A Film A Day: Brian De Palma

Carrie (1976)

Stephen King's Carrie has been on the shelf, waiting for somebody to read it, for decades (my mother bought it in the 80s and never read it). It was February when I finally decided to read it and, being a King fan, I found it rather disappointing. It wasn't terrible but it sure wasn't great either. I still decided to check out this movie because Brian De Palma directed it and Sissy Spacek plays Carrie, and, like just the book, it was disappointing.

Brought up by her religious fanatic mother (Piper Laurie) almost in isolation, Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is a shy 17-year-old whose classmates constantly makes fun of. When she gets her first period, she is teased by the girls more than before and the gym teacher (Betty Buckley) disciplines the girls severely. One of them, Sue Snell (Amy Irving), feels sorry for her so she asks her boyfriend (William Katt) to take Carrie to prom instead of her. Christ Hargenson (Nancy Allen), on the other hand, is determined to have revenge and, with the help of her boyfriend (John Travolta), starts plotting against Carrie. But Carrie has telekinetic powers and messing with her won't be a smart move.

Cast

Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy García, Robert De Niro, Patricia Clarkson, Billy Drago, Richard Bradford, Jack Kehoe, Brad Sullivan, Clifton James

Plot

Young Treasury Agent Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) assembles a personal team of mob fighters to bring Chicago crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) to justice using unconventional means during the mob wars of the 1920's.

Opinion

Leaving out the fact that Elliot Ness is portrait as a saint, and he was none, and there are certain historical liberties taken with the story, this film stands out among the gangster films.

The Untouchables is an excellent, entertaining and thrilling historical, action and crime film all rolled up into one.

Brian De Palma once again proves being a masterful filmmaker, and this film is in my opinion his greatest work, a step ahead of his other great film, Scarface. This time, instead of focusing on a self-destructive gangster, De Palma focuses on a honest man with a noble mission.

As I said before, there are many liberties with the history, and they affect in a negative way the character development, which is basically nonexistent, and the plot at some points.

However, De Palma solves these shortcomings with incredible scenes, the best of which is the outstanding railway station shootout.

The acting is superb. Sean Connery delivers a towering performance as James Malone, winning his only and very well deserved Oscar. Kevin Costner delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Elliot Ness. However, Robert De Niro is the standout actor, mesmerizing as crime boss Al Capone.

Quotes

Ness: Never stop, never stop fighting till the fight is done.

Capone: What'd you say? What're you saying?

Ness: I said, "Never stop fighting till the fight is done."

Capone: What?

Ness: You heard me, Capone. It's over.

Capone: Get out, you're nothing but a lot of talk and a badge.

Ness: Here endeth the lesson.

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Musical

Director

Brian De Palma

Country

United States

Cast

William Finley, Paul Williams, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham, Raymond Louis Kennedy, George Memmoli, Archie Hahn, Ron Serling

Plot

After hearing Winslow Leach (William Finley) perform a song from his Faust rock opera, impresario Swan (Paul Williams) decides that Winslow's opera would be the perfect debut attraction for his new rock palace, the Paradise.

Swan steals the music and has Winslow imprisoned, but not before Winslow meets aspiring singer Phoenix (Jessica Harper). Jumping prison, Winslow breaks into Swan's Death Records factory to ruin the recordings, but a record press accident disfigures him. Winslow, known from now on as the Phantom, then tries to sabotage Swan's show, but Swan, however, cuts a deal with him to finish his cantata: he promises that Phoenix only will sing it.