Top Ten Brian De Palma Films

Brian De Palma was part of the New Hollywood movement that included Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese in the 1970’s. This group of young filmmakers went to film school based on their love of cinema and their contributions resulted in many great films during this time period. His early films were quirky low budget comedies that featured a young Robert De Niro, “Hi Mom” and “Greetings” that were inspired by the French New Wave. After this, he switches to thrillers, crime, horror, war (Casualties of War), spy and even science fiction (Mission to Mars). “Carrie”, “Scarface”, “The Untouchables” and “Mission: Impossible” are some of his most well known films. As I explored some of his filmography over the years, I began to have an appreciation to some of his other films.  De Palma was known for the craft he brought to his films, regardless of genre. The close-ups and scenes with little to no dialouge heighten the tension. He has been known to pay homage to his idol, Alfred Hitchcock, but so has some of his other contemporaries.

Spoilers ahead for some of the post and video clips.

10. Mission Impossible (1996)

Based on the 1960’s show, the film follows Tom Cruise’s secret agent Ethan Hunt as he tracks down who betrayed his team on a mission while trying to evade capture. From clever disguises to stealing computer files via hanging wire, it is a suspenseful action thriller.

For Cruise’s first film as producer, choosing Brian De Palma for the project was a smart choice as well as an ignition for the franchise. It is a very different kind of spy film than a James Bond film. It is more along the line of Jules Dassin’s heist films “Riffi” and “Topkapi”, the latter which inspired the TV show. The film’s Prague setting is used well for the characters to hide in since at the time, American audiences were not familiar with the city. I first saw the film in theaters, which would be my first introduction to De Palma.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-EUr-dNNJQ&index=1&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

9. Carlito’s Way (1993)

De  Palma and Al Pacino reunite for a different kind of Latino gangster film. The film follows Pacino’s Carlito Brigantte, fresh out of prison, trying to stay clean while reluctantly being lured back to crime. He also has a woman that he is in love with. The film opens with his death but is then told of what happened before.   

 I consider this film to be a companion piece to Scarface as both films are about Latino gangsters and the lifestyle that surrounds them. However, this one feels more mature than the other. Here, De Palma shows Carlito as a more seasoned professional who wants out. The opening of the film features a long extended take that shows De Palma’s skills. Shown through Carlito’s dying POV, the camera slowly makes a 180 degree turn. Pacino does a wonderful job with the character, not going over the top like Tony Montana. The supporting cast is also great, from a slimy Sean Penn as Carlito’s crooked lawyer, Penelope Ann Miller as a dancer who becomes the object of affection for Carlito, Luis Guzman and Viggo Mortensen.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWfYh08LXYk&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=2

8. The Untouchables (1987)

Based on another 1960’s television show, this adaptation follows treasury agent Elliot Ness as he organizes a group of lawmen to take down Al Capone and his criminal empire.  While not historically accurate, it is a good old fashioned cops versus gangsters flick that is a lot of fun.

Working off a script by David Mamet, De Palma brilliantly re-creates 1920’s Chicago for a fictional story based on real life efforts. The set design and costuming played a huge role in transporting us to this world of prohibition. The cast is also top notch from a young Kevin Costner as Ness, Sean Connery as an Irish cop who mentors Ness and Robert De Niro as Capone. The shootout at Union Station is the highlight of the film and an homage to Sergi Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin. The close-ups and sound design create that white knuckle tension.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Vtgvnkybc&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=3

7. Dressed to Kill (1980)

In this erotic thriller, a high class call girl (Nancy Allen) is pursued by a killer after witnessing a murder. Michael Caine is a therapist who suspects one of his patients is behind the murder. The call girl then teams up with the murder victim’s teenage son to trap the killer, leading to a finale one will never forget.  

For me, this is De Palma paying tribute to Alfred Hitchcock with the plot being similar to Psycho and Vertigo for the museum sequence. There is even a little bit of the giallo horror films by Dario Argento in the elevator murder scene.  At this time, Angie Dickinson was famous for her “Police Woman” show and to see her killed early in the film shocked audiences. Though, Janet Leigh did it first twenty years prior.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8_HfT2ndyg&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=4

6. Sisters (1973)

De Palma’s first foray into the horror-thriller genre, Margot Kidder plays a French Canadian model whose twin sister has committed murder. A witness, a female reporter and neighbor from the across the street, is determined to find out what happened.

This is the film that De Palma sank his teeth in after the failure of his first studio film “Get to Know Your Rabbit”.  Clearly, he set out to make a Hitchcock film (even borrowing composer Bernard Hermann) and yet, truly original. The opening of the film will throw off some viewers but just stick around, you won’t regret it. The sequence where he uses a split screen to depict the different character’s viewpoints has been a favorite of mine.  (The clip below may be out of sync.) A good exercise for the filmmaker and his future awaits him at this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEmV9vQ0zh8&index=5&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

5. Scarface (1983)

This gangster epic follows Cuban exile Tony Montana as his rise in the criminal underworld also leads to his downfall. Writer Oliver Stone and De Palma update the 1930’s story into the 1980’s. Taking advantage of real life events like the Mariel boatlift and the violence in Miami as a result of the drug trade.The film stars Al Pacino as the titular character, Steven Bauer as Tony’s friend Manny, and in her debut, Michelle Pfeiffer as the mistreated but well pampered Elvira.

 I think De Palma made the film over the top to portray the world these characters live in. Violence, language, drugs and Al Pacino’s line are probably what most viewers would remember this film for. I think it was intentional to show that this is a world we should not glamorize. The chainsaw scene was filmed to not show anything but the reaction of Montana as he witnesses it. The story reminds me of my favorite Shakespeare play, Macbeth. Both characters are ruthless when assuming power and they both fall once on top. Its cult status in the hip hop community still continues to this day. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLSTE7fsLoM&index=6&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

4. Carrie (1976)

The first adaptation of Stephen King’s first novel follows Carrie White, a social outcast who discovers she has telekinesis. Along with that, she has to deal with bullying at school and abuse from a religious mother. The prom scene will make people remember the scene.

This was De Palma’s fist major hit and one that led him to make other studio films. The cast includes Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen and in his film debut, John Travolta. The prom sequence uses the same split screen like in “Sisters” to show the deaths that result from her powers. However, the first dance scene is a favorite mine and how he shot it. The actors were placed on a platform that was spinning in one direction. The way the colors change in this scene reflects on the mood of the characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-1iO1_flU&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=7

3. Femme Fatale (2002)

During a heist at the Cannes Film Festival, a beautiful jewel thief (Rebecca Romijn) double crosses her partners and assumes the identity of a Parisian woman that resembles her. Along the way, she bumps into her old crime partners and a photographer (Antonio Banderas) that took her picture years prior.

Upon release, the film was not a success with critics or audiences. However, my first viewing of the film had an impact on me. The film opens with a twenty minute heist that will keep audiences up on the edge. From there, it goes through these twists and turns that I won’t give away. It is better to go into this film without knowing anything. For being a supermodel, Romijn does a good job with her performance. She is clearly having a fun time for the role, especially during her striptease. In this sequence, we become the voyeurs like Antonio and the lucky French man.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLQo3T-N3NA&index=8&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

2. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

This rock and roll musical thriller follows a composer whose work is stolen by a music producer and following an accident, is turned into the titular character haunting a music venue. He also falls for a beautiful singer, whose voice attracts him.

De Palma not only borrows Gaston Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera” but also from the Faust tale. The song numbers are great as are the performances by Finely, Williams and Harper. It is one kind of a film that should be seen as it took me years to watch it. Luckily, I rented it at a library and was not disappointed. Picking a scene from this won’t do justice as the whole film needs to be seen. If you are a fan of “Rocky Horror”, then check this one out. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5qVJEg3qA&index=9&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ

1. Blow Out (1981)

 A sound technician (John Travolta), who is working for a B movie studio, is caught in a murder conspiracy after recording sounds one night and witnesses a car accident that may not have been an accident. A call girl (Nancy Allen) also gets involved as they are pursued by a murderer (John Lithgow) killing anyone in his way.

This masterpiece of a thriller shows De Palma at the top of his game. From the story, performances and technique are on a higher level.  One of my favorite sequences in the film is when Travolta’s character is assembling that mini film using the newspaper pictures and the sound he recorded. As is shown, it was how film is assembled in the old days before digital. For me, this makes the film a personal one for De Palma who also wrote it. The film’s title is a homage to Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow-Up” about a photographer who may have witness a murder. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u5sAz3_AwQ&list=PL6WTKIn1rxFSSYr8ST3VAqaYgRw5hDKcQ&index=10

I would like to thank Chris Bench in taking a look at my post and for providing feedback. 

Looking Back: Mean Streets (1973)

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the film. If you have not seen the film, do not go further. 

While not Martin Scorsese’s directorial debut, this the film that put him on the map for future films like “Taxi Driver”, “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas”. The film tells the story of four Italian American friends who are involved in organized crime. Two of the friends are Charlie and Johnny Boy played respectively by Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. Charlie is a devout Roman Catholic who wants to move up in the business to impress his uncle while at the same time trying to protect Johnny Boy from getting into trouble. De Niro’s performance as Johnny lights up the screen, even stealing the scene from Keitel who is the lead. Johnny Boy is a small time gambler who owes money to a local loan shark. In the opening credits, he blows up a mailbox with a firecracker. Without words and his style of clothing, it tells us everything we need to know about him. Charlie is also romantically involved with Johnny Boy's cousin, Teresa. (My apologies in advance for the second and third videos since I could not uploaded them like the first one.)

I first saw this film while taking a class at my university. Prior to seeing it, it was a film I wanted to watch being a fan of Scorsese. Watching it for the first time was fun for me since it contained some of the director’s trademarks. It is pure cinema at it's finest in my opinion. A scene I would like to share is when Johnny Boy enters the bar with a girl in each arm. Prior to this scene, Charlie is aware of Johnny Boy’s debts and seems to be both worried and angry at him. Plus, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones is the icing in this scene. In a way, Scorsese is telling us everything we need to know visually. Johnny Boy lives his life without solving his problems. Fun fact even though it is not shown, De Niro improvised his dialogue in this scene.  

Another scene I would like to take a look at is the bar brawl scene. Charlie is collecting debt from clients and everything seems to be going well until Johnny Boy starts to insult some customers followed by the owner. The direction Scorsese goes for is frantic and chaos. Pay attention to the way Johnny Boy fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtAl0bXSmzI

At this point in the film, Charlie is able to convince Johnny Boy to pay off some of his debt. The loan shark arrives at the bar waiting for him to collect. Then he shows up not only late but only pays ten dollars which the loan shark rejects. Then Johnny Boy starts to insult him and threatens him with a gun. What I like about this is the intensity De Niro calls him a jerk off. The scene speaks for itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p92CKGAeQUY

If you are fan of Scorsese or any kind of gangster film, put this on your list. 

Looking Back: Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958)

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the film and if you have not seen it, do not go further and watch the film.

 

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” tells the story of a retired acrophobic detective Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) who is hired as a private to spy on a blonde woman, Madeline, (Kim Novak) who is the wife of a friend.  Ferguson soon starts to become obsessed with Madeline, even after her death. Then he meets Judy, whose facial features resemble Madeline despite her blonde hair. As it turns out, Judy is Madeline who was hired to dupe Ferguson so that the friend can murder his actual wife. Ferguson then makes Judy dress and even dyes her hair blonde to resemble Madeline.

After Henri-Georges Clouzot beat Hitchcock for the rights to make “Diabolique”, Hitchcock contacted “Diabolique” novelists Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac to write a novel that he could make a film of. The result, “From Among the Dead”    Fifty eight years later after its release, “Vertigo” continues to be Hitchcock’s masterpiece. I have seen the film about three times.  I saw it again last week and I appreciated Hitchcock’s use of mise en scene. An example of this would be the entrance of Madeline. Ferguson is at the restaurant where his friend told him he will see Madeline.  The combination of the red colored wall and Madeline’s green and black dress look visually stunning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beac86mN8XM

If you noticed in the restaurant scene, there is no line of dialogue except people chattering. Hitchcock was a great visual storyteller thanks to his early work in silent cinema. This could also apply to his many other works like “Rear Window” and “North by Northwest”.  Upon release in 1958, it did not do well both financially and critically. Hitchcock would later blame the failure on Jimmy Stewart for being “too old”. Over the years, the film would be reappraised and is considered a masterpiece. It even knocked down Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” as the greatest film of all time in 2012. As I mentioned earlier, I have viewed the film three times and I can say that I enjoyed it the third time. I guess it is the character of Jimmy Stewart and his obsession with a woman. I also liked Hitchcock’s use of color in certain scenes. For example, there is the nightmare sequence that again does not use dialogue and it is almost hypnotic. What I like the most in this scene is the rapid change of colors and Bernard Herrmann’s score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WAxDlUOw-w

Another scene I enjoy Hitchcock’s use of color is Judy’s hotel room. It is in a couple of scenes and what I like about it is the green tint that the sign gives. The clip below does a great job of what the green light does for the scene.  Especially when Judy walks out after making her hair look like Madeline's, it is almost as if she is walking into the gray like the color of her suit. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tesqTwX7cpc

Overall, the film is a great watch if you are a fan of Hitchcock's or mystery thrillers in general. It also demands multiple viewings once the film is over and in doing so, you can start to put the pieces together.  

My Top Ten Sam Peckinpah Films 

Sam Peckinpah, or "Bloody Sam" as he was also known as, is an American filmmaker that transcended cinema with his view. He brought along new innovations in filming action scenes and his contributions to the Western genre. His personal life saw him battling drug abuse and alcohol, which would cause film studios to keep him far away. Regardless of this, I think he is an important filmmaker that has influenced many of today's filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino. Here are my picks for his top ten films based on the ones I've seen. I know there are a couple of other films he made but I want to focus on the ones that will be remembered. 

10. Junior Bonner (1972)

Steve McQueen stars as a rodeo cowboy who goes to his hometown when the rodeo passes by. J.R., as he is called, is a man who lives his way f life and does not seem to want to change. His brother on the other hand is in real estate and goes as far as to tear up the family home to make way for his property. His mother and father are separated but are on friendly terms. His father was also a big rodeo star and seems to have found potential work in Australia. The focus of the film is a big contest where the top prize is cash and J.R. is determined to win it.

In his first collaboration with Sam Peckinpah, McQueen shines as a man who refuses to go with the flow. (A theme that recurs in his work.) Much of the film’s humor stems from J.R.’s relationship with his hard drinking, womanizing father played wonderfully by Robert Preston. When the film was first released, it was received well critically but audiences did not show up to the film. I think what appealed to Peckinpah were the themes of change and family. If you enjoy Steve McQueen, rodeos, humor and family drama, this is a film you might enjoy.

9. Major Dundee (1965)

In his third film, Peckinpah attempts to make an epic American civil war picture. Charlton Heston plays the titular union officer in charge of locating children taken by the Apache. He enlists the help of his soldiers, Confederate prisoners and other drifters. Richard Harris plays the Confederate Captain Tyreen in charge of his men obeying to Dundee.

The film’s troubled production included studio interference, a feud between Heston and Harris and a drunken Peckinpah verbally abusing his crew. It got so bad that Heston reportedly threatened Sam with his character’s sword if he did not show any respect. With the film going over budget and a troubled director, Columbia took the film out of his hands and released their version to negative reviews and low box office numbers, In 2005, the director’s cut was released based on his notes and the film is an improvement over the theatrical release and worth checking out.

8. Cross of Iron (1977)

In his only war film, Peckinpah depicts the battle between the German and Russian forces on the Eastern front. James Coburn portrays Sgt. Steiner, a war weary man who wants to the war to be done. He has earned honor among his platoon and other German officers. Maximilian Schell plays an aristocratic Prussian officer who joins Steiner’s platoon to earn the iron cross. James Mason, Seneta Berger and the great David Warner round up the cast.

Peckinpah’s film makes it clear that war is hell and not glamorous. Coburn and Schell excel in their performances as two men who have different ideologies of war. The battle sequences still contain his trademark slow motion. The film did poorly at the box office and with “Star Wars” coming out two weeks later, the film was forgotten. Regardless of success, the film is really well made and here is hoping they will make a better DVD release.

7. The Getaway (1972)

Steve McQueen plays Doc McCoy, a recently paroled thief tasked with a robbery by a corrupt businessman. Ali McGraw plays his wife and accomplice along with two other men. After the robbery, a double cross occurs that leaves the couple running away from both the law and criminals.

McQueen once again teams up with Peckinpah to create a well crafted action film. The chemistry between McGraw and McQueen made it clear that sparks were flying both on and off the screen. Many Peckinpah aficionados will claim this film is really not his but I beg to differ. This film contains many of the director’s trademarks such as going to Mexico, slow motion action sequences, and the times changing.

6. Ride The High Country (1962)

Classical Hollywood stars Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott star in what many will consider to be Peckinpah’s breakout. McCrea stars as a former law man, Judd, tasked with guarding a shipment of gold. He asks his friend Gil (Scott) to accompany along with Gil’s sidekick. Unknown to Judd, the two plan to take the gold for themselves. Along the way, they meet a young woman whose future marriage to a drunkard adds another conflict.

This is an important film for Peckinpah as he plays his themes and foreshadows his later work for the western genre. Both McCrea and Scott were staples of the genre and also their first and final time working together on screen.

5. Straw Dogs (1971)

Dustin Hoffman stars as David, a timid math professor who moves to England with his young wife in her hometown. Soon, they are terrorized by the locals as their antics turn from horsing around to pretty dark stuff.   

This may well be Peckinpah’s most controversial film due to not only the depiction of violence but also rape. Hoffman brilliantly plays David as a man who slowly descends into his violent nature despite his hatred of it. The director also has displeasure for violence but shows it to remind people that it is an ugly scene.  

4. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)

James Coburn stars as outlaw turned law man Pat Garret tasked to capture Kris Kristofferson’s Billy the Kid to justice, either alive or dead. The film explores the relationship between these characters and the journey they go through. All set to the music of Bob Dylan who plays a supporting role.

Peckinpah could have made an old fashioned shoot’em up western but instead, we are given a tragedy and a character study of the two characters. Pat Garrett did not enjoy having to hunt down his former friend but he had a job to do while Billy tries to evade capture. Like “Dundee”, this film was taken away by the director post-production and their version was harshly criticsized upon release. Fifteen years after the film was released, a director’s cut was released posthumously based on his notes and it is the version that is available on DVD.

3. The Ballad of Cable Houge (1970)

Peckinpah's follow up to "The Wild Bunch" retains that film's themes but with a different, light-hearted tone this time. Jason Robards stars as Cable Houge, who is left behind to die in the desert and finds fortune when he finds water, quickly building a rest stop for stagecoach passengers. The film's comedic tone stems from Cable Houge being a relic of the past as the people he encounters are with the current time.

Estella Warren stars as the prostitute with the heart of gold and a young David Warner as a womanizing preacher who befriends Houge. Peckinpah would later go on to name this film as his favorite out of all the films he has made.

2. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

The underrated Warren Oates plays Benny, an American piano player living in Mexico. He gets tasked with bringing the head of a dead gigolo to a Mexican rancher in exchange for money. Benny hits the road with his girlfriend and chaos ensues as usual in a Peckinpah film.

The film’s genre is a mixture of crime, action, neo-western and black comedy. It is a film that can only be seen as a plot summary does not do justice to the story. In a way, the film was a personal one for Peckinpah. This can be evidenced in the character of Benny and Warren Oates even borrowed Sam’s sunglasses for the film. It also explores the evils of men and the process they pay in achieving a goal.

1.   The Wild Bunch (1969)

A group of aging outlaws go for one last score in Mexico during the revolution. In pursuit of them is a former member of the gang tasked by the government to capture them or go back to prison. The outlaws also have to come to terms with the end of their era. While my summary of the film is short, it is a grand treat.

This was the film that got the attention of both critics and audiences of Peckinpah’s visceral style to violence. It is also a personal favorite film of mine and I can put it in my top five. I love the story of the outlaws who are facing the end of their prime and decide to head down south of the border. The characters are another favorite of mine being played by William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, Edmond O’Brien and Jaime Sanchez. Robert Ryan plays a former member who goes after them to reduce his sentence. Like “Pat Garrett”, the film can be seen as a tragedy for the characters despite their violent and misogynistic ways. Technically wise, Peckinpah finally achieves his slow motion editing for the film’s three main set pieces: The opening robbery, the train robbery and the epic shoot out finale. The film’s violence was meant as an allegory for the Vietnam War and to show audiences that being shot at is painful. After its release, a slew of violent films began to emerge.