Was Pauline Kael right or wrong about the man?

Not crap for Blow Out, Sisters, and Dressed to Kill. It's been a while since I've seen any of his other films, though I recall enjoying Carlito's Way and Casualties of War.

I didn't really like Scarface. It's well shot, but Pacino's character is so unlikeable.

i'm a big fan of Femme Fatale

zircona1 wrote: Fri Jul 09, 2021 8:35 am I didn't really like Scarface. It's well shot, but Pacino's character is so unlikeable.

So then it was a good movie, well written, cast, and directed and acted. You were not supposed to like Tony Montana, at all.

De Palma was not crap up until 2000 or so, have not really paid attention since then though.

enframed wrote: Fri Jul 09, 2021 9:42 am

zircona1 wrote: Fri Jul 09, 2021 8:35 am I didn't really like Scarface. It's well shot, but Pacino's character is so unlikeable.

So then it was a good movie, well written, cast, and directed and acted. You were not supposed to like Tony Montana, at all.

I get that, but I still didn't find the movie as great as some people talk it to up to being.

Yup, Scarface has to be possibly the most overrated movie of all time. It's average, at best.

Blow Out is superb, Dressed to Kill is also very strong. Definitely prefer his Hitchcock-meets-pervy-psychotic-obsession material (almost an American Argento for a while, no?) over the gangster or horror stuff, though even within the genre-exercises his style and mastery of suspense often elevate more mediocre fare.

I suspect his hyper-sleazy, amoral vibe won't be looked upon very kindly going forward.

Again, can't recommend Blow Out strongly enough.

N.C

I enjoyed "The Untouchables". It was a good Saturday night watch.


Torch on. I'm a sucker for Connery.

He's had a rough past 20+ years but Phantom of the Paradise is my favorite movie, so it's a NC from me on that alone. Carrie, Blow Out, and Carlito's Way are all incredible as well and he's got other fun ones (Body Double, Sisters, etc.). WF for off-the-charts horniness but when he's on? Doesn't get much better for me.

Agree with the majority of the above...lots of time for Carrie, Sisters, Carlito, Untouchables, Dressed, Blow Out...hell, even the first M:I film. Things took a considerable nosedive after that. Generally, the more he doubles-down on the Hitchcock stylings, the more I'll enjoy it.

Which reminds me, I don't think I've seen Raising Cain since it was on first release, nearly 30 years ago now. I seem to remember it being quite good fun. Must hunt it down again and see how off the mark I am!

NC