When it comes to the arts, quantity and quality both matter. One of the reasons Pablo Picasso became the embodiment of modern art in Europe is because of his ceaseless production, and ability to master and destroy whole schools of painting before creating his own. That said, a poet like Walt Whitman essentially spent his whole professional life writing and re-writing one collection of poetry which we now know of as the timeless Leaves of Grass.

The name John Cazale might not ring a bell at every dinner table in America tonight, but for cinephiles Cazale was an actor’s actor who played unforgettable supporting roles in five masterpieces before dying at the age of 43 in 1978. This year we remember the 40th anniversary of the late great actor’s death. But, more importantly, we remember the wounded humanity and comic timing he brought to his roles in The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter.

Here’s John’s co-star, acting partner and “little brother,” Al Pacino remembering his friend…

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40 years ago, in 1975, Dog Day Afternoon exploded off of movie screens, electrifying audiences with its concrete realism, combustible characters, political undertones and a love story at the heart of the film that makes the movie seem as current and gripping as ever. Here’s the New York Post with the story behind the story of the film…

In August 1972, John Wojtowicz, 27, a married Brooklyn man and Vietnam vet with a stream of gay lovers on the side, decided to rob a bank to pay for his boyfriend’s sex change.

In the aftermath of the crime, a 14-hour hostage ordeal that riveted the nation, a character based on Wojtowicz would be played by Al Pacino in the 1975 film “Dog Day Afternoon,” which earned six Oscar nominations (winning Best Screenplay)…

The success of Pacino’s portrayal sprang from the hero/villain dichotomy of the character. As in the real-life robbery, which took place on Aug. 22, 1972, at a Chase Manhattan branch in Gravesend, Brooklyn, Wojtowicz got both his hostages and the many onlookers on his side, positioning himself as the little guy fighting against tyranny.

The performances here are amazing and the famous “Attica!” scene still bristles with subversive glee. But it’s the film’s transsexual love story that makes it seem so current and contemporary four decades on. Here’s a cool little documentary put together by a young filmmaker that gives a great examination of how the stranger than fiction true story was brought to life…

Stay Awake!

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