{"id":19595,"date":"2011-09-14T10:05:32","date_gmt":"2011-09-14T17:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=19595"},"modified":"2021-02-02T23:44:14","modified_gmt":"2021-02-03T06:44:14","slug":"panic-in-needle-park-the-1971","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=19595","title":{"rendered":"Panic in Needle Park, The (1971)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m not hooked &#8212; I&#8217;m just chippin&#8217;.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Poster-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-19596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Poster-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Poster-89x128.jpg 89w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Poster.jpg 315w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA heroin addict (Al Pacino) introduces his new girlfriend (Kitty Winn) to his lifestyle, and she&#8217;s soon addicted herself.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Al Pacino Films<\/li>\n<li>Alcoholism and Drug Addiction<\/li>\n<li>Downward Spiral<\/li>\n<li>Star-Crossed Lovers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nDirector Jerry Schatzberg&#8217;s follow-up to his disappointing debut film <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=6555\"><em>Puzzle of a Downfall Child<\/em> (1970)<\/a> was this cin\u00e9ma v\u00e9rit\u00e9 look &#8212; <em>sans<\/em> any musical score &#8212; at heroin use in New York City&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Uws2007.jpg\">&#8220;Needle Park&#8221;<\/a>. One of the first films to directly and graphically show needles being injected into users&#8217; arms:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-1024x548.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"343\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-1024x548.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-1536x823.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup-504x270.png 504w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Shootup.png 1817w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; <em>Panic&#8230;<\/em> is NOT for the faint-of-heart: it&#8217;s the type of film that makes drug use seem so utterly unappealing (users loll around in listless states of wastedness) that it&#8217;s slightly difficult to understand why even a lost waif like Winn would choose to enter into this world. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-1024x551.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-768x413.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-1536x826.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users-502x270.png 502w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Users.png 1821w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>(Of course, we&#8217;re made to believe that it&#8217;s Pacino&#8217;s charisma &#8212; and her desperate need for love and acceptance &#8212; that propels her, but still&#8230;). Regardless, Schatzberg should be commended for his no-holds-barred approach to this milieu &#8212; including an effective, oft-imitated (viz: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0765429\/\">2007&#8217;s <em>American Gangster<\/em><\/a>), entirely silent scene in which Pacino witnesses a small team of workers preparing the drug for sale. At the time of the film&#8217;s release, this kind of thing must have been utterly revelatory for audiences.  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-1024x549.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"343\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-1024x549.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-768x412.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-1536x823.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs-504x270.png 504w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Drugs.png 1827w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Panic&#8230;<\/em> is also remembered today for Al Pacino&#8217;s standout performance &#8212; his first leading role on-screen, and the catalyst for his casting the following year in Coppola&#8217;s <em>The Godfather<\/em>. He&#8217;s a bundle of hopped-up energy here, literally sweeping Winn off her feet in the opening scenes (as she&#8217;s recovering from an illegal abortion):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-1024x581.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"363\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-1024x581.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-768x436.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-1536x872.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5-476x270.png 476w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino5.png 1703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and somehow charismatic enough to convince Winn that his cadre of drug-injecting losers is a worthy gang to hang with. Inevitably, of course, Winn (whose career infamously never really went anywhere after her auspicious debut here; she chose family life instead) is caught up in the insanity of addiction herself &#8212; and, as expected, things simply go downhill from there. So many films (both fiction and documentary) about the pathetic lives of drug users have been released since <em>Panic&#8230;<\/em> that today&#8217;s viewers will likely not be shocked by what they&#8217;re seeing on-screen &#8212; but it remains a worthy early entry in the genre, one film fanatics should expose themselves to once (and then can feel free to leave behind forever, as I will). <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Al Pacino as Bobby<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino.jpg 800w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino-128x72.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Pacino-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Kitty Winn as Helen (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Winn.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Winn.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Winn.jpg 800w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Winn-128x72.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Winn-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A gruesomely graphic, no-holds-barred depiction of drug addiction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Addiction.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Addiction.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19602\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Addiction.jpg 800w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Addiction-128x72.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Panic-in-Needle-Park-Addiction-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, simply for its historical relevance as one of the first films to show drug abuse in its shoddy reality &#8212; and for Pacino&#8217;s performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0067549\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-panic-in-needle-park-1971\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review (spoiler alert)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.villagevoice.com\/2009-01-28\/film\/al-pacino-and-kitty-winn-rexamined-in-the-panic-in-needle-park\/\">Village Voice Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/the-panic-in-needle-park\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not hooked &#8212; I&#8217;m just chippin&#8217;.&#8221; Synopsis: A heroin addict (Al Pacino) introduces his new girlfriend (Kitty Winn) to his lifestyle, and she&#8217;s soon addicted herself. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Al Pacino Films Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Downward Spiral Star-Crossed Lovers Review: Director Jerry Schatzberg&#8217;s follow-up to his disappointing debut film Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970) was this cin\u00e9ma v\u00e9rit\u00e9 look &#8212; sans any musical score &#8212; at heroin use in New York City&#8217;s &#8220;Needle Park&#8221;. One&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=19595\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19595"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68204,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19595\/revisions\/68204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}