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Passion
Jun 24, 2013 17:59:59 GMT -5
Post by Christian on Jun 24, 2013 17:59:59 GMT -5
This is also particularly true of De Palma`s the Black Dahlia and the performances of Hilary Swank, and in particular Fiona Shaw as Ramona Linscott. Many critics hated her performance for being over the top, but to me it is darkly humerous and perfectly apt. Her final scene even takes place in front of what looks like a stage curtain and De Palma is playing games with convention. Going back to Passion one other thing that that later struck me is the minimalist clean style and approach that De Palma uses uses in this film. I don't recall seeing that so much as a feature in his other works. Good point with Fiona Shaw, that was obviously a diliberately over-the-top performance. That was one of my favorite scenes from a movie that I otherwise did not care much for. When it comes to your oint about the minimalist style, I think all his latter films from 2002 onwards have been more restrained (much to my disappointment ) - I love Brian for his fearless, operatic, deeply idiosyncratic work - the camera angles and lighting are less dramatic and the camera moves fewer and less intense nowadays, it seems. The first hour of Passion is visually very flat, I think. So to see the fireworks in the last part of the movie made me very happy. In fact I was deeply touched that this 71-year old man was able create such a brilliant piece of filmmaking this late in his career. That is definitely not something to be taken for granted.
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Passion
Jun 24, 2013 17:33:36 GMT -5
Post by Christian on Jun 24, 2013 17:33:36 GMT -5
One other question I have is whether anyone has seen the original film that Passion is based on (Crime d'amour)? I'd like to see this to see how the two films compare and work out what has been carried over from the original and what is entirely De Palma's vision. (I read for example that the twin sister story element is not in the original - please correct me if I'm wrong!) I have seen the original. I can't remember there being anything about a twin sister in the original, but I could very well be wrong. What's interesting though, is just how DePalma used that idea and ingeniously turned it into a motif of guilt, further elevating the great ending. I was never a fan of the original, which I though was quite overrated; flat and unconvincing. In fact, I though it was so mediocre that I felt it would take nothing less than a monumental effort on De Palma's part to make it worthwhile. I said several times Brian would have to completely disassemble and reinvent the film in order to make it interesting. Well, Brian did just that. So what De Palma did, was to take took what was very much a plot-based movie (hinging on a rather ludicrous plot twist at that), and turned it into something much more visual. This has to be one if the absolute best re-makes I've seen. It's really nothing like the original: only the skeleton remains. And that's the way any remake should be done.
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Passion
Jun 24, 2013 16:43:17 GMT -5
Post by Christian on Jun 24, 2013 16:43:17 GMT -5
My second viewing of Passion changed my 'verdict' from great to masterpiece. Interesting. I'm curious as to how you reached that assessment?
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Post by Christian on Jun 23, 2013 16:14:34 GMT -5
My first DePalma was Phantom of the Paradise on the big screen on its first release. quote] Phantom I'm planning on watching for the first time this week!
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Post by Christian on Jun 23, 2013 16:10:21 GMT -5
Thanks for joining in guys! Updated my list with Passion In 9th for now, we'll see how repeat viewings will affect 1. Dressed to Kill 1. Carlito's way 3. Blow Out 4. Snake Eyes 5. Mission: Impossible 5. Scarface 7. Femme Fatale 8. Carrie 9. Passion 10.The Fury 11. Sisters 12. Greetings 13. The Untouchables 14. Casualties of War 15. Raising Cain 16. Redacted 17. Mission to Mars 18. Body Double 19. Obsession 20. Hi, Mom! 21. Bonfire of the Vanities 22. Wise Guys 23. The Black Dahlia 24. The Wedding Party Read more: depalma.freeforums.net/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=4&page=1#6#ixzz2X4lGG7kq
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Passion
Jun 23, 2013 15:57:10 GMT -5
Post by Christian on Jun 23, 2013 15:57:10 GMT -5
Trevor. I completely agree regarding De Palmas visual "brechtian" artificiality - I believe it's a staple of great art. Agree the the humiliation scene is bordering on that type of performance. I like to think it's not that unnatural a performance all things considered, as her character is a little unstable at this point (maybe not?). Maybe I'm just fighting it because I'm not too in love with the "heightened performances", at least in dramas - On the other hand, I don't mind James Cagney; or Jack Nicholson in The Shining (although maybe he goes a little overboard towards the end), so I don't know. It can certainly be more entertaining than a flat performance
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Passion
Jun 23, 2013 13:58:00 GMT -5
Post by Christian on Jun 23, 2013 13:58:00 GMT -5
I just had a chance to see this and - wow - loved it. Exquisite is absolutely right. It may not be quite up there in Dressed to Kill / Blow Out territory (what movie is?), but it's not far behind. I was delighted to see a return to the amazing thriller set pieces of De Palma's work of the seventies, eighties and nineties. You can believe I had a smile around my face watching that end sequence! This is an exquisite film. Passion is playful pure cinema, full of De Palma's common themes and visual styles (voyeurism, technology, obsession, manipulation, deception, guilt, beautiful femme fatales, heightened performances, overt artificiality, deliberate tonal shifts & stylistic flourishes). Agree on almost all of this . The only thing I'm not sure about is the heightened performances/overt artificiality (I presume you mean in terms of the acting..) The only scene I remember of the top of my head is when Christine throws the phone away and yells - How about you call me - never!! Other than that, I don't know how prevalent I found this aspect..
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Post by Christian on Jun 23, 2013 13:04:44 GMT -5
Casualities of War is one of the great war movies.
You're right in pointing out that the protagonist must leanr to break the rules - it's a common theme in De Palma's films: the discovery that the world is a corrupt and manipulative place.
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Post by Christian on Feb 24, 2013 14:02:02 GMT -5
My feelings have pretty much mirrored yours, although I'm not sure it has huge hit potential because of the child abuse theme.. And I don't know if Pacino is a box office guarantee anymore. But the more I've read about the project, the more excited I get..
But for it to be a big hit it has to focus more on the football etc., and De Palma is known for not pulling any punches, and doing exactly the film he wants to do (Snake Eyes, Passion, etc.) even when a more commercial route seemed probable.
But I'm definitely excited about it; not to mention the unnamed autobiocraphical on-set picture - how about that one? ;D
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Post by Christian on Feb 24, 2013 13:26:32 GMT -5
No problem - looking forward to reading the book!
Did he have anything interesting to say that you can share here?
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Post by Christian on Feb 6, 2013 5:16:21 GMT -5
Yeah, I guess I took a little admin-priviledge on listing a few more.. Great to see Snake Eyes is getting some love Also interesting to note that Body Double only made two top 15 lists. Back in the days of briandepalma.net that used to get quite a bit of positive mentions, but I must say I never quite got that..
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Post by Christian on Jan 31, 2013 15:33:17 GMT -5
1. Dressed to Kill 1. Carlito's way 3. Blow Out 4. Snake Eyes 5. Mission: Impossible 5. Scarface 7. Femme Fatale 8. Carrie 9. The Fury 10. Sisters 11. Greetings 12. The Untouchables 13. Casualties of War 14. Raising Cain 15. Redacted 16. Mission to Mars 17. Body Double 18. Obsession 19. Hi, Mom! 20. Bonfire of the Vanities 21. Wise Guys 22. The Black Dahlia 23. The Wedding Party
Those are the ones I've seen..
It tends to change depending on which films I've seen last, and a few are definately due for a repeat viewing, like Carrie and Sisters, both of which I probabaly haven't watched for ten years.. Also looking forward to Phantom, Home Movies, and Passion!
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Post by Christian on Jan 31, 2013 15:08:28 GMT -5
Well...my list started out in order, but it's really not in order. Was that your original intent for the list to be in the order we love them? I will have to rethink that one! Dressed To Kill is a masterpiece of suspense. It would be in my top 5. I will re order my list as soon as you post yours. As for being crazy....I love Brian De Palma....what more can I say? ;D Bill Haha, I get it Let's see, let me do my list in two secs
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Post by Christian on Jan 28, 2013 16:59:52 GMT -5
Welcome to the board, Bill!
My first De Palma was Carlito's Way, which I rewayced over and over again. The first time I saw a film in theaters that I knew was directed by De Palma, was Mission:Impossible. The first film I awaited for years was Snake Eyes.. Oh boy, and now this wait for Passion - hope it will get a premiere here in Norway soon..
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Post by Christian on Jan 28, 2013 16:43:35 GMT -5
I'm a Snake Eyes fan too, Bill - but DTK at no.15? You must be crazy! ;-)
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