Why is DeNiro considered better than Pacino?

Might be in the minority here, but I'd say that Pacino's best performances are better than DeNiro's. Yet DeNiro is always considered the better actor.

Of course, DeNiro was brilliant in Raging Bull, but what else puts him above Pacino?

I've always believed that Pacino is the better actor, when both are at their bests.

 

I think it is his variety. Pacino at his best is superb, but he is what they call a maneuver actor. Also after the early 90s and Scent of Woman he has played all his roles same way, similar to old Nicholson or Eastwood. That doesn't make him a bad actor, he is still very good, but De Niro can do different types of roles and even though he doesn't quite have Pacino's charisma, he knows also when not to steal the show

 

when has De Niro played different roles lately though?
even in comedy roles he's the same character

all he does is squint and pull his bottom lip over his bottom teeth

 

I agree but Pacino at his worst is borderline awful. And I also think De Niro has been in more, and a wider variety, of good films. A top 5 list would probably be comparable, but in terms of their overall 'oeuvre' you have to go with De Niro.

Midnight Run & King of New York! :bears:

 

DeNiro was once a chamaleon. Think of these roles:

Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II
The half-brain terminally ill catcher in Bang The Drum Slowly
Travis Beakle the mentally unstable loner in Taxi Driver
Michael the tortured soul of The Deer Hunter
Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull
The former conquistador in penitence for his past sins turned jesuit priest in The Mission
Al Capone in The Untouchables
his role as the permanently catatonic patient in Awakenings
Max Cady in Cape Fear
Paul Vitti in Analyse This

heck if you compare films alone, DeNiro has starred in more and better films than Pacino who since his return to the screen with his raspy voice in Sea of Love all he does is yell.

 

I'm really surprised anyone would ask this question. I am a fan of Pacino but it seems like it would be evident that DeNiro is the superior actor.

 

Pacino had several performances that are brilliant... Obviously, Michael Corleone, Serpico and to me, his very best, Dog Day Afternoon. Those are the work of a great, great actor

However, he fell off pretty early and had started impersonating himself by the 1980s... Still excellent at his best (Sea Of Love, Carlito's Way) but at other times, a ridiculous ham (Scarface) or perhaps worse, a buffoon impersonating Al Pacino (Scent Of A Woman and virtually every role he has had since then...) ... Those early films I mentioned seem to suggest that at one time, he had that same Chameleon capability... the problem is that he fell off early and got into the habit of applying virtually the same personality to every character

DeNiro in recent times has certainly fallen off just as hard, but he held out far longer and was still a riveting, multi-dimensional performer into the early 1990s... For that reason alone, he would have to be considered superior.

 

Pacino was excellent in Scent of a Woman, and you forgot you add how good he was in Glengarry Glen Ross.

He was also very good in Heat, although I admit, DeNiro's performance in Heat stole the show.

Also, if you're talking bout the 70s, don't forget his performance in And Justice For All.

 

More accurately, since he got the oscar for yelling in 1993. Worst thing that ever happened to him, that. He started talking southern to my ears, too

 

I hated him in "Scent Of A Woman"

 

Then you are wrong

 

Head to head, DeNiro blew away Pacino in HEAT. One of the greatest films ever.

 

come to my gym in Helsinki and say that to my face

 

I thought they were both good in Heat but Pacino's shouty bits really annoyed me

 

HOOO-AH!

 

Excellent movie for sure. I wouldn't say Deniro "blew away" Pacino at all. The villain in 9 out of 10 movies is a more interesting character than whatever role the "good guy" plays or whatever agency they're from. I rarely bother watching movies at a cinema, but made a point of watching Heat. The scene Deniro and Pacino had together was magnetic within the confines of a film that had so much violence and conflict. The dialogue and scene itself didn't come off (as often does) like filler to just give each character a chance to give their side.

"Now that we heard both sides, back to action!!"

 

It felt a little contrived to me. or at least that a few of the lines seemed to skirt close to being 'self referential' to it as a cinematic moment. 'you're in your world doing what you do, im in mine.....now we're face to face at last', or whateva. I didnt like it much

 

That looks really good, thanks. I'll check it