Brian De Palma

I honestly think Obsession and Sisters are his absolute best work.

Joseph Edwards4 said:Scarface is basically Cocaine Cowboys turned up to eleven. If people were actually on that level of coke, cities like Miami would be absolute chaos every single weekend. The last few minutes are a total joke, but it works. It’s a hell of a character study about the man who built an empire.

The point is, it isn't over the top. Just watch Cocaine Cowboys (2006)

I guess you could say De Palma is a true student of Hitchcock; almost every single one of his movies feels like a little homage to him, so I think you really have to look at his entire body of work to get the full picture.

Samuel Scott54 said:I guess you could say De Palma is a true student of Hitchcock; almost every single one of his movies feels like a little homage to him, so I think you really have to look at his entire body of work to get the full picture.

especially with a flick like Dressed to Kill

Look, Hitchcock’s influence is huge, but let's not get carried away here. It’s definitely not just some "everyday" movie.

Morgan Brown4 said:Look, Hitchcock’s influence is huge, but let's not get carried away here. It’s definitely not just some "everyday" movie.

Think about Dressed to Kill, Blow Out (where you can see some Antonioni too), Raising Cain, Body Double, Obsession, Sisters, or even the whole femme fatale vibe...

It’s nothing wrong, though—De Palma himself actually admitted who his idols and his "godfather" are.

Mark White11 said:Honestly, I think Scarface is super overrated—it’s one of those movies that feels cool when you’re fifteen and all you want to do is post that "eyes never lie" quote on your profile.

But man, that final scene in Blow Out? That last shot is easily one of the greatest moments in cinema history. At least if you ask me. It’s a good scream

Ufff, a heavy, unforgettable moment. Whenever someone brings up Brian De Palma, that specific part is what hits me first. Haven't watched it in ages, but Travolta's expression is burned into my brain.

Noah Roberts46 said:“A lot of people thought Scarface was over the top. anyone Who Had Dona a pound of Peruvian BLOW knows that is documentary.”

-Robin Williams in Carlito's Way

☕

Carlito's Way is my personal favorite.

Say hello to my little friend!
- a line heard in bedrooms all around the world 😁

Robin had the sharpest tributes alongside Rickles during those awards...

>, >, then >. In that order.
I’ve always liked it when key movie moments go down at train stations or depots.😁

And just to mention, casualties of war.

You listed seven films out of maybe 30 feature films, which is a far cry from "every single one." The guy started out with comedies, then moved into those Hitchcock-style thrillers, plus he did two supernatural horror flicks, a couple of mafia movies, a war film, Mission Impossible, and some SF action... You can't really claim almost every movie he makes is an homage to Hitchcock.

Every single time I sit down to watch one of his movies, I find myself just waiting—literally waiting—to see when and how he’s going to drop that signature split-screen shot. It’s always such a trip seeing how he pulls it off.

Body Double is basically just a remake of Vertigo.

Larry Walker24 said:especially with a flick like Dressed to Kill

To me, "Dressed to Kill" feels more like an Italian Giallo than something by Hitchcock.

dustyfalcon7 said:To me, "Dressed to Kill" feels more like an Italian Giallo than something by Hitchcock.

Sorry, I guess the whole idea was just a riff on Psycho.

Samuel Scott54 said:Sorry, I guess the whole idea was just a riff on Psycho.

I'm not sure about the "copying" label. That feels a bit harsh for De Palma. To me, it felt more like an upgraded version of a Giallo.

dustyfalcon7 said:I'm not sure about the "copying" label. That feels a bit harsh for De Palma. To me, it felt more like an upgraded version of a Giallo.

It’s basically cinematic homage. Dressed to Kill is actually a remake of Obsession.

And De Palma isn't the only one who grew up idolizing Hitchcock. Claude Chabrol was definitely influenced by him, and so was Dario Argento, the master of Giallo.

First you've got the likes of Otto Preminger and Castle, then moving into Roman Polanski, John Carpenter, Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, David Lynch, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino—plus the whole slasher and Giallo subgenre craze. It’s just one long, nonstop lineup...

It’s wild how nobody has brought him up yet, because if you ask me, his work is absolute cinema. I fell in love with his stuff back when I was just a kid, and honestly, I’m still just as obsessed today.
Dressed to Kill
Blow Out
Scarface

Those four are easily my favorites, and man, picking a number one is almost impossible since I get something great out of every single one.
I’m a huge fan of most of his stuff from the 70s and 80s, and even the 90s—to be honest, his more recent stuff after Femme fatale just doesn't hit nearly as hard for me.
Carrie, Obsession, Sisters, Body Double, Carlito's Way, and Snake Eyes are all total classics in my book too.

I haven't seen The Avengers yet—honestly, we seriously need to fix that!