Saturday, October 21, 2006

Robert Loggia on Michelle Pfeiffer

My favorite bit in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly comes in an article about the endurance of Brian dePalma's Scarface. It's a quote from oft-employed character actor Robert Loggia (Oscar nominated for 1985's The Jagged Edge). He's asked if Michelle Pfeiffer was nervous in her first true dramatic role as Elvira, working opposite himself and Al Pacino.
No. When she came down that elevator [in Elvira's first scene] in that goddamn tight dress and slinked across to us, and the way [Elvira] sniffed coke off her pinky fingernail...For Christ's sakes, Michelle owned it! They were lucky to have her; they should kiss her ass in Macy's window today!
I hear you Robert. But shouldn't we kiss Pfeiffer's ass every day?


For readers who aren't automatically drawn to violent organized crime movies (you really can't see them all) and who have somehow missed seeing the ubiquitous Scarface all these years, get on it. It's a must-see for Pfeiffer's work alone (not to mention its pop culture staying power). She is spot on as a bitter trophy wife. The performance is so sharp you'll shake your head wondering why it took another five years for Oscar to notice her.

When I hosted the Pfeiffer Blog-a-Thon back in April I was surprised to see that only one blog fixated on her Scarface elevator entrance. My New Plaid Pants described it memorably as "nothing short of a Barbie case"

2007 will finally bring an end to this nearly five year Pfeiffer drought. She'll be appearing in three comedies of the romantic ( I Could Never Be Your Woman February 14th), fantasy (Stardust, March 16th), and musical (Hairspray, July) varieties. Drink up pfans.

Tags: movies, cinema, Michelle Pfeiffer, Scarface film,

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Michelle Pfeiffer was "Fabulous" in Scarface!

Glenn Dunks said...

YES! Scarface is actually my third favourite Pfeiffer Perpformance. She was great in such a stock standard role.

Anonymous said...

I haaaaaate Scarface, but she was very good. She's always so much better playing the bitch, or in heavier roles like in White Oleander and A Thousand Acres(her 2 very best performances, just brilliant characterizations, sadly she was snubbed by the Academy both times...sigh).

Though the story of Hairspray bores me to tears and the film itself looks destined to be a disaster, I'm looking forward to Michelle as Velma, she's a perfect fit for the role.

She has a dark, violent, evil role in Stardust, which has me very excited, I just hope they don't waterdown the violence for the movie too much, that would be a shame.

Elena said...

No doubt one of my fav female characters in cinema.
Can't you stop saying fuck all the time? (Elvira to Tony Montana)

Anonymous said...

Make that "pfabulous," anon 3:36. Love me some Elvira!

M

M said...

Michelle is my goddess! Apart from her entrance, I also love the scene when Pacino is trying to seduce her and she's so not interested; and finally he gets into her car, puts on her hat and does a funny face. You can see a smile finally dawning on her lips, it's great!