Comments on: The Essentials: The Films of Brian De Palma

By: MishuPishu

MishuPishu — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

Wow! It's easy to forget that De Palma was behind all these great movies, as well as the clunkers. Bound to happen when you're making a movie almost every year for four decades.

I remember going to see "Blow Out" at the Drive-In when I was ten. The images were such a primal movie moment for me. When I returned to it later, it held on as one of my favorites. I recall Carrie being one of the early horror films that made me yearn for the genre. Then I remember catching Scarface when I was a teenager and thinking it was the most badass screen expression ever. Absolutely exhilerating.

Easy to forget that he was behind Mission Impossible.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

By: MFD

MFD — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

I vote for Brian De Palma's tragic, emotionally shattering "Casualties of War" as not simply his finest film but as one of top-rank masterworks of all American cinema since the very beginning of its history.

And as for acting, just watch Michael J. Fox slam one of his platoon mates with a shovel after they have tried to frag him for trying to reveal their participation in the gang rape and killing of a young Vietnamese woman and then listen to him deliver the line "You don't have to kill me, I told them — and they don't care!" If Fox needed anything to justify his whole career (he doesn't), this sorrowful, indelible moment is it.

By: boo boo butter

boo boo butter — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

What sequence did tarantino lift from casualties of war?

By: BOB

BOB — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

When I saw Thives Like Us get a C+ in the Altman I thought you guys were dumb. Now you giving Casualties of War a C+ just proves you are beyond reach. How are you not moved by that film? Droids I tell you! You all are droids! No emotion shilling for Nolan and Bigelow. Down with you cynics!

By: BENNY BLANCO FROM THE BRONX

BENNY BLANCO FROM THE BRONX — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

ones i will watch and watch again

2002 Femme Fatale

1998 Snake Eyes
1992 Raising Cain
1990 The Bonfire of the Vanities

1989 Casualties of War
1984 Body Double
1981 Blow Out
1980 Dressed to Kill

1976 Carrie
1973 Sisters
1970 Hi, Mom!

1969 The Wedding Party
1968 Greetings

By: Leah k

Leah k — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

Thank you so much for this wonderful list! While I don't quite agree that Causalities of War deserved the grade it received, it's refreshing knowing that De Palma is getting his due. At least, here on this website.

By: Erik

Erik — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

You guys are really undervalueing Casualties of War! If any De Palma film holds up as well now as when it was released, it's that one. The final scene is kind of shitty, but the rest of the movie is terrific.

By: El Hanso

El Hanso — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:08 +0000

I'm not the biggest De Palma fan, but most of the films I've seen are at least fascinating in their very unique way. "Carrie" and "Blow out" are probably my favorites, while I couldn't really get behind "Sisters" last time I tried. But I feel like I want to check out "The Fury."

But many thanks for this special. Love the director's retrospectives you do from time to time. Great work. Keep 'em coming.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:07 +0000

The writers mentioned Carlito Brigante as a "Cuban American". WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!
Carlito was a Puerto Rican. He was Puerto Rican in the two novels Carlitos Way & After Hours. He was Puerto Rican in the movie. While I found this DePalma list entertaining and informative ( found some new movies to watch) I can't help but wonder if you made more errors.

By: waldek

waldek — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:07 +0000

as a fan of de palma i absolutely agree with the grades in this retrospective. i only didn't see "passion", because i gave up on new de palma movies since the last good one was mission impossible and the last great one was carlito's way, but after i saw a "B" here, i think i'll give it a chance. i especially love "sisters", "blow out", "dressed to kill", "body double", "scarface" and "carlito's way". these movies are enough for me to make him one of the best movie makers ever. today's blockbuster movies look all the same, it seems not to matter who's the director at all. that's why i like de palma's distinguished style. his movies look like de palma movies and you can't imagine anyone else directing them.

By: Grego

Grego — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:11:07 +0000

That Femme Fatale rating is just wrong. It's the ultimate De Palma movie. It's not about a "clever twist," it's about cinema itself. Simply getting lost in a movie, among other things.

I respect that you acknowledged that it split critics down the middle, but perhaps you should have acknowledged the extent to which it did so. It finished in the top 100 of Film Comment's best films of the decade poll, for example.