There's
a list everyone has, well maybe everyone, of who they dream of
meeting someday. My list includes Mel Gibson, Steven Spielberg,
Peter Jackson, Viggo Mortensen (did you know he speaks perfect
Spanish, mmm), Orland Bloom, Keanu Reeves, and the one and only
Al Pacino. So when I heard I was going to meet him and be involved
in press conference to promote his next film "The Recruit,"
I started jumping around my house in glee, and then began my campaign
of driving my husband crazy with, "did you know that I'm
meeting Al Pacino?" I know I should behave myself, but it's
Al Pacino and he's the Godfather! Now hold on to your seats and
get ready for the legend…
 Is
there anything that is a challenge for you?
Pacino: Give me a break
(Laughs). The challenge? It's always a challenge of a sort. It's
a challenge to get up and go and leave your family and go out
there in all different parts of the world and do a picture and
try to make it come alive…you're still challenged for that.
I mean, it's the same story. It's just not changed. It seems to
be the same thing it always was. It's this effort, if you get
excited about a thing then things are generally a little easier.
If you get enthusiastic and you want to do something and you feel
you are into something then things start to come. But usually
to find the enthusiasm and the appetite, that's the challenge.
Why did you choose to do
'The Recruit?'
Pacino: I did this last
year…I don't think I've done this kind of movie before. I
felt it had a--there was something about the structure of the
screenplay and the aspect of the--the thriller aspect of it that
could possibly be appealing to an audience. It had that feeling
to it, that it was entertaining. I saw it as an entertainment
and it was an interesting character to play because of what he
goes through, what he's been through. And then it was changed,
the script was rewritten and then it came to me and it was a different
kind of script. And I talk about a challenge and Roger Donaldson
was put on the project, and I like him a lot. I like the way he
makes these kinds of movies like 'No Way Out.' And then he and
I and Colin (Farrell) worked on the script even after we started
shooting, so I thought, 'well, it's going to be interesting to
see what we come up with.' But basically I thought the original
script had a kind of elegance to it and I liked the way it fell
into its things. It appealed to me.
How long did it take you
to decide to do the project once you read the script?
Pacino: I decided very
quickly to take it. And I wasn't that anxious to go to work because
I just had done a couple of pictures, so I didn't particularly
want to do something and I wanted to be home with the babies and
stuff, but at the same time I saw that it was different than the
movies I've done before. And they wanted me. It's always a big
thing when you're wanted (Laughs), it helps. You say, 'do you
want me to be in it?' You'll always have that as an actor, if
somebody wants you. You read it. What did you ask me? Oh, how
long did it take me? It was fairly quick. I read it and I thought
it was good and, as I say, there was another director attached
to it and then he changed…then he left the project and then
Roger came on the project, and I felt quite confident in Roger.
I thought this is material he likes.
Was there a big story difference
between the two versions?
Pacino: Yeah. There was
significant story difference.
Did you do much research
into the CIA?
Pacino: Yeah. Not much,
but you always do research. It seems as though it's there and
you have access, once you have access they let you in and they'll
talk to you. And surprisingly people of all vocations. I remember
doing 'The Insider' and talking to journalists very one-on-one
and they took me into their house and they showed you everything.
And it's always helpful and easy to do and it's there for you,
and if people are willing to talk to you it's sort of like why
wouldn't you?
How important is it to you
to judge a character?
Pacino: I have some help
with that. I have my dear friend over the years has read things,
and I have a reader or two, people who I know and who are very
close to me, and they help me decide. A lot of the times the parts
I would have played and the parts I would have turned down, a
lot of parts I've played I was really convinced, I was told, that
it would be a good idea to play them. Most of the time I don't
want to do anything.
What was it like to work
with Colin?
Pacino: Well, Colin said
I'm not allowed to speak about him (laughs). Have you met Colin?
Many yes'.
Pacino: Then you know what
I mean. He's just the greatest. You know you always say it about
someone, but you met Colin, so you know I, what I was with everyday.
And it was just a lot of fun to be with him.
What advice do you have
for him at this stage in his career?
Pacino: I thought he was
magnificent in this pic. You really see why they've been sort
of touting him and it doesn't quite come out yet. You see it in
this film, but there it is. I guess it would be to stop to do
things, to not to run after the money because they'll throw money
at him, and I think it's to keep his head on what he likes to
do, what he relates to. I think he's going to do that. I think
it's important because there's a lot of stuff out there, but my
advice is usually. I don't come from this era and it's a different
world today. I come out of the '70's filmmaking and things, and
I think it's a little different today, so I would be a little
reluctant to advise anybody because I don't think I have my finger
on what's going on because people do much more work today, including
me now, but when I was younger, when I was a kid, I did a movie
every couple of years. It was just like--and it's just a different
world today, but I still think you should stick with that thing
of doing, getting around things that you feel you've got some
appetite for because a lot of stuff is going to come his way and
if he can just keep it temperate.
How did you feel about having
a CIA Agent on the set while making the film?
Pacino: There was (Laughs)? I thought it was kind of tricky,
boy, because he's good at what he does because I didn't know he
was there (Laughs). By the way, these CIA guys and the guy I play,
too, you'll never meet these guys or girls. These people you don't
meet. You never know who they are. I just happen to be one of
them (Laughs).
The people who help you
read scripts, did they help you in taking the role in 'The Godfather?
Pacino: Yeah. That's how
far back I go back with my friend. Yeah.
What was your participation
in the making of 'The Godfather' DVD, and have you seen it?
Pacino: I haven't seen
it. I know I was always against the, of course, who am I? But
I was always against the chronicle order of, so I hope they're
not doing that with the DVD. Did they do it chronologically? (Everyone
Yeah). Yeah, I don't like that at all. Because part 2 was really
part of what Francis did in 'The Godfather: Part 2' was he merged
both the old and the new and that was part of the way the film
reflected itself and that's where he lived the emotion of the
film is, and the power of it and once you do it just chronologically
and you start with the Bobby De Niro stuff and you just keep going,
I think you take away the real brilliance of Coppola's 'Godfather
2.' I mean that's really, carefully orchestrated movie, so I've
stayed away from that. What I've seen of it, I was disappointed.
Is 'The Godfather: Part
Two' your favorite?
Pacino: Yeah. Two was my
favorite, but One was really the most solid, that was the original
one and it had the best story. It really had a great story, so
I think its pillars were the story in it, it had a real good structure,
so it was strong. 'Godfather 2' is not as strong that way, but
it is a more personal film for Francis, see.
How much do you feel your
craft and the approach to your craft has changed?
Pacino: I think it's changed.
It could be natural that it would change, again you're still left
with a plank and a passion, that's it. If you feel it, if you
really got something to say, then you're lucky, and you can say
it, that's great. So that's always the same, but the craft itself,
you can't help but learn little things, even unconsciously. I
still don't like to know where the camera is.
What's your reaction to
people who say that you're very intimidating to work with?
Pacino: It's all the leather
I wear, I think, and the helmet, and the high shoes…all these
things do, and then I loosen up (Laughs). I don't know, I think
it's usually the fact that I think a lot of people have grown
up seeing actors in the movies, growing up seeing your stuff,
so there's another relation they have to you because they sort
of, you know you're around. Thirty years ago I was in movies,
and so I guess that has an effect. I know for myself when I met
actors I knew growing up I had that feeling of--I was awed. But
the idea is, you know, it's we're all--you know you're doing that
thing…we're interdependent and before long that becomes the
most important prominent thing and everybody forgets who you are
and what you--you're an actor just like them, and they see it,
and it's really over fairly soon.
Do you see 'The Recruit'
as an anti-CIA film?
Pacino: Do I see this film
as an anti-CIA film? No, it's an anti-CAA film (laughs).
What was it like making
a movie like 'Scraface' and did you think it would be as big as
it became?
Pacino: Yeah, I did. What
surprised me about 'Scarface' is when it came out it was so controversial
and it had such a reaction to it, but I did think it had potential
because of Oliver Stone and (Brian) De Palma and where they were
going with it, and I knew it was going to touch a nerve.
How many times did you say
the F-word in it?
Pacino: 437 times. I don't
know, I just pulled out a number. It sounds good.
If you didn't do 'The Godfather'
do you think you would have gone towards the Broadway route?
Pacino: That's a good question.
I sure wouldn't be here if it wasn't for 'The Godfather,' I don't
think. I don't know where I'd be, I'd be probably--I don't know.
I knew that I probably would be in a reparatory theatre, than
the stuff out in the provinces and stuff, I hope. If I were lucky
I would have been in that. I wanted to be in plays, so.
Was your charismatic character
in 'The Devils Advocate' fun to play?
Pacino: It is fun to play.
Nothing like me though.
Is there anything you'd
do differently if you could go back?
Pacino: There's a couple
of movies I wouldn't have made. I mean, what are you going to
do? Sometimes you go through periods where you're a little out
of it or whatever. And you make choices, but again it's hindsight,
so I'm just glad I'm moving on, I'm glad I'm here now. I feel
good about being here.
Have you been to Sundance?
Pacino: Yeah, 'Looking
for Richard,' I did that at Sundance. That was me. Festivals kind
of unnerve me a little bit. I don't know what to do when I'm there.
I get a little, It seems like I don't know what's going on, there's
a lot of things are going on and people are going, 'hey, whoa,
hey!' and I don't know what's going on. What's up?
Is your film 'Chinese Coffee'
done?
Pacino: 'Coffee' is done,
I got a couple of little important things to do about it, like
little tiny things, and THEN I will unveil it. Some things, certain
things, I think I was lucky with 'Looking for Richard,' although
I did feel in the end, I mean, 'Looking for Richard' you wonder--well
you can't even get a video of it, they don't even carry it in
video stores so you keep thinking, because it has a certain thing
about it, it needs handling. It needed a context to be presented
in. It needed a kind of handling that--some things need that,
and the people that know how to do that best are usually the people
who made the film because it's yours and you have this feeling,
relationship to it, because 'Looking for Richard' did very well,
I mean it was on the ten best list and everything and I was wondering
why it didn't have the kind of play here that it did, say, in
Europe, which it did. Part of it was the context. With 'Chinese
Coffee' it's not a movie that you put in a, it needs a certain
environment to flourish in, it's just the way it is, it doesn't
make it better or worse than the picture, it's just the way it
is, the nature of it. I've always believed, I always hoped, I
don't think I know what I'm saying when I say this, but I was
hoping that we could have a museum where we had films, that there
was a museum where films were like hung. Like paintings. And you
went to the museum. I got the movie 'Local Stigmatic' that I made,
it's 52 minutes, and everybody has seen it now because I've personally
got them in to see it, to show it to them, and I paid them for
it, too. But it's over at the Museum of Modern Art, and I love
saying, this is really pretentious of me, this is what I really
like. I love to say, 'oh, it's at the Museum of Modern Art. Isn't
that great?' 'Have you released it?' 'No, I never did.' I love
saying that, you know? 'How come?' 'Because I didn't feel like
it.' It's fun to do that.
Are you ever intimidated?
Pacino: If I am intimidated
by something I probably don't tell myself that. It's not a good
idea, you know. Whenever I feel afraid I whistle a happy tune.
Did you learn anything about
the CIA by the end of the film?
Pacino: You know, it's always the same thing with that.
You always learn a little bit about something when you perform
in it, when you play it. And the positive thing about that is
the knowledge you get. It really elevates whatever it is that
you would, it makes you see it in a way and understand it and
there's nothing like having an understanding of something a little
bit. And that's one of the problems, too. You don't really know
it. Like football, for instance, I love football, I always liked
football, but I love football having played a football coach because
of what I found out about it, you know the intricacies of it,
and that's what happens with all the things you do, you find out
a little bit more about something and it usually elevates it for
you, you get a better understanding.
So do you love the CIA?
Pacino: Well I can't say
that. I don't know them well enough and they don't play on Sundays
(Laughs). But I want to tell you one more story because I know
you haven't had enough of my stories. There's '|And Justice for
All.' I did a movie where I played a lawyer and I really, really
enjoyed, I was in Baltimore, and I enjoyed all the court stuff
and the buildings and those courtrooms which were beautiful, they
were just beautifully done, and the environment, the whole idea
of it. Anyway, I was driving home one day during shooting and
I was with a few of the guys and some guy was talking in the front
row of the car and he said 'oh, and I got this thing and they
got me,' he had this contract, and he says, 'they want to do this
with me and that with me,' and I just said, 'let me have that
contract, let me have a look at that.' And I opened the contract
and it was like, what? I can't-- it was another language, but
I thought I could help the guy (laughs). And that's acting.
If you have any questions, or
comments, you can write me at jax@latinoreview.com.
The Recruit opens
Jan 31
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