Leon 'Bernzy' Bernstein: "Nobody does what I do. Nobody."
Added 9/4/2009
THE PUBLIC EYE (1992) is set in September of 1942. It stars Joe Pesci as nickel cigar-chewing Leon Bernstein-- a "shutterbug" or free-lance photo-journalist nicknamed 'The Great Bernzini.'
Bernzy' is not above rearranging crime scenes for a better picture. He'll reposition a corpse, make sure it has a hat on, and so forth. He's also a master at obtaining "impossible" shots. Example: a male domestic violence victim being removed from his apartment is covered with a white sheet so that no one can photograph the axe buried in his forehead. Disguised as a priest, Bernzy finagles his way into the ambulance and fakes administering the Last Rites. He then takes a couple of quick snaps with a mini-35 mm camera and is immediately bounced out the vehicle's back door.
Classic noir elements include shadowy night scenes, a pervasively dark mood and especially Bernzy's involvement with glamorous nightclub owner Kay Levitz (Barbara Hershey), who seemingly befriends this lonely man but ultimately uses him for her own ends. The story (and their brief affair) ends sadly, in classic noir fashion.
This somber film is punctuated with a high-power gangland execution of an entire mob that occurs at a small family-style Italian restaurant. Bernzy bravely positions himself in a backroom to photograph these killings as they happen, and when one mobster sees and points a pistol at him, Bernzy responds by taking his picture!
Re-creation of the '40s is outstanding throughout and Pesci's atypically understated, soulful acting marks what I believe is his very best screen performance. Due to its bloody moments, this one never could have been made in the '40s. Even so, all fans of film noir will find THE PUBLIC EYE highly satisfying. I heartily recommend it.
As of 9/09, "The Public Eye" was not available on DVD.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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An Intriguing Noir Look At Photojournalism
Added 5/23/2009
I can't believe there still is no DVD of this movie, at least in Region I, and that's frustrating. There's something intriguing about this story that drives me back to it time and again.
Perhaps that is so because it's about a photographer, something I did, too, while being in the newspaper business for years and an art form I've always enjoyed. The story also takes place in the 1940s and I love the style and atmosphere of that era which is beautifully shown here.
Joe Pesci is Leon Bernzini or "The Great Bernzini," a newspaper photographer, and Barbara Hershey is a mysterious woman who Pesci has the hots for. There is a lot of mystery in here with Hershey's character.
Sad to say, the filmmakers kind of make a hero out of basically a sleazy guy who has few, if any, morals. ("Bernzy" was "paparazzi" before they invented the word!). The movie also has an unsatisfying ending, particularly with Hershey's character.
However, I keep getting drawn back into multiple viewings of this and I'd sure like to see what it looks like with a good DVD transfer.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Well worth releasing on DVD!
Added 5/28/2007
I have enjoyed this movie more times than I can remember. Joe Pesci is perfect as the scrappy tabloid photographer who at heart feels that what he is doing is also an ART. The film is about vindicating himself as an artist and reclaiming his personal life as a man, after sacrificing so much because he is driven to capture the ultimate picture in his work and living for so long seemingly as a bum. Anyone who is an artist or creative type is likely to get a great deal of enjoyment out of this unusual story where the main characters come from two completely different backgrounds and yet are irresistibly drawn together. The relationship between Pesci and Barbara Hershey is compelling and has many unexpected twists and turns: there's always some suspicion going on between them that complicates their relationship way out of the ordinary, even though there's a love here and they want to trust each other.
Please... will some big-shot movie exec please get this classic out on DVD? I agree with another reviewer that this is one of Pesci's best roles: he's gritty and determined without having to play a twisted figure from the underworld - the role was perfect for him. I love character and plot driven films and I've always felt that this gem delivers on both counts. Plus, the feeling of the war years during the 1940s is captured to a T. I bet I've seen it at least 50 times, including because of Mark Isham's understated soundtrack that sets the perfect mood. (I own the soundtrack too... one of my all-time favorites!) The Public Eye is recommended for those who love film noir types of movies with intriguing characters written by writer/directors, such as Howard Franklin, who did a great job here.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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Can we please get this title to DVD A.S.A.P. please?? And not via a hokey, sub-par transfer. I mean, accurate and with superb color saturation. Also, I need the extras; I want to see the MAKING OF featurette. Come on, man. DO IT!!
3 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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Classic Mafia Beauty and the Beast Story
Added 5/30/2005
If you need car crashes, buildings blowing up, or somebody being cut open with a cooking knife to have fun, this isn't your kind of film. But...
This gritty Pesci film was a sleeper in the theatres. For movie buffs who like drama, intriguing story lines, and great acting...this movie is a classic for your collection.
Pesci plays a reporter who gets his pictures from the darker side of New York in the 1940's. He develops an attachment to his deceased friends wife, who runs a club and eventually runs into trouble with the local mob.
Its a wonderful, thoughtful, mature retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story. Wonderfully scripted characters, and totally believeable dialogue will transport you into a different era, and an expertly crafted tale.
5 out of 6 people found this helpful.
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Leon 'Bernzy' Bernstein: "Nobody does what I do. Nobody."
Added 9/4/2009
THE PUBLIC EYE (1992) is set in September of 1942. It stars Joe Pesci as nickel cigar-chewing Leon Bernstein-- a "shutterbug" or free-lance photo-journalist nicknamed 'The Great Bernzini.'
Bernzy' is not above rearranging crime scenes for a better picture. He'll reposition a corpse, make sure it has a hat on, and so forth. He's also a master at obtaining "impossible" shots. Example: a male domestic violence victim being removed from his apartment is covered with a white sheet so that no one can photograph the axe buried in his forehead. Disguised as a priest, Bernzy finagles his way into the ambulance and fakes administering the Last Rites. He then takes a couple of quick snaps with a mini-35 mm camera and is immediately bounced out the vehicle's back door.
Classic noir elements include shadowy night scenes, a pervasively dark mood and especially Bernzy's involvement with glamorous nightclub owner Kay Levitz (Barbara Hershey), who seemingly befriends this lonely man but ultimately uses him for her own ends. The story (and their brief affair) ends sadly, in classic noir fashion.
This somber film is punctuated with a high-power gangland execution of an entire mob that occurs at a small family-style Italian restaurant. Bernzy bravely positions himself in a backroom to photograph these killings as they happen, and when one mobster sees and points a pistol at him, Bernzy responds by taking his picture!
Re-creation of the '40s is outstanding throughout and Pesci's atypically understated, soulful acting marks what I believe is his very best screen performance. Due to its bloody moments, this one never could have been made in the '40s. Even so, all fans of film noir will find THE PUBLIC EYE highly satisfying. I heartily recommend it.
As of 9/09, "The Public Eye" was not available on DVD.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
An Intriguing Noir Look At Photojournalism
Added 5/23/2009
I can't believe there still is no DVD of this movie, at least in Region I, and that's frustrating. There's something intriguing about this story that drives me back to it time and again.
Perhaps that is so because it's about a photographer, something I did, too, while being in the newspaper business for years and an art form I've always enjoyed. The story also takes place in the 1940s and I love the style and atmosphere of that era which is beautifully shown here.
Joe Pesci is Leon Bernzini or "The Great Bernzini," a newspaper photographer, and Barbara Hershey is a mysterious woman who Pesci has the hots for. There is a lot of mystery in here with Hershey's character.
Sad to say, the filmmakers kind of make a hero out of basically a sleazy guy who has few, if any, morals. ("Bernzy" was "paparazzi" before they invented the word!). The movie also has an unsatisfying ending, particularly with Hershey's character.
However, I keep getting drawn back into multiple viewings of this and I'd sure like to see what it looks like with a good DVD transfer.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Well worth releasing on DVD!
Added 5/28/2007
I have enjoyed this movie more times than I can remember. Joe Pesci is perfect as the scrappy tabloid photographer who at heart feels that what he is doing is also an ART. The film is about vindicating himself as an artist and reclaiming his personal life as a man, after sacrificing so much because he is driven to capture the ultimate picture in his work and living for so long seemingly as a bum. Anyone who is an artist or creative type is likely to get a great deal of enjoyment out of this unusual story where the main characters come from two completely different backgrounds and yet are irresistibly drawn together. The relationship between Pesci and Barbara Hershey is compelling and has many unexpected twists and turns: there's always some suspicion going on between them that complicates their relationship way out of the ordinary, even though there's a love here and they want to trust each other.
Please... will some big-shot movie exec please get this classic out on DVD? I agree with another reviewer that this is one of Pesci's best roles: he's gritty and determined without having to play a twisted figure from the underworld - the role was perfect for him. I love character and plot driven films and I've always felt that this gem delivers on both counts. Plus, the feeling of the war years during the 1940s is captured to a T. I bet I've seen it at least 50 times, including because of Mark Isham's understated soundtrack that sets the perfect mood. (I own the soundtrack too... one of my all-time favorites!) The Public Eye is recommended for those who love film noir types of movies with intriguing characters written by writer/directors, such as Howard Franklin, who did a great job here.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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