Classic Films You Love To Hate

[Beyond72]

Originally Posted by oaxaca

I wouldn't say I hated them or even disliked them but I do find that most of DePalma's films are incredibly melodramatic, bordering on the verge of cheese (I'm thinking RAISING CAIN, BODY DOUBLE, OBSESSION and the waaay OTT SCARFACE). His visual flair is impressive, the cinematography in OBSESSION is particularly stunning, and the camerawork is pretty innovative. But somehow most of his films don't do it for me. The storylines are generally a bit loopy and the melodrama approaches DALLAS levels

I can't argue with most of that and I'm a fan!
The Pino Donaggio scores don't help either, and again I'm a fan!

I will however have to disagree about Scarface being waaay OTT, if you watch the documentary COCAINE COWBOYS about Miami in the late 70's/early 80's, and Scarface isn't so OTT as you first think!

[Wes]

Originally Posted by Beyond72

I will however have to disagree about Scarface being waaay OTT, if you watch the documentary COCAINE COWBOYS about Miami in the late 70's/early 80's, and Scarface isn't so OTT as you first think!

Yeah, good point, that's a film I'd like to see...

For me Pacino's performance swamps the entire film, the way he spits out the lines - not a bad as Malkovich in Rounders, but it get's irritating after a while. And the character is an asshole as well...

[James Morton]

Originally Posted by oaxaca

I wouldn't say I hated them or even disliked them but I do find that most of DePalma's films are incredibly melodramatic, bordering on the verge of cheese (I'm thinking RAISING CAIN, BODY DOUBLE, OBSESSION and the waaay OTT SCARFACE). His visual flair is impressive, the cinematography in OBSESSION is particularly stunning, and the camerawork is pretty innovative. But somehow most of his films don't do it for me. The storylines are generally a bit loopy and the melodrama approaches DALLAS levels

disagree witth you there 100%
De Palma is a briliant director
better than Kubrick, Lynch, Boyle, et al
SCARFACE is brilliant and supposed to be OTT, because everything in the film gets excessive, as its one of its themes
BODY DOUBLE is underrated as is FEMME FATALE, RAISING CAIN and SNAKE EYES

[Wes]

Originally Posted by James Morton

De Palma is a briliant director
better than Kubrick, Lynch...

James, that's a bold statement....

[James Morton]

Originally Posted by Wes

James, that's a bold statement....

it was supposed to be

[ArgentoFan1987]

Originally Posted by Wes

De Palma is hit an miss, but when he gets it right, he scores - Blow Out is a great movie - but that's for another thread I guess... Funnily enough, I don't think Bonfire of the Vanities is the train wreck it's made out to be - I'd highly recommend Julie Salamon's book The Devil's Candy: The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood, which chronicles the unhappy making of the film, and all the absurdities that De Palma had to deal with - it's a wonder that anyone makes films at all...

Both kubrick and DePalma are really hit and miss for me.

Blow Out was extraordinary!!! I've recently bought Dressed to kill, which I'm told is excellent .

[Wes]

Originally Posted by ArgentoFan1987

Both kubrick and DePalma are really hit and miss for me.

Blow Out was extraordinary!!! I've recently bought Dressed to kill, which I'm told is excellent .

Dressed To Kill is really good - very much an American giallo... Seek out Sisters as well - excellent pyschothriller and has lots of good hallucinatory weirdness...

[ArgentoFan1987]

Originally Posted by Wes

Dressed To Kill is really good - very much an American giallo... Seek out Sisters as well - excellent pyschothriller and has lots of good hallucinatory weirdness...

I see Sisters in nearly every shop I go into. I saw it for a pound yesterday in Groucho's (my local second-hand shop I'm never out of).ImageUploadedByTapatalk1349200500.037822.jpg

[Wes]

Everyone’s probably sick of the Sight & Sound 2012 poll by now but I just wanted to riff on it for a sec... The website linked below gathered a bunch of 1-star reviews IMDB users gave to the classics on the list, and some of the reviews are priceless – I know we’re all grown-ups here and we respect each other’s opinions and all that good stuff, but sometimes people are just plain wrong !

Sight & Sound’s 10 Greatest Films of All Time, and their one-star IMDb reviews

Sample review – Top slotter Vertigo

This is the most boring film I have ever seen and you will think the same if you see it. This movie goes on forever and never stops ever until it ends. I wish this film had stayed away from me.

 It’s all about an old guy in a car who is chasing a woman and that’s it. There is more car driving in this film than in maybe a hundred other films all put together. He never even catches her! What a waste of time. I’m not allowed to tell you what happens later in the film but trust me you don’t want to know. It’s rubbish. 

The film looks so fake like a cartoon and it was about to make me laugh until I remembered how bored I was. I’d rather tidy my bedroom than see another minute of that old guy driving. I don’t want to see this film or anything like it ever again.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Wes

Everyone’s probably sick of the Sight & Sound 2012 poll by now but I just wanted to riff on it for a sec... The website linked below gathered a bunch of 1-star reviews IMDB users gave to the classics on the list, and some of the reviews are priceless – I know we’re all grown-ups here and we respect each other’s opinions and all that good stuff, but sometimes people are just plain wrong !

Unfortunately, stupid people watch films too, this photo just about sums it up