Posted By: Mickey_MeatBalls_DeMonica
Carlito's Way/After Hours by Edwin Torres - 06/07/10 02:17 AM
I was scanning the forum to find the thread about the book's Carlito's Way & After Hours. I couldn't believe it when i saw that there hadn't been a thread already started about this (am i wrong?? Maybe. I was sure there's a Carlito topic floating 'round the boards)
Anyway... here goes.
If you have not heard of the books by Edwin Torres about fictional Puerto Rican gangster Carlito Brigante, you've at least more then likely caught notice of the Brian DePalma film starring Al Pacino as the eponymous Brigante, but hopefully not the Rise to Power sequal/prequal whatever. Blech. Talk about lack luster. Please dont let that be your introduction
to the saga of Calos Brigante.
Now the original film based on the novels (the movie Carlito's Way is actually based on the second book, After Hours) stars Al Pacino in one of those (it feels like hundreds) awesome roles he just nails; to me, he looks, sounds & acts the way i imagined Carlito in my head. Not everyone liked the movie, & it definitely had its flaws, but IMHO...Pacino is not one of them. A pretty solid supporting cast, Sean Penn, Luis Guzman,
John Leguizamo & Viggo Mortensen amongst others BUT... im not poosting about the movie.
The the novels on which the films are based were authored by Edwin Torres, a man with an interesting career, in so far as he was not a writer by trade. Torres, born 1931 of Puerto Rican descent, was raised in Spanish Harlem, a family of very modest means. None the less, Torres graduated from high school & went on through college & later law school; after passing the bar, he spent some years as an assistant D.A & in criminal
defense.
As an aside, New York in the '50 is kinda notorious for its gang culture, particularly amongst young minority groups. I imagine Torres was exposed to his fair share of tempatation as a young adult, but he was obviously strong enough of character to rise above & flourish.
Since 1980, Torres served as a Judge for the Twelfth Judicial District in New York City. His experiences around criminals & the justice system has given Torres an insider view of the criminal mind, which he harnessed to create the classic New York Puerto Rican gangster of the period, Carlito Brigante.
Carlos Brigante comes up in the '50s, hard-scrabble, & where else but New York? Carlito charges through a life with a fair share of struggles, winning some, losing some, & ultimately serving a few prison bids. But Carlito, as it says on the blurb, has "...too much wit, too much spirit & raw courage..." to ever be held down. Carlito pays his dues, forms some solid connections & raises above the riff-raff, sticking around much longer then anyone would have expected, a few cuts above the average half-assed wiseguy "Po' Rican".
One of the apects i loved about the novels was Torres obvious knowledge of mob workings & customs; of course, a crime novel set in New York during the'50s makes it an obvious reference. Carlito spends his criminal careers in the shadow of the mob, conceding to their power but not their authority (he's no Eye-Talian, why should he care what these old mutts think of him?) Nonetheless, through a connection he made in prison with the nephew of a boss, Carlito is known to be stand-up by them, & have offered him jobs at times. Although he never actually throws in his lot with them, he is seen by some as "being with the wops". His charisma & criminal pedigree make him the defacto leader of a small crew of Puerto Rican thugs, some of Carlito's innumerable friends & connections from the old neighbourhood.
Carlito is a criminal, but he is not a bad guy. Thats part of what makes this books such a good read for me; sure he's a thug but you cant help rooting for him & laughing at some
of his jokes. Torres charts Carlito's whole life & crimal world so exacting & floridly: just another great book. Check it out. Seriously.
Sorry, sorry. Long, long possst.
Anyway... here goes.
If you have not heard of the books by Edwin Torres about fictional Puerto Rican gangster Carlito Brigante, you've at least more then likely caught notice of the Brian DePalma film starring Al Pacino as the eponymous Brigante, but hopefully not the Rise to Power sequal/prequal whatever. Blech. Talk about lack luster. Please dont let that be your introduction
to the saga of Calos Brigante.
Now the original film based on the novels (the movie Carlito's Way is actually based on the second book, After Hours) stars Al Pacino in one of those (it feels like hundreds) awesome roles he just nails; to me, he looks, sounds & acts the way i imagined Carlito in my head. Not everyone liked the movie, & it definitely had its flaws, but IMHO...Pacino is not one of them. A pretty solid supporting cast, Sean Penn, Luis Guzman,
John Leguizamo & Viggo Mortensen amongst others BUT... im not poosting about the movie.
The the novels on which the films are based were authored by Edwin Torres, a man with an interesting career, in so far as he was not a writer by trade. Torres, born 1931 of Puerto Rican descent, was raised in Spanish Harlem, a family of very modest means. None the less, Torres graduated from high school & went on through college & later law school; after passing the bar, he spent some years as an assistant D.A & in criminal
defense.
As an aside, New York in the '50 is kinda notorious for its gang culture, particularly amongst young minority groups. I imagine Torres was exposed to his fair share of tempatation as a young adult, but he was obviously strong enough of character to rise above & flourish.
Since 1980, Torres served as a Judge for the Twelfth Judicial District in New York City. His experiences around criminals & the justice system has given Torres an insider view of the criminal mind, which he harnessed to create the classic New York Puerto Rican gangster of the period, Carlito Brigante.
Carlos Brigante comes up in the '50s, hard-scrabble, & where else but New York? Carlito charges through a life with a fair share of struggles, winning some, losing some, & ultimately serving a few prison bids. But Carlito, as it says on the blurb, has "...too much wit, too much spirit & raw courage..." to ever be held down. Carlito pays his dues, forms some solid connections & raises above the riff-raff, sticking around much longer then anyone would have expected, a few cuts above the average half-assed wiseguy "Po' Rican".
One of the apects i loved about the novels was Torres obvious knowledge of mob workings & customs; of course, a crime novel set in New York during the'50s makes it an obvious reference. Carlito spends his criminal careers in the shadow of the mob, conceding to their power but not their authority (he's no Eye-Talian, why should he care what these old mutts think of him?) Nonetheless, through a connection he made in prison with the nephew of a boss, Carlito is known to be stand-up by them, & have offered him jobs at times. Although he never actually throws in his lot with them, he is seen by some as "being with the wops". His charisma & criminal pedigree make him the defacto leader of a small crew of Puerto Rican thugs, some of Carlito's innumerable friends & connections from the old neighbourhood.
Carlito is a criminal, but he is not a bad guy. Thats part of what makes this books such a good read for me; sure he's a thug but you cant help rooting for him & laughing at some
of his jokes. Torres charts Carlito's whole life & crimal world so exacting & floridly: just another great book. Check it out. Seriously.
Sorry, sorry. Long, long possst.