A couple of years ago, I like a lot of people watched the straight to video film "Carlito's Way: Rise to power" and thought- What a POS! But then one day I was fortunate enough to find the source novel and discover that in fact, it is this novel which serves the general plot of that low budget film. It's a pretty good little story, not exactly a novel at under 150 pages. (Stephen King would have designated it a "novella") But a good fast paced story all the same. With quick edge of your seat action and great personal writing, Edwin Torres wrote a magnificent piece of pulp and while the b-movie has it's valor it can't do justice to this under-rated book. Torres who is by no means a street punk himself. He is a New York State Superior Court Judge, felt the need to out do his performance in this novel with the epic sequel "After Hours" (aka Carlito's Way starring Al Pacino) really kinda failed to create a superior story there. See review.
Apparently, the movie isn't even based on this book primarily. It's based on the sequel. I think this is source material for the horrible direct to video prequel. Anyway, watched the movie again tonight, for the first time in almost ten years. Fucking unreal, the movie is so good and holds up better than any I can remember, way better and more artfully crafted than I remember, so suspenseful even if you know what's coming. Tonight, three adults in a room, trying to hide the fact that we were crying at the end. Best De Palma movie. I watched all the extras, and now I'm kinda hell bent on reading it now. Goddamn.
