The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  I loved this movie from start to finish. I could have watched it for hours. I loved the style that Schatzberg uses and it is one of the more realistic drug films I have seen. Al Pacino is phenomenal and it was cool to see a very young Raul Julia and Paul Sorvino. A depressing gem with… More
  I loved this movie from start to finish. I could have watched it for hours. I loved the style that Schatzberg uses and it is one of the more realistic drug films I have seen. Al Pacino is phenomenal and it was cool to see a very young Raul Julia and Paul Sorvino. A depressing gem with an amazing ending.

• AJ V

  
  There isn't much going on in this movie it seems, or maybe it's just me? Sure there's a love story, and it has it's ups and downs like all love stories, and yes it's interesting to see what life was like for these people in needle park, but there isn't… More
  There isn't much going on in this movie it seems, or maybe it's just me? Sure there's a love story, and it has it's ups and downs like all love stories, and yes it's interesting to see what life was like for these people in needle park, but there isn't an end to the movie, and I didn't like that.

• Lady D

  
  Yet another great early film from starring Pacino, a story of love and the escalation to drug addiction. This film would be just as relevant in today's time as it was back then. Al Pacino's attraction for the controversial in the early days was truly admirable.

• Anthony L

  
  Al Pacino's first, and perhaps grittiest film. You can see why he got so popular so soon, he is fantastic in this bleak classic!

• Mike T

  
  This film throbs with queasily brutal power; gritty, real and completely depressing, it's directed with distinct style and vision. Al Pacino's debut performance is like the rest of his work: too great to put into words. He is quite simply one of the greatest actors in cinema… More
  This film throbs with queasily brutal power; gritty, real and completely depressing, it's directed with distinct style and vision. Al Pacino's debut performance is like the rest of his work: too great to put into words. He is quite simply one of the greatest actors in cinema history. I loved this film.

• matt s

  
  Finally, my losing streak ends with a reliable, gritty, amazing film from Pacino and Schatzberg. The real surprise was Kitty Winn. Her performance was great. And the ending to this movie is flawless.

• Ed Fucking H

  
  Before Scarface and before the Godfather there was Panic in Needle Park. This was Al Pacino's debut cinematic performance, and it must have been clear upon it's release that he had a promising future. His performance in this film is absolutley brilliant, and without him this… More
  Before Scarface and before the Godfather there was Panic in Needle Park. This was Al Pacino's debut cinematic performance, and it must have been clear upon it's release that he had a promising future. His performance in this film is absolutley brilliant, and without him this might not have been able to carry itself above another mediocre addiction drama. The lead absolutley had to be able to convey the hopelessness of the situation all of the character's were in, and Pacino succeeded brilliantly. The movie itself is love story wrapped around a group of heroin addict's in New York City in the early 70's. While the story itself is great for what it is, Pacino really is the main attraction here, so I would recommend this to Pacino fans or fans of 70's cinema in general. While Pacino would move on to bigger, better things, this was a memorable debut from one of the greats, and not a bad film in it's own right either. Check it out.

• Grifty G

  
  A must see if you want to see another great Pacino performance. I personally can't verify the authenticity of the film's portrayal of the early 70's NY junkie scene, but there isn't anything in this film that doesn't feel completely real. It almost feels… More
  A must see if you want to see another great Pacino performance. I personally can't verify the authenticity of the film's portrayal of the early 70's NY junkie scene, but there isn't anything in this film that doesn't feel completely real. It almost feels like a documentary at times. And yes, Cody, it does have a great ending.

• cody f

  
  Great movie that must have been a shock to film audiences in 1971.It was probably the first film to show graphic drug use and reality of the heroin drug culture in NYC. Flawless performances by Pacino and Kitty Winn, and also Alan Vint as a cop who seems to be the only person who… More
  Great movie that must have been a shock to film audiences in 1971.It was probably the first film to show graphic drug use and reality of the heroin drug culture in NYC. Flawless performances by Pacino and Kitty Winn, and also Alan Vint as a cop who seems to be the only person who cares for their well being. The film shows the downward spiral of heroin addicts with great detail, and gets more depressing the farther they fall. This is the film Coppola showed the Paramount executives to show them that Pacino was right for the Godfather,it obviously worked. It's clear that Gus Van Sant watched this film a hundred times before he made Drugstore Cowboy.Both films are the same subject matter,same time period, and have the same feel,except Cowboy is more stylized and Panic is gritty realism. Schatzberg had a nice one two punch with this film and Scarecrow, too bad thats all he had in him. Yet another great film from the 70's Golden Age with one of the best ending's you will ever see.

• Audrey L

  
  Very heavy film...

• Sarah P

  
  Al Pacino was good as he usually always is (or was). This just didn't capture my attention and if Pacino wasn't in this film, it'd be a complete waste of time.

• Kevin "

  
  A movie showing the life of heroin addicts in a section of New York that plays home to many; Needle Park. While the 70's in one of my favorite eras of cinema, this isn't the strongest movie. But what makes this movie so enjoyable is the emotion and character that Pacino… More
  A movie showing the life of heroin addicts in a section of New York that plays home to many; Needle Park. While the 70's in one of my favorite eras of cinema, this isn't the strongest movie. But what makes this movie so enjoyable is the emotion and character that Pacino gives. This movie is a testament to what good acting is and what got Pacino the part in The Godfather. Might be a harder to find movie for people in the US, but fans of Pacino should see it to witness his early performance, before he got his deep loud bark.

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