[the truth]

These 2 new york italian/american, often gangster, thespian heavyweights have always been compared and contrasted for 40 odd years

Same era, similar background, same new york method acting school , both specialize in playing unconventional maverick anti-heroes etc

so who is the greatest?

It seems to me despite being from similar backgrounds etc Theyre very different, pacino seems more chatty bubbly, deniro is a deep dark melancholic mystery of a man who has delved into more different roles.

Funnily enough the new generation may think of deniro as the straight man in the massive money spinning comedies like meet the parents trilogy , analyse this and that....the older heads know he was the biggest method acting heavyweight in the world for decades. He became a world class boxer, he became a top saxophone player, he learnt everything a catholic preacher knows, he drove taxis in new york for 6 months for taxi driver, (everyone thought hed lost it lol) he studied and lived in a mental institute for parkinsons disease for weeks for awakenings, studied the vegas betting strip for casino, he played a deluded stand up comic in king of comedy, he studied the vietnam war for years for deer hunter , Jackknife and played many gangsters in between etc

as for pacino, well hes perhaps not as physically versatile as deniro , he has the charisma of 20 men and hes still a genius. hes played shakespeare with aplomb, hes played bent cops, straight cops, idealistic lawyers, lady killers, drug dealers, illegal immigrants, blind ex army colonels, the devil himself (as did deniro) bent hollywood producers, egomaniac money men, hes played the Godfather and the bottom in the food chain in donnie brasco with equal class.

They both starred in the epic godfather 2, but finally worked together in the superb cops and robbers movie , heat.

what I love most about these 2 men and what the world always misses when evaluating men. Is that they are devoid of ego. They dress like bums who dont want to be noticed, deniro played a strok victim and hobbled round new york on a zimmer frame for weeks, mocked and unrecongisable in shabby clothes. why? because these men are all about the work. in that work they seek to find the truth. not the cliches we read in magazines.

Both are profoundly sincere artsis, both men seem most at home in the big apple in their natural habitat, surrounded by the hustle and bustle the manic creative energy of the streets and close to real working class people.

I cant begin to tell you how many hours of entertainment these legends have given me.

But who is the greatest?

[Niamh.]

Has to be Pacino for me, I think he's a little more versatile than DeNiro, although they're both amazing actors

[AnnieK]

Both legends - find it really difficult to call this....Pacino probably...just

[Locke.]

The great Pacino of course. DeNiro is great aswell thoguh.

[King Gizzard]

Don't think I've seen a film by either

[Alf]

pacino is the more versatile actor for me, but de niro as had more greater role's to play than pacino, travis bickle, vito corleone, michael vronsky, jake lamotta, david "noodles" aaronson, rupert pupkin, max cady, jimmy conway, neil mccaul, sam rothstein, jack byrnes,

[Brother Leon]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Don't think I've seen a film by either

You are yet to live life sir

[King Gizzard]

Not my type of films all those gangster/hard hitting films

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Not my type of films all those gangster/hard hitting films

You should still watch Scarface though, such a good film. Tony Montana is the greatest Movie Character of all time imo

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Don't think I've seen a film by either

If you don't like gangster movies you should watch Scent Of A Woman. I love Pacino in it. And The Deer Hunter for De Niro.

[Vanessa]

There's no way i can choose between them. Love them both equally.

[Locke.]

Yes, Scent of a Woman is probably his best performance after Michael Corleone and Tony Montana

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Locke.

Yes, Scent of a Woman is probably his best performance after Michael Corleone and Tony Montana

Pacino and De Niro have done lots of non gangster related movie. I also like Frankie and Johnny, Heat and Sleepers.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Pacino and De Niro have done lots of non gangster related movie. I also like Frankie and Johnny, Heat and Sleepers.

Sleepers was a brilliant film

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Sleepers was a brilliant film

I haven't seen Awakenings. I heard it's very good.

[the truth]

Looking at the mere statistics

Deniro has more high scoring movies in the internet movie database , than any actor in the history of movies.

11 movies rated over 8 out of 10
20 movies rated over 7 out of 10

Pacinos figures are almost as impressive

7 movies rated over 8 out of 10
and 16 movies rated over 7 out of 10

Even legends like jack nicholson only have 4 movies rated over 8 out of 10 by the world wide movie database, so anyone who doesnt know their movies really doesnt yet know movies

Any greatest ever movies list always includes, Godfathers 1 and 2, Raging Bull, Dog Day afternoon, Deer Hunter, Serpico, scent of a woman, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Scarface, Once Upon a time in america, Heat, mean streets, justice for all etc

In addition to this lot Id highly recommend, Cape fear, Ronin, devils advocate, casino, Mad dog and glory, sea of love,Frankie and Johnny,the insider, awakenings, carlittos way, silver lining playbook,king of comedy,Glengarry glen ross, untouchables, jackie brown,sleeprs, any given sunday Midnight run,donnie brasco, insomina, looking fo richard, meet the parents etc

so overall deniro has the edge in terms of pure statistics, hes been in more top movies, hes made more money and more varied roles. But al pacino definitely has that irresistable energy and personality, he is also the better speaker Id say...just listen to his speech in any given sunday, surely the best sports speech ever in movies and in scent of a woman, just awesome. so Id say deniro is more successful but pacino is possibly the bigger movie star for his sheer charisma...deniro is a sort of invisible star, he does the work and he disappears. if they were cowboys pacino would be the superhero john wayne whereas deniro would be charles bronson or henry fonda, more complex darker mean and moody types.

both complete and utter geniuses imho

[Shaun]

I'd plump for De Niro.

[smeagol]

de nero by a mile. pachino has one acting style which is shout and stare shout and stare thats it, so overrated. though he is great in carlitos way
its funny watching the godfather 3 and how much he changed from 1 and 2. lost it fast.

de nero has done so many truely great movies.not so much these days cant remember the last great one he done but he doesn't have to work and his like 70 now so glad he is still acting. no one beats de nero and im sure if he was younger he'd still be makin those classics

[smeagol]

de nero by a mile. pachino has one acting style which is shout and stare shout and stare thats it, so overrated. though he is great in carlitos way
its funny watching the godfather 3 and how much he changed from 1 and 2. lost it fast.

de nero has done so many truely great movies.not so much these days cant remember the last great one he done but he doesn't have to work and his like 70 now so glad he is still acting. no one beats de nero and im sure if he was younger he'd still be makin those classics

[the truth]

cant argue with that. another thing I love about deniro is 1) despite being [rofoundly shy and private , he has tremendous black humour, check out this lifetime award winners speech at the 2011 golden globes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faVqWa_2dwo and 2) hes real. the man has lived and loved the big apple all his life, hes built a property, restaurant movie empire in hudson square , and of course tribea movie studios and movies festival that includes loads of independent film makers, in 2001 he fed all the legendary new york fireman for free at his restautrants, he made movies there and he stayed there.

hes a true artist who stays the course. his relationship with scorses is the joint greatest pairing in movie history alongside john ford (6 times oscar winner) and the duke john wayne oh and laurel and hardy
he produces movies and documentaries, he directs he writes he stars in movies, hes done tremendous work for charity too
all this with 6 kids and 10 grand kids too

back in the day no one offered him and scorsese money, they made the legendary mean streets with a hand held camera and a buget that wouldnt pay todays actors 1 weeks work...they didnt care about box office or money,,,they made movies that were unique and would last...even know i watch mean steets and i want to be a movie star...no actor no one period inspired me more growing up watching movies

hes real hes raw he doesnt just say things to appear a nice person....when he won a lifetime award in a more serious ceremony he spoke of his father a great and pure artist who refused to sell his paintings unless the buyer was a true appreciater of art...his unrelenting values left his dad poor most of his life but deniro opened galleries for him and huge lofts and did documentaries to show off his extensive works ..he finished his speech saying how he owed it all to marty scorsese, also how he was glad his son was there and lamenting the loss of the great gregory peck that same night, humble and classy

there is no small talk no gossip, hes about the work and the art...through his lifetimes work , phenomenal attention to detail, his unrelenting desire to get to the heart of a charaacter, no one has had more influence on movies ever...whenever you see a modern great like christian bale, matt damon, ed norton, you automatically think of deniro and the method actors who inspired their craft and dedication, ever actor will tell you the same thimg, deniro is the man...you measure the legend by the size of his shadow....his like brandos is enormous

[smeagol]

Originally Posted by the truth

cant argue with that. another thing I love about deniro is 1) despite being [rofoundly shy and private , he has tremendous black humour, check out this lifetime award winners speech at the 2011 golden globes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faVqWa_2dwo and 2) hes real. the man has lived and loved the big apple all his life, hes built a property, restaurant movie empire in hudson square , and of course tribea movie studios and movies festival that includes loads of independent film makers, in 2001 he fed all the legendary new york fireman for free at his restautrants, he made movies there and he stayed there.

hes a true artist who stays the course. his relationship with scorses is the joint greatest pairing in movie history alongside john ford (6 times oscar winner) and the duke john wayne oh and laurel and hardy
he produces movies and documentaries, he directs he writes he stars in movies, hes done tremendous work for charity too
all this with 6 kids and 10 grand kids too

back in the day no one offered him and scorsese money, they made the legendary mean streets with a hand held camera and a buget that wouldnt pay todays actors 1 weeks work...they didnt care about box office or money,,,they made movies that were unique and would last...even know i watch mean steets and i want to be a movie star...no actor no one period inspired me more growing up watching movies

hes real hes raw he doesnt just say things to appear a nice person....when he won a lifetime award in a more serious ceremony he spoke of his father a great and pure artist who refused to sell his paintings unless the buyer was a true appreciater of art...his unrelenting values left his dad poor most of his life but deniro opened galleries for him and huge lofts and did documentaries to show off his extensive works ..he finished his speech saying how he owed it all to marty scorsese, also how he was glad his son was there and lamenting the loss of the great gregory peck that same night, humble and classy

there is no small talk no gossip, hes about the work and the art...through his lifetimes work , phenomenal attention to detail, his unrelenting desire to get to the heart of a charaacter, no one has had more influence on movies ever...whenever you see a modern great like christian bale, matt damon, ed norton, you automatically think of deniro and the method actors who inspired their craft and dedication, ever actor will tell you the same thimg, deniro is the man...you measure the legend by the size of his shadow....his like brandos is enormous

bale and norton are awesome as well carrying the torch on of great acting. isnt many truely great actors but de nero is what most aspire to be.

dont get the brando thing. it isn't justified praise in view that's reaped upon him.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by smeagol

bale and norton are awesome as well carrying the torch on of great acting. isnt many truely great actors but de nero is what most aspire to be.

dont get the brando thing. it isn't justified praise in view that's reaped upon him.

yes agree about Bale and Norton , theyve produce a plethora of legendary characters, american psycho and american history x where truly epic movies...theyre pretty much the closest guys to carrying on deniros torch, I guess you could also point to hilary swank whos shown a lot of versatilty, not quite at that level but shes pretty good too. matt damon is also up there, heath ledger showed enormous promise too

I disagree abiut Brando was a genius imo. Absolute complete and utter genius. He could play a boxer, a docker, a lowlife, a romantic, a nazi, a disabled soldier, sheakespears julius caesar, a british naval captain, a mexican revolutionary, supermans dad, a cowboy, an irish thief, a philosopher, a politician, an army generel, a wild one,all with equal charm and grace.. heck he even did some musicals.

Brando was a profoundly learned intelligent man, with enormous sincerity, also with a wicked sense of humour, phenomenal charisma and talent. He changed acting more than anyone in history (cagney and bogart too) by making is real, natural and authentic. he brought in method acting and he deliberately didnt want to learn his lines often as he argued, who the heck always knows what theyre going to say next? he liked to take risks and be in the moment and keep it natural....before this giant, all we had was stiff english stage actors as wooden as a plank...I wasnt a fan of all that stick upper lip old boy. It had no heart and turned my blood cold..

The main criticism justifiably aimed at brando was he didnt always fulfill his monumental talent...he got a bit complacent and maybe a tad lazy....hes argue it was because the movie business had became to false too fake too money driven. he even sent a barefoot red indian to reject his oscar one year because of the way the movie business and the government had treated red indians.....what a move? he put his whole life and career in jeapardy for their cause....unbelievable.. In the end he didnt star in as many movies as the mighty deniro, deniro was clearly far far harder working than brando or pretty much anyone else, but maybe it was too easy for brando, they said soemthing similar about richard burton, it came to him too easily too, but when brando was great he was absolutely sensational imho

a few classics id suggest , viva zapata, the men, apocalypse now, the wild ones, julius caesar, the fugitive kind, streetcar named desire, the chase, on the waterfront, young lions, guys and dolls, last tango in paris, the score,missouri breaks, godfather, superman, mutiny on the county,etc Ive watched them all countless times and I always get lost in his magic

One fave line in the fugitive kind where hes a total unknown nobody from nowhere, yet everyone wants to lynch him and the french flower shop owner is intrigued by him, she asks him to explain himself and his philosophy, he answers slowly and deliberately, "lady I want to be like a bird with no feet, I dont wanna land nowhere, I just want to fly." in many other mouths that may sound corny , but from brando it sounded utterly profound

[Shaun]

Brando was perfect in Streetcar Named Desire.

and not just because he wore a wet t-shirt for most of it

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Brando was perfect in Streetcar Named Desire.

and not just because he wore a wet t-shirt for most of it

oh of course back in the day, he was also the sexiest man ever, that goes without saying...a mans man rugged fiery powerful working class hero, the type of bloke women criticize all day long but secretly lust after

[smeagol]

Originally Posted by the truth

yes agree about Bale and Norton , theyve produce a plethora of legendary characters, american psycho and american history x where truly epic movies...theyre pretty much the closest guys to carrying on deniros torch, I guess you could also point to hilary swank whos shown a lot of versatilty, not quite at that level but shes pretty good too. matt damon is also up there, heath ledger showed enormous promise too

I disagree abiut Brando was a genius imo. Absolute complete and utter genius. He could play a boxer, a docker, a lowlife, a romantic, a nazi, a disabled soldier, sheakespears julius caesar, a british naval captain, a mexican revolutionary, supermans dad, a cowboy, an irish thief, a philosopher, a politician, an army generel, a wild one,all with equal charm and grace.. heck he even did some musicals.

Brando was a profoundly learned intelligent man, with enormous sincerity, also with a wicked sense of humour, phenomenal charisma and talent. He changed acting more than anyone in history (cagney and bogart too) by making is real, natural and authentic. he brought in method acting and he deliberately didnt want to learn his lines often as he argued, who the heck always knows what theyre going to say next? he liked to take risks and be in the moment and keep it natural....before this giant, all we had was stiff english stage actors as wooden as a plank...I wasnt a fan of all that stick upper lip old boy. It had no heart and turned my blood cold..

The main criticism justifiably aimed at brando was he didnt always fulfill his monumental talent...he got a bit complacent and maybe a tad lazy....hes argue it was because the movie business had became to false too fake too money driven. he even sent a barefoot red indian to reject his oscar one year because of the way the movie business and the government had treated red indians.....what a move? he put his whole life and career in jeapardy for their cause....unbelievable.. In the end he didnt star in as many movies as the mighty deniro, deniro was clearly far far harder working than brando or pretty much anyone else, but maybe it was too easy for brando, they said soemthing similar about richard burton, it came to him too easily too, but when brando was great he was absolutely sensational imho

a few classics id suggest , viva zapata, the men, apocalypse now, the wild ones, julius caesar, the fugitive kind, streetcar named desire, the chase, on the waterfront, young lions, guys and dolls, last tango in paris, the score,missouri breaks, godfather, superman, mutiny on the county,etc Ive watched them all countless times and I always get lost in his magic

One fave line in the fugitive kind where hes a total unknown nobody from nowhere, yet everyone wants to lynch him and the french flower shop owner is intrigued by him, she asks him to explain himself and his philosophy, he answers slowly and deliberately, "lady I want to be like a bird with no feet, I dont wanna land nowhere, I just want to fly." in many other mouths that may sound corny , but from brando it sounded utterly profound

yeah maybe he deserves the praise. maybe i need to see more of his movies.

i wish norton would pick some better roles though he doesn't seem to be doing what he is capable of. he is so far much better than his recent movies.
bale has a good balace between commercial films and what i call proper acting movies. he takes it very seriously though.
matt damon is average pretty much the same in most movies.. id rank sean penn up there as a actor.

theres a funny clip on you tube of pachino and de nero ordering a burger in a fast food place check it out its funny stuff.