Happy Birthday, Al

UNIVERSAL REMOTE

Friday is was Jack, today it is Al. Al Pacino turns 65 today and it must be noted. He's been nominated for 8 Oscars, winning only once for Scent of a Woman. Hoo-ahh!!!!

Unfortunately, ever since playing Lt. Col. Frank Slade in 1993, he's developed a reputation for hystrionics that is not always fair. Since then he's been nothing short of magnificent in Heat, The Insider, Donnie Brasco, Angel in America, Insomnia, and Carlito's Way. Pretty good run and not a single Oscar nomination in the bunch. (He did win an Emmy for Angels.)

My personal favorites are from the 70s. His most famous role is as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather films. (The first two rank at the absolute top of my All-Time list; nothing rivals them. The third one is very admirable, if not great. Thanks, Sofia.) And his two teamings with the brilliant Sidney Lumet led to Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon. His best work from the 80s is the (in)famous Scarface, directed by Brian DePalma. Yes, he is over-the-top but if you look at it as an opera, you will see what is underneath the overblown nature of the film. All in all, he is nothing short of legend.

(Now all I need is Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert De Niro to blow out some birthday candles and I'll be able to sing the praises of all the greats that emerged in the 70s.)