Doctor Vampire – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Jamie Luk
Writer: Jamie Luk
Cast: Bowie Lam, Ellen Chan, Sheila Chan, David Wu, Lau Sek-Yin, Crystal Kwok, Ni Kuang, Peter Kjaer, Shing Fui-On

Release Date: February 24th, 2025 (UK)
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (Original Mix), LPCM Mono Cantonese (Restored)
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK)

"While on vacation in Britain, surgeon Dr Chiang Ta-Tsung (Bowie Lam, Hard Boiled) wanders into a quaint rural pub in the grounds of a castle, where he quickly falls for hostess Alice (Ellen Chan, Wizard’s Curse). Despite several warning signs, the good doctor fails to realize that the establishment is staffed entirely by vampires – even after Alice bites him during a late-night tryst. Upon his return to Hong Kong and his long-standing love interest May Chan (Sheila Chan, Heroes Among Heroes), he attempts to return to his normal life. But soon he develops an aversion to sunlight and begins to crave blood, and things get even more complicated when Alice and her undead master – The Count (Peter Kjaer) – come looking for him…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "a brand new 2K restoration".

Doctor Vampire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39 GB

Feature: 29.2 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (original mix), a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (restored). Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise they sound very good. Included are removable English subtitles for all spoken dialog; there is some dialog in English.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview titled A British Vampire in Hong Kong with Stacey Abbott, author of Celluloid Vampires: Life After Death in the Modern World (20 minutes 11 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by gothic scholar Mary Going titled Vampire Slaying 101: Remixing Monster Traditions in Doctor Vampire (22 minutes 11 seconds, LPCM stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an audio commentary with East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and John Charles, an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, an O-Card slipcase (limited to 2000 copies), and a booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay Hong Kong vampire films from Mr Vampire to Doctor Vampire written by Katarzyna Ancuta, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Jamie Luk directed Doctor Vampire. He is also known for Love with the Perfect Stranger, Robotrix, and The Case of the Cold Fish.

A doctor visiting England accidentally enters a brothel where vampires seduce men and feed off their blood. Instead of following her master's orders, a vampire who has fallen in love with the doctor lets him escape. After the doctor returns to Hong Kong, he develops an aversion to sunlight and craves blood.

When one thinks of a vampire in Hong Kong cinema, Jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire) springs to mind. Though Doctor Vampire references Jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampires), a character wears their costume; there are no Jiangshi in Doctor Vampire. That said, Doctor Vampire is a different kind of Hong Kong vampire film, influenced by western cinema's vampires, than Jiangshi.

Despite being a film about vampires, there is nothing remotely scary in Doctor Vampire. In the place of fright, Doctor Vampire relies heavily on humor. In one scene there is a reanimated corpse who walks around with a hard-on, and when the first woman he comes across is not attractive, he quickly moves on. Other moments of humor come from an inept Taoist priest who always gets in the way.

The enthusiastic performances work well within the story that unfolds. The most memorable performance is Shing Fui-On (The Blue Jean Monster), whose character is in the hospital for an operation. Another performance of note is Sheila Chan (Her Fatal Ways), who portrays the protagonist's girlfriend.

What unfolds in Doctor Vampire ranges from silly to far-fetched. In the case of the latter, there is a moment where the master vampire erases a Buddha statue that gives three characters superpowers. Though humor plays a significant role, the last 20 minutes are action-heavy. Ultimately, Doctor Vampire is a highly entertaining film that effectively blends multiple genres.

Doctor Vampire gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Looking for Mr. Goodbar – Vinegar Syndrome (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1977
Director: Richard Brooks
Writer: Richard Brooks
Cast: Diane Keaton, Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Richard Kiley, Richard Gere, Alan Feinstein, Tom Berenger, Priscilla Pointer, Laurie Prange, Joel Fabiani, Julius Harris, Richard Bright, LeVar Burton, Marilyn Coleman, Carole Mallory

Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 136 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (UHD)/Region A (Blu-Ray)
Retail Price: $64.98

"Theresa Dunn’s mild demeanor and job as an inner-city school teacher for deaf children masks her rebellious nightlife of frequenting dance clubs and dive bars, searching for easy men and one-night stands. At odds with her older sister Katherine, whose seemingly idyllic life is itself a cover for infidelity and heartbreak, Theresa finds joy in her self-styled form of liberation, in part to overcompensate for the trauma of a disfiguring scar from childhood scoliosis and her repressive Catholic upbringing. When two wildly different men, the square but grounded James and fun but unhinged Tony, enter her life, Theresa is forced to confront her demons as never before, forcing her on a path of increased self-destruction." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Looking for Mr. Goodbar comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD. 

Disc Size: 92.5 GB

Feature: 91.6 GB

Out of circulation for almost three decades, Looking for Mr. Goodbar's last home media release was a VHS released in the 1990s. That said, going from an analog format VHS to 4K UHD is a massive leap, and the end result is stunning. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Grain remains intact, and the image always looks organic. It should be noted that there was an issue with Dolby Vision, and Vinegar Syndrome will be sending out new discs that correct this.

Looking for Mr. Goodbar comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 37.3 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Also, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the soundtrack is appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with filmmaker/film scholar Gillian Wallace Horvat.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc radio spot #1 (35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), radio spot #2 (34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), radio spot #3 (35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a video essay by Brent Cowley on the obscenity trial following the film's theatrical release in Utah titled Defining Autonomy: The Trial of Looking for Mr. Goodbar (30 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Studs Terkel radio interview from 1976 with Looking for Mr. Goodbar author Judith Rossner (13 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Douglass K. Daniel, author of Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks titled First Comes the Word: Richard Brooks and the making of Looking for Mr. Goodbar (23 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Gillian Wallace Horvat.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (limited to 8,000 units), and 40-page perfect bound book (limited to 8,000 units) with an essay titled I am my own girl. I belong to me written by Marya E. Gates, an essay titled Don’t Leave Me This Way: The Goodbar / Fever Break written by Marc Edward Heuck, an essay titled Love Hangover written by Elizabeth Purchell, and We’re all Looking for a Painkiller written by Jourdain Searles.

Summary:

Richard Brooks directed Looking for Mr. Goodbar. He is also known for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Elmer Gantry, The Professionals, and In Cold Blood.

A woman who teaches deaf inner-city children leads a double life where she cruises bars, takes strangers home, and has sex with them.

Though Looking for Mr. Goodbar is based on true life events, from book to film there are numerous instances where they differ. The most notable difference is the protagonist's persona, and in this instance it is a perfect example of a film enhancing the source material. That said, going in blind to a film like Looking for Mr. Goodbar is essential; the less you know, the better. 

The flawlessly executed narrative does a phenomenal job building up its protagonist. Unable to live up to her overbearing father's expectations, the protagonist moves out of her parents home and goes on a journey of self-discovery. The protagonist often daydreams, and there are many moments that are her internal fantasies. Despite her best efforts, her decisions and reckless behavior are constantly putting her in harm's way.

Diane Keaton (Annie Hall) is cast in the role of the protagonist, and she delivers a remarkbale performance that is arguably her best. Though Theresa Dunn is the type of character that most actresses dream of portraying, without Diane Keaton, Looking for Mr. Goodbar would be a different film. That said, the rest of the cast are all great in the roles, especially Richard Gere (American Gigolo) and Tom Berenger (Platoon); they portray two of the men that Theresa Dunn takes home.

Though Diane Keaton’s performance is going to draw the most attention, and rightfully so, one must not overlook Richard Brooks' direction. He is an exceptional storyteller who elevates Judith Rossner’s source novel. Nowhere is this clearer than in how editing and juxtaposition of images heighten the mood.

Made during the height of disco, Looking for Mr. Goodbar’s soundtrack features artists like Donna Summer, Diana Ross, The O’Jays, and The Commodores. It has been reported that the soundtrack was a major reason why Looking for Mr. Goodbar has been unavailable on home media. All of the music except for a Frank Sinatra song that plays in the background appears to be intact for this release from Vinegar Syndrome.

The most surprising aspect of Looking for Mr. Goodbar is how it handles sex scenes. These moments are artfully executed, playing with light and shadow, and they never come off as vulgar. That said, Looking for Mr. Goodbar saves its most memorable moment for an intense finale that is one of cinema’s bleakest endings. Ultimately, though Looking for Mr. Goodbar is a film that will make you feel uncomfortable, it's also a thought-provoking film that is filled with social commentary and subtext.

When I first encountered Looking for Mr. Goodbar, it was via cable television, and back then there were no accessibility issues. By the late 1990s and into the 2000s, when thousands of notable Hollywood films were making their way to DVD and Blu-ray, a notable absent title was Looking for Mr. Goodbar. It is a film that stayed with me long after that first viewing, and now that it's been released on 4K UHD and Blu-ray, more people can finally discover it.

Vinegar Syndrome gives Looking for Mr. Goodbar an exceptional release that comes with a solid video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Raising Cain – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1992
Director: Brian De Palma
Writer: Brian De Palma
Cast: John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, Steven Bauer, Frances Sternhagen, Gregg Henry, Tom Bower, Mel Harris, Teri Austin, Gabrielle Carteris, Barton Heyman, Amanda Pombo

Release Date: September 13th, 2016
Approximate Running Times: 91 Minutes 31 Seconds (Theatrical Cut), 91 Minutes 58 Seconds (Directors Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: R (Theatrical Cut), NR (Directors Cut)
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.93

"Carter Nix (John Lithgow, Interstellar, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) is a respected psychologist, a loving husband and a devoted father who decides to take a year off to help raise his daughter. Carter's wife Jenny is pleased to have her attentive husband home – at first. When Carter shows obsessive behavior toward their daughter, Jenny becomes concerned, and to complicate matters, Jenny's old flame re-enters her life. But nothing can prepare her for the emergence of Carter's multiple personalities, and a fiendish plot to recreate the infamous experiments of his deranged father." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Both Versions)

Raising Cain, the theatrical cut, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.2 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Raising Cain, the directors cut, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.7 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Though these two versions come from a dated source, it has been cleaned up. Quality-wise, there are no discernible differences between these two versions. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity and black levels are strong. Also, there are no issues with compression, and though grain is present, it is more prominent in some scenes.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include an image gallery (23 images - posters/stills), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Mel Harris (8 minutes 43 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Tom Bower (8 minutes, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Gregg Henry (15 minutes 47 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor Paul Hirsch (10 minutes 49 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Steven Bauer (24 minutes actor, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with actor John Lithgow (30 minutes, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras on disc two include an appreciation by filmmaker Peet Gelderblom titled Changing Cain (2 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and a video essay by Peet Gelderblom titled Raising Cain Re-cut (13 minutes 2 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Doctor Carter Nix is a prominent child psychologist who decides to spend his time at home raising his daughter and furthering his studies in child psychology. On the surface, he appears to be the perfect husband and father. Then a traumatic event occurs, shattering the world he once knew.

For Brian De Palma, the 1980s can be split into two distinctive halves; the first half saw him pushing the boundaries in regard to censorship, while the latter half he ventured into mainstream cinema. After Body Double he would return to the comedy genre with Wise Guys after a lengthy absence. The 1990s would see him once again in the comedy genre with The Bonfire of the Vanities before returning to the thriller genre. When all of his films from Body Double onward failed to live up to expectations, he would then finally make a grand return to the thriller genre with Raising Cain.

Raising Cain did not connect as well as Brian De Palma's previous thrillers when it was initially released. The main reason for this disconnect is that many viewers found the story to be too confusing in its present form. It has been reported that the version released in theaters was not Brian De Palma's original edit for Raising Cain. Flash forward; along comes a release like this one, which includes Brian De Palma’s original edit for the film. Besides strengthening characters and their motivations, another area where this new edit excels is its more linear structure than its predecessor.

All around, the entire cast is outstanding, especially John Lithgow (Blow Out), who takes on multiple roles and multiple personalities. He delivers a tour de force performance that easily ranks amongst his best work as an actor. Another performance of note is Lolita Davidovich (Gods and Monsters), who portrays Carter Nix’s adulterous wife, Jenny. The supporting cast features a few actors who previously worked with Brian De Palma: Steven Bauer (Scarface) and Gregg Henry (Body Double).

Brian De Palma’s films are known for their influences, and Raising Cain even has a few moments where he references his own films like Dressed to Kill. Alfred Hitchcock is a filmmaker who he’s drawn from in many films, and the scene where a car is being submerged in water is an homage to Psycho. In the finale there is a moment that looks eerily similar to a scene from Dario Argento’s Tenebre.

From a production standpoint, Brian De Palma is clearly in his element, and he fully exploits his resources. Though the story is well-defined, they take a backseat to the visuals, which are filled with techniques and style one has come to expect from a Brian De Palma film. The most notable moment is an 8-minute tracking shot where characters speak as they walk through hallways and downstairs. Another strength is composer Pino Donaggio’s (Carrie) exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job heightening the mood. Ultimately, when it comes to building and sustaining suspense, Raising Cain does not miss a beat.

Raising Cain gets a solid release from Shout! Factory that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

De Palma & De Niro: The Early Films – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1968 (Greetings), USA, 1969 (The Wedding Party), USA, 1970 (Hi, Mom!)
Directors: Brian De Palma (All Films), Wilford Leach, Cynthia Munroe (The Wedding Party)
Cast: Jonathan Warden, Robert De Niro, Gerrit Graham (Greetings), Charles Pfluger, Jill Clayburgh, William Finley, Robert De Niro, Judy Thomas, Jennifer Salt (The Wedding Party), Charles Durning, Robert De Niro, Allen Garfield, Lara Parker, Jennifer Salt, Paul Bartel, Gerrit Graham (Hi, Mom!)

Release Date: December 3rd, 2018 (UK), December 11th, 2018 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 24 Seconds (Greetings), 91 Minutes 48 Seconds (The Wedding Party), 86 Minutes 31 Seconds (Hi, Mom!)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Greetings, Hi, Mom!), 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Wedding Party)
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono English (All Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: OOP

"In 1963, Robert De Niro stepped in front of a movie camera for the first time. The resulting film, a low-budget black and white comedy called The Wedding Party, would take three years to complete, and another three years to be released, but it would also establish a hugely important working relationship for the aspiring actor. One of the filmmakers, long before he became synonymous with suspense thanks to Carrie, Dressed to Kill and other classics, was Brian De Palma. He and De Niro would team up again in the next few years for two more comedies, both with a countercultural bent.

Greeting is a freewheeling satire focusing on a trio of twentysomething friends – a conspiracy theorist, a filmmaker, and a voyeur played by De Niro – as they try to avoid the Vietnam War draft. Hi, Mom!, originally named Son of Greetings, returns to De Niro’s voyeur, now an aspiring maker of adult films, for another humorous glimpse at late-sixties society, this time turning its attentions to experimental theatre, cinéma vérité, the African American experience, and the white middle classes." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Greetings), 4.5/5 (The Wedding Party), 4.25/5 (Hi, Mom!)

Here’s the information provided about Greetings' and The Wedding Party's transfers, "The Wedding Party and Greetings have been exclusively restored by Arrow Films for this release.

The Wedding Party is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 [sic] with mono audio. The original 35mm camera negative element was scanned in 2K resolution on a 4K Arriscan at OCN Labs, CT. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by Troma Entertainment Inc.

Greetings is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with mono audio. An original 35mm camera internegative element was scanned in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by Charles Hirsch and Academy Film Service."

Greetings and The Wedding Party come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.7 GB

Feature: 19 GB (Greetings), 20.8 (The Wedding Party)

Though Greetings is the weakest of the three transfers, it is still by far and away the best it has ever looked on home video. Some minor source debris remains, and grain remains intact, albeit at times it looks thick. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

The Wedding Party looks great; image clarity and compression are solid, and contrast and black levels are strong throughout.

Here’s the information provided about Hi, Mom!'s transfer, "Hi, Mom! has been exclusively restored by Arrow Films for this release and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with mono audio. An original 35mm interpositive element was scanned in 2K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director at EFilm, Burbank. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London.

All materials for this restoration were made available by MGM."

Hi, Mom! comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.2 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

Hi, Mom! looks great; image clarity and compression are solid, contrast and black levels are strong throughout. That said, grain is more pronounced in the black and white sequences.

Audio: 4/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English, and all films come with removable English SDH. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, all audio tracks are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include Greetings press book (4 images), an interview with screenwriter/producer Charles Hirsch titled Charles Hirsch on Greetings (11 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic and filmmaker Howard S. Berger titled Brian De Palma: Early Years (11 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary for Greetings with Glenn Kenny, author of Robert De Niro: Anatomy of an Actor.

Extras on disc two include a theatrical trailer for Hi, Mom! (1 minute 54 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), and an interview with Charles Hirsch titled Charles Hirsch on Hi, Mom! (9 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art (Greetings on the front cover and The Wedding Party on the inside cover), reversible cover art for Hi, Mom! (inside cover art original poster art), a 44-page booklet with cast & crew information for The Wedding Party and Greetings, an essay titled A Life in Cinema, A Cinema in Life written by Brad Stevens, an essay titled Before the Revolution written by Chris Dumas, an essay titled The Director as Superstar: Brian De Palma written by Joseph Gelbis and information about the transfers, and a 20-page booklet with cast & crew information for Hi, Mom!, an essay titled American Godard written by Christina Newland and information about the transfer.

Summary:

“No, I think the basic influence was Godard, mainly because the Godardian manner had a lot of influence on Greetings and Hi, Mom!, going out in the street, improvising. Except we didn’t do so much improvising ultimately because we rehearsed everything so much, and we just didn’t have enough film to improvise. When you figure it all out, the most expensive thing in Greetings was the stock, and getting it processed. But that spontaneity, telling stories that are happening to you politically at the time, the people who are your friends, that you went to college with, stuff like that. I’d say Godard was the most influential. And plus he had this very stunning visual style, and was full of ideas.” - Brian De Palma

Greetings: Three friends try to avoid the Vietnam draft.

Greetings revolves around three friends: Jon Rubin (Robert De Niro), a peeping tom who wants to become a filmmaker; Lloyd Clay (Gerrit Graham), a conspiracy theorist who’s obsessed with John F. Kennedy’s assassination; and Paul Gerald Shaw (Jonathan Warden), a serial dater who uses a computer dating service.

Brian De Palma is one of Hollywood’s most controversial directors; several of his films have pushed the envelope. Throughout his career he has battled with the MPAA over content, and, in many instances, he was forced to alter his vision, while many of his peers were able to get away with things that he was punished for. Though Brian De Palma is most known for his Hitchcock-like thrillers, he initially began his career primarily working in the comedy genre. That said, comedy played a significant role in his first five feature films: The Wedding Party, Greetings, Murder à la Mod, Hi, Mom!, and Get to Know Your Rabbit.

Brian De Palma, even at this early stage of his career, has already developed a strong visual style—bold pastel title screens, sped-up motion, time-lapse photography, jump cuts, and partially masked lenses. Many of these camera techniques he still uses and has refined through the years. He also was the editor of Greetings, and his lightning-fast cuts help capture the chaotic mood of the late 1960s. Another strength of composer Eric Kaz’s score that perfectly captures the counterculture vibe of Greetings.

With Greetings, Brian De Palma takes advantage of his lack of budget as he uses the streets of New York to his fullest advantage. Greetings achieves its documentary feel through the actors improvising their dialog and their lack of knowledge of how to play to the camera. All three leads, Robert De Niro, Gerrit Graham, and Jonathan Warden, have little or no experience making movies. The lack of screen presence from the three leads actually helps the film give a gritty realism. One of Brian De Palma’s strongest attributes as a filmmaker is his ability to take controversial material and turn it into a satire. Uneven at times, Greetings is a fascinating look at late 1960s culture.

The Wedding Party: In the days leading up to his wedding, a groom gets cold feet.

So much of why The Wedding Party works revolves around the groom’s indecision. Though the premise is well-executed and the narrative presents the events that unfold in a conventional way. That said, The Wedding Party is a film that is more influenced by avant-garde cinema than by mainstream cinema. The influence of avant-garde cinema is most felt in the way sound is used and the way editing manipulates images

Most of the performances are serviceable. The most memorable performance is Judy Thomas’ portrayal of a wallflower named Celeste. Notable cast members include Jill Clayburgh (An Unmarried Woman) in the role of the bride, Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver) in the role of one of the groomsmen, and Brian De Palma regulars Jennifer Salt (Sisters) and William Finley (Phantom of the Paradise).

The production company's bankruptcy prevented The Wedding Party from being officially released until 1969, despite being filmed in 1963. Though this is the first feature film that Brian De Palma directed, to compare The Wedding Party to his other films would be unfair, since he was one of three co-directors.

Hi, Mom!: Vietnam veteran Jon Rubin has developed a peeping tom fetish since returning to New York. He watches his neighbors with his recently acquired camera. Joe Banner is a producer of pornographic films. Jon convinces him to finance a film about the sex lives of his neighbors. A falling out with Joe Banner leads Jon to an unlikely collaboration with one of his neighbors, Gerrit Wood, an avant-garde artist and an extremist Black Power organization. Has Jon found what he’s been looking for, or has he gone off the deep end?

By the late 1960s, the studio in Hollywood was on its last legs, and several ambitious filmmakers decided it was time to push the envelope. During this period of his career, Brian De Palma's cinema was heavily influenced by new French directors like Jean-Luc Godard and the films of Alfred Hitchcock. There are several similarities in Hi, Mom! that trace back to the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. Jon Rubin likes L. B. Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Both characters like to explore their voyeuristic side through the lens of a camera as they watch their neighbor's every move.

Hi, Mom! Like most of De Palma’s earliest films, it is overflowing with biting dark humor and a distrust of authority. No scene in Brian De Palma’s filmography epitomizes subversive humor and distrust of authority more than the Be Black, Baby! sequences. Be Black, Baby! is a series of black-and-white scenes centered around a theater troupe that exposes a white audience to the experience of being Black. Additionally, the narrative focuses on Jon Rubin’s obsession with filming the sexual habits of his neighbors.

Where Greetings relied heavily on improvisation, Hi, Mom! features a more defined narrative structure. Visually, Hi, Mom! showcases greater experimentation with camera techniques compared to its predecessor. Robert De Niro returns in the role of Jon Rubin, and this time around he delivers a more fleshed-out performance. Eric Kaz delivers another solid score that is in line with his score for Greetings. Ultimately, Hi, Mom! effectively captures the essence of the late 1960s and serves as a platform for showcasing the talents of Brian De Palma and Robert De Niro before they achieved widespread recognition.

De Palma & De Niro: The Early Films is an excellent release that gives each film strong audio/video presentations and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer