tellurikwaves Blog : CINEMA :Les blessures narcissiques d'une vie par procuration

Š-DR- CLéO DE 5 à 7 d'Agnès Varda (1962)

17/11/2013 04:53 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR- CLéO DE 5 à 7 d'Agnès Varda (1962)

17/11/2013 04:53 par tellurikwaves

Cléo de 5 à 7 est un film français réalisé par Agnès Varda et sorti en 1962,ayant Corinne Marchand pour interprète principale

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External Reviews

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Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) fin

15/11/2013 04:44 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) fin

15/11/2013 04:44 par tellurikwaves

Trivia
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--Joe Pesci was 'Mike Newell (I)''s first choice for Nicky.
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-In Joseph Pistone's report, he lists Lefty, Lefty Guns, Lefty Two Guns, Half Cocked, and Horse Cock as false names for Benjamin Ruggiero (Pacino)
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-The word 'fuck' is used 185 times.
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-The film's version of "Lefty" Ruggiero is an amalgam of the real "Lefty" and the real "Sonny Black" Napolitano.
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-When the project was in its first stages, Joe Pesci was the first and main choice for Nicky. But after the release of Les affranchis, the idea gradually faded.
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-Lefty's real name is Benjamin which, in Hebrew, means "son of the right hand".
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-Johnny Depp met with the actual Joseph D. Pistone a number of times to gain knowledge and expertise for the role. He also took gun firing lessons from the FBI.
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-The scene of Joe Pistone practicing on the FBI's firing range was inserted at the insistence of the studio, who wanted a shot of Johnny Depp firing a gun for the movie'strailer.
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-This is the second film where Joe Pesci was considered for a role that eventually went to Bruno Kirby. The first was Le parrain, 2ème partie, the role in question being that of the young Clemenza.
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-During a two day break in filming, Michael Madsen impulsively proposed to and married DeAnna Madsen. According to Madsen, when he told Al Pacino, Pacino was disgusted with Madsen's impulsiveness, but the Madsens have now been married for almost 15 years.
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-The breakfast scene where Donnie bets his kids $20 that they can't get through the whole meal without saying "three words"- and his daughter replies "you lose"- is based on a famous incident involving President Calvin Coolidge and writer Dorothy Parker. Seated next to Coolidge (who was known as "Silent Cal" for his quiet manner and disdain of small talk), Parker turned to the President and said "Mr. Coolidge, I've made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you" to which Coolidge allegedly replied, "You lose".
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-At various points Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Andy Garcia were all previously attached to star; Stephen Frears to direct.
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-Despite the fact that this was filmed in Super 35, "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits.
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-According to an interview with Joseph Pistone, he was never allowed to go home and see his family like it is depicted in the film. In all actuality he didn't see his family for at least two years while undercover.
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-When Donnie and Nicky are looking at the headline in the Newspaper about the boss getting killed, they are looking at the picture of mob boss Carmine Galante who was killed in back of a Brooklyn, N.Y. restaurant in 1979.
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Spoilers(Ne pas lire si vous n'avez pas vu le film)
The trivia item below may give away important plot points.

The movie ends with the implication that Lefty was killed after being "sent for". In real life, the FBI intercepted Lefty on the way to being killed and arrested him. Sonny Black, however, was "sent for" and subsequently murdered, his body turning up a year later on Staten Island. The individual who had orchestrated his murder, Joe Massino, wasn't convicted until 2005. Lefty was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, and running an illegal gambling operation; he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but received early parole in 1992 after it was discovered he was suffering from terminal cancer. He died of lung cancer in 1994.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p27

15/11/2013 04:41 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p27

15/11/2013 04:41 par tellurikwaves

The Biggest Mutt In The History Of The Mafia(fin)

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
20 February 2007

Depp's performance as Pistone/Brasco is conveyed as much by body language and closeups as with dialog. He'd like very much to return to his wife and three daughters and live a normal life, but the demands of the job make it impossible. According to Wikipedia's article on Pistone he was uniquely qualified for his undercover assignment having lived and grown up among wise guys in New Jersey. He was familiar with all the Mafia culture and could blend in easily. The strain shows on him in his scenes with wife Anne Heche, only someone with a real gift for acting could make those scenes so real.

Depp is matched by Al Pacino as the luckless Lefty Ruggiero. In the Mafia code he vouches for Depp and if Depp betrays trust in any way, Pacino's marked for death. Lefty Ruggiero is a hired killer with as he boasts 27 contract kills to his credit. Yet he's also a family man with a lot of problems as is Depp. Even though the man is in fact evil, Pacino does make him a likable sort. It's why Depp is dreading the day he's out from undercover because it means certain death for a man who's grown to be his friend.

Except when the crew that Depp and Pacino are part of do ambush a rival group before in fact they do it to them, Donnie Brasco is a fairly non violent film for a gangster story. Donnie Brasco emphasizes character development and a good script as opposed to bloody mayhem I think you'll like the story about a man who turned a friend into the biggest mutt in the history of the Mafia.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p26

15/11/2013 04:36 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p26

15/11/2013 04:36 par tellurikwaves

The Biggest Mutt In The History Of The Mafia(1)

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
20 February 2007

With only one real scene of violence and mayhem in the film, Donnie Brasco relies far more on character development in a story of two men and the planned betrayal of one by another in the line of duty.

Johnny Depp plays real life FBI undercover agent Joe Pistone who infiltrates the Bonano crime family through the good offices of Lefty Ruggiero, a small time Mafia button man played by Al Pacino. During the five years undercover, Pistone who used the alias of Donnie Brasco was responsible for about 200 federal indictments because of the work he did. It took a terrible strain on him and his family as the film so aptly demonstrates.

It must have been like old home week for Johnny Depp who made his acting bones playing a youthful undercover cop in the television series 21 Jump Street. But the difference between Officer Tom Hanson going undercover for a couple of weeks at some high school and agent Pistone living and working with the wise guys for five years afraid of being found out is the difference between Donald Duck and Donald Trump.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p25

15/11/2013 04:33 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p25

15/11/2013 04:33 par tellurikwaves

One scene really gives us a leg up on everything

Author: Lee Eisenberg (lee.eisenberg.pdx@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA
25 May 2006

On one level, "Donnie Brasco" might just look like another mafia movie. But it's not. It tells the story of FBI agent Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp), who in the late 1970s was hired to infiltrate the mafia. So, he got acquainted with hit-man Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero (Al Pacino). But lo and behold, Joe got too much into the mafia lifestyle, to the point where it dominated his life and kept him from his family. And no one ended up with a very good reward at the end.

Both Depp and Pacino are about as intense as we expect them to be, with good support from Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, Anne Heche and Zeljko Ivanek. With his hair all greased back, Depp looks like the ultimate mafioso. I should identify that there are two scenes that will probably make your skin crawl: the leg scene, and what they do to the Japanese waiter.(ultra violent!!)

But don't get me wrong. This is a really good movie. It's certainly a less glamorized view of mafia life than most of Al Pacino's movies, and Johnny Depp was certainly showing the same flair for acting that he has brought to the screen for the past 16 years. Very well done.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p24

15/11/2013 04:28 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p24

15/11/2013 04:28 par tellurikwaves

Superb mafia drama. Deeper, and rings truer than most.

Author: Ben_Cheshire from Oz
11 March 2004

First rate mafia drama connects on a deeper level than most. Its cinematography may not have the moody, noirish atmosphere that makes The Godfather so appealing, but despite its slick Hollywood look, it seems to attain such penetrating truth (this, perhaps, has a little to do with its being based on a book by the real life main character). The central situation of the aging mafia man taking under his confidence and vouching for an undercover FBI agent, and that a bond forms between the two men is a great one. The performances are absolutely superb. Particularly the two men who the story centres on, Joe Pistone, a.k.a Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp, going for realism in this role, is incredible.

It begins and ends with a closeup of his eyes - this movie would be nothing without him) and mafia man "Lefty" (Pacino, who gives us one of his finest characterisations - best bit, his close-up after Donnie is asked to shake hands by a certain character on a certain boat). The vividness of the characters in this movie seems to owe a great deal to the superb screenplay (again, credit to the real-life source material). Recurring catch-phrases make it easy for us to get to know characters, and wonderful little touches give the story such a resonance, and make it ring true: like Lefty's smoking inside the car when driving with Brasco and accusing Brasco of trying to kill him with the draft when he opens a window to let some smoke out, and the portrait of Lefty, the opposite of how we imagine a mafia veteran, as a vulnerable, often emotional man.Deserves at least four stars. Recommended to anyone (except, obviously kids, for a few scenes unsuitable to them).

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p23

15/11/2013 04:23 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p23

15/11/2013 04:23 par tellurikwaves

James Russo : John « Booby »

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A deeply moving and beautiful movie.

Author: Caroline Simmons (swartzwelder@hotmail.com) from Essex, England
13 November 1998

I read movie magazines regulary and I came across a review for "Donnie Brasco". I read it and thought "I would like to see that". It isn't really a well known film and I didn't remember it coming out in the cinema. So there I saw it, in my local video rental store, near the bottom shelf and just one copy. I rented it and I watched it. And I have to say it is one of the finest movies I had ever seen. It has drama, comedy, sadness and violence and continues to entertain the viewer until the opening of the end credits.

The beauty of the film is that although Pacino plays a member of the mob you end up with sympathy with him due to his loyalty to Donnie (Depp). Pacino plays Lefty well. The movie is very funny in parts and sad in others. Lefty is a very funny character and is hard not to like. Michael Madsen is my favourite actor and although you don't see enough of Sonny Black in contrast to his importance in the book, what you do see of him is enjoyable. Although the film ends differently to that in the book it shows the workings of the mafia well. A splendid over-looked movie with a great cast and an atmosphere that drags you in. Yet you have to read the brilliant book to get the full story.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p22

15/11/2013 04:18 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p22

15/11/2013 04:18 par tellurikwaves

Depp and Pacino in terrific movie

Author: rbverhoef (rbverhoef@hotmail.com) from The Hague, Netherlands(fin)
17 September 2004

The fact that this movie is more about the people and their relationships than about the events is a good thing. Sure movies like 'Goodfellas' are terrific but to see something a little different from time to time is nice as well. If you make a movie about people and their emotions you need to have some good performers to make the scenes believable. I already mentioned Depp but of course we have Pacino here as well. His Lefty is a memorable character and it is Pacino who makes sure that happens, but the fact that Depp is as good and especially believable as heavyweight Pacino says something. Of course we have Madsen who was probably the only right actor for the macho mobster Sonny.

Director Mike Newell seems to be a strange choice for this sometimes very violent and bloody story since he directed the terrific but sweet 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. Fortunately it turns out he is the right man for this material, probably because its real subject is not gangsters but, like I said before, the relationships between the characters. 'Donnie Brasco' has enough to offer for people who like the gangster-genre, but even if you are normally not a big fan there is still a chance you might like it.

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p21

15/11/2013 04:13 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p21

15/11/2013 04:13 par tellurikwaves

Depp and Pacino in terrific movie

Author: rbverhoef (rbverhoef@hotmail.com) from The Hague, Netherlands(1)
17 September 2004

For some reason a Johnny Depp movie is always interesting. Whether it is a biopic about Ed Wood, a dark fairy tale about a man with scissors instead of hands, a movie about the greatest lover the world has ever known or a adventurous story about pirates, Depp's performance alone makes it worth seeing. Here he plays FBI-agent Joe Pistone who goes undercover using the name Donnie Brasco. He becomes a wiseguy with the help of Lefty (Al Pacino), who is sort of a loser wiseguy who desperately needs to be a mentor because most of his mafia family members look down on him. Donnie comes as a gift from heaven and it does not take long before Lefty trusts Donnie completely. The problem for FBI-agent Donnie is that he's starting to like Lefty as well.

The movie is a gangster movie but has its focus on the relationship between Lefty and Donnie and sometimes on other relationships. Donnie, or Joe, is married to Maggie (Anne Heche) who he hardly sees. He can not exactly tell her what he is doing and sometimes stays away for a couple of weeks. She pretends she is a widow to deal with it. We also learn about the relationships in the mafia family, including new boss Sonny (Michael Madsen).

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p20

15/11/2013 04:09 par tellurikwaves

Š-DR-DONNIE BRASCO de Mike Newell (1997) p20

15/11/2013 04:09 par tellurikwaves

A good gangster film with strong emotional under currents(fin)

Author: bob the moo
2 May 2004

The whole gangster thing works and is gripping, but it is the relationship dynamics between Joe and Lefty that made it more interesting. The element of going `native' when undercover has been done plenty of times, but it is the combination of this being fact and Depp's great performance that makes it work well here; we feel for Joe a great deal. On the flipside the film also allows us to feel for the mob, or at least one of them. The majority of the mobsters are the usual stereotypes but Lefty is written with a great deal of sympathy - he is a middleman, taking the risks, doing the dirt but always passed over and having to beg money to keep his bosses happy.

These are tragic characters and the film is not the slightly glamorous gangster lifestyle that Pacino has experienced in his Godfather roles. These two characters are well written and it is their subplots that makes the film better than the central plot (which itself is also very good).

Depp is good and his performance is solid even if it doesn't really rank up their with his best - he lacks his usual flair but he gives the material it's dues. Pacino is of course, wonderful. His character is a far cry from his Godfather work and he manages to bring such pathos to Lefty that it is impossible not to feel for him. The support cast may not have as much in the way of character but they all do well in their roles. Madsen, Kirby, Ivanek, Heche, Miano and others all give good support, but it is Pacino and Depp's film - which is a good thing.

Overall, the fact that this is a true story makes it more interesting but, while I was watching it I wasn't really thinking about it and was just enjoying the gangster film itself. The basic story is a well worn one but is still delivery well by Newell (who was a very unusual choice for director), but it is the emotion threads involving Joe and Lefty that make the film much more than just another gangster film.