What’s Aged the Best?
Analog craft; Travolta; expert jobs; local news; Philadelphia; Franz; film stock; diopter; fake films; names; dubbing; craft team; conspiracy relevance; split screens
In the discussion (15)
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:31Read transcript
- The tactile analog equipment and manual labor are cherished; an iPhone-era version would be easier and less singular, though De Palma might still find an expressive visual method.
- Travolta at the end of his first star era is praised, especially his relaxed, believable station-bar flirting while Sally does her makeup.
- Movie characters who are world-class at unusual jobs remain a favorite.
- The era when threatening to go on local television carried weight is nostalgically praised.
- Early 1980s Philadelphia, its recognizable locations and geographically honest cuts are praised; the city dictates the action rather than being rearranged to suit it.
- Early Dennis Franz is praised, including his unmistakable Chicago quality and connection to Dressed to Kill.
- High-quality film stock supports the extensive night photography.
- Manny Karp is admired as a character name.
- De Palma’s use of the split diopter is praised as unmatched.
- De Palma’s fake films within films are celebrated, including Body Double’s music-video and pornography crossover.
- The cop’s instruction to save paranoia for public television is enjoyed.
- The dubbing-session performer’s knowing smile while pulling another woman’s hair is praised as a quintessentially perverse directorial moment.
- The craft team is praised: Sylbert’s run Heaven Can Wait, Hardcore, Kramer vs. Kramer and Blow Out, and Hirsch’s The Fury, Empire Strikes Back, Blow Out and Creepshow illustrate remarkable consecutive work.
- The consuming belief in political conspiracy is considered newly relevant to online conspiracy culture.
- The filmmaking and split screens are praised; the slow-motion owl still produces a visceral shock.