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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
De Palma has a tendency of getting excellent scores from any composer (even when they're not so interesting musically to make me buy the CD, they still work very well in the movie).

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Right on the money. The score works fantastic in the film (and it's a great film, BTW)! But, I'm not interested at all in getting it on CD.

And for once, I don't care if Ryan won't like it; because I know he won't. He's already made his dislike of DePalma knowledge on this thread and I know that he won't like the film. If he does see it, I invite him to share his comments and feelings.

BTW, speaking of critics, DAHLIA scores an average of "C" at Yahoo! Movies and a somewhat rotten 31%, or "Rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Box office estimates put it's opening weekend gross at $12 million, that's a few million less than the Rock/football movie scored by Trevor Rabin.

Oscars all 'round for DAHLIA!

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
Is this thread about Brian DePalma or his infinitely more popular critic Ryan?

BTW, speaking of critics, DAHLIA scores an average of "C" at Yahoo! Movies and a somewhat rotten 31%, or "Rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Box office estimates put it's opening weekend gross at $12 million, that's a few million less than the Rock/football movie scored by Trevor Rabin.

Oscars all 'round for DAHLIA!

Ryan

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It's good to hear that a movie's sentimental value to an individual is purely based on other critics reviews and box office tallies. Thanks Ryan, you made my night. I guess I don't like the movie after all.

Frankly, I'd be pleased if Dahlia didn't win any Oscars other than the technical awards it truly deserves, because, frankly, recent Best Picture winners are about as memorable as a kick in the nuts - speaking of which, what won last year? Was it that remake of David Cronenberg's Crash? I don't understand why Hollywood felt it necessary to remake a great movie in the first place, especially when you just add racism on top of all those people obsessed with car crashes and their effects on the human body. J.G. Ballard must have been upset; what's next, a remake of Empire of the Sun in which we all learn the important lesson of greed?

Again, you conservative moron, with your box office tallies, as if they mean anything at all, and web ratings (web ratings!!! HA!); Rotten Tomatoes at that! Since that's your gauge on movies (hell, you're a Brian Tyler sycophant, so no surprise there), than you're of the same moronic breed who's only opinions on movies come from Film Force, or worse, Empire.

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Originally posted by sean:
. . . than you're of the same moronic breed who's only opinions on movies come from Film Force, or worse, Empire.

Go see the movie before you type words about it, and other than that, have fun at Gridiron Gang, because all that money it's making, it must be fantastic!

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Ouch, it's almost considered being blackballed when you're compared to Empire magazine.

Speaking of fantastic movies that score number one at the box office: The Covenant. It tallied $9 million and a number one place in the B.O.; judging by that money and that bad-ass first place ticket, it must be near-perfect! Never mind the 2% score it has on Rotten Tomatoes!

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
What a world we live in when something like THE BLACK DAHLIA, a film made by a faded director with C-list stars based on an unsolved murder, fail at the box office. It's just not fair that the public wasn't interested. Really people need to stop gauging a film's quality via accomplished critics and start heading to MovieMusic.com, and digesting the impressive arguments by tastemakers "nuts_score" and some guy from the backwoods Ontario.

Ryan

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Ryan, what evidence do you have that DePalma is a "faded director"? As far as I remember, he's still considered one of the top directors still working (imagine that, he still works, he still gets to make movies!) and has a good variety of fans; certainly as many as Spielberg or (gasp!) Michael Bay has (well, I'm certain he has more qualified fans than Bay). C-list stars? Didn't Hilary Swank win two Oscars within the past five years? Isn't Scarlett Johansson considered one of "the most gorgeous people in Hollywood"? Isn't Josh Hartnett a heartthrob beloved by millions of women? Isn't Aaron Eckhart a more than qualified talent? Hell, even Mike Starr has a great resume. Accomplished critics? Most of them respect and appreciate the strange and cinematic work that DePalma has to offer as opposed to the shlock that Hollywood usually churns out of its franchise and remake bonanzas. Have you taken time to look over most of the critics that submit reviews at Rotten Tomatoes? Pauline Kael certainly can't deliver them a review from outside the grave, because I'm sure she would have simultaneously loved and hated (for mysoginistic reasons on DePalmas part) this film. Very few of DePalma's films are considered commercial successes, but that doesn't make me want to give up my respect for an auteur from the Hollywood Renaissance; he still knows how to spin a gripping yarn. Dahlia is a straight DePalma movie; it's a straight Ellroy movie. It's noir at its pulpiest. Genre films aren't for everyone, especially when they had false delusions that this might be considered an Oscar contender (trust me, DePalma doesn't make movies to win a shiny statuette, he makes movies that cater to cinephiles; people who are willing to lose themselves in the experience and enjoy the movies for what they are). This is an independent film financed and filmed outside of America; this is not Hollywood product, despite its pedigree. Go see the movie Ryan; I dare you to. Come out from behind the shadow of Rotten Tomatoes and like something for a change.

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Originally posted by nuts_score:
...he still knows how to spin a gripping yarn. Dahlia is a straight DePalma movie; it's a straight Ellroy movie. It's noir at its pulpiest. Genre films aren't for everyone, especially when they had false delusions that this might be considered an Oscar contender (trust me, DePalma doesn't make movies to win a shiny statuette, he makes movies that cater to cinephiles; people who are willing to lose themselves in the experience and enjoy the movies for what they are).

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Originally posted by vdemona:

I think it's too early right now to know whether or not it truly failed. Didn't it just come out Friday?

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To people like a Ryan, a film's success and classic status is based purely on its opening weekend box office.

By Ryan's gauge a film about The Rock teaching rapists and murderers how to play football in one movie and another about teenaged voodoo queens is certainly the right recipe for success and the right mish-mash to get caught up after Tokyo Drift.

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Originally posted by nuts_score:
Vilmos Zsigmond cinematography is top-of-the-line what you'd expect from an veteran DP of his caliber (which is why I'm glad some Hollywood Renaissance vets still rely on the best); it's stark at darker moments and full of energy whenever the beauty of Scarlett Johansson is on screen. It'll be an absolute shame (along the lines of Emmanuel Lubezki losing last year's race) if his photography isn't considered at this year's Oscars (and, in my opinion, he should have won this battle hands down).

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First time I've noticed hard light in a long time in a recent film. Wouldn't mind seeing a comparison of Zsigmond's work here with that of Dante Spinotti on LA CONFIDENTIAL.

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DePalma's camera glides and tracks gracefully, like a true and proven master; making this one to add to his best works. Keep an eye out for a sting operation with Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart in which a perfect crane shot introduces us to an interesting development with the story (perhaps the most interesting at that moment in ther film ) only to pull a complete 360 away from the "breaking news" to concentrate on the details of the city street and back to our "Super Cops"; it's the stuff that makes DePalma such an underrated gem.

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Reminded me a lot of Orson Welles as director in TOUCH OF EVIL actually. A very baroque style.

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Mark Isham's score is perfect; and I couldn't say anything more endearing. The score fits the picture like one of the snuggest gloves you'll ever wear. I honestly can't wait to own it.

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Highly praiseworthy score. The setpiece scoring alone is masterful film music. The rest is richly thematic icing on the cake. DePalma gives so much room for the music to make a strong contribution.

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His shootouts are tensefully shot and edited to near-perfection. The trademarked DePalma action/suspense set piece is thrilling and heartbreaking (as well as shock-worthy).

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True. The blending of montage and scoring for the staircase scene was dazzling. One of the best such scenes from dePalma, I think.

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But this is a bleak and stark, classic noir; there is very old school filmmaking on display here, someone who knows what elements make film noir as identifying as it is (take notes Robert Rodriguez). Therefor, this picture is definitely not for everyone. Some may find the pacing (one of noir's key elements) too slow or difficult to follow; but if you have a keen eye and a good memory, it should serve you well.

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Personally I feel the script is too disinterested in police procedure and in how a mystery is unravelled, particularly when placed alongside other films this year where those elements excel - MIAMI VICE and THE DEPARTED. All the discoveries come too easily to the Hartnet character (and the scriptwriter, who leans too heavily on narration, I feel), when you compare it to the careful release of information about 'Rollo Tamassi' through the three main 'good' cops of LA CONFIDENTIAL.

The score does seem very good though, also after finally having it on CD.

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Originally posted by franz_conrad:
* Franz bows to Ryan *

(Ryan's best post since 'Music from the Unreleased Soundtracks of Films starring Treat Williams'.)

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I love that disc. I made copies for friends and family for Christmas. Tor Hyam's "Chalkboard Elegy" from THE SUBSTITUTE 3 is a highlight.

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Originally posted by rkeaveney:
He seems interested when I post on this thread, so for your sake, Franz, I'm doing just that.

Ryan
NP: "3m37_Singing_prin_no_vox"

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