I've been struggling with The Fury for a long time. I've seen it more times than I could count and for each time I love it more and more. But the odd build-up, the overly complex story and the mix of genre also confuses me. I hate the expression "kill your darlings", because a director who kills his best shots clearly have no idea what he or she is doing. De Palma never seems to kill is darlings and this film is filled with those. Actually, it's one of the few films that almost only consists of darlings - like a bag of candy: very unhealthy.
Based on John Farris novel, and Farris also wrote the screensplay, it starts off in a hurry and never stops. First there's a terrorist attack, a kidnapping of Andrew Stevens, a wacko psychic played by Willam Finlay (in a scene that also includes John Belushi as an extra), Kirk Douglas spending a long time in an apartment dressing up as an old man, a crazy, humorous cat and mouse game with Dennis Franz in a police car, a sub-story is introduced with Amy Iriving as a psychic young woman who goes to a clinic owned by Charles Durning, at the same time Kirk is romancing an assistant at the same place, Andrew Stevens is brainwashed to be a psychopath, there're more comedy, more graphic violence, lots of slow-motion, crazy set-pieces and creative use of camera plus a spectacular incident at an indoor amusement park. And more.
If they added a couple of musical numbers this would be De Palma's own Bollywood movie, because it has everything the audience would like to see - just how many Bollywood movies are written. Some comedy, some action, some tension, some romance. Everything. One reviewer called it an "Inferno Comedy", that is also a good expression of what The Fury is. Except the Bollywood likness I would also say this is De Palmas own Scream, a pastish on his own work - serious, but still tongue in cheek. I'm not sure what to make of it, but it's still one of the coolest and wildest movies De Palma directed so far.
I'm a very forgiving De Palma fan, this should be noted. I like basically everything he's done, so don't trust me on this movie. But what do I care, as long as I'm allowed to adore and worship it! Lets talk about the cast. Kirk was 61 years old here and as usual he looks fresher and more healthy than a lot of the other cast members. I love the guy, he's a brilliant actor who had a fantastic genre filmography during the 70's. It's like he decided to take every far-out movie that came his way and the result is amazing. I mean, who doesn't love Holocaust 2000, Mousey, Light at the Edge of the World, The Master Touch - the man's a powerhouse of restrained manliness, without being an asshole. He's good at making fun of himself, and The Fury is filled with those moments. Amy Irving plays the girl, she's totally electric in the part, owning every scene she's in - and with a performance that ranges from dangerous and psychotic to so cute and adorable. Andrew Stevens is good, I like him, but he's a tad underwritten - mostly, I guess, because he's not in the movie that much. John Cassasvetes is brilliant, but I'm pretty sure he took this part just to get some money for one of his own projects. One thing's for sure, he looks and acts evil.
Dennis Franz and William Finley as small parts, but everytime they show up in a De Palma movie it's a blast. Brilliant actors. But the main characters in The Fury is of course De Palmas ambitious visual solutions. When Amy escapes from the hospital, everything is in slow-motion. All the time. And it's beautiful! De Palma really have a sense of bringing out the beauty in tragic and the macabre, just like Argento.
I might overextend my rights as an amateur critic here, but I seriously think The Fury is a masterpiece. Yeah, the best way to watch it right now is on Twilight Time's blu-ray. But don't bother, if you don't want to get ripped off by evil eBay sellers: it's already OOP...
"I've been struggling with The Fury for a long time. I've seen it more times than I could count and for each time I love it more and more."
Only seen it once.....mainly because Brian De Palma was the director and of course the cast.
"But the odd build-up, the overly complex story and the mix of genre also confuses me."
Very odd indeed.....spy thrilller, drama, paranormal thriller etc.....and it goes on.
"If they added a couple of musical numbers this would be De Palma's own Bollywood movie, because it has everything the audience would like to see - just how many Bollywood movies are written. Some comedy, some action, some tension, some romance. Everything."
You could be right....it is very complex genre hybrid, that´s for sure.
"I'm not sure what to make of it, but it's still one of the coolest and wildest movies De Palma directed so far."
It´s an odd film....I would love reviews of Dionysus(1970), Hi, Mom!(1970), Sisters (1973), other odd stuff in his CV.
Brian De Palma has been (and still is I guess) an brave director venturing into uncharted territory.
"I'm a very forgiving De Palma fan, this should be noted. I like basically everything he's done, so don't trust me on this movie."
Well, you need a subjective point of view here, and I like this one too, maybe not as much as you do....but I only seen it once.
"Kirk was 61 years old here and as usual he looks fresher and more healthy than a lot of the other cast members. I love the guy, he's a brilliant actor who had a fantastic genre filmography during the 70's. It's like he decided to take every far-out movie that came his way and the result is amazing."
Or maybe he just needed money...?
ahhahahhah.....relax, Fred, just a stupid joke!
I´m glad he did so much weird stuff. Much braver then his son.
"I mean, who doesn't love Holocaust 2000, Mousey, Light at the Edge of the World, The Master Touch - the man's a powerhouse of restrained manliness, without being an asshole. "
Only seen The Light at the Edge of the World(1971) so far, but I think I know what you mean, he had a masculine charisma that speaks to an audience.....but off screen he may have been difficult, Mitchum & Kubrick had some lesser things to say about him.
"Amy Irving plays the girl, she's totally electric in the part, owning every scene she's in - and with a performance that ranges from dangerous and psychotic to so cute and adorable."
Yeah, I remember her being very good here.
"I might overextend my rights as an amateur critic here, but I seriously think The Fury is a masterpiece."
No, I don´t think so, if you like it.....call it a masterpiece!
Fuck the haters.......
There is alot of movies I like and consider to be masterpeices that no one else likes.
Great review, maybe it´s time for a revisit.
Posted by: Megatron | March 20, 2013 at 15:15
"Only seen The Light at the Edge of the World(1971) so far, but I think I know what you mean, he had a masculine charisma that speaks to an audience.....but off screen he may have been difficult, Mitchum & Kubrick had some lesser things to say about him."
Well, both Mitchum and Kubrick were egomaniacs themselves, and Kubrick a control freak. No wonder they couldn't get along with another ego :)
And I'm sure he most of these just because of money - but on the other hand, he could have chosen more boring projects also - and he didn't.
Douglas is a complex character. There's not much dirt on him - except his ego, and those nasty rumors about a rape. But I don't know anything about it, or who the girl was, so I can't say much more.
Posted by: Fred Anderson | March 20, 2013 at 15:27
Fred: Yeah...that´s true in Kubricks case but Mitchum by most accounts was nice on set, for the most part.....of course Mitchum could be a mean alcoholic, who did racist slurs etc.
But compared to Kirk he was nice.....at least according to some.
Yeah, of course Douglas could have done worse, he did some fun stuff but so did others like Walter Matthau, Toshirô Mifune, Gregory Peck but of course they may not been as popular as Douglas.
This rape I never heard about....but Douglas was a ladies man, just like his son.
Posted by: Megatron | March 20, 2013 at 20:12