It was no secret at the time that this was a “one for them” project in a deal he made with Spielberg’s Amblin/Universal after more passionate projects like The Last Temptation of Christ and Goodfellas but it’s hard to tell that from the results—Scorsese is absolutely not just going through the motions. Cape Fear is yes, a remake, and yes, from pulpy material—but it is fervently directed, entertainingly, and an artistic triumph
From “Entertainment Weekly—“Proves that when a maverick virtuoso like Scorsese sets his mind to it, making ”mainstream” movies is one more thing he can do better than just about anyone else”
Opens with absolutely stunning water titles again from Elaine and Saul Bass—I had forgotten about the work Saul Bass did with Scorsese from 1990’s Goodfellas through Casino in 1995- 4 really strong collaborations
Opens with absolutely stunning water titles again from Elaine and Saul Bass—I had forgotten about the work Saul Bass did with Scorsese from 1990’s Goodfellas through Casino in 1995- 4 really strong collaborations
De Niro’s body transformation is worth noting and praising- always the dedicated actor and auteur model—we open with him pumping his triceps and the body art tattoo’s in prison—a hell of an introduction
Academy award nominations for De Niro and Juliette Lewis
In many ways it’s Scorsese’s Hitchcock film. J. Lee Thompson- the director of the original 1962 Cape Fear made his in the same vein and he was a huge Hitchcock admirer. Scorsese’s effort brings back the Bernard Herrmann score
Great De Palma-like (the absolute #1 Hitchcock enthusiast auteur (with all due respect to Truffaut’s love for Hitch)) split diopter shot when Nolte is brushing his teeth
Great De Palma-like (the absolute #1 Hitchcock enthusiast auteur (with all due respect to Truffaut’s love for Hitch)) split diopter shot when Nolte is brushing his teeth
Scorsese washes out the photography to a blurry black and white four times—he even transitions to yellow (like Hitch’s Marnie) – editing form.
Scorsese washes out the photography to a blurry black and white four times—he even transitions to yellow (like Hitch’s Marnie) – editing form.
After the love-making scene between Nolte and Jessica Lange we get a sequence that is really well edited actually. We fade to red and then we end with a freeze frame shot on her eyes
difficult but magnificent domestic scenes between the family add a layer to the film missing from the 1962 original
Scorsese employs the old-Hollywood studio background Matte painting like we have in Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, (or his own tip of the cap Wizard of Oz in 1974’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore)- it’s Scorsese’s way of saying this isn’t grounded in realism—this is expressionism, this is a thriller/popcorn/pulpy even it carries the trademark Scorsese edge and violence— we get an ominous purple sky late in the film—but the best example of this in Cape Fear is the fireworks sequence. It’s breathtaking. We get the light pouring into the bedroom through the Venetian blinds. Totally a blend of the green light in Vertigo with the trademark voyeurism through the blinds like Psycho (used in say Blue Velvet).
We get the light pouring into the bedroom through the Venetian blinds. Totally a blend of the green light in Vertigo with the trademark voyeurism through the blinds like Psycho (used in say Blue Velvet)
Shots of De Niro with the fireworks exploding in the background—pre-dating similar shots by Scorsese himself in Gangs of New York or say Heath Ledger used by Ang Lee in Brokeback Mountain
gob-smackingly beautiful- Shots of De Niro with the fireworks exploding in the background—pre-dating similar shots by Scorsese himself in Gangs of New York or say Heath Ledger used by Ang Lee in Brokeback Mountain
Unlike the original Cape Fear film in 1962 with Gregory Peck (Nolte’s spectacles a clear nod)—Nolte’s character is dirtier here- more Scorsese-like with the sin compilations—a far more interesting character
The tattoo choice here (De Niro’s most famous is one depicting truth and justice like the “love” and “hate” tattoo’s on the knuckles from The Night of the Hunter– another Mitchum arch-villain and masterful role) The entire character of Max Caddy here with De Niro is really a blending of the two as this character/villain is often quoting the scripture like the evil preacher in Laughton’s 1955 film
An abundance of canted/dutch angles- it’s so well-directed. The violence with the De Niro & Illeana Douglas scene is the greatest example of this technique but it’s done used in abundance here to show the terror and disorientation of the characters
Gregory Peck, Martin Balsam (himself a nod to Hitchcock in the original casting in 1962), and Robert Mitchum are in the film. I think Mitchum is actually really good. “Pardon me all over the place” when he goes too with a suggestion and offends Nolte
The family unit here is a mess—a beautiful mess- their domestic scenes are absolute fire. Lange hates Nolte’s character. Their fights are dynamic, messy, Lewis runs to her room when they fight to watch MTV—
Scorsese again doesn’t mail anything in—he can make a guy on the phone look fascinating
Lots of close-ups—active camera
The screenplay may be pulpy but its sharp
Having said that- perhaps the most famous scene in the film is the largely improvised – tour-de-force/chemistry display of acting in the high school theater between Lewis and De Niro- this got them their acting noms. She’s so good- awkward—
Scorsese brings so much to the film beyond the virtuoso style—we have the Straw Dogs-like violence, the reference to the Book of Job, Nolte washing his hands clean at the end – sin
It’s nit-picky but De Niro does dial it up a little at the end and it doesn’t all land—but again this isn’t realism
HR/MS border — not sure what it says that I think this and Shutter Island are two of Scorsese’s most underrated films– there are a lot of similarities there
Totally agreed … an underrated film.
And I think the age of innocence is also underrated , terribly so coz i think it to be a huge masterpiece.
Do you also think the age of innocence is a masterpiece?
M, are you the m who used to comment often before (usually with a lowercase “m”) and announced they were temporarily leaving the site on September 28? I’m just curious if you are the same person.
Graham, sadly i don’t think it’s him, he wrote differently. He probably won’t come back, if i remember correctly Drake banned him for a misunderstanding. I really got along with him very well.
The original m was not “banned” as you say. It appears they planned to leave for a period of time on their own accord. Here is m’s final comment on the 250 Best Directors page:
“ Drake, i want to apologize sincerely if i made you feel like i don’t appreciate the site. this is specifically in reference to a comment i posted yesterday on your back to the future page where i wrote ‘why aren’t there more images on this review’ and you replied ‘whats wrong with THIS one.’ i apologize, as i did not mean to offend you. i and everyone else who visits this site respects or should the hard work you put into it. all the movies you watch, your knowledge of the art form, allowing civil discourse, it is all very appreciates and as i said i respect what you do. i will take a break from commenting for a long spell and i think just focus on growing, watching more films and such. i don’t want to offend anyone, certainly not anyone who is this dedicated hardworking and passionate.”
extraordinary transformation by De Niro – incredible physique, long hair, tattoos, southern accent, just disappears into the role
agree with the tremendous performance by Juliette Lewis – it’s one of the most believable teenage performances as it captures the awkwardness and tentative nature of a teen far better than 99% of actors/actresses, movie teens usually have a confidence and assured nature that is generally not realistic
I like Fred Dalton Thompson’s role as a colleague of Nick Nolte’s character who points out the hypocrisy of Nolte not defending Cady to the best of his ability “Some folks just don’t have
the right to the best defense? ” while Cady is thoroughly despicable it does raise an interesting point about a defense attorney’s duty vs what he/she considers moral. This gives the movie additional depth along with the very nature of Nolte’s character who could be described as self-serving and arrogant in certain ways even though he is clearly a better human being than Cady (not saying much) it none the less makes the movie far more interesting that Nolte isn’t presented as a flawless Hero
Yeah that feels like what happens haha. But some days for me I let the work pile up so I have to quit for a short while and get all that done, or I’m just too exhausted to spend time here. About 10 days ago that was what it was for me.
Not really Graham, he decided to stop commenting because Drake deleted many of his comments, within a few minutes of commenting they were deleted, that’s why he does not comment.
He posted as 5 apology comments and they were deleted, i remember replying to a comment from the same thread and it was deleted because they deleted his comment and therefore the replies (like mine)
I doubt you know the story.
I told you guys, it wasn’t him, he wrote differently.
Hi @M*A*S*H.
Totally agreed … an underrated film.
And I think the age of innocence is also underrated , terribly so coz i think it to be a huge masterpiece.
Do you also think the age of innocence is a masterpiece?
@M- indeed I do- http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/10/04/the-age-of-innocence-1993-scorsese/
M, are you the m who used to comment often before (usually with a lowercase “m”) and announced they were temporarily leaving the site on September 28? I’m just curious if you are the same person.
@M. Are you “m” my friend who commented before?
Graham, sadly i don’t think it’s him, he wrote differently. He probably won’t come back, if i remember correctly Drake banned him for a misunderstanding. I really got along with him very well.
Really? His language looks pretty similar to me. I think it’s the same guy but I’d need a second look at some of m’s comments to say for sure.
The original m was not “banned” as you say. It appears they planned to leave for a period of time on their own accord. Here is m’s final comment on the 250 Best Directors page:
“ Drake, i want to apologize sincerely if i made you feel like i don’t appreciate the site. this is specifically in reference to a comment i posted yesterday on your back to the future page where i wrote ‘why aren’t there more images on this review’ and you replied ‘whats wrong with THIS one.’ i apologize, as i did not mean to offend you. i and everyone else who visits this site respects or should the hard work you put into it. all the movies you watch, your knowledge of the art form, allowing civil discourse, it is all very appreciates and as i said i respect what you do. i will take a break from commenting for a long spell and i think just focus on growing, watching more films and such. i don’t want to offend anyone, certainly not anyone who is this dedicated hardworking and passionate.”
extraordinary transformation by De Niro – incredible physique, long hair, tattoos, southern accent, just disappears into the role
agree with the tremendous performance by Juliette Lewis – it’s one of the most believable teenage performances as it captures the awkwardness and tentative nature of a teen far better than 99% of actors/actresses, movie teens usually have a confidence and assured nature that is generally not realistic
I like Fred Dalton Thompson’s role as a colleague of Nick Nolte’s character who points out the hypocrisy of Nolte not defending Cady to the best of his ability “Some folks just don’t have
the right to the best defense? ” while Cady is thoroughly despicable it does raise an interesting point about a defense attorney’s duty vs what he/she considers moral. This gives the movie additional depth along with the very nature of Nolte’s character who could be described as self-serving and arrogant in certain ways even though he is clearly a better human being than Cady (not saying much) it none the less makes the movie far more interesting that Nolte isn’t presented as a flawless Hero
No I’m not the same person , I’m new here. Discovering new stuff.
I may comment by the name M*A*S*H now 2 avoid confusion ??
I’ll b glad to make film buddies !!!
Welcome to The Cinema Archives cult, M*A*S*H. Be careful. If you aren’t, you may become psychologically addicted to this site.
Haha just kidding.
Yeah that feels like what happens haha. But some days for me I let the work pile up so I have to quit for a short while and get all that done, or I’m just too exhausted to spend time here. About 10 days ago that was what it was for me.
Thanks pal !
Not really Graham, he decided to stop commenting because Drake deleted many of his comments, within a few minutes of commenting they were deleted, that’s why he does not comment.
He posted as 5 apology comments and they were deleted, i remember replying to a comment from the same thread and it was deleted because they deleted his comment and therefore the replies (like mine)
I doubt you know the story.
I told you guys, it wasn’t him, he wrote differently.
Hi @M*A*S*H.
Hello pal !
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