DePalma influence?

I was thinking… isn’t the chainsaw scene in Scarface kinda similar to the ear-scene in RD? Both deal with prisoners about to face a certain and horrible death, but both surprisingly survive in the end. More importantly, both feature a break from the violence (Mr. Blonde stepping outside in RD, camera moving out of the apartment in Scarface), before they go back. In RD, the song (Stuck In The Middle) fades out when he goes out, and fades in when he comes back, same as the chainsaw sound in Scarface fades out and back in as the camera returns. Seeing as QT lists DePalma as a major influence, it may not be too farfetched, I think.



I don’t know, do I have a point or am I just rambling?

Interesting. Good observation.

Pepe Serna dies after getting in arm and leg cut off… and eventually so does Marvin… but, i think you definitely have a point here, especially with the break from the scene and sound fading, even though the final effect is quite different. touché ! :wink:

well its not that differant they both make you use your imagination.

the tone of the scenes are differents. the camera going outside then coming back is set for different purposes… In scarface: the camera goes out to make us see that Tony’s friend is not doing his job properly and tries to hook up girls instead of checking if everything is doing ok… In Reservoir Dogs, the shot where Mr Blonde goes out gives us a glimpse to the neighbourhood and the environment where the whole story takes place (he walks next to a house with a backyard and we can hear a kid playing.)

Too subtle to be direct influence I think

I don’t think the tone is different. They are both a break from the action, before bursting back in again. Though I wouldn’t call them breaks, as the tension is still high.



And there’s a different between influence and homage.

Influence: an idea taken further or used in a different context. Example, after Psycho, most slasher films had an important character dying half-way into the movie.

Homage: an idea half-copied, stolen or whatever, as a tribute.

[quote=“Dantes Inferno”]
I was thinking… isn’t the chainsaw scene in Scarface kinda similar to the ear-scene in RD? Both deal with prisoners about to face a certain and horrible death, but both surprisingly survive in the end. More importantly, both feature a break from the violence (Mr. Blonde stepping outside in RD, camera moving out of the apartment in Scarface), before they go back. In RD, the song (Stuck In The Middle) fades out when he goes out, and fades in when he comes back, same as the chainsaw sound in Scarface fades out and back in as the camera returns. Seeing as QT lists DePalma as a major influence, it may not be too farfetched, I think.



I don’t know, do I have a point or am I just rambling?
[/quote]
yeah…and every fucking James Bond movie has the same scenario - certain death is avoided - wise observation.

Okay, so maybe that’s not so unordinary. Didn’t say it was either. It’s the break from the violence that’s the similiarity between RS and Scarface. Yes, there are differences, but that’s what influence is. Just like the often very slow tempo of Sergio Leone films has influenced QT’s work. Pulp Fiction wasn’t a western, but it wasn’t fast either.



Btw, sorry if I seem pushy about my arguments. ;D

I’m starting to doubt this whole thing i mean this is like saying every director who likes scarface and put a tortures seen that pulls back in his film is copying and if you look at it they are 2 completely different scenes. but i do think it is a reference to the toxic avenger 2

[quote=“Jjp”]
I’m starting to doubt this whole thing i mean this is like saying every director who likes scarface and put a tortures seen that pulls back in his film is copying and if you look at it they are 2 completely different scenes. but i do think it is a reference to the toxic avenger 2
[/quote]
Toxic Avenger - that movie kicks ass

[quote=“Kilgore Trout”]
Toxic Avenger - that movie kicks ass
[/quote]

yes it does!!!

[quote=“Bleach”]
Too subtle to be direct influence I think
[/quote]
I wouldn’t say a direct influence, but there’s definitely something

[quote=“Tristan”]
I wouldn’t say a direct influence, but there’s definitely something
[/quote]

i disagree i think this has no influence at all on the scene.

you can’t deny there’s a je-ne sais-quoi in both scenes!

it’d be a sort of unconscious reference…

[quote=“Tristan”]
you can’t deny there’s a je-ne sais-quoi in both scenes!

it’d be a sort of unconscious reference…
[/quote]

i agree with this

well, there is a “certain something” that can parallel a porno to psycho, but you don’t go around calling skin-flick makers the next Hitchcock - do you?

In Death Proof’s end credits Brian De Palma is specially thanked.

[quote=“Kilgore Trout”]
well, there is a “certain something” that can parallel a porno to psycho, but you don’t go around calling skin-flick makers the next Hitchcock - do you?
[/quote]
no I don’t, yet this is interesting, that de palma’s quoted in DP’end credits

Lets see, QT uses the music from Blow Out and gives Special Thanks to DePalma in the credits. Is he influenced by DePalma? Nawwww couldnt be!! DePalma is one of QTs BIGGEST influences, even moreso than Hitchcock.



And that scene in Dogs is DEFINITELY like the chainsaw sequence in Scarface. Both scenes do the same type of thing. They bring you out of the horrific situation and take you into another reality of whats going on outside that situation.



Even the opening of Dogs/diner scene in Death Proof is patterned after the opening of Scarface & the intro of Winslow Leach in Phantom of the Paradise among many others. The continuous circling dolly shot is complete DePalma style.



Id even say DePalma is one of the main directors whose visual style is most influential to QT.



Anyone notice the Scorsese Mean Streets style tracking shot in Death Proof. When Dov and Omar are going to get the girls the drinks? I loved that.