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Recent Headlines
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Domino is
a "disarmingly
straight-forward"
work that "pushes
us to reexamine our
relationship to images
and their consumption,
not only ethically
but metaphysically"
-Collin Brinkman

De Palma on Domino
"It was not recut.
I was not involved
in the ADR, the
musical recording
sessions, the final
mix or the color
timing of the
final print."

Listen to
Donaggio's full score
for Domino online

De Palma/Lehman
rapport at work
in Snakes

De Palma/Lehman
next novel is Terry

De Palma developing
Catch And Kill,
"a horror movie
based on real things
that have happened
in the news"

Supercut video
of De Palma's films
edited by Carl Rodrigue

Washington Post
review of Keesey book

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Exclusive Passion
Interviews:

Brian De Palma
Karoline Herfurth
Leila Rozario

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AV Club Review
of Dumas book

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De Palma interviewed
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De Palma discusses
The Black Dahlia 2006


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No Harm In Charm

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Scarface: Make Way
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Carrie: The Movie

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italkyoubored

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De Palma a la Mod
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A note about topics: Some blog posts have more than one topic, in which case only one main topic can be chosen to represent that post. This means that some topics may have been discussed in posts labeled otherwise. For instance, a post that discusses both The Boston Stranglers and The Demolished Man may only be labeled one or the other. Please keep this in mind as you navigate this list.
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Saturday, September 13, 2014
R.I.P. STEFAN GIERASCH, 1926 - 2014
PORTRAYED PRINCIPAL MORTON IN 'CARRIE'
Stefan Gierasch, the character actor who played Principal Morton in Brian De Palma's Carrie, has died at the age of 88. His wife of 33 years, Hedy Sontag, told The Hollywood Reporter that Gierasch passed away at his Santa Monica home on September 6, of complications from a stroke. As Principal Morton, in one brief scene, Gierasch memorably created a distinctly inept authority figure who is so flustered by the sight of blood on the gym teacher's shorts, and the just-prior situation in the locker room, that he consistently calls Carrie "Cassie," drawing her rage. Gierasch's facial expressions in this scene say it all, but his line, "We're all sorry, Cassie," becomes a key echo in the kaleidoscope of voices in Carrie's head after the blood spills over her at the prom. Principal Morton is later electrocuted trying to take control of a microphone amid Carrie's vengeful carnage.

Prior to Carrie, Gierasch appeared with Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman in Robert Rossen's The Hustler, which also starred Carrie's Piper Laurie. Post-Carrie, Gierasch, who did tons of TV work throughout his long acting career, appeared on an episode of the TV series The Greatest American Hero, which starred Tommy Ross himself, William Katt.

Other films Gierasch appeared in include Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up Doc?, Richard Fleischer's The New Centurions, Sydney Pollack's Jeremiah Johnson, and Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter. He also appeared on an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1963, as well as an episode of Alfred Hitchock Presents in 1985.


Posted by Geoff at 3:04 PM CDT
Updated: Sunday, September 14, 2014 9:07 AM CDT
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Tuesday, August 26, 2014
'CARRIE' MUSICAL TO BE 'COMPLETELY IMMERSIVE'
ALSO: MOREAU/'CARRIE' TUMBLR GOES VIRAL;
DE PALMA'S FILM PART OF VIENNA HORROR RETROSPECTIVE




Above is Gustave Moreau's Study for Lady Macbeth (1851), side-by-side with an image representing Sissy Spacek in Brian De Palma's Carrie. The comparison appears to have initially been posted three days ago on the Tumblr blog trophywivesclub, and has been reblogged and retweeted dozens of times since then.

Speaking of Carrie, De Palma's film is included in the Austrian Film Museum's upcoming horror retrospective, "Land Of The Dead." The retrospective, which runs from August 29 to October 15, covers the years 1968 through 1987, as a followup to last year's retrospective, which covered the years 1918 through 1967.

"For the culture at large as well as for horror films," the museum program explains, "'1968' marks a clear transition: In the U.S., the Production Code had just been abandoned, eliminating many constraints and allowing George A. Romero to lay the groundwork for a new era of horror with his debut feature, Night of the Living Dead. The film's pseudo-documentary style (necessitated by the miniscule budget) suffused Romero's taboo-breaking conceits with a hitherto unknown 'authenticity', while the allegorical potential of the zombie invasion inaugurated a new, 'direct' political dimension in the genre – images of a nation gripped by self-destructive chaos in the era of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. During the 1970s, American horror cinema would deliver a series of pungent, subversive visions in the guise of cheap exploitation, in radical opposition to the appeasing images of society in the media mainstream. As the key auteur of this movement – his Dawn of the Dead is unsurpassed among populist critiques of capitalism – Romero is the best-represented filmmaker in the series (which takes its title from one of his later political pamphlets). However, 1968 is also the year in which the global success of Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby turns the once-disreputable horror genre into an attractive option for bigger mainstream productions; its respectability is further certified by contributions from major art filmmakers such as Ingmar Bergman’s Hour of the Wolf or Federico Fellini’s Toby Dammit."

Other films in the retrospective include Dario Argento's Suspiria and Deep Red, Larry Cohen's God Told Me To, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, David Cronenberg's The Brood and The Fly, and many more. Also read: Twitch's Patrick Holzapfel - "Vienna In September: Be Prepared To Hear Somebody Scream In A Cinema Near You".

'CARRIE' AS ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE
Shades of Richard Schechner, La Mirada Theatre in Los Angeles will present Carrie The Musical as an audience-immersive theatrical event. According to the show's description, "Audiences will stand and move with the actors. Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended. Wheelchair guests will be accommodated. The show contains the use of smoke and haze, strobe lights, special effects and loud music. CARRIE THE MUSICAL contains adult language, themes and nudity and is recommended for mature audiences." Performances will run from March 12 through April 5, 2015.

According to Playbill, producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman issued a statement in which they said, "The story of Carrie has endured in the popular consciousness for decades, but no one has ever experienced it from this point of view. The idea of placing the audience in the center of this world was just too tantalizing to resist. It's going to be thrilling."

The show's creators, Lawrence D. Cohen, Michael Gore, and Dean Pitchford, also issued a statement: "Director Brady Schwind is building on Carrie legacy with his own unique vision for our show. Making it an environmental experience for the audience is intriguing and daring – like the story itself. We look forward to this next chapter!"


Posted by Geoff at 11:23 PM CDT
Updated: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 11:03 PM CDT
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Tuesday, August 19, 2014
DAVE GROHL PLAYS CARRIE IN ALS CHALLENGE
VIDEO INCORPORATES IMAGES & SOUNDS FROM DE PALMA FILM
CHALLENGES STEPHEN KING & TRAVOLTA, WHO HAVE 24 HOURS TO RESPOND
FELLOW FOO FIGHTERS APPEAR IN SUPPORTING ROLES



Billboard
"Foo Fighters Parody 'Carrie' in Brilliant Ice Bucket Challenge Video"

SPIN
"Foo Fighters Spoof 'Carrie' for Best ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Yet"

Rolling Stone
"Foo Fighters Turn Ice Bucket Challenge Into Epic 'Carrie' Tribute"

"Grohl and Co. do an excellent job sending up Carrie's climactic prom disaster, incorporating actual shots from the movie, while Grohl, in full Prom Queen regalia, offers over-the-top tears (first of joy, and then unquenchable rage after he's doused). While the clip cuts before Grohl can unleash his hellish retaliation, Taylor Hawkins, playing Carrie's date Tommy, dutifully takes one for the team and gets conked on the head with the empty bucket. Fellow Foos Pat Smear and Nate Mendel play the rapscallions who trigger the bucket drop on Grohl's head."

Loudwire
"Foo Fighters Star in Most Awesome ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Video Yet"

Music Times
"Foo Fighters' ALS Challenge Video Is The Best One Yet"

Click Music
"Foo Fighters win the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with a brilliant Carrie parody"

TIME
"The Foo Fighters Spoof Carrie for Their Ice Bucket Challenge Video"

"Okay, okay, we know you’re probably sick of watching celebrities like Britney Spears (and, worse, randos in your Facebook timeline) do the ice bucket challenge, but it won’t hurt to watch just one more, right? The Foo Fighters put a lot of effort into their contribution to the viral phenomenon by recreating the iconic prom scene from the 1976 horror film Carrie.

"In the movie, Carrie gets drenched with pig’s blood — luckily, the Foo Fighters used ice water instead.

"Grohl nominates a few others to complete the challenge: Stephen King (who wrote the book upon which the film is based), John Travolta (who was in the movie) and Jack Black (for unknown reasons.) But it’s going to be pretty hard for anyone to top this."

Ultimate Classic Rock
"Foo Fighters’ Ice Bucket Challenge May Be the Best Yet"

Huffington Post
"Foo Fighters' 'Carrie' Sendup Just Won The Ice Bucket Challenge"

OC Weekly
"Foo Fighters Ice Bucket Challenge Just Changed the Game"

VanyaLand
"PROM KING: DAVE GROHL AND FOO FIGHTERS RECREATE ‘CARRIE’ FOR THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE"

Stereogum
"Watch Foo Fighters Spoof Carrie In Their Elaborate ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Video"


Posted by Geoff at 4:57 PM CDT
Updated: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 5:16 PM CDT
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Friday, May 2, 2014
PIC: NANCY & BRIAN ON PROM SET OF 'CARRIE'
POSTED YESTERDAY ON NANCY ALLEN'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Posted by Geoff at 9:36 PM CDT
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Friday, March 28, 2014
NANCY ALLEN & WILLIAM KATT ON SET PHOTO
ON SET OF 'CARRIE', FROM NANCY'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Posted by Geoff at 1:29 AM CDT
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Wednesday, March 5, 2014
L. COHEN WILL TALK 'CARRIE' IN OHIO FRIDAY
DURING FINAL WEEKEND OF 'CARRIE' AT BECK CENTER
According to Broadway World Cleveland, Lawrence D. Cohen is so impressed by the "rave reviews and vivid photographs" for Beck Center and Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre Program's production of Carrie the musical, that he will be in attendance Friday night, March 7, and will share his experience with both the movie and the stage show during a discussion following the performance. This will be the final weekend for the production, which plays at 8pm Friday, 8pm Saturday, and 3pm Sunday. The article states that "Lawrence D. Cohen and composer Michael Gore reached out to Director Victoria Bussert with a congratulatory note and accolades for her creativity in capturing some of the technical challenges the show presents."

Posted by Geoff at 9:16 PM CST
Updated: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 9:19 PM CST
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Saturday, March 1, 2014
THREE 'CARRIE' LADIES IN PORTLAND TODAY
AFTERNOON AT MOVIE MADNESS VIDEO, EVENING 'CARRIE' SCREENING AT HOLLYWOOD THEATER


We previously shared the poster for tonight's screening of Brian De Palma's Carrie at Portland's Hollywood Theater, but it turns out there's more: the three actresses (Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen, and PJ Soles) who will be on hand for the Q&A at the screening will also be on hand for autographs this afternoon, from 12:30-3pm, at Movie Madness Video. It sounds like you may be able to get a photo taken, as well, for a fee.

Posted by Geoff at 2:35 AM CST
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Thursday, February 13, 2014
'CARRIE' IN PORTLAND MARCH 1ST
Q&A, AUTOGRAPHS WITH NANCY ALLEN, PIPER LAURIE, P.J. SOLES

Posted by Geoff at 1:14 AM CST
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014
'CARRIE' PART OF SPACEK SERIES IN MINNEAPOLIS
SERIES RUNS MONDAYS & TUESDAYS IN FEB. AT TRYLON MICROCINEMA
"Sissy Spacek: Seemingly Lost" is the name of a February film series at The Trylon in Minneapolis. The series of four films began this week with Terrence Malick's Badlands, and includes Brian De Palma's Carrie February 24th and 25th. "Best known for her disarming innocence," states the series' description, "Sissy Spacek boasts an amazing range. Conveying naivete and sadness, her performances reveal a woman who knows exactly where she’s going. The Trylon showcases four of her most complex and challenging roles." The other two films are Robert Altman's 3 Women and Costa-Gavras' Missing.

Writing about the film series, Pioneer Press' Chris Hewitt reminds that "Pauline Kael famously described Spacek as 'a squashed, froggy girl who could go in any direction.' I disagree with Kael's choice of animal -- Spacek's half-formed quality in her early films is more tadpole- than frog-like, and anyway, I'd say her vulnerability has more in common with a baby bird. But Kael is right that one of the thrilling things about these early Spacek performances is that you have no idea what this strange creature is going to do next."

Hewitt states that "Carrie features Spacek's peerlessly sad/scary performance as the title character, a bullied high school student who lashes back after she's pranked at prom. Spacek, 25 when she shot it, has no problem convincing us she's a teenager. Director Brian De Palma's movie is a stylish, bizarrely successful experiment in tone. Piper Laurie, as Carrie's violently fundamentalist mom, behaves as if she's in a comedy, which somehow makes her even more frightening. It launched many a movie career, including Nancy Allen's, Amy Irving's and John Travolta's. But the reason it all hangs together is that you can't take your eyes off Spacek's timid-but-all-powerful Carrie, a victim who declines to be victimized."


Posted by Geoff at 9:19 PM CST
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Thursday, December 12, 2013
'AHS' CONTINUES TO PAY HOMAGE TO 'CARRIE'
RYAN MURPHY: "WE ALL LOVE BRIAN DE PALMA IN THE WRITERS' ROOM"
In last week's (December 4) episode of FX's American Horror Story, a fanatically religious mother, not unlike the mother in Carrie, insists to her son that he has been made "unclean" by the witches next door, and after disturbingly attempting to cleanse him from the inside out, she locks him in a closet, bound and gagged. The episode was written by series co-creator Ryan Murphy, who tells Vulture's Denise Martin that the recurring "closet thing" (there was a mother/daughter closet scene in the first season, as well) comes from Brian De Palma's Carrie.

In the Vulture article, which contains several SPOILERS for the current season of American Horror Story, Martin querys Murphy, "When Nan finds Luke trapped in the closet by his mother, it reminded me of when Constance threw her own daughter [also played by Jamie Brewer] into the closet. Are those callbacks intentional given that each season has a different story?"

Murphy replies, "We do it more than you know. It’s fun for us. I call them the goodies, 'Where are the goodies buried?' People go on Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, they catch up with seasons they’ve been watching and then they re-watch it with passion and fresh eyes. So we’re very cognizant of that. There’s usually one goodie per episode. The closet thing was very much based on Carrie, and we’ve done riffs on that and other things in that movie many, many times because we all love Brian De Palma in the writers' room."

As we've noted before, one of those writers in the AHS writers' room is Jennifer Salt, she of many early De Palma pictures. In the season premiere episode of season two, two of Pino Donaggio's music cues from De Palma's Carrie were used very specifically. Murphy has talked about being obsessed with De Palma while making season two last year, mentioning Dressed To Kill as a major influence, as well.


Posted by Geoff at 12:34 AM CST
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