Interesting take on the phenom known as De Palma - the one-time bad boy of film directors. I think a lot of his gratuitous scenes are spoof, or a way in which he thumbs his nose at the formula systems in place which require a bit of T&A and a bit of blood. De Palma cut his teeth in a few crappy B-Movies before becoming A list, and I think his violence and sex is his way of saying, "If you are going to make me do this, then I will do it over the top." The great argument with De Palma, and one which will haunt him to his grave, is that his films tend to resemble a lot of previous films, Hitchcock, Blow Out an Americanized version of Antonioni's Blowup, etc.....What is perhaps his most famous film, Scarface, is also a remake of Howard Hawks' film noir classic. It is so incredibly violent that I have only seen it once and have never really had an interest in seeing it again. His greatest film, Carlito's Way, is a mature, composed De Palma at the height of his powers. Even in his worst films, there are moments of brilliance exposing a truly inspired talent. He has never refined his destructive bad boy tendencies, and his uneven career has suffered because of it. You've made a good point however, as the ideal of a female's body has changed throughout the years in films. I have always been insulted by films with average looking male stars - Duvall, Hoffman, Hackman, hell, even De Niro, having wives or girlfriends who look as if they stepped off the covor of Glamour magazine. A man can be butt ugly, but he's always going to have that perfect Victoria Secret model on his arm........There's an old western called The Cowboys, starring John Wayne in the twilight of his career. The film is only fair, but there are some extraordinary scenes between him and the actress playing his wife. She is old, weary, large in the hips. But she is real. Such honesty is rare in many films today. People chime about being the maker of dreams in Hollywood, but since when did dreams become emotionally untruthful?

d.b. - thanks for such a long and thoughtful comment. you're right about the male leads always having these gorgeous types on their arms. it's interesting. and yes, to me, i was more interested in how the ideal of female beauty has changed to something that i believe at one time was attainable, and now, is attainable only through plastic surgery etc. That sets a standard that is impossibly high to most women and beyond the reachof our wallets even if we DID want to be that.

De Palma is spoofing, you are right, and he does it well. But there's still something there that works for him and that i always find interesting in his films, despite the often obnoxious stereotypes and women often being used as mere sex objects. perhaps a lot of that is tongue in cheek - i wouldn't doubt that.

if only directors today made more characters like our Bridget Jones who is perhaps closer to reality and lovable in her way. I think my next piece will likely be on her in the first film, because there is so much there and lets face it, it's all a spoof of PRide and Prejudice, even including Mr. Darcy who even repeats some of the same lines, though slightly altered, as in the PBS mini-series of PRide and Prejudice.

It's interesting... could go on forever. must restrain myself. much reading and catching up to do.

be well, and take good care of yourself.

sadi