I like Pacino a lot. I feel he is one of the last centuries' finest actors. But I believe something happened to him during the mid-80's which made him forget how to act, and instead immerse himself in craziness. We began to glimpse this bizarre, slivered transformation in the over-bloated, highly overrated SCARFACE. He had ceased to act and began to perform. The camera became the audience. Not the people constituting an audience. With the exception of a couple roles (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, THE INSIDER), poor Al has literally become one of his inventions (Big Boy Caprice of DICK TRACY springs to mind) and has come full circle in his transcendence...he has become a parody of his former self, and unlike some actors who embrace this fact and make a lucrative career (Christopher Walken, William Shatner), Pacino continues to blindly lampoon himself. It is a known fact that Al Pacino loves rehearsal, almost to the point of despising the performance aspect. This is highly interesting, and an extremely creative slant in any area of art...but the art is not in creation of art, but in the result. Some may argue this against me...but, if I can filter my point exclusively into the realm of cinema, indulge me please; unless a film calls for the fact a fourth wall is to be penetrated, who wants to see a camera cable, a boom microphone, or a reflection of a crew person? These mistakes cannot be made and the film to be considered an artistic work. Whatever...I am off the point somewhat. I guess what I'm trying to say is that where Pacino prefers to rehearse is marring his result. He has become too opaque...and when a viewer is left alienated by characters time and time again, the actor ceases to be validated, and instead violated. Pacino is violating his talent. Not all material calls for complete comprehension...I am aware of this fact. But THE LOCAL STIGMATIC is directed and performed NOT for an audience...but for the directors and performers. It is self-centered, self-involved, indulgent, and ultimately tiring. There is a reason this was Pacino's hidden child...one to show off only to friends and artists. Like his rehearsal style, this film is over rehearsed and under achieved. That is simply my view. I still like Pacino...and THE LOCAL STIGMATIC may be important in it's own way. It just struck me as very, very Al.
Review of The Local Stigmatic
