Plot: What’s it about?
He has been one of the best directors in the last 30 years of filmmaking. His 80s work range from good to classic status. As the 90’s approached, Brian DePalma had come off a hot decade with a big bomb in Bonfire of the Vanities. His track record didn’t improve much returning to the thriller genre with Raising Cain. I thought I was going to lose my faith in one of my favorite directors with 2 less than stellar films. However, a picture in the winter preview of 1993 Entertainment Weekly with a picture of Al Pacino, Penelope Ann Miller and Sean Penn brought the curiosity cloud over me into wondering if this could be brilliant or three bombs in a row. A few months later, I realized that the film that was pictured, “Carlito’s Way”, certainly fit in the former bringing DePalma back to form.
Thanks to some illegal wire taps obtained by lawyer David Kleinfeld (Sean Penn), Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) is released from prison after serving five years of a thirty year prison sentence for his criminal activities on the streets of Spanish Harlem. Although Carlito has a dream to leave the underworld behind, the underworld cannot seem to leave him no matter how many complications arise whether it’s putting money into a club and dealing with some cocky clientele like Benny Blanco from the Bronx (John Leguizamo) or reuniting with a past girlfriend named Gail (Penelope Ann Miller) who has a dream of her own with less than stellar results to assisting Kleinfeld into his own problems with another higher power on the street. Like the aged Michael Corleone in the third Godfather film, every time Brigante thinks out, the underworld keep pulling him back in.
This film served in some comparisons to “Scarface” only that it deals with Spanish gangsters but every time I see it (and I’ve seen it many times), Carlito’s Way has a look, a feel and a flavor that makes it all it’s own. The overhead and closeup shots that DePalma chooses are reminiscent of past films but are always welcome additions and a joy to see. Even though the film is set in the 70’s with the music, the dancing and the outfits, the storyline echoes the feel of the films of the forties from the opening black and white shot to a mirror scene at Gail’s apartment with Carlito peering in from the space in the chain-locked front door. And no DePalma movie would be complete without a “going out with a bang” climax on a subway train. All 3 leads give stellar performances, most especially Sean Penn as Kleinfeld. He plays a slimeball so convincingly, you can see the slime coming from the sweat off his balding forehead. DePalma gives us a tragic gangster tale that not only ranks with the best movies of the 1990’s but gets better in every way. P.S. Look for “Lord of the Rings” star Viggo Mortensen in a supporting role.
Video: How does it look?
“Carlito’s Way” has been released on DVD a few times and with Universal releasing what seems to be every major catalog title of theirs on HD DVD, it was only a matter of time before we got this gem in high definition. The 2.35:1 VC-1 HD transfer is certainly an improvement over the previous standard DVD offerings, I broke out my old copy to compare the two and the difference in noticeable in literally the first scene. The movie is dark in nature and the black levels remain consistent throughout. Add to that the increase in detail and the loss of edge enhancement and Universal’s put together a pretty good-looking transfer for an outstanding movie.
Audio: How does it sound?
Universal has also seen to it to outfit their catalog titles with Dolby TrueHD soundtracks where applicable and “Carlito’s Way” is one of the select few that made the cut. While I didn’t notice that much of a difference over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track on the standard DVD, there are a few instances in which some more depth can be heard. Guns sound a bit louder, dialogue a bit more clean and fresh and the soundtrack a bit more ambient. In the technical department, “Carlito’s Way” delivers.
Supplements: What are the extras?
well as a conversation with director Brian de Palma and the obligatory “Making of Carlito’s Way” complete with some tidbits from the cast and crew, thought it does delve into the novel a bit as well.
