Dressed to Kill

Tags

1980's, Angie Dickinson, Brian De Palma, Dennis Franz, Dressed to Kill, Keith Gordon, Michael Caine, Mystery, Nancy Allen, Thriller

Film Title

Dressed to Kill

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• Angie Dickinson as Kate Miller
• Michael Caine as Dr. Robert Elliott
• Nancy Allen as Liz Blake
• Keith Gordon as Peter Miller
• Dennis Franz as Detective Marino

A mystery thriller with a lacing of dark humour, Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill is a relentless excursion into sinister mood and sleight of hand tricks that are for the most part strikingly done. The plot gets a bit overwrought, but the various surprises and mood is what this movie is all about.

Kate Miller is a dissatisfied and sexually starved housewife in New York, who can’t escape her feeling of loneliness. Although she has her young and bright son Peter, her marriage is largely devoid of much passion or excitement. She attends therapy with a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Robert Elliott, where she unloads her problems to him. Although she flirts with him, he rebuffs her because of professional ethics and wanting to keep a distance. Later, the bored Kate visits a museum, where she is pursued and herself pursues a mysterious man, culminating in a sexual encounter. After this, Kate plans to leave but shockingly discovers that her conquest appears to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Reeling, she runs out of his apartment and heads for the elevator, contemplating what to do. Kate’s troubles get a lot more deadly as she is slashed to death in an elevator by a mysterious blonde woman, whose appearance is obscured by dark glasses. Just after the horrific murder, streetwise hooker Liz stumbles upon Kate and briefly catches a glimpse of the killer. Liz is then suspected of the killing, the main detective on the case not believing that there was someone else in the elevator. Desperate to prove her innocence and scared for her safety, Liz teams up with Kate’s smart son Peter(who is already investigating by himself through his collection of devices he has made) to uncover the identity of the killer, before Liz ends up the next victim of her slaying. Meanwhile Dr Elliott keeps getting threatening phone messages from a patient of his, who may very well be the killer and someone who enjoys taunting him. Things turn out pretty unexpected for everyone involved.

It’s an overblown film to be sure, but that is why it attracts in the ways that De Palma uses that melodrama. To be honest, I don’t think he is going for a really subtle approach. And given his signature style, he’s not just going to tone it down, he’s going to go to places that shock and surprise with his liberal use of theatricality along the way. What we are left with is a film that is more concerned with mood and atmosphere than plot, that still bears that feeling of tension, mixed with archness that De Palma does so well. The perverse yet riveting atmosphere is apparent in the dreamy, surreal soft focus of two pivotal scenes pulls you in, while obviously paying a debt to Hitchcock’s iconic Psycho. But the most sterling example of craftsmanship is the museum scene. In it Kate catches the eye of a stranger and the two engage in a stalking game that plays out spectacularly and seductively. The roles of cat and mouse switch between the lonely Kate and the stranger, ultimately making us part of the voyeuristic tapestry at work . Without barely a line of dialogue, De Palma pulls out every trick in the book; finding an array of expressive angles and movements to put us in the moment and tell a story simply through visual impact. It’s a scene where everything comes together as an example of pure cinema that should be celebrated. I think to appreciate Dressed to Kill it is best to watch it a few times to take in how well crafted it all is. You genuinely notice little bits that seemed trivial at first, yet have a massive bearing on the creeping proceedings, something which Brian De Palma chooses to have fun with. So for all the head-scratching moments that don’t make sense, the hints and symbolism of Dressed to Kill gleefully toy with our ideas of what we think we know. This frequently is the case of us being devilishly lead astray and made to believe one thing( when in fact it’s something quite different) and that’s where quite a lot of the watchability of Dressed to Kill lies. The macabre humour seeping through Dressed to Kill also adds to this; finding irony in pretty dark and perilous situations before turning up the chills for effect. Granted, some instances feel a bit much, the level of dark comedy is a welcome and quite unexpected quality put into often sardonic effect here. Dressed to Kill is a little bit over praised at least in my book, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that it’s still a pretty nifty and swift thriller of panache that still made an impact on me. A gloriously grand and frequently alluring score plays into the dark and sexually prominent tones of the film right off the bat.

Angie Dickinson is very effective( especially given the fact that most of her performance has no dialogue). Through the little nuances of her face, we witness her boredom and sadness with her marriage, as well as how she craves sexual excitement. A beautiful woman with an aura of class and sexiness, Angie Dickinson plays the ill-fated woman exceptionally. Michael Caine is rightfully detached and urbane as the psychiatrist who seems relatively calm, but who may in fact be something else. With sublime subtlety, Caine brings a level of class and maybe a touch of enigma, without going overboard which is a credit to his abilities as an actor. Nancy Allen is pretty good as the quick talking Liz, who is sucked into the most twisted case and must prove her own innocence. The part is pretty much a standard hooker with a heart of gold trope, but Allen plays it well and makes her a likable girl sticking to her wits. The unlikely hero role of Kate’s investigating son Peter is filled out splendidly by Keith Gordon, whose gawky appearance and unwavering collection of detective moves make him a relatable down-to-Earth teenager looking for answers in his mother’s death. In a flashy supporting role, Dennis Franz provides a lot of the sardonic humour as a tough-talking and hard-boiled detective, with a seasoned attitude to match. He’s not in the movie a lot, but when he is, Franz is a delight as the salty and uncouth man investigating the baffling murder.

Silly as parts of it get, Dressed to Kill stands out for its visual impact and De Palma verve on display. Logic is not exactly present, but the fun of Dressed to Kill lies in its often shocking and macabre content that ratchets up suspense and sprinkles it with a knowing, ironic wink. At tad overrated in my book, but still a highly effective and surprising thriller displaying the skill of Brian De Palma.

Body Double

Tags

1980's, Body Double, Brian De Palma, Craig Wasson, Deborah Shelton, Gregg Henry, Melanie Griffith, Mystery, Thriller

Film Title

Body Double

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• Craig Wasson as Jake Scully
• Gregg Henry as Sam Bouchard
• Melanie Griffith as Holly Body
• Deborah Shelton as Gloria Revelle

An outrageously and stylishly updated reworking of Vertigo and Rear Window, Body Double dials up the lurid material and shocking content. It may bite off more than it can chew, but Body Double is by and large a spellbinding example of Brian De Palma’s signature direction and his gleefully unapologetic content.

Jake Scully is a B-movie actor with a big problem. As he often stars in horror films(frequently as a vampire) he has to be in confined spaces. The trouble is that his latent claustrophobia has evinced itself of late and has lost him jobs. Out of work, things get worse when he finds his girlfriend cheating on him. He moves out and is struggling to find a job, when he meets the charming Sam Bouchard. Also an actor, he takes pity on Jake and takes him under his wing. Sam is currently house sitting for a rich friend and offers Jake the place to stay. Jake jumps at the chance and is taken to the panoramic house in the Hollywood Hills. Sam points out that there is a display that will interest him in one of the houses nearby. With a telescope, Jake views the sultry dancing every night of Gloria Revelle, a beautiful, young housewife. What starts as just a glancing curiosity slows gives way to increasing obsession on Jake’s part. Added to this is his realisation that a strange-looking figure is also observing Gloria with ill intentions. Continuing to grow more infatuated with her, Jake follows her and observes her, once again seeing the grotesque figure looming large. Sadly, through his obsession , Jake is unable to stop Gloria’s brutal murder at the hands of the stalker. As the only witness, he can’t do much as the police know that he was also covertly watching Gloria and didn’t report what he saw. Jake can’t help but feel guilty about his indirect involvement and how he could have prevented the murder. Yet various things are not adding up and what seemed coincidental may in fact be pre-meditated. Still shocked, he finds himself more determined to unravel events that look very untoward and discovers a link between the slaying and the world of X-rated movies. Desperate Jake is soon lead into the dark recesses of the adult film industry, where the gorgeous porn star Holly Body may hold the key to everything.

As is befitting of a film by Brian De Palma, Body Double sports oodles of visual effectiveness and cinematic flourish from the very start. He frequently teases and tests us with what we are witnessing and how true it is, best envisioned by a series of scenes in which we believe we are watching the film, only for it to reveal that it’s the making of a film in the story. A fantastic example is when Jake makes his way on to a porn set and it is played out to the tune of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Relax’. At first it just appears to be part of the filmic story, before pulling back to show that it’s an adult production within the confines of the plot. We, as the audience, are permitted to be unwitting voyeurs throughout Body Double, whether we like it or not, due to the use of point of view shots to illustrate the illusion of watching. I must confess that in the latter half of Body Double things start to feel a bit rushed, especially in comparison with the slow burn of the earlier pacing. But the outrageous core and De Palma stamp ensure you keep watching as it redeems itself once Holly takes centre stage and brings a much-needed shot in the arm. So it does get uneven in stretches when it could have been tighter and a bit more coherent, but I found myself very engrossed by Body Double that I can somewhat overlook its collection of flaws and bask in the sheer unpredictability of it all. Body Double is a sly beast that is very mysterious and shrouded in red herrings, that you may not quite realise at first glance. Brian De Palma is very impish in what he presents, frequently reeling us into a twisted fantasy that has its tongue jammed firmly in cheek. He is not caring about whether you squirm or find the content repulsive; this is his vision and what he wants to put out there, like it or not. If anything, the winding plot takes a backseat to the directors love of things cinematic and how manipulative the medium can be. A major plus in Body Double(along with the luscious cinematography) is the mood-setting music, courtesy of Pino Donaggio. Using an electronic pulse to produce a slinky and scintillating ambiance, its music that really gets its talons into you and gorgeously sets a scene. The score is akin to the dance that Gloria performs; it invites you in yet knows how to tease and be mysterious.

Craig Wasson is a bit of a wooden actor, yet that very thing is used to great effect in playing the unlucky and low-rent star, caught in a web. His very ordinariness and nothing too special appearance plays in well to the way that he becomes utterly besotted with someone he barely knows and then more than a little suspicious that something stinks. Gregg Henry lends an ingratiating and seemingly supportive presence as the actor who helps Jake, but who may be very different behind it all. Melanie Griffith appears late in the film, but immediately makes an impression as the seductive but brighter than you’d think adult film star. While being obviously attractive, Griffith digs into a street smart attitude and subtle vulnerability of a girl who knows how to handle herself, but doesn’t quite realise the extent of how deep she’s in. Both a smart and confident performer( watch as she reels off just what she will do and not do in a movie) and a pawn, the part of Holly is memorably envisioned by Melanie Griffith. Seen with not much in the way of dialogue, Deborah Shelton is still extremely enigmatic and beautiful as the ill-fated woman, whose demise throws Jake into a tailspin.

I wouldn’t say Body Double is the best film from De Palma, yet it definitely displays some of his finest visual direction and penchant for referencing Hitchcock in typically daring style. Body Double, though uneven, is still a very intriguing thriller that reels you in to the mystery and sleazy aura that if builds so well as it surprises you with some very serpentine twists.

Sisters

Tags

1970's, Brian De Palma, Charles Durning, Jennifer Salt, Lisle Wilson, Margot Kidder, Psychological Horror, Sisters, Thriller, William Finley

Film Title

Sisters

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• Margot Kidder as Danielle/ Dominique Breton
• Jennifer Salt as Grace Collier
• William Finley as Emil Breton
• Charles Durning as Joseph Larch
• Lisle Wilson as Phillip

Brian De Palma’s first foray into thriller-horror in Hitchcockian style, Sisters is an unpredictable and unnerving movie that shows off what we’d all come to see as staples of his work and how successfully and creepily he’d craft them.

Danielle Breton is a French-Canadian model living in Staten Island and occasionally using her talents for an acting job. She has just appeared on a certain game show and has just been asked out by one of the contestants Phillip. The two hit it off over dinner where Danielle briefly mentions her twin sister Dominique, and how she hasn’t seen her for a while. Once at her apartment, the two share a passionate evening, but nothing can prepare anyone for the events the following morning. He is brutally stabbed by what appears to be a crazed Danielle( or is it the previously unseen Dominique?). Fatally wounded, he makes it to the window and using his own blood, spells out help. In the apartment opposite, industrious journalist Grace Collier witnesses the incident. She reports it to the police, but due to her history of exposing corruption in the ranks she is laughed off. Even when she takes detectives to Danielle’s apartment, there is no sign of a body and she is dismissed. But Grace knows what she saw and thanks to curiosity, she begins digging into the case. Grace also employs an old-fashioned private investigator Joseph Larch; who may be out of the game currently but still has a nose for this sort of mystery. Getting to the bottom of all of this is what Grace plans to do, though she doesn’t realise she’s opening a particularly twisted can of worms that includes Danielle’s former husband who is always sneaking around and much more.

Sisters was the first film from De Palma to be what many would cite as an inception of his trademark direction and themes. You’ve got the nods to Hitchcock, through stalking camerawork that recalls Rear Window and duality that points to Psycho. Split screens are employed in spectacular fashion, lasting for minutes while twinning together things that gain more impact as the film continues. In fact, doubles and duality are displayed in a very unusual and off kilter way that has you uneasy, and allows De Palma to fiendishly pull the wool over our eyes and then surprise is. Throughout the often crazed and baffling story, De Palma’s sure hand and control over what he is directing is in full effect, announcing the many more thrilling movies that would follow this peculiar yet riveting thriller. There is something quite surreal about Sisters, typified in a couple of menacing yet beautiful dream sequences, filmed in black and white and filled with an arch toying with perception( very befitting of the psychological horror we are presented with). Danielle and Dominique are both purposefully mysterious, leading us to not quite know which is which and just what the true agenda may be.  By the end certain things are revealed, just not in the way you’d expect them to be which allows Sisters to be something that won’t leave your memory quickly and puts the mind into overdrive. As creepy and chilling as the film is, De Palma laces a lot of moments with a sort of gallows humour that catches you off-balance, but does a lot to keep the story and our watching of it something unexpected and not at all typical. Added to this is an underlying examination of the way that women can be patronised and used by men; both Danielle and Grace experience many things at the hands of men, in particular Grace whose job as a reporter combined with her gender suffers stigma regarding her talent and choice of lifestyle. This little bit of commentary is yet another string to the movie’s impressive bow. Now some logic is a bit lacking in Sisters, but you’re that engrossed that the tiny flaw can be swept away and forgiven, especially for how minuscule it is. A screaming and alternating score comes courtesy of Bernard Herrmann. The score triumphs with sudden switches in sound and tempo that infuse necessary jolts of terror and spooky mystery.

Margot Kidder pulls double duty as the twins that give the film its title. Displaying very different personas that may actually be false or at the very least mendacious, Kidder blend them together with a jagged result of questions and uncertainty that is a plus for the gripping movie. Kidder plays the varying characteristics of both twins with a deliberately ambiguous approach, lending to the fact that we can never be sure whether it is Danielle or Dominique we are witnessing at any given time. Margot Kidder is very impressive, but it was Jennifer Salt that really caught my attention. Filled with a deep enthusiasm and courage of her own convictions, Salt naturally plays the crusading Grace, who gets more than she bargained for. There is a tenacity within the diminutive Jennifer Salt that suits the role nicely and although her insistence is often the thing that gets the better of her, we want her to succeed and unravel what she can. William Finley is menace personified as the creepy ex-husband skulking around, particularly in the way he uses his intense eyes that never seem to blink and appear to follow you. Charles Durning is wise ass and witty as the private investigator roped into the proceedings while Lisle Wilson has a small but unforgettable part of the unfortunate man who ends up butchered

An eerie and suspenseful movie of stylistic approach and creeping kookiness, Sisters represents the auspicious first entry into the art of scaring and spooking audience that De Palma clearly enjoys.

Obsession

Tags

1970's, Brian De Palma, Cliff Robertson, Geneviève Bujold, John Lithgow, Mystery, Obsession, Thriller

Film Title

Obsession

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• Cliff Robertson as Michael Courtland
• Geneviève Bujold as Elizabeth Courtland/Sandra Portinari
• John Lithgow as Robert Lasalle

An unearthly and mysterious homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Obsession comes courtesy of Brian De Palma and displays him at some of his most overwrought and haunting. Complete with a spellbinding score and slowly more twisted story, Obsession has a lot in it that won’t leave your mind in a hurry.

Michael Courtland is a wealthy real estate developer in New Orleans with a great business, along with a beautiful wife Elizabeth and daughter Amy. Then out of nowhere to destroy this idyllic life, Elizabeth and Amy are kidnapped by criminals, who demand a very high ransom for their release. Going to the police and desperately trying to get his family back, Michael agrees to a rescue mission that looks like it could be successful. The plan is to take a briefcase to the drop point with fake money and a tracking device implanted, thereby leading the police and Michael to the whereabouts of his captured family. Unfortunately, the attempt to retrieve Elizabeth and Amy goes horribly wrong and after a lengthy chase, the kidnappers along with Elizabeth and her daughter die after their car crashes into the river. Over a decade later, Michael is still haunted by the loss of his family and totally obsessed with the memory of them. On a business trip to Florence with colleague and best friend Robert Lasalle, Michael visits an old church where he and Elizabeth first met. To his surprise he comes across Sandra Portinari, an art historian who is the mirror image of Elizabeth. Although completely at a loss as to why Sandra looks so much like his late wife but seeing that this could be a second chance, Michael gets completely infatuated by Sandra. The sprightly and effervescent Sandra returns the favour and the two fall quickly in love, though it is very obvious that Michael wants to recapture something that he had with Elizabeth through Sandra. Though Robert is concerned for his friend as he finds the whole thing very uncanny and worrying, Michael goes ahead and brings Sandra over to New Orleans with plans to marry her. But Sandra quickly grows fascinated by Elizabeth and begins acting odd, as if something about her predecessor is behind it. It looks as though history may well repeat itself with more fatal incidents, just as Michael believes he’s been given another shot at life. What follows is something that you will most definitely not be expecting.

Brian De Palma revels in channeling Hitchcock for this film, and does a pretty commendable job at emulating him. The devil is in the detail and the archness of De Palma’s approach, which genuinely makes for good viewing in this most twisted mystery. It can be said that Obsession gets a bit overly clever at times and has maybe one twist too many in its bag of tricks, but regardless of that it is a very compelling mystery thriller. The sprinkling of an atypical romance that eventually becomes disturbing allows the film to be one that is sure to reap benefits of repeat viewing. The screenplay from Paul Schrader is purposefully mysterious and knows exactly when to keep its cards close its chest.  And even when it goes overboard, the largely visual story is there to bolster things in an exquisite way. Almost everything in Obsession is shot through a shimmering filter that renders events in a fantasy and otherworldly aura from the very start, for a mystical experience that is not what it always seems. The employing of this form in the cinematography and direction of De Palma is sumptuous and extremely captivating, with nary a frame wasted to paint its unnatural and spooky on a large canvas. Many scenes are free of dialogue which gorgeously lets us fill the blanks in and allows the visuals that abound to weave this particularly dark story, which has a romance in it that takes on another connotation as the rug is pulled from under you. The use of Bernard Herrmann to score the film further evokes Hitchcock, as Hermann scored some of the Master’s best films. Here he imbues things with a deep choral angle that sounds like a returning vessel to the world of reality, while accentuating the hypnotic impact Sandra takes over Michael and later the presence of Elizabeth on Sandra herself. The score is ever-present in the film and it would simply bot have half the impact it does without the mournful yet eerily romantic music from Hermann.

Cliff Robertson is credible in the lead role of a man whose life is shattered, then is given what he believes is another shot through whatever intervention it is. Robertson may be a tad too subdued at times, but his stoic face and gradual shifts in temperament within the chilling story, fill in any gaps and still make it a very good performance. Geneviève Bujold is stunning in the dual role that merges as one on more than a few occasions. Bujold is beautifully ethereal and almost angelic in the best possible way, lending well to the haunting vibe of the overall story and the possibility of a spirit, at least in Michael’s mind, returning once more. You can’t take your eyes off her when you see her on screen as either Elizabeth or Sandra. It is Bujold that sticks most in the memory once Obsession has finished for her transfixing work. Stealing the scenes whenever his presence is required is the versatile John Lithgow, seen here as a disreputable businessman with the gift of the gab. An extrovert with a suspicious mustache, reptilian smile and slightly unusual glint in his eye, he’s a man you can’t help but find funny but also quite hard to read, which is where the excellence of Lithgow’s work lies.

So if you can handle the often overwrought story and sleight of hand tricks and unusual twists are your sort of thing, Obsession should work for you as a sinister yet beautifully filmed mystery, from the skillful hands of Brian De Palma. It definitely deserves notice at least from where I’m standing.

Blow Out

Tags

1980's, Blow Out, Brian De Palma, Dennis Franz, John Lithgow, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Thriller

Film Title

Blow Out

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• John Travolta as Jack Terry
• Nancy Allen as Sally
• John Lithgow as Burke
• Dennis Franz as Manny Karp

A well crafted thriller that focuses on someone discovering something they weren’t supposed to and how important sound is in the big scheme of things, Blow Out invites you into a suspenseful and intricate web of conspiracy and one man fighting the system. All of this is under the eagle eye vision of Brian De Palma, whose serious approach adds another layer of emotion to a potent and enigmatic cocktail.

Jack Terry is a sound man who while good at his job, has largely spent most of his time working on sleazy horror movies. He has something haunting him from his past, but passes everything off with something of a cynical shrug and smile. Working on yet another low-budget movie, he is struggling to find the perfect scream for the main murder scene. Late one night, he is out recording nature sounds near a bridge. Nothing much is happening until a car veers off the road and into the lake, following a strange sound. Jack jumps in and rescues a young woman by the name of Sally from the car, though he is unable to save the other man who dies. Once at the hospital, Jack swears he heard a gun shot that preceded the blow out and has the sound that could back this up. He grows even more curious when he learns that the man in the car was a presidential candidate who was launching his campaign, but those closest to the man and others tell him to forget what he heard and keep his mouth shut. Getting to know Sally, who is a ditzy and skittish girl who remains coy about what she was doing in the car, Jack attempts to piece together what he heard and just how big the cover up that is forming is willing to go to hide the true events of the ‘accident’. Long story short, it gets very complex. Meanwhile, a mysterious and sinister man known simply as Burke( who has something to do with the tangled events) begins murdering young women in the area, with his plan being to eliminate Sally in the end by making it look like another serial killer crime. Pictures are published of some of the incident by a sleazy blackmailing man Manny Karp, which helps Jack splice a film with his sound that helps suggest that it was murder. Due to the fact that the images aren’t crystal clear poses another stumbling block, yet he also gets to understand the naive Sally a bit better, as she clearly has some involvement albeit as a pawn. Even with proof, no one seems to believe Jack and tell him to let it be. But Jack is not going to remain quiet and soon sets about desperately trying to prove what’s going on. With nearly everyone either turning Jack away or wanting the conspiracy to remain silent, Jack must fight and hopefully uncover the full extent of this cover up before it is erased for good, along with himself and Sally.

Although De Palma has been criticized for overusing visuals to tell a story by some quarters( I personally don’t agree, but that’s a matter of opinion), no one can deny the grim and serious centre of Blow Out, that enables an emotional undercurrent pertaining to Jack and Sally to effectively slot in among the conspiracy. With this neat homage to the equally compelling Blow-Up, De Palma fashions a compelling mystery about political agendas and consequences found when all the stones have been upturned. Paranoia is at its apex here, with the unfurling mystery and various vignettes of what Jack discovers and we as the audience see. De Palma is on deep and sober form with this film, which is reflected in the intricacy of how big the political events and schemes that Jack stumbles on are told, leaving some room for us to fill in with deliberate hints that are never quite as simple as they appear. That isn’t to say that De Palma abandons his trademark style though, as his many brush strokes and composition are well placed and compliment the overall impact of Blow Out. From a riveting scene in which Jack listens to the tape back and it cuts back and forth in time with the sounds it has picked up, the obsessively detailed sequence of Jack  to a swirling camera used when Jack finds that someone has erased his tapes, it’s both a stylish film and one that has a startling downbeat tone that slowly feeds into it. Plus, the cinematography of largely red, white and blue bathes Blow Out in a strangely surreal shade that also references the political aspects found in the thriller. Voyeurism plays heavily into Blow Out, with the focus being on ears and all things pertaining to them instead of eyes. And worthy of note is the refusal to adhere to a bravery and heroic ending. Without spoiling it, I’ll say that Blow Out features a gut punch of an end that you won’t see coming and brings with it a haunting tone that colours everything. De Palma’s film is not without the irony that a lot of his work as ( check the opening scene that satirizes cheap horror movies) but the pervading feeling of darkness and tension is what truly makes the film. Sound is frequently manipulated, distorted or raised throughout Blow Out, stressing the importance of what we hear and perhaps the things we aren’t meant to in the first place. As a film that largely concentrates on the impact and overall usage of sound, Blow Out provides a fascinating insight into the mechanics behind it all. Sure some of the technology is different today from what’s depicted here, but the perspective it takes on how crucial it is to cinema allows for compelling nuggets of information. And the score of Blow Out beautifully layers on the mystery and menace in stunning strokes that often match the action perfectly, along with a sorrowful element that comes into fruition later on.

John Travolta is excellently cast as the slowly more determined Jack, who before was slightly cynical about his lack of prospects that his skill as a sound man were wasted on. The crash and what he hears spark him into life, as he discovers a real purpose( in both the mystery and Sally) and Travolta brings an effective amount of idealism and decency that benefits the role. He has that worn, every man quality going on as he unearths just how big the situation is that he has come across and with haunted eyes, you feel for the man as he tries to do the right thing in a climate of danger. Nancy Allen is just as successful, portraying a girl whose niceness and green nature are repeatedly taken advantage of. Kudos to Allen for not playing Sally as a complete bimbo and turning her into someone sympathetic and in over her head. The immense John Lithgow, armed with hardly any dialogue and a stare that could melt ice caps, is the terrifying adversary, whose skills in killing are brutal, efficient and cold-blooded. Seriously, Lithgow is deeply chilling here you feel like you’re in the Arctic whenever he appears. Dennis Franz rocks it as the greasy and oily blackmailer, who would do just about anything for a buck and does so on many occasions.

A grim, tense and even emotional in parts thriller burning with paranoia and unexpected shock, Blow Out showcases Brian De Palma with maturity on the mind and armed with a dark story that flows well with his customary visual style.

And I must thank Pete and Paul for suggesting this movie to watch.

Carrie

Tags

1970's, Amy Irving, Betty Buckley, Brian De Palma, Carrie, Horror, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Piper Laurie, Sissy Spacek, Stephen King, Supernatural Horror, William Katt

Film Title

Carrie

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• Sissy Spacek as Carrie White
• Piper Laurie as Margaret White
• Amy Irving as Sue Snell
• Nancy Allen as Chris Hargensen
• Betty Buckley as Miss Collins
• William Katt as Tommy Ross
• John Travolta as Billy Nolan

Based on the novel by Stephen King, Carrie is a heartbreaking and frightening take of bullying and the limits that someone is pushed to. With Brian De Palma behind the camera and Sissy Spacek supremely moving as the titular protagonist, Carrie becomes a compelling exercise in horror rooted mostly in the real world, but with supernatural touches complimenting it.

Carrie White is a painfully shy outcast in high school, who is mercilessly bullied by her fellow peers. She has an equally unhappy home life where her mother Margaret is a crazed religious zealot who thinks anything remotely sexual is a sin, regularly beats Carrie and forces her to pray for her alleged sins. Carrie is once again tormented when she experiences menstruation for the first time in the showers and as a result of her upbringing that hasn’t explained it, she is targeted by a number of girls headed by the sadistic Chris Hargensen. Miss Collins breaks up the horror of the situation and attempts to comfort Carrie. She punishes the girls for their horrible treatment of Carrie, resulting in Chris being banned from prom due to her lack of sympathy and refusal to admit she’s done anything wrong. At the same time, the timid Carrie starts exhibiting signs of telekinesis that flair up when she is angry and she struggles to understand. One of the girls involved in the torment,  Sue Snell, starts to feel very guilty about her part in it and wanting to be nice, she asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the approaching prom. She sees it as a way to help Carrie and also as an apology for her behaviour of which she feels immense remorse for. Carrie is apprehensive when Tommy asks her as she thinks it is a prank, but after talking and getting advice from the kind Miss Collins, she accepts. Meanwhile, the horrid Chris ropes her boyfriend into engineering some sort of revenge on Carrie. Carrie’s mother is adamant that her daughter will no go to the prom, but Carrie finally stands up for herself and attends. But after a vicious prank set up by Chris and her boyfriend humiliates Carrie just as she feels accepted, she completely breaks and makes those who have bullied her very sorry in a most fatal and gruesome way with the use of her powers.

Brian De Palma directs this film a stylish and surprisingly empathetic touch to showcase the way that Carrie wants to be accepted and is repeatedly bullied for it. Sensitive and compassionate are not often words associated with De Palma, but his approach to the material really hits home in how it presents the horrors of bullying and being seen as different by ignorant others. And while a film that is in the horror genre, the biggest unsettling parts are the depictions of cruelty and nastiness that Carrie endures. When she finally lashes out and unleashes her powers, you can see why this is happening. She has been put to the razors edge and is now acting out retribution of the most fatal kind. Carrie is no monster, merely a misunderstood girl with a gift that finally snaps when torment gets to much, and I think everyone whose ever been mistreated or bullied can at least relate to that feeling of being so downtrodden and yet wanting to get back at those who frighten them. Which brings me onto my next point of interest. Now no review of this film would be complete without a shout out to the justly celebrated prom sequence when Carrie is pushed over the edge with no way back. Utilizing an assortment of techniques( eerie yet tense slow motion, the maximizing of particular sounds and striking split-screen) the results of the scene are simply haunting in how chilling and precise everything is, as Carrie turns the prom into a bloodbath. I could wax lyrical about this forever but the review can’t be a full on essay. All that’s left to say is De Palma is the masterful composer behind the detailed and shocking scene that leaves a big imprint on the mind, and won’t be forgotten for a long time after the movie finishes. Carrie adeptly straddles the tropes of a perceptive high school drama with horror that grows to a jaw-dropping finale, confirming it as a horror film that deals with real life social issues compassionately. The pace of it is just right, building up to the climatic snapping of Carrie’s mind with assurance and some cleverly ironic foreshadowing. And the score is purely amazing in every aspect of the word. Pino Donaggio works wonders as he covers all the emotional ground of Carrie, while bringing in by little nuances, the suspense and shocks that will eventually ignite. You couldn’t have asked for a better score for this film than the lyrical and haunting one it sports.

Sissy Spacek represents the tormented soul of the film with a natural and sympathetic performance. There are times when she is so authentic that it doesn’t seem like she is acting at all, so sincere and expressive in her interpretation of Carrie’s anguish and victimized mind. There is simply no one who could have been so convincing in the part and use their eyes to both moving and unnerving effect, particularly noticeable in the prom sequence when Carrie’s powers come into full force. Piper Laurie is wildly and suitably over the top as Carrie’s crazy mother, who puts fear into her heart and also the audience’s. She really goes for the unrestrained and frightening approach that is superbly played like a pro, which of course Piper Laurie is. This is the mother of your nightmares, and has to rank as one of the most unhinged to hit the cinema screen. In her movie debut, Amy Irving strikes the right notes of guilt-ridden shame and atonement for her actions in a quiet but evocative way. Nancy Allen stars as queen of nasty and vicious Chris, and you can’t fault her performance because you genuinely loathe this character. Betty Buckley is a supportive presence as the kind Miss Collins, while William Kitt displays a sensitivity as Sue’s boyfriend who is persuaded to ingratiate Carrie to the prom. And of course, there is a very young John Travolta, who successfully plays the none too bright boyfriend of Chris who is pulled in to help her exact her shocking prank on the title character.

A dazzling horror and cautionary tale of how you should think about the treatment of others, Carrie is rightfully iconic and cuts deep on a lot of levels.

Raising Cain

Tags

1990's, Brian De Palma, Frances Sternhagen, John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Psychological Thriller, Raising Cain, Steven Bauer

Film Title

Raising Cain

Director

Brian De Palma

Starring

• John Lithgow as Carter Nix/ Cain
• Lolita Davidovich as Jenny
• Steven Bauer as Jack
• Frances Sterhangen as Dr Lynn Waldheim

A twisting and frequently outrageous psychological thriller from Brian De Palma, Raising Cain is thoroughly enthralling and full of stunning cinema technique, complete with a story that keeps getting you to question the certainty of it. I wouldn’t put it as the best thriller around because of some parts that go way too complicated and unnecessary, but overall the sheer outrageousness helps to make it a feverish delight.

Carter Nix is a mild-mannered child psychologist who has taken time out of work to help raise his young daughter Amy with his wife Jenny, who works as a nurse. Lately though, Carter has become unnervingly attached to his daughter that becomes even more peculiar as the film progresses. At the start, Jenny can’t quite see this though there are hints dropped that become noticeable to her. What is unknown to Jenny is the fact that the seemingly benign Carter is somehow involved in a horrifying experiment, which is where his alter ego of Cain comes in. Cain arises whenever Carter can’t do something and it is frequently nasty. The aforementioned experiment is for their doctor father; they kill mothers and take their young children all in the hopes of helping him with his maniacal studies of personality. Yet it is largely Cain who does these unspeakable acts, even though it weighs more than a little heavy on Carter and bleeds into him. He has lately taken to being overly concerned and almost studying in his treatment of his young daughter, which is a major cause for concern. His behaviour and mood swings begin to alarm Jenny, who fears for her daughter without realising the whole truth of it all. Meanwhile, Jenny herself is having to deal with her own dilemmas. The biggest one is Jack; a former flame of hers who returns out of the blue and still has feelings for her. Jenny soon gives in to temptation and ignites their affair again. Carter’s alter ego of Cain really begins to take over once he witnesses his wife engaging in her affair, leading to shocking consequences and startling revelations that are not what they seem.

Brian De Palma is the stylish man behind the camera and his stamp is well and truly on Raising Cain, complete with the customary homages to Hitchcock. Flourishes of visual astuteness and exceeding panache can be viewed in almost every frame of Raising Cain. You can’t fault De Palma for his visionary way of shooting, its gorgeous even when filled with terror. The sweeping camera , including a simply sublime long tracking shot, that lasts for a number of minutes as the history of Carter’s family is brought into the light by the doctor on the case. The many dreamlike scenes of Raising Cain come equipped with an eerie but strangely beautiful chill, that wraps them and subsequent scenes in that otherworldly grip that plays into the deceptive plot. And while a lot of the film is over the top, it suits De Palma’s style with operatic touches and a significant amount of tongue in cheek to the approach. Instead of it getting to be a parody, there is serious tension and suspense supplied. Add to that layers of whether we are witnessing dreams or reality at various points, and you can’t help but be compelled by Raising Cain. Doubles, flashbacks( or are they?) and an all around creepiness make for a heady brew. The film isn’t a titanic piece of classic movie making though, as there are flaws. Firstly, although it doesn’t fully go into parody or lampooning, it can get pretty ridiculous with some of its moves I must say. At times, some of it slips out of control and it bites off more than it can chew with a couple of parts that slip into unintentionally funny, though the mastery of De Palma’s direction and vision is still very much on show among these weaknesses. A bit more logic may have been of use in Raising Cain as the pudding does get over egged a lot, but the largely over the top narrative and twisted turns paper over some of these cracks. From what I’ve seen out of his movies, Raising Cain is a bit underrated as I haven’t heard that many people talk about it. And while it’s not a work of genius in comparison to some of his other more noted works, it shows enough skill and cinematic technique to be held in higher regard, at least a little bit more than it is. There are many times when you think you’ve got a hold on things and then the whole thing switches and you’re left to reassess them, owing to the complex and fiendish machinations of the plot. This is where the strong points of the film lies as genuine feelings of unease emerge swiftly once certain truths or something resembling that are exposed. A simply luscious and sinister score begins with an almost childlike tone that morphs into moments of shattering crescendo, much like the character of Cain and his other personality.

John Lithgow relishes his roles as Carter and Cain. He skilfully displays the different natures of both with Carter being terrified yet obsessed and Cain being the violent and underhand side. Lithgow manages to make it all very thrilling and unnerving to watch, as he occasionally blurs the lines between the two with considerable menace. He is the captivating centre of this movie and a lot of that is seen through his performance. Unfortunately, I found that Lolita Davidovich was more than a little wooden playing the terrorized wife. Now she did show some convincing moments of fear, but I couldn’t help but feel that she was too indecisive when acting in the part to truly make it work. She looked gorgeous though and her beauty is very becoming. Steven Bauer makes up for things as the handsome object of Jenny’s affections who inadvertently becomes the thing that allows Cain to fully surface with maniacal intent. The great Frances Sterhangen steals the scenes she appears in, where she embodies the shock and incisive knowledge of Carter/Cain through a past event, yet can’t quite piece all the parts of the baffling puzzle together into a whole. Sternhagen exudes an intrinsic authority and level of intelligence that feeds into the part exceptionally well.

So it is an overblown exercise which does induce head-scratching, but by and large Raising Cain still keeps your focus in a strange way, that De Palma plays to with pizzazz. It’s not a masterpiece by any means, but still a movie that demands attention for its thrills and visionary content. And just to tel you all, I’m going to be finding my way through De Palma’s filmography in the next few months, so look out for more reviews.