[Dodfather]

Being a film geek/student...I have had this very conversation so many, many times! For me it just has to be Pacino. As great as DeNiro has been at times I just think that Pacino is more consistently brilliant. There's an argument that The King Of Comedy is maybe DeNiro's last great performaance while, Cruising aside, Pacino has continued to make great stuff through the 90s and 2000s like Carlito's Way and Any Given Sunday whereas DeNiro has slipped into self parody. Heat is of course an exception, but I'm still not overly keen on the scene where they play with the crockery!

The one thing I always end up saying in this argument is that there's someone who was doing great work at the same time as them in the 70s, who continued to do so through the 80s and right up until now and who never gets a mention...let's hear it for Gene Hackman! Seriously...Bonnie and Clyde, The Conversation, Mississippi Burning, Superman, Heist, Runaway Jury, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Chamber, Enemy Of The State... he just keeps on making quality stuff! He's just not as flashy as DeNiro so keeps getting overlooked... Best not mention Superman IV though! Then again, Pacina had Cruising and DeNiro has had Hide and Seek and Rocky and Bullwinkle!