This evening I watched the 1971 film, The Panic in Needle Park, starring Kitty Winn and Al Pacino in his breakout role. The film, based on Bill Eppridge’s 1965 photo essay for LIFE Magazine, tells the tale of Helen and Bobby’s descent into the murky world of heroin addiction.
Photo courtesy of rogerebert.com
I imagine when they were published the photos were incredibly shocking. Even as I am viewing today, they are a bit hard to swallow in their gritty portrayal of a couple’s existence orbiting around their addiction.
I’ve included as many photos from the essay I could find in the gallery below…
(Just to forewarn the photos do show people shooting up and overdosing.)
Photo credits: camerademocratica.blogspot.com, iconicphotos.wordpress.com, photoworkshop.com, bintphotobooks.blogspot.com, sighswhispers.blogspot.com
bgirl rhapsody 
Having watched Al Pacino’s outstanding performances in the Godfather trilogy last week, it would be interesting to see how he delivered in his breakout role…. Seek and I shall find on YouTube!
LikeLike
He was really great in it – just so natural. I thought the film itself was almost documentary in style, but very compelling all the same. Kitty Winn could have not said a word throughout. She said everything with her eyes.
LikeLiked by 1 person