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All About Al: The Pacino podcast
Episode 38: Cruising with Dion Baia
Cruising was a notorious movie upon release. It stoked up a lot of controversy over its footage and themes of homosexuality and violence. It also bombed at the box office and started Pacino's slump for the next few years. It derailed director William Friedkin's career for a couple of years too. However, over the past decade it has started to be re-assessed by film critic and cinephiles.
Joining the podcast to discuss the film and it's legacy is film critic and podcaster Dion Baia. Not only does Baia discuss the film and it's themes, but he also talks about a man named Randy Jurgensen, who was instrumental in helping get the film made and worked closely with Friedkin on the film.
All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, presented and produced by Mark Searby.
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49. Episode 49: Simone with Kristen Lopez
41:07||Ep. 49Nobody was ready for a film about Artifical Intelligence in Hollywood back in 2002. Simone tells the story of film director Viktor Taransky (Al Pacino) who creates a new female lead actress from a computer programme for his new film because the real lead actress has quit. But Taransky is being blackmailed by two reporters who know the truth. The film flopped at the box office and has, over the years, been forgotten about. But now with the advent of A.I. everywhere, is it time to say Simone was ahead of it's time?Film critic, author and disability expert Kristen Lopez joins the podcast to discuss the film. She talks about why it failed to find an audience, whether it has come of age and is this a comedy performance from Al Pacino?All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.48. Episode 48: Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness with Riccardo Scamarcio
39:31||Ep. 48Al Pacino and his producing partner Barry Navidi have been trying to make a biopic of the Italian painter & sculptor Amedeo Modigliani for decades. Either Pacino was too busy or they couldn't get the financing or the script wasn't right. To the point where they both almost gave up. That is until Pacino told his friend Johnny Depp that he should direct the film. Depp stepped up and made Modigliani: Three Days on the Wing of Madness starring Al Pacino, Stephen Graham, Sally Phillips, Antonia Desplat and Bruno Gouery.Starring in the lead role as the legendary Modigliani is Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio, who joins the podcast to discuss the film. Scamarcio talks about how he became involved in the film, why it meant so much to him personally to play Amedeo Modigliani and what it was like doing twenty-seven pages of dialogue with Al Pacino.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.47. Episode 47: Dick Tracy with Doug Drexler
33:44||Ep. 47Warren Beatty's adaptation of Dick Tracy was a huge success at the box office when it was releases in 1990. It had an all-star cast including Madonna, Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, Catherine O'Hara, Dick Van Dyke and many more. It also went on to win three Oscars including one for best make-up. To celebrate the film's 35th anniversary, Doug Drexler recalls his time working on the film as a make-up artist. He talks about working directly with Al Pacino, why that scared him so much and how, for the first time, he was star-struck.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.46. Episode 46: The Ritual with David Midell & Enrico Natale
41:46||Ep. 46Based on True Events. The Ritual is the harrowing true story of the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, and the two priests (Al Pacino, Dan Stevens) who went to war with Satan to save her soul.Director David Midell and Producer Enrico Natale (they also co-wrote the film) join the podcast to discuss making an exorcism film based on the most well documented cases in North American history. They talk about how they spent time with Pacino, at his house, figuring out his character, who decided to change the beard style of Al's priest and why filming the ending terrified some of the crew.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.45. Episode 45: Scarface with Peter Saphier
40:48||Ep. 45Now recognised as one of the great crime films of all time, Scarface had a struggle getting to the big screen initially. And even upon release it never found an audience and disappeared without a trace pretty quickly. However, over time it has grown into the now legendary film about the immigrant Tony Montana coming to America to seek his fortune.Scarface producer Peter Saphier discusses what it was like trying to get the film made as an independent producer working at a major movie studio, how he had private reservations about the finished film and why Pacino was so fantastic in the lead role. All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.44. Episode 44: Chinese Coffee with Sarah Lynn Dawson
33:02||Ep. 44Al Pacino loves Chinese Coffee. Not coffee imported from China. Instead he loves the play by Ira Lewis. So much so that he performed it many times on stage. Then decided to make a film of it starring himself and Jerry Orbach (Dirty Dancing). That's when Pacino started to struggle. Chinese Coffee is a film with an unusual road to release.To talk about the film actor Sarah Lynn Dawson (I Lost My Body) joins the podcast to discuss what it was like seeing Chinese Coffee for the first time at a screening with Al Pacino in attendance, how it got her thinking about her own acting style and why she was so interested in the dynamic between Pacino and Orbach in the film.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.43. Episode 43: Lawrence Grobel
01:07:34||Ep. 43To celebrate Al Pacino's 85th birthday on 25th April 2025, writer Lawrence Grobel joins All About Al: The Pacino Podcast to discuss his book Al Pacino: In Conversation with Lawrence Grobel. He talks about their first meeting, how their friendship developed over the decades, why he bet Al money about some cookies in a jar and what really happened when Pacino went to meet William Friedkin during the editing of Cruising.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.42. Episode 42: Heat with Scott Mantz
40:29||Ep. 42Michael Mann's Heat is, arguably, one of the all-time great crime movies. It's a film that constantly invites new discussions and criticism. Bringing together two of the greatest actors of any generation - Al Pacino and Robert De Niro - for the first time ever on-screen. Heat is a triumph of realism. The film is as well known for its actors and story as it is its location, right in the heart of Los Angeles. Film Critic, moderator, broadcaster and writer Scott Mantz joins the podcast to discuss this legendary crime film. He talks about living in L.A. and how the film surrounds his every day life, how many times he watches the film a year and why he is so impressed with Pacino's acting choices.All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, produced and presented by Mark Searby.41. Episode 41: The Local Stigmatic with Wilson James
36:38||Ep. 41Heathcote Williams' play The Local Stigmatic was made into a feature film by Al Pacino. However, it took over five years for it to be finished and then was only shown in a handful of select screenings including it's first showing at New York's Museum of Modern Art in March 1990. The play is about two British sociopaths wo spend their days wander the dog tracks of London while also being obsessed with celebrity culture. The film see's Pacino play Graham opposite Paul Guilfoyle's Ray. It's a film that very few people have seen.British actor Wilson James played Graham in the 2016 London stage production. He joins the podcast to discuss how he tackled Williams' play & the character, why he felt he was becoming Graham the long the play went on and what he saw in the character that made Pacino become so obsessed with making the film. All About Al: The Pacino Podcast is written, presented and produced by Mark Searby.