drnix
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Posts: 18
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Post by drnix on Jul 26, 2013 2:36:22 GMT -5
Ok so you like De Palma movies (this is a De Palma forum after all  !), but who are the other directors you admire, are they all visual stylists? I'll start the ball rolling with a few of my favourites... Alfred Hitchcock (probably obvious) William Friedkin (made some great thrillers with a realistic kinetic kinetic energy) Paul Verhoeven (not just his Hollywood movies, the Fourth Man and Black Book are great films) Early John Carpenter (mainly up to his work in the mid eighties) Michael Mann |
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Post by frankhabets on Jul 26, 2013 6:02:16 GMT -5
So many directors of note out there!
Leone is always on the top of my list, tied with Hitchcock.
For silent films, Buster Keaton is probably the best.
Screwball comedies, Preston Sturges.
Bittersweet comedy-dramas, Patrice Leconte.
Anime, Satoshi Kon.
Giallos, Dario Argento.
Mindbenders, Duncan Jones.
Teen movies, John Hughes.
B-movie camp parodies, Lloyd Kaufman.
British humour, Monty Python and anything by Simong Pegg/Nick Frost.
Melodrama, Samuel Fuller.
I could go on and on!
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Post by Christian on Aug 18, 2013 13:24:15 GMT -5
Great thread idea! Always interesting to see what other directors people like..
For me I would say:
Sergio Leone (some of the strongest visuals of any director next to De Palma)
Stanley Kubrick
Wong Kar-Wai (mainly for In the Mood for Love, but Chungking Express, fallen Angels and The Grandmaster also deserves mention)
Pedro Almodovar
Alfred Hitchcock (Vertigo is astonishing)
Steven Spielberg (frequently underrated)
Jean-Pierre Mellville
Martin Scorsese probably also (although somewhat overrated in my mind)
a few more probably..
Polanski I suppose also ( I LOVE Rosemary's Baby)..
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drnix
New Member
Posts: 18
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Post by drnix on Aug 19, 2013 10:10:18 GMT -5
It’s interesting we’ve all said Hitchcock. Are all De Palma film fans naturally also fans of Hitchcock?  Or is it that we like the types of suspenseful thriller films that both directors specialise in? Certainly from a visual story-telling and suspenseful set-pieces aspects at least, De Palma has in many respects surpassed Hitchcock, yet he doesn’t get the same respect from the critics. I never understood the whole ‘De Palma plagiarises Hitchcock’ debate, when within thriller film trappings such films cannot help but be ‘Hitchcockian’ in nature. Hitchcock effectively built the rule book on this, but I think De Palma adds more elements and his own stamp on his films, and with the surrealist likes of Femme Fatale and Passion, De Palma effectively deconstructs the thriller genre. Some good calls on from both of you on Leone, Kubrick, Monty Python/Terry Gilliam, Scorsese & Spielberg – (though my personal opinion of Spielberg in particular is that I generally prefer his earlier films to the newer stuff ) I omitted a couple of my other favourites from my list: David Lynch & Luc Besson. De Palma aside, I think Lynch has made some of the most interesting noir-like thrillers of recent years including the likes of Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway. Besson, (ignoring the movie’s where he’s producer only) has directed some wonderful visual movies in Leon, Nikita, The Fifth Element, & Angel-A. |
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Post by Christian on Aug 22, 2013 6:24:03 GMT -5
Agree with everything you said about Hitchcock and De Palma. The plagiarism-allegations are pretty much just laziness from critics. Lynch is interesting as well. I consider Lost Highway one of the greatest films I've seen. Blue Velvet is interesting as well, need to rewatch the whole thing of of these days.. That scene with Kyle McLaughlan in the closet is brilliant pure cinema.. Just saw part of Alejandro Jodorowsky's Sante Sagre on YouTube. Did not really expect to like it, and there was indeed a scene that turned me off and I stopped watching. But I did not expect to see such a strongly visually driven film. Claerly a talented guy - I'll watch some more one day when I've worked up the stommach..  |
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Post by Michael on Jan 28, 2016 2:53:57 GMT -5
Bob Fosse - Talk about great visual style
Pedro Almodovar - He’s still blazing new ground
Francois Ozon - Uneven, but always visually unique
David Lynch - Even the ones I don’t love, I admire
Orson Welles - Of course
Hitchcock - Of course, of course
Stephen Frears - Always interesting
Mike Nichols - Class, style and more class
adam McKay - Very instd to see what comes after Big Short
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Post by Yorick on Jan 28, 2016 13:14:06 GMT -5
I have this weird fascination for unloved directors whose works vary in quality. It's only natural that I adore de Palma. As for the others:
M. Night Shyamalan
George Miller
David Lynch (not so much, now)
Brad Bird
Spike Lee
Tim Burton
Joe Dante
Pedro Almodovar
Francis Ford Coppola
Steven Spielberg
The Coen Brothers
As for the ones who passed away:
Clouzot, Hitchcock, Pressburger and Powell, Wes Craven, Lean, and so many others...
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Post by Christian on Jan 29, 2016 12:17:22 GMT -5
I have this weird fascination for unloved directors whose works vary in quality. It's only natural that I adore de Palma. As for the others: Thanks for your input, Yorick It's interesting regarding De Palma and the argument of varying quality, I hear this a lot in regards to his work, but I find him to be one of the most consistent directors..  M. Night Shyamalan Yeah, I really like the one with Mark Wahlberg.- The Happening, was it..? The Sixth Sense is good, but probably a bit overrated in my book.. I have to see The Village..
George Mille Hated the only one I've seen,Fury Road, but I guess I'm the only one I was just appalled with what I erceived as rabid misantrophy. Maybe I missed some of the methaphors, I guess I will give it a second chance one of these days..? David Lynch (not so much, now) Love Blue Velvet and Lost Highway.. ! Not crazy about Wild at Heart, but will give Mulholland Drive a second viewing, beeen on my list forever..I was there this past winter, very intriguing place.. Brad Bird Yeah, really good work om M:I 3Spike Lee Hmmm, way WAY overrated in my book.. Love Do the Right Thing, though.. What else do you like from him? That heist movie was conventional, but competent.. He had had a war movie recently that was dreadful.. Love his work for Michae Jackson.. Tim Burton Like him, unique voiceJoe Dante GeniusPedro Almodovar GeniusFrancis Ford Coppola Really like the Conversation and Godfather. Godfathers 2 & 3 due for repeat viewings..Steven Spielberg True Genius. Not understood, IMO. Just saw Bridge of Spies yesterday, which rankes among his best, IMO. The Coen Brothers Always funny. Love Intolerable Cruelty and The Big Lebowski especially! As for the ones who passed away: Clouzot, Wow, how great would Inferno have been?? I was absolutely blown away by the bits and pieces.. I really think this could have gone down as one of the greates movies ever..
Hitchcock, Vertigo is one of my all time favorites, North by Northwest not far behind..
Pressburger and Powell, Brilliant, Love Peeping TomWes Craven, Not bad
Lean, Lawrence has unrivalled beauty, love it - but still could have been cut by 1 1/2 hours...
and so many others...
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Post by Christian on Jan 29, 2016 12:46:10 GMT -5
Bob Fosse - Talk about great visual style Must check outPedro Almodovar - He’s still blazing new ground - Agreed. Francois Ozon - Uneven, but always visually unique Terrific workDavid Lynch - Even the ones I don’t love, I admire YepOrson Welles - Of course Interesting dude. Saw the great new doc on BFI Southbank this summer.. Some great work, but turned off the Trial after 60 seconds..Hitchcock - Of course, of course Of course Stephen Frears - Always interesting Seems very bland to me, no distict style.. but haven't seen that many. Remember Mary Reilly being pretty good.. Really looking forward to seeing The Program.. Did you see it?Mike Nichols - Class, style and more class Yeah, Love The Graduate, hate Closer, like Wolf, must see more..adam McKay - Very instd to see what comes after Big Short Look forward to seeing that one..
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Post by Yorick on Jan 29, 2016 13:26:02 GMT -5
By that I meant directors that often disown their own works and renounce to having recourse to any artistic quality: Coppola's Jack and de Palma's Wise Guys are good example of this; so is Shyamalan's Last Airbender. Those guys are super talented but they just give up on the movie and it looks like it was made by an amateur. It doesn't mean that I find de Palma inconsistent, but I think that some of his choices are just super strange sometimes (I had the same impression when I first watched the Lynchean Femme Fatale). Some directors can't really work on a specific genre (de Palma and Coppola on comedy, Shyamalan on action movie, Burton on fantasy and Eastwood on Sci-Fi, just to list a few). It doesn't mean that they are bad, it just means that when they have to do it, they go really awry and fail miserably. But at least they try and I prefer that to someone who does the same thing over and over and who don't take any risks.
George Miller Hated the only one I've seen,Fury Road, but I guess I'm the only one I was just appalled with what I received as rabid misantrophy. Maybe I missed some of the methaphors, I guess I will give it a second chance one of these days..?
Misanthropy? I doubt it, really! Miller works on mythological figures, so there isn't much gender/race/etc. issue going on. He doesn't really think that way, just like the Wachowskis (whom I adore and who I have completely ignored in this list, shame on me), who see people as shapeless figures. I really loved his Happy Feets too! You should give it a second chance indeed
Brad Bird Yeah, really good work om M:I 3
He directed the fourth one! The 3rd one was Abrams' Spike Lee Hmmm, way WAY overrated in my book.. Love Do the Right Thing, though.. What else do you like from him? That heist movie was conventional, but competent.. He had had a war movie recently that was dreadful.. Love his work for Michae Jackson..
Spike Lee is not the best, by far. His political controversies just annoy me and sometimes he plainly fails. But his last movie was really good, and his dolly shots are just great! He's not always at his best, I'd agree. Now that I think of it, I'd replace him in this list by a good old Michael Mann Francis Ford Coppola Really like the Conversation and Godfather. Godfathers 2 & 3 due for repeat viewings..
You should give a chance to his 80s movies, which are really underrated. Smaller budget movies than a Godfather but still super interesting to watch. I loved Peggy Sue Got Married, The Outsiders and Dracula as well. His last three movies are... Strange, and they may verge on pretentious. He sort of had the same fate as de Palma, who got kicked out of Hollywood and who made low-budget movies in Europe. So I have a lot of empathy towards the guy.
Wes Craven, Not badIt's more a statement than a real attachment to his works. The guy is blamed that he ruined horror movies by shooting cynical cheap films but I always thought they were really good. His view on the power of images really struck me as smart.
Lean, Lawrence has unrivalled beauty, love it - but still could have been cut by 1 1/2 hours...
It's funny that you say that because I read an interview by de Palma not so long ago where he said he adored concise movies and hated films that went on and on. He gave the example of The Deer Hunter and the wedding scene that lasts for about an hour! I haven't heard of Bob Fosse before! I'd agree with Christian about Frears, but McKlay really blew me away with his Big Short! Great editing! |
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Post by Christian on Feb 2, 2016 19:34:21 GMT -5
Yorick: Brad Bird Yeah, really good work om M:I 3 He directed the fourth one! The 3rd one was Abrams' Read more: depalma.freeforums.net/post/new/13#ixzz3z3n2L3fSSorry, meant to say M:I 4 M:I 3 was the J.J. Abrahams one, my least favorite in the series..Francis Ford Coppola Really like the Conversation and Godfather. Godfathers 2 & 3 due for repeat viewings.. You should give a chance to his 80s movies, which are really underrated. Smaller budget movies than a Godfather but still super interesting to watch. I loved Peggy Sue Got Married, The Outsiders and Dracula as well. His last three movies are... Strange, and they may verge on pretentious. He sort of had the same fate as de Palma, who got kicked out of Hollywood and who made low-budget movies in Europe. So I have a lot of empathy towards the guy. Read more: depalma.freeforums.net/post/new/13#ixzz3z3nVqd8JSaw Rumble Fish some time ago; my thoughts on it: christiangrevstad.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/coppolas-rumble-fish-does-it-deserve-the-acclaim/Lean, Lawrence has unrivalled beauty, love it - but still could have been cut by 1 1/2 hours... It's funny that you say that because I read an interview by de Palma not so long ago where he said he adored concise movies and hated films that went on and on. He gave the example of The Deer Hunter and the wedding scene that lasts for about an hour! Read more: depalma.freeforums.net/post/new/13#ixzz3z3oAZ7fnThat's funny, Yorick That sounds about right to me, although I hold The Deerhunter in quite high regard.. |
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!), but who are the other directors you admire, are they all visual stylists? I'll start the ball rolling with a few of my favourites...
Or is it that we like the types of suspenseful thriller films that both directors specialise in?
