De Palma and the BOSTON STRANGLER

DePalma is a perplexing director who either succeeds magnificently (Scarface, Untouchables), or is hysterically, miserably awful (Raising Cain). Can't place him in god status, sorry to say. Even at his best there is something gaudy and artificial about his work...and I really wish he'd stop with the split screens. He never uses it all that well. Your average episode of 24 is more adept with the split screen.
 
Blasphemy !

He has had his share of of high success and total failure, no doubt.

Although I personally enjoyed The Black Dahlia, the audience and critics did not. I'm hoping for a slam on this one.

How many directors in this business can say they have been working for 30 years ? (On features)

Spielberg ? Scorsese ? Coppola ?

He is a god among gods and is a true masta !

Sisters
Obsession
Carrie
Dressed To Kill
Blow Out
Scarface
Body Double
The Untouchables
Casualties of War
MI (Better than the sequels)


He's due.

(Petitioning for De Palma Day)
 
J.R. Hudson said:
Blasphemy !

He has had his share of of high success and total failure, no doubt.

Although I personally enjoyed The Black Dahlia, the audience and critics did not. I'm hoping for a slam on this one.

How many directors in this business can say they have been working for 30 years ? (On features)

Spielberg ? Scorsese ? Coppola ?

He is a god among gods and is a true masta !

Sisters
Obsession
Carrie
Dressed To Kill
Blow Out
Scarface
Body Double
The Untouchables
Casualties of War
MI (Better than the sequels)


He's due.

(Petitioning for De Palma Day)
Click to expand...
Fine! But if he falls flat on this one he's out of the club!








:grin:
 
I find Casualties of War to be a vastly overlooked film.

While it doesn't deliver in the same way that Platoon does, it tells an incredible story with gritty realism and DePalma truly extracts incredible performances from Michael J. Fox as well as Sean Penn. There is a lot to say for this film in that it just doesn't pull punches and the directorial style is intoxicating to watch.

That being said, it gets lost in the shadow of Platoon.

----

Another note on DePalma, he has had his ups and downs through his career, and while I personally believe that he peaked directorial skill wise as well as story material wise with The Untouchables, you cannot deny that the man has skills.

This material is interesting enough that it could be a rebirth of cool for DePalma.
 
No one is above criticism. Deal with that. :cheesy:

Frankly, I never saw DePalma's godliness. He's made some strikingly good films, but as pointed out, his stinkers are sewer sludge, and he may not even be batting 500.
 
I did a project on the Green River Killer (Gary Ridgway) that required me to watch and edit 100's of hours of police and FBI Profiler interview video...this was a VERY sick man. I found myself naked crouching in the corner of the room by the end of it.

Fascinating, yes... but it really does get to you and it's hard to understand the thought process of a serial killer.

Note of interest: They used Ted Bundy to help catch him! (I guess it takes one to know one)
 
David Jimerson said:
No one is above criticism. Deal with that. :cheesy:

Frankly, I never saw DePalma's godliness. He's made some strikingly good films, but as pointed out, his stinkers are sewer sludge, and he may not even be batting 500.
Click to expand...

The Untouchables ?
Carrie ?
Scarface ?

You cannot be serious ! Scarface alone is a masterpiece. :Drogar-Mark-10(DBG) :Drogar-Mark-10(DBG) :Drogar-Mark-10(DBG)
 
Jeremy Ordan said:
I never did understand this analogy.

Technically if we're using a baseball analogy then batting even .350 is hall of fame worthy :)
Click to expand...

ROFL_MAO
 
But they were great films.

Widely considered masterpeices.

Carrie -

IMDB 7.4 Rating

AFI # 46 Thrills List

88 % RT Rating

Nominated for 2 Oscars

=======================

The Untouchables

IMDB 7.9

82 % RT Rating

Nominated for 4 Oscars and won for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

=======================

Scarface

IMDB 8.1

IMDB TOP 250 Films (# 174)

87 % RT Rating

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes (Too violent for the Academy ?)

=======================

Damn

I think many filmgoers just have trouble with the violence in his films. He pulls zero punches and just goes for the throat with brutality. The nudity, the sex ....

The guy operates on another curve but his impact is undeniable in film history.
 
ZazaCast said:
I did a project on the Green River Killer (Gary Ridgway) that required me to watch and edit 100's of hours of police and FBI Profiler interview video...this was a VERY sick man. I found myself naked crouching in the corner of the room by the end of it.

Fascinating, yes... but it really does get to you and it's hard to understand the thought process of a serial killer.

Note of interest: They used Ted Bundy to help catch him! (I guess it takes one to know one)
Click to expand...
Bundy didn't do much as far as I can recall. Ridgway was a potential suspect for almost 20 years. It was DNA evidence that caught him.
Without it they had very little. IMHO.

Even though the same task members got Bundy to cop to some murders that he was previously suspected of, he didn't really help them catch the Green River Killer. Maybe he gave them some insight into the mind of a serial killer, beyond that... not much.

Mike
 
John, John, John, John . . . I didn't say they weren't great films, either.

But . . .

Phantom of the Paradise?
Raising Cain?
Mission to Mars?
Home Movies?
Obsession?
The Fury?
Bonfire of the Vanities?
Snake Eyes?
 
Hang on, let me adjust my rose colored goggles

Phantom of the Paradise - Cult Classic Guilty Pleasure
Raising Cain - I agree, not very good
Mission to Mars - Horrible Script, superb direction
Home Movies - Weird old bad
Obsession - Love it
The Fury - Like it
Bonfire of the Vanities - CRAP
Snake Eyes - I confess, I love it. Can't help it. I need me some Snake Eyes.
 
Bonfire of the Vanities was awful. But it did have a kickass steadi shot. With a lot of the guys from this generation (particularly Coppola), even the bad films are worth watching for the little tricks: transitions, lighting, movement, etc.
 
Michael Anthony Horrigan said:
Bundy didn't do much as far as I can recall. Ridgway was a potential suspect for almost 20 years. It was DNA evidence that caught him.
Without it they had very little. IMHO.

Even though the same task members got Bundy to cop to some murders that he was previously suspected of, he didn't really help them catch the Green River Killer. Maybe he gave them some insight into the mind of a serial killer, beyond that... not much.

Mike
Click to expand...

We're in agreement!
Didn't say Bundy caught him...just helped...and he did. The Bundy interviews were prior to DNA science being at a level where they could match tiny amounts. Once the science caught-up, they had 'Probable Cause' and finally arrested Ridgway in 2001. Once arrested (and after he cut the deal to avoid the death sentance), they found he had killed as late as 1998 and possibly into 2001!

Scary guy.

If you'd like more information, get the book I worked on: "Serial Killers Issues Explored Through the Green River Murders - by Tomas Guillen"
ISBN 0-13-152966-8
 
i have to say, depalma bad is not like regular bad. depalma's bad movies are watchable. There are millions of movies that come out everyday that are unwatchable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top