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Al Pacino 

Remember when Al Pacino was the actor's actor? The man whose steely features and explosive anger helped redefine the image of the movie star in the 1970s? It's not that that man is gone—he still shows up once in a while, usually in HBO projects, like Angels in America and You Don't Know Jack, or in last year's stage run of The Merchant of Venice. It's just that on the silver screen, his persona seemed to congeal around his Oscar-winning performance in 1992's Scent of a Woman and the unfortunate catchphrase "Hoo-ah!" The campiness of that overshadowed his more subtle work in Glengarry Glen Ross, and in the ensuing decade, his fine work in the likes of Heat and Donnie Brasco was overshadowed by the increasing popularity of his over-the-top work in Brian De Palma's Scarface and Carlito's Way, which found lasting renown in the hip-hop and college dorm room poster industry. His most recent headlining roles have been misguided retreads (88 Minutes and Righteous Kill) of his classic work in The Godfather, Serpico, etc. The good Pacino—the subtle, non-scenery-chewing Pacino—is still there, but will his upcoming role as the title character in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman use his best talents? Regardless, it's the good Pacino you're likely to get tonight at DPAC, as he shares backstage stories from his career, shows rarely seen clips and takes part in an audience Q-and-A. If you've caught Pacino in the great documentary Looking for Richard, you know how engaged he can be in determining the process behind drama—and what a compelling performer he is when he's not yelling "Hoo-ah!" Just pray there's not a bunch of obnoxious Scarface fans for the Q-and-A. —Zack Smith