Discussion De Palma
A piece I think is helpful:
From the above:
I would argue that the intense appeal his films hold for us goes beyond visual voluptuousness or camp—though such matters are not incidental—and into a deeper, subconscious realm that rejects fixed identities, embraces marginalization, and acknowledges the integrity, even the necessity of social performance.
De Palma’s films are about surface/performance, and not about creating nuanced/in-depth psychological portraits (leave that to Bergman and Cassavetes). But De Palma’s staying on the surface is not an objectification of his characters. He is showing the fluidity of their surfaces as they interact with different people and situations, and how narrative-making and role-playing occur in (and often govern) life.
More later–have to get back to work. But look forward to your and everyone else’s thoughts.