Review by C.J. Bunce
Fans of the movies of director Brian De Palma have some new takes on the auteur in the 1970s in the fall release The De Palma Decade: Redefining Cinema, available now here at Amazon. Writer and fan Laurent Bouzereau looks back at seven of his films–before Scarface and The Untouchables–that he argues outright defined a decade of film: Sisters, Phantom of the Paradise, Obsession, Carrie, The Fury, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out. Known then for his unique shock style, infusing disturbing sex and violence into his low-budget horror and thriller movies, De Palma and his approach to 1970s cinema are analyzed using contemporary and recent interviews and new perspectives on his work 40 years later.
Cinema aficionados know how De Palma emerged as a voice among an impressive crop of filmmakers who took Hollywood by storm and would become far more successful, each having landmark careers in the industry: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola. The author makes the case that De Palma belongs among these standouts, revolutionizing Hollywood in the 1970s in his own way. What is certain is that each of these directors have referred to De Palma’s style when approaching a new project with a gritty edge and dark action.
As Bouzereau–who writes books on film and has made documentaries on various facets of Hollywood–sees it, “Voyeurs, doubles, and outsiders were brought to life through the use of split screens, split diopters, slow motion, and other flourishes for which De Palma became known.” Instead of being an Alfred Hitchcock knockoff, as he’s sometimes called, the author argues that De Palma films should be seen more as a continuation of the master of suspense’s legacy. I find this a tough sell, but the author gives De Palma his best effort. I’m not sure De Palma understood Hitchcock, and at one point Bouzereau quotes De Palma critiquing Hitchcock’s Vertigo, arguably one of the best movies ever made. Most film historians would not put De Palma’s movies in the same league, but as a fan who grew up on De Palma movies, the author may be a bit too much on the fanboy side in his arguments. But it’s an engaging journey reading Bouzereau making his case.
De Palma had his own acting troupe of sorts, with many 1970s supporting/character actors appearing in his films multiple times, including Nancy Allen, Amy Irving, Dennis Franz, John Travolta, and John Lithgow, with editor Paul Hirsch and production designer Jack Fisk behind the scenes on multiple films. The leads and supporting cast are a “who was who” of 1970s television and movies: like Angie Dickinson, Betty Buckley, P.J. Soles, Geneviéve Bujold, William Katt, Sissy Spacek, and Cliff Robertson. The only key actors not interviewed for the book are the late Margot Kidder, star of Sisters, and Piper Laurie and John Travolta from Carrie. And any new interviews from songwriter Paul Williams is a good thing–he recounts his work on Phantom of the Paradise.
Has anyone ever looked at whether being in a De Palma picture may have stymied studio interest in these players for future projects? Nancy Allen was beginning her “heyday” in genre films, and John Lithgow and Sissy Spacek continued with much critical success, and nostalgia would bring Travolta back more than once. With all the contributors this book is a good look at these movies and the director from inside the studio. Here’s some trivia: A young Bill Paxton worked in the art department under Fisk on Carrie.
The book, available in a hardcover edition, includes some black and white photographs, screen shots from the movies and some movie posters.
Bouzereau’s best handling in this book are his film summaries and scene analysis. These movies are dark, disturbing, and bizarre, yet the author treats them all with a reverence you probably wouldn’t otherwise find. If you’re a fan of the director, you won’t want to miss The De Palma Decade: Redefining Cinema, available now here at Amazon. You also might want to tack this onto your shelf of books from the TCM Library (discussed here at borg).
