Following the special screening of the Canadian independent film Generation Wolf at the historic Port Theatre in Cornwall, Ontario, I sat down with filmmaker Christian de la Cortina – who co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in the entertaining crime flick. Cortina, who works out of Quebec, has had a fruitful start to his career, dabbling in many French language television series and miniseries, including La Marraine, 19-2, Mon Ex à Moi and O’, as well as procuring roles in American productions being filmed in La Belle Province, including last year’s highly touted Academy Award nominee Brooklyn.
Filmmaker Christian de la Cortina and Filmizon.com’s Nikolai Adams chat filmmaking following the screening of Generation Wolf
2008 was a watershed year for the man, as he released his first feature film – Transit, which he also produced, directed, wrote and starred in. Seeing it as an opportunity to concoct intriguing roles for himself and others (as he did not want to be placed in a position where he may only receive similar roles throughout his career – in other words, typecast), Generation Wolf can be seen as a successful extension of that plan – as it depicts an engaging story that is chock full of richly drawn characters.
Cortina was kind enough to sit down with me, giving me insight into his world of film making. We chatted Generation Wolf, the joys and difficulties of juggling the multiple jobs of actor/director/producer/writer, as well as several other things, including my preferred question – what is your favourite film? The filmmaker quickly highlighted Brian De Palma’s 1993 crime pic Carlito’s Way as being at the top of his list. Make sure to view the video below to hear all kinds of interesting tidbits on everything from film making to why he loves Carlito’s Way.
Directed by Brian De Palma, the story, set in 1975, follows Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino), a Puerto-Rican American who has just been released from prison on a technicality (after only five years of a thirty year sentence). Utilizing his old friend and lawyer Dave Kleinfeld (Sean Penn) to help with the matter, they insult District Attorney Norwalk (James Rebhorn) during the proceedings.
On the outside, Carlito vows to go straight; he sees a way out if he can raise seventy-five thousand dollars (his dream: move to the Caribbean and start a car rental business). Meeting up with a former acquaintance, Pachanga (Luis Guzmán), he sees the massive amount of change that has occurred on the New York streets, feeling like a fish out of water in so many ways.
He also bumps into his cousin Guajiro (John Ortiz), who desperately pleads for the legendary criminal to tag along on a drug deal. Grudgingly agreeing, things take a catastrophic turn when his cousin is betrayed, and everyone is killed, save Carlito. Fleeing the scene with thirty grand in cash, he uses it to buy into a club by way of a connection brought forth by Kleinfeld – seeing it as the perfect way to raise the capital he so desires.
Cleaning up the business, which is run by a gambling addict named Saso (Jorge Porcel), Carlito attempts to steer clear of all of the shady dealings around him. He soon learns that this will not be so easy, as the club is filled with drug addicts and dealers, including newbie Benny Blanco (John Leguizamo) – a Bronx gangster looking to make a name for himself, as well as his own wild card attorney (who has drug issues). Snitches like the crippled Lalin (Viggo Mortensen) must also be watched, even if they are former friends. To further complicate things, District Attorney Norwalk is breathing down his neck, looking for any excuse to put the man back behind bars.
Presently, he is able to catch up with his former gal Gail (Penelope Ann Miller), and though there is still strife from years past, he is able to quell her looming fears – rekindling their love. The woman has become disenchanted with life, as her dream of starring on Broadway has not come to fruition, but Carlito’s arrival reinvigorates her, giving her hope once again as she listens to his plans to leave their complicated world behind.
A man of honour who lives by ‘the code’, Carlito feels beholden to his ever-present lawyer. So, when the attorney asks for help with a shady dealing, he reluctantly agrees, seeing it as a way to finally repay his longstanding debt. Though, when things take an unexpected and very felonious turn, Carlito fears his unwanted criminal history creeping back into his life. Will the man be able to escape his past, finding love and finally fulfilling his fantastical fantasy, or will his shady past catch up to him, quashing his hope for a better life?
Filled with the visual flair we have come to expect from Brian De Palma, he depicts a New York landscape that is vivid and scary. Accompanied by a variety of disco tunes, we see a colourful world that, for all of its gilded glamour, oozes criminal activity. Connecting us to Carlito, De Palma utilizes camera tricks to put us in his world. He utilizes first person perspective to show us what Carlito is seeing (people and rich locales), as well as provides interesting angles that show us not only characters talking, but also what they are focussing on in the background. With an impressive knack for developing thrilling motion pictures, this one is no different, as he builds us up as we watch Carlito try to escape the world that, in many ways, he has wrought.
Filmizon.com’s Nikolai Adams with Viggo Mortensen, who plays Lalin in Carlito’s Way
The film also features superb performances. Pacino is spot on, capturing the gravity of the situation whilst also adding some nice comedic touches and a larger than life grandioseness to the role. It is a tightrope to walk, yet he is able to succeed. Penn is nearly unrecognizable as the unscrupulous lawyer with an awful fro. Becoming more and more reckless as the plot thickens, the actor exudes a flawed, dangerously uncontrolled persona that is tough to ignore. Similarly, Miller brings a complexity to her performance, as her character has become cynical over time, yet Carlito’s reappearance rekindles the possibility that there may be a positive outcome in her unfulfilled life. Then, there are sharp performances from Mortensen, Leguizamo, Rebhorn, Guzmán and Porcel, who build intriguing characters in spite of shorter screen times.
Featuring a twisty story (David Koepp adapts Edwin Torres’ novel “After Hours”, though they borrowed the title from his other book “Carlito’s Way” in order to avoid confusion with Martin Scorsese’s film of the same name), Carlito’s Way is a superb crime thriller. Boasting excellent performances, striking visuals, shocking deaths and a memorable ending, there is plenty to like in this cult classic. Perhaps one of the best lines Carlito utters is “if you can’t see the angles no more, you’re in trouble”. So, you call the shots and check this film out to learn if Carlito can still see the angles, and discover if he will find his way to the tropical paradise that he so desires.