Mark Kermode reviews De Palma

Mark Kermode reviews De Palma. Documentary in which the writer/ director talks about his life and career.
Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film - below. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.
www.bbc.co.uk/5...
Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.

[@56postoffice]

*"Sisters"* is class. *"Carrie"* is up there as one of the true greats, introduced the *shock ending* in horror.

[@jonny5779]

The Untouchables is a great piece of work, and its one of my favorite DePalma films.

[@Jamesleeperkins]

De Palma is severely under appreciated, my favorite director

[@positiveenergy9134]

John Lithgow is brilliant in Movie Blow Out. Great Ending like the great Billy Friedkin Movie, To Live & Die İn L.A

[@Bringos76]

To Live & Die in L.A. is a classic.

[@dpw81]

I love De Palma's early stuff, it's like warped Hitchcock.

[@clapattack7235]

dpw81 dressed to kill is his most Hitchcockian film

[@fredfat1606]

hitchcock films are warped

[@rnw2739]

@@clapattack7235 Hitchcockian?!! Its a virtual utter rip-off of 'Psycho'.... only difference being it's not set in a desolate motel.

[@clapattack7235]

@RNW It is to an extent. The plot has the exact same beats I will never debate that; but it's themes are different for its time. I find it to be more beautifully shot and crafted with its show, don't tell visual storytelling. But in the whole it is a near identical Psycho. The same can be said for Body Double being a combo ripoff/homage to Rear Window and Vertigo slapped together with 80s levels of cocaine.

[@rnw2739]

@@clapattack7235 Dont get me wrong I still enjoy watching 'Dressed to Kill' but.... the murder of Angie Dickinson in the lift (DePalmas shower scene) is SOOOO staged, rehearsed and operatic it is laughable....made even more hilarious at the sight of Michael Caine with that ridiculous syrup!

[@jonny5779]

Casualties of War is extremely underrated

[@kentallard8852]

I always felt the ending was a cop out, in real life the four soldiers all successfully appealed their convictions and got reduced sentences and were then paroled within a few years - one of them even committed a second murder in the 1980s. The film should have mentioned this instead of ending on a faux-happy ending of justice being 'served'.

[@lsmoulton]

And great score by Ennio Morricone !

[@rnw2739]

Definitely!! It is a fantastic film.

[@timtrek]

Brian De Palma's ideological problem is that he's free of ideological problems

[@kentallard8852]

His two war films show he is on the progressive left

[@nidhavellir]

God forbid we should have artists who can think beyond partisan platitudes.

[@haintedhouse2990]

@@nidhavellir God forbid De Palma does a film that doesn't border on plagiarism. hello Hitch!

[@benfisher1376]

Who cares about his politics?

[@majortom4658]

Highly recommend, BRIAN DE PALMA - MASTERPIECES, on KZbin for a beautifully orchestrated film tribute mix of cinematic cinematography, dialogue & song, FANTASTIC !!!!!

[@Slowdived80]

Wonderful director my top 5 by him are Carlito's Way Scarface Carrie The Untouchables Casualties Of War ( seeing michael j fox in a serious role is quite something)

[@hudldevice1092]

Great list.

[@marijumanji]

I really enjoyed this documentary.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Carlito's Way is his best film. My top five De Palma's films: 1.Carlito's Way 2. Femme Fatale 3. Blow Out 4. Passion 5. Carrie

[@kdizzle901]

Blow Out Carlitos Way The Untouchables Carrie Body Double

[@kdizzle901]

Blow Out is a masterpiece

[@harryiglesias]

Body Double is quite wonderful....

[@FilmFan1971]

Has Simon seen Phantom of the Paradise now?

[@edwardtoyebo9690]

Hard to discuss a filmmakers career when you have not seen key films of said filmmaker. Phantom of The Paradise is essential DePalma. What floored me, hearing that producers were the ones pushing Split Screen shots and not the director. Both Paradise and Carrie have the most elaborate split screen shots, specifically the rock and roll number Upholstery from Paradise. I love DePalma's style.

[@LikwidAyshun]

Mayo getting a dig in at Tim Polecat.

[@kentallard8852]

Its strange that the ideology being discussed here is how women are the victims of male antagonists in thrillers, and not something like Redacted and how it was treated in the US on release

[@benjizee7307]

SWAAAAANNNN!

[@danboy77]

Never have I seen a film with such despair as Carrie.

[@stephencampbell2115]

Of all the Hollywood maverick directors Brian De Palma is the best

[@kentallard8852]

why is it misogynistic for the WIFE KILLER to use an oversized possibly phalic drill to murder his wife? He's the bad guy! He's killing his wife! Of course he is going to do something horrible and twisted. That doesn't reflect the directors views.

[@hudldevice1092]

Agreed. It's absolutely absurd.

[@lisquidsnake]

Any chance of reviewing White Girl?

[@deckofcards87]

Only problem I have with his movies are that most of them rely on style over substance. But the few exceptions that don't are fantastic.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

The style is the substance.

[@haintedhouse2990]

his films seem uneven to me, going from impressive moments to artsy fartsy overkill like his endless slow motion sequences - seems like it took Sissy Spacek 20 minutes to get to the stage at her prom.

[@rnw2739]

@@haintedhouse2990 Well, the majority of the audience were overwhelmed for her character, seemingly being accepted at last whilst also dreading the 'prank' that lies in wait..... You must be unique in that you obviously couldn't wait for Carrie's night to get ruined..

[@haintedhouse2990]

@@rnw2739 settle down drama queen - that's a clueless statement "i couldn't wait for Carrie's night to get ruined" i was talking from a technical stand -point, in other words TOO MUCH SLOW MOTION.

[@rnw2739]

@@haintedhouse2990 Shut it, histrionic iron hoof, you don't need to explain anything to me. Yes, I fully understood you found there was too much slow-motion during the film, which simply shows you weren't that interested in the story.... What a boring **** you sound like lol

[@UlrichUlrich]

Bad documentary IMO - they just rushed through all of the movies, not delving into any of them. I did not learn anything I didn't already know about the movies or De Palma. Very disappointing doc.

[@ironhills]

What ideological problems? He makes pulp.

[@richardstevens8839]

That’s all very well when you discount the language and technical aspects of Cinema

[@chrissmith8526]

@@richardstevens8839