Today, we examine two classic films from 1995—released within three weeks of each other—and both starring the great Robert De Niro.
These films are both phenomenal, IMO, and they contain some really memorable scenes.
Which do you prefer—and why?
Casino (Martin Scorcese)
In early-1970s Las Vegas, low-level mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein gets tapped by his bosses to head the Tangiers Casino. At first, he's a great success in the job, but over the years, problems with his loose-cannon enforcer Nicky Santoro, his ex-hustler wife Ginger, her con-artist ex Lester Diamond and a handful of corrupt politicians put Sam in ever-increasing danger.
Quotables…
Ace Rothstein: Listen to me very carefully. There are three ways of doing things around here: the right way, the wrong way, and the way that I do it. You understand?
Ace Rothstein: No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And if you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he'll keep comin' back and back until one of you is dead.
Nicky Santoro: I think in all fairness, I should explain to you exactly what it is that I do. For instance tomorrow morning I'll get up nice and early, take a walk down over to the bank and... walk in and see and, uh... if you don't have my money for me, I'll... crack your f**kin' head wide-open in front of everybody in the bank. And just about the time that I'm comin' out of jail, hopefully, you'll be coming out of your coma. And guess what? I'll split your f**kin' head open again. 'Cause I'm f**kin' stupid. I don't give a f**k about jail. That's my business. That's what I do.
Nicky Santoro: A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all f**kin' night.
Heat (Michael Mann)
Master criminal Neil McCauley is trying to control the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big heist before retiring. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Vincent Hanna attempts to track down McCauley as he deals with the chaos in his own life, including the infidelity of his wife and the mental health of his stepdaughter. McCauley and Hanna discover a mutual respect, even as they try to thwart each other's plans.
Quotables…
Vincent Hanna: My life's a disaster zone. I got a stepdaughter so f**ked up because her real father's this large-type asshole. I got a wife, we're passing each other on the down-slope of a marriage—my third—because I spend all my time chasing guys like you around the block. That's my life.
Neil McCauley: A guy told me one time, "Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner." Now, if you're on me and you gotta move when I move, how do you expect to keep a... a marriage?
Vincent Hanna: You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.
Neil McCauley: There is a flip side to that coin. What if you do got me boxed in and I gotta put you down? Cause no matter what, you will not get in my way. We've been face to face, yeah. But I will not hesitate. Not for a second.
Neil McCauley: What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone.
Roger Van Zant: I don't understand.
Neil McCauley: 'Cause there is a dead man on the other end of this f**kin' line.
These films are both phenomenal, IMO, and they contain some really memorable scenes.
Which do you prefer—and why?
Casino (Martin Scorcese)
In early-1970s Las Vegas, low-level mobster Sam "Ace" Rothstein gets tapped by his bosses to head the Tangiers Casino. At first, he's a great success in the job, but over the years, problems with his loose-cannon enforcer Nicky Santoro, his ex-hustler wife Ginger, her con-artist ex Lester Diamond and a handful of corrupt politicians put Sam in ever-increasing danger.
Quotables…
Ace Rothstein: Listen to me very carefully. There are three ways of doing things around here: the right way, the wrong way, and the way that I do it. You understand?
Ace Rothstein: No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And if you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he'll keep comin' back and back until one of you is dead.
Nicky Santoro: I think in all fairness, I should explain to you exactly what it is that I do. For instance tomorrow morning I'll get up nice and early, take a walk down over to the bank and... walk in and see and, uh... if you don't have my money for me, I'll... crack your f**kin' head wide-open in front of everybody in the bank. And just about the time that I'm comin' out of jail, hopefully, you'll be coming out of your coma. And guess what? I'll split your f**kin' head open again. 'Cause I'm f**kin' stupid. I don't give a f**k about jail. That's my business. That's what I do.
Nicky Santoro: A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all f**kin' night.
Heat (Michael Mann)
Master criminal Neil McCauley is trying to control the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big heist before retiring. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Vincent Hanna attempts to track down McCauley as he deals with the chaos in his own life, including the infidelity of his wife and the mental health of his stepdaughter. McCauley and Hanna discover a mutual respect, even as they try to thwart each other's plans.
Quotables…
Vincent Hanna: My life's a disaster zone. I got a stepdaughter so f**ked up because her real father's this large-type asshole. I got a wife, we're passing each other on the down-slope of a marriage—my third—because I spend all my time chasing guys like you around the block. That's my life.
Neil McCauley: A guy told me one time, "Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner." Now, if you're on me and you gotta move when I move, how do you expect to keep a... a marriage?
Vincent Hanna: You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.
Neil McCauley: There is a flip side to that coin. What if you do got me boxed in and I gotta put you down? Cause no matter what, you will not get in my way. We've been face to face, yeah. But I will not hesitate. Not for a second.
Neil McCauley: What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone.
Roger Van Zant: I don't understand.
Neil McCauley: 'Cause there is a dead man on the other end of this f**kin' line.
