Well, so I finally got to see this after years of looking.
Much like a reviewer above, I'm British. Worse still I'm a Londoner. Quite simply the performances in this movies are a disaster. It's not so much the quality of the acting per se, but rather accents so atrocious to the extent that it provides a constant distraction and, worse still, for this Londoner, quite simply alien and difficult to understand. Both performers offer intelligible dialogue, but it's Pacino that, frankly, truly needs subtitles to understand. I genuinely couldn't understand anyone but the "famous actor" who appears about 60% through, sporting an upper class but not entirely inaccurate accent (played by Irishman Joe Maher). But Pacino, dear oh dear, his accent switches between his natural Italian American accent and bizarre strains of what sounds like a mix of Australian, garbled Liverpudlian and a strange attempt at Cockney that sounds like someone trying to do a parody of Dick Van Dyke's accent from Mary Poppins. The closest it comes to being British would be to describe it as a cross between Michael Corleone and Harry H. Corbett from Steptoe & Son, who Brits will know for having a rather ridiculous comedy accent. To add insult to injury, aside from some occasional shots and props, the picture is clearly shot in America, almost lazily so. Even the background sounds of the city includes America horns and sirens and, curiously, continental ones. I could have handled these elements had the accents been remotely tolerable, but with them being so damned awful, the lack of English aesthetics just felt like insult added to injury.
I would say that if you are British this is one to avoid unless you are a Pacino completest and are curious. If you are American or otherwise, I will leave you to form your own judgement. But, I'm sorry to say for Al, but this is, whether knew or knows it or not, to him what the Star Wars Holiday Special is to George Lucas, Harrison Ford & Co. It certainly throws into question the often mentioned accolade Pacino receives of being the greatest cinema actor, especially considering this project was apparently subject to substantial rehearsal. I couldn't help but feel that other American actors would've given a more convincing turn, even other Italian Americans such as DeNiro.
The irony of all this is that I had so much difficulty understanding the picture that I didn't assimilate or contemplate Heathcote Williams' original work but, as a result of that, I am now minded to go and check out the play just so I know what on Earth the characters were actually saying! One to avoid. Pacino should have kept it in his private collection. He is capable of so much better.
Much like a reviewer above, I'm British. Worse still I'm a Londoner. Quite simply the performances in this movies are a disaster. It's not so much the quality of the acting per se, but rather accents so atrocious to the extent that it provides a constant distraction and, worse still, for this Londoner, quite simply alien and difficult to understand. Both performers offer intelligible dialogue, but it's Pacino that, frankly, truly needs subtitles to understand. I genuinely couldn't understand anyone but the "famous actor" who appears about 60% through, sporting an upper class but not entirely inaccurate accent (played by Irishman Joe Maher). But Pacino, dear oh dear, his accent switches between his natural Italian American accent and bizarre strains of what sounds like a mix of Australian, garbled Liverpudlian and a strange attempt at Cockney that sounds like someone trying to do a parody of Dick Van Dyke's accent from Mary Poppins. The closest it comes to being British would be to describe it as a cross between Michael Corleone and Harry H. Corbett from Steptoe & Son, who Brits will know for having a rather ridiculous comedy accent. To add insult to injury, aside from some occasional shots and props, the picture is clearly shot in America, almost lazily so. Even the background sounds of the city includes America horns and sirens and, curiously, continental ones. I could have handled these elements had the accents been remotely tolerable, but with them being so damned awful, the lack of English aesthetics just felt like insult added to injury.
I would say that if you are British this is one to avoid unless you are a Pacino completest and are curious. If you are American or otherwise, I will leave you to form your own judgement. But, I'm sorry to say for Al, but this is, whether knew or knows it or not, to him what the Star Wars Holiday Special is to George Lucas, Harrison Ford & Co. It certainly throws into question the often mentioned accolade Pacino receives of being the greatest cinema actor, especially considering this project was apparently subject to substantial rehearsal. I couldn't help but feel that other American actors would've given a more convincing turn, even other Italian Americans such as DeNiro.
The irony of all this is that I had so much difficulty understanding the picture that I didn't assimilate or contemplate Heathcote Williams' original work but, as a result of that, I am now minded to go and check out the play just so I know what on Earth the characters were actually saying! One to avoid. Pacino should have kept it in his private collection. He is capable of so much better.