The Panic in Needle Park **** (1971, Al Pacino, Kitty Winn, Alan Vint, Richard Bright, Kiel Martin, Raul Julia, Gil Rogers, Joe Santos, Paul Sorvino) – Classic Movie Review 3480

Director Jerry Schatzberg’s 1971 searing downer of movie about the heroin addicts who frequent ‘Needle Park’ stars the up-coming Al Pacino in his second film, just before he hit it big with The Godfather.

A downbeat but riveting study of Bobby, a New York City petty criminal and small-time hustler hooked on drugs, a heroin addict along with his homeless girlfriend Helen (Kitty Winn), it is impressively tough stuff that doesn’t flinch from the in-your-face detail and inherent power and strength of the material.

It is packed with great playing from an iconic cast, especially from the stupendous young Pacino, who gives a sizzling, unforgettable performance, but also from Alan Vint, Richard Bright, Kiel Martin, Raul Julia, Gil Rogers, Paul Sorvino, Michael McClanathan, Joe Santos, Jean Kurtz and Warren Finnerty.

Screen-writing partners Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne and carve out a useful screenplay form the novel by James Mills.

It is quite a bit of a humdinger of a movie, and it hammers home an effectively dire warning on the misuse of drugs, as relevant today as it was back in the hippie era of 1971. It was cut in America from an R certificate to a PG.

Joe Santos got his first real break in the movies with The Panic in Needle Park, landing the part of DiBono at the urging of his friend Pacino, who had played softball with Santos. He died on 18 March 2016, aged 84.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3480

Link to home page for more reviews derekwinnert.com