Luis Guzman (Maurice T. Rodriguez in "Boogie Nights") playing his right hand man who's only in it for the cash…and loyalty is secondary to the green stuff. There's also the over-the-top "Benny Blanco from the Bronx" (John Leguizamo…another good performance from the "Summer Of Sam" veteran) who represents the old Carlito, an analogy Carlito himself doesn't seem to recognize…or at least refuses to. Carlito would sooner smack Benny in the face and send him head long down a flight of stairs, than sit with him and share a glass of champagne. The one redeeming thing in Carlito's life is his ex-girlfriend (Penelope Ann Miller…she was great in 'The Freshman")…an aspiring dancer currently working in strip clubs…and hey bras, that's dancin' in my book…the best kind…dig? Carlito puts his sunglasses on and keeps moving forward, never minding the bloody family reunion (great scene by the way…"You think you're big time? You gonna' die big time!") he has with his young cousin, doublecrossing business associates, or the apocalyptic mob hit operated by his attorney. He heads towards his goal of making a legit seventy-five grand by operating a Latin disco (hence Luis Guzman runs a disco in 'Boogie Nights")…and he almost makes it too. But no, there can't be a happy ending for Carlito…there never is, for his type. The film opens with his assassination, and the following movie is just the random thoughts of a dying man, so it's not giving anything away to say Carlito is a dead man walking thoughout the film. I still like to think that the doctors do find "all the stitches in the world" and sew him back together again. It's just that I really dig Carlito…I mean, it's like I feel that I know him and what he is trying to accomplish…what his struggle is all about, and I feel compassion towards him at the end. Sometimes I think about Carlito walking on the beaches of his tropical island in an unseen epilogue…
Brian De Palma turns the camera into another player in his personal worlds. You can never simply watch a De Palma film…you live it…even if just for a few hours. I am writing this as someone who isn't a giant fan of a lot of De Palma's films. I find some of his films to be mediocre and derivative…but "Carlito's Way" is something else entirely…because one of the true talents De Palma has as an artist, is his appreciation of characters…it also helps that he gets really great writers to create some of his characters…and that he get's the world's greatest character actors to bring them to life (once again, Penn and Pacino are out-fuckin'-standing). "Carlito's Way" is De Palma's greatest film…combining a wonderful script, great camera work and one of the finest casts he's ever assembled (the exception being "The Untouchables"). If you are a collector of great films like I am, than this film is a must have. It is a true masterpiece…
(Note: Viggo Mortenson appears in a small wheelchaired role…Sean Penn brought him to the attention of Brian De Palma since they have known each other for a long time and were good friends…Viggo Mortenson also appeared in Sean Penn's directorial debut "The Indian Runner" with David Morse, Charles Bronson and a great cast of many…One of my favorite films about brothers…one is a cop, one is an outlaw…based on the Steve Earle song "The Highway Patrolman"…Steve Earle also wrote and performed the song "Ellis Unit One" in "Dead Man Walking"…and is about as close to a true rebel you will ever meet…)
(DVD Note: the film transfer is flawless…the colors are vivid and pure…the neon and rain shots are the best…the sound is bad-ass, just listen to the gunshots echo and ring and the scenes in the disco with the swirling beats…great shite…P.S. not really any extras…I don't think De Palma does commentaries…ever…still a kick-ass flick…)
[This message has been edited by Brock Landers (edited 12-15-2000).]