A flawed work from Brian De Palma but it’s De Palma—meaning there are some exceptional cinematic moments paired (often right alongside) some cringe-worthy storytelling/writing and pulpy pop psychology
The psychological thriller, De Palma always the Hitchcock acolyte has fashioned another retelling of Psycho to go with his superior 1980 work Dressed to Kill (also a psychologist with identity issues who wears a wig)
Part Sybil and a forerunner to Shyamalan’s Split
De Palma uses canted dutch angles perfectly here showing Lithgow’s disturbed worldview
Lithgow is going for it- it’s a tall ask as he has to portray five different personalities (who sometimes talk amongst themselves) and I’m not sure he’s up to it 100% of the time- but mostly he is let down by the screenplay – at times it feels like bad one-man theater
An unreliable narrator to say the least- haha
Split diopter heaven- gorgeous work- at least three times- one here at 65 minutes
Split diopter heaven- gorgeous work- at least three times- one here at 65 minutes
Sloppily goes to the wife’s inner monologue for a quick cheat (at only at that time) at 29 minutes- poor form
The car in the swamp that gets stuck is directly plucked from Psycho
The police station tracking shot at 54 minutes up and down multiple levels of the station – a De Palma trademark like the opening of Bonfire of the Vanities in 1990 just a few years before- the Steadicam going with the characters in the elevator
The police station tracking shot at 54 minutes up and down multiple levels of the station – a De Palma trademark like the opening of Bonfire of the Vanities in 1990 just a few years before- the Steadicam going with the characters in the elevator
“Peeping Tom” in the text- and De Palma talks about Powell’s work as an influence
The motel set piece is magnificent—De Palma has the crane floating down multiple stories at the 82 minute mark
The trademark De Palma slow-motion camera speed climax—stunning. Like Untouchables there’s a baby carriage (from Potemkin) but the oranges and daughter dropping off the top of the motel in slow-motion
The trademark De Palma slow-motion camera speed climax—stunning. Like Untouchables there’s a baby carriage (from Potemkin) but the oranges and daughter dropping off the top of the motel in slow-motion
@Aldo- it’s a broad definition- I’m using it meaning like a b-movie, midnight movie, typically genre, sensational- horror, violence, crime. de palma, verhoeven corman, aldrich’s work with Bette Davis in the 1960’s
I know what “pulp” means but i have never fully understood what is a “pulp movie”
@Drake. Some good examples?
@Aldo- it’s a broad definition- I’m using it meaning like a b-movie, midnight movie, typically genre, sensational- horror, violence, crime. de palma, verhoeven corman, aldrich’s work with Bette Davis in the 1960’s
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