OF THE EFFECTS

On The Irishman, director Martin Scorsese brought in special effects veterans Industrial Light and Magic to de-age De Niro and co-stars Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel and Joe Pesci, using state of the art CGI techniques.

Scorsese also used old pictures as reference— including this one of a younger De Niro in Raging Bull—and was working up until the last minute on perfecting the technology, saying, “Certain shots need more work on the eyes, the wrinkles and things have changed. I had to think what was it in the eyes I liked—was is an intensity, was it a gravitas, was it threat?”

Who will win the hi-tech clash? Will Smith or Robert De Niro? Who is the best coach—Ang Lee or Robert De Niro? The audience will decide.

—Sandro Monetti