Serpico (50th Anniversary Edition) 4KUHD [Blu-ray]

Ever heard of Al Pacino? Well, I'm sure you have. Ever seen Scarface, The Insider, Heat? Or how about Dog Day Afternoon, The Panic in Needle Park, or Scent of a Woman? Yeah, he's been in numerous movies ever since the early 70's, and I'm sure you recognize at least his face. But in case you haven't noticed, Al Pacino is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of 20th-century cinema. In fact, he's one of my favorite actors of all time, and there's a very good reason for it: this guy can really act. He's been parodied several times on film and on TV, but that's because everyone knows how good he is. From The Godfather trilogy to Insomnia, his performances are MORE then just solid gold. A professional method actor, he simply becomes his characters, whether they are fictional (Ricky Roma) or real-life (Lowell Bergman). He's not Al Pacino in The Godfather trilogy, he's Michael Corleone in the Godfather trilogy. He's not himself in Dick Tracy, he's "Big Boy" Caprice. No matter how you look at it, this guy is a living legend among actors. However, if Glengarry Glen Ross or Carlito's Way doesn't impress you enough, then maybe Serpico will.When The Godfather was released back in 1972, it made Pacino, who was unknown at the time, a movie star. Studio executives already saw him as a "profitable" performer, but it looked like Pacino was concentrating more on cinematic material rather than money, because his next movie didn't look and feel like a typical Hollywood-style film. Serpico is based on the real-life story of Frank Serpico, a cop who refused to adapt to the corruption that took place in the NYPD. The film was made back in the early 70's, and the budget looks pretty modest from the looks of it, but that's beside the point. What really matters is how mesmerizing this movie is. This is a carefully-directed tour de force that showcases not only Pacino's spectacular acting talents, but also gives us an incredibly solid character study of the man who would become famous in police departments everywhere. Here is an individual who is honest and is fully dedicated to his work, but who is also tormented by the fact that the people he is working with are secretly breaking laws. This would result in him fighting against corruption, with some severe sacrifices along the way. I must say that Pacino plays the part perfectly, of course. The appearance, the mannerisms, and the ANGER of Frank Serpico are shown with real strength and heart. This is one of his greatest roles.Aside from the fact that this movie showcases young Pacino at his best, the movie is photographed beautifully and written extraordinarily well. Director Sydney Lumet breaks away from over-the-top action and suspense and delivers with a slow and steady pace, which I think is really appropriate for this kind of film. The supporting cast (Barbara Eda-Young as Laurie, Tony Roberts as Blair, John Randolph as Sidney Green) is all-around excellent. The music by Mikis Theodorakis is a pleasure to listen to (except during one specific sequence, in which the music sounds as cheesy as the theme for a 70's cop show).After my first viewing of Serpico, I instantly fell in love with it. It has quickly become one of my favorite films of all time. I think that the movie is going to get better and better after repeated viewings. In conclusion, this is a great movie, and if you're a fan of Pacino, then you have to see this film. Too bad, though, that the DVD has now been discontinued. You'll have to buy a new copy as quickly as possible, or just purchase a used one from here or elsewhere.Grade: A

Great old movie. Exposes unfortunate realities.

Al Pacino was on fire in the 70's; from his roles in "The Godfather" to "Serpico" this film, we have a series of strong (sometimes too strong perhaps) performances that owned the screen of each film (Brando aside)."Serpico" is based on the true story of a police officer who discovers corruption in just about every cranny that he investigates. The film remains both a fascinating character study of the uncompromising nature of Frank Serpico as well as his role within a department that wanted to get rid of him and cover up the corruption at the heart of the department.The new 4K/Blu-ray combo from Kino beats the overseas Studio Canal which had a yellow cast to their restoration. The colors here look more accurate without the revisionist cast of the Studio Canal. Detail is remarkably good for such a vintage film and grain is pretty consistent over all (keep in mind this is a very grainy film to begin with like many films from the era) with less of the clumpy grain that marred the Studio Canal.Dolby Vision HDR is enabled for the disc which gives the image increased detail in the darker portions of the film as well as improved color accuracy.The Blu-ray has the bulk of the bonus features and also sports the new transfer as well.For special features buffs Kino has loaded the Blu-ray disc with the following: An audio commentary from Howard Burger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson. A featurette on Lumet, on Pacino, "Serpico from Reel to Real", a favorite moments featurette and stills gallery round out the special features.The film comes with subtitles in English. Audio is English only.An excellent film that still seems topical even today, "Serpico" features a strong performance from Pacino during a period when he was also making films like "The Godfather" and "Dog Day Afternoon". As always, Pacino is intense in the role.