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Hi, Mom! (1970) Plus avec IMDbPro »

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17 utilisateurs sur 20 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
So Ahead of its time!!!, 25 avril 2005

Auteur : weho90069 de Etats-Unis

Just rented and watched HI, MOM! and am blown away by parts of it which are so ahead of its time as to seem contemporary, given today's post-MTV-era approach to film-making.

I would say 80% of this film is utterly brilliant and 20% is merely so-so; scenes with extended dialog sometimes have you checking your watch since the characters may seem to drone on about this-or-that, but there are enough funny moments in these sorts of scenes to keep your attention. And, believe me, you want to stay tuned for the "Be Black, Baby" portion of the film which is nothing short of side-splitting.

The way the film is made, with its occasional fast-paced editing, sped-up footage, and other visual tricks (so dePalma) will appeal greatly to the short-attention-spans of today and seem to anticipate the way films will be made by mainstream producers and directors who cut their teeth creating music videos for MTV. I'm not saying this film feels like a music video, but it uses various visual devices which would become standard fare in music videos and part of today's cinematic vocabulary. Again, I can't reinforce how ahead of its time this film is, apparently foreshadowing things like "reality TV" in the "Be Black, Baby" guerrilla theatre piece.

It's astounding and frightening to see how far we possibly HAVEN'T come past these notions of entertainment, or how they've become scarily mainstreamed by Hollywood.

DeNiro gives a terrific performance and it's a real treat to see him doing something like this at a young age. Kudos to DePalma for this film, also -- it's a filmmaker's dream with all the film-within-film devices and you can see he's working out his fascination with optical and split-screen-type manipulations in a very youthful, bravura sort of way. I would say this is DePalma at his most innovative, aside from his shamefully underrated film SISTERS...before he became bloated and weighed down by the mainstream Hollywood ethic. That's not to say DRESSED TO KILL or CARRIE are bad pictures or bad reflections on DePalma, but they don't reflect the liberated genius that is clearly evident in HI, MOM! or SISTERS.

HI, MOM! is an absolute MUST-SEE for any DePalma fan, general cineaste, film student, or comedy devotee. There are still lessons to be learned from watching this film, even today when it seems all the tricks DePalma used have been exploited ad infinitum. HI, MOM! manages to feel fresh in an era when -- by rights -- it really ought to feel stale.

It's also a tremendously valuable look at pop culture from 1970 and contains some great moments in an adult movie theater. My favorite line occurs there, when a porno producer is counseling DeNiro (a would-be amateur porno producer himself, using his Super 8 mm camera). The two men sit in the back row, discussing the film they're watching and how it's made (and, for the uninitiated, this is typically where men-who-seek-the-company-of-other-men will congregate). Suddenly we have a rapid cut which shows another theater patron has sat himself next to the men, and the patron puts his hand on the leg of one of the men (DeNiro, I think, who brushes it off with some shock and embarrassment). The porno producer (mentor) says very sympathetically, regarding the gesture of the patron, "...he means well." Boy, ain't that the truth! Meanwhile, in the background, another patron is being thrown out of the men's room (presumably for having made a pass at someone homophobic).

Another scene involves a pharmacist opening a condom package and demonstrating its strength and elasticity. Hilarious.

These are issues you would likely never see addressed today in a mainstream Hollywood film because of America's prudishness, or they would be handled in a way that was purely condescending. Instead, DePalma takes you *into* the circumstances, humanizes them, and permits them to be funny on their own merit (he doesn't clobber you over the head with bad, smarmy, self-conscious jokes the way today's writers would).

What is disappointing about this film is that it shows how DePalma's work ultimately suffered as he became a victim of the Hollywood machine -- the studios and execs who no doubt had a hand in reigning in his talent and vision, styling it for a perceived audience.

Again, I can't recommend this film enough -- please rent it and see it and revel in its good-naturedness, it's incredibly edgy foreshadowing of things-to-come, and it's hilariously genuine humor.

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12 utilisateurs sur 14 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A unique movie, which is both funnier and darker than 'Greetings'. A must for both fans of De Palma and De Niro., 27 février 2004
Auteur : Infofreak de Perth, Australie

'Hi, Mom!' is supposedly a sequel to Brian De Palma's earlier 'Greetings', but the connections are a bit tenuous, even though Robert De Niro once again plays Jon Rubin. Is he the same character? I suppose so, but it's hard to say. Alan Garfield and Gerrit Graham also reappear. Garfield could well be the same guy, he's involved in pornography after all, but Graham is most definitely playing a different person. It's just one of many fascinating things about this unique movie, which is both funnier and darker than 'Greetings'. Rubin is a Vietnam vet who fancies himself a movie director, or maybe this is just an excuse to spy on the occupants of the building opposite. They include Graham, a radical involved in guerrilla theatre and the black power movement (there's a priceless moment where he paints himself black), and the sexy Judy (Jennifer Salt who subsequently co-starred in De Palma's breakthrough thriller 'Sisters'), who he decides to seduce (another classic scene). De Niro is on top form throughout, I really enjoyed his performance. Charles Durning has a hilarious bit at the beginning as the building Super, and cult fave Paul Bartel ('Eating Raoul') can be spotted if you keep your eyes open. The highlight of the movie is the brilliant 'Be Black Baby' sequence, which has to be seen to be believed. De Palma is a talented and versatile director who rarely gets the credit he deserves. Those who simplistically dismiss him as nothing but a Hitchcock rip-off would do well to watch 'Greetings' and 'Hi, Mom!' two of the most original and innovative American movies of the late 60s/early 70s. And Robert De Niro fans just have to see his work in these two movies, and I also recommend they check him out in Roger Corman's 'Bloody Mama' with Shelley Winters and Bruce Dern, and his small role in 'Born To Win' opposite George Segal. These all show that he really had something special going on before he teamed up with Scorsese.

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7 utilisateurs sur 8 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
An odd mix indeed, 18 septembre 2006

Auteur : tedr0113 de Etats-Unis

I rated this movie in the middle only because I feel there were two distinct parts to the movie with an indecisive end. The first part, with Robert De Niro prominent is very funny, at time uproariously so. (The opening with Charles Durning is priceless.) The part with the theater of "Be Black Baby" was pretty strong stuff, even today. It was real and scary and had no relationship to the first part. This part was really tense and made me shudder several times.

The problem I had was what did the De Niro part have to do with the "Be Black Baby" part. Maybe I am old-fashioned and wanted something more linear or, really, coherent. Perhaps the appeal of this movie is the lack of obedience to strictures. I do applaud that kind of freedom, but only when it works. I laughed and cringed during what felt like a double feature. Both parts work very well. But together they make an uneasy mix.

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6 utilisateurs sur 7 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Yo Mom! You Talkin' To Me?, 5 juin 2003

Auteur : Daniel Vargas (BritishGangsterTimRoth) de Sâo Paulo, Brésil

Lurking beneath the humor of director Brian De Palma's irreverent breakthrough comedy is the politically charged suggestion that, in an already hyped-up environment, Vietnam vets may not be so easily re-assimilated to the home front. The main character of Rubin is something of a precursor to star Robert De Niro's ultra-violent, ultra-alienated Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver"(1976). Independently producted , and shot for very little money on location in the Village, the film has a loose narrative structure and apt dowtown details that give it a keen feel for the counterculture milieu on which it comments. More a cult favorite than a mainstream success, the film spotlights De Palma's visual smarts and interest in media voyeurism, and De Niro's off-Kilter Rubin, retrospectively making "Hi, Mom!" a clever forerunner of the subquent '70s work of both men.

The movie includes a soberb soundtrack focusing all socials problems and making fun of them.

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5 utilisateurs sur 6 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Too hip for 1970, 30 novembre 1999

Auteur : sspisak

This movie has the distinction of being too hip even for the hippest period in American movies. (It wasn't the underground hit it deserved to be.) Full of guerrilla street theater and put-ons, and featuring a very young Robert De Niro going through lighting-fast comedy routines, it's an amazing document of the era. Remarkable the number of great actors De Palma discovered--with De Niro at the top of the list.

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4 utilisateurs sur 5 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Strange Little Film By A Very Young De Palma, 2 février 2005

Auteur : Hal-900 de WA, USA

Interesting little time capsule directed by a very young Brian De Palma. It is a sequel to one of De Palma's early films "Greetings" (which I have not seen yet, so I don't know if it is any good). It is mostly an experimental film, which has dated badly. However, if you admire Brian De Palma, you will notice obvious signs that he is a master storyteller and that he knows his technical stuff (great editing, unusual camera movements, effective sound effects, etc.). It also shows the filmmaker's weaknesses (problems with the narrative, etc.). Robert De Niro plays one of his usual weird characters, and the strong political subtext is typical of films from the era. It's mostly a great curio, and a must-see if you are a fan of the director.

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4 utilisateurs sur 5 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Fascinating, 2 janvier 2002

Auteur : grybop de Grèce

A wild, brutal, but, above all, surrealistic depiction of urban life in the USA during the late 60s is only partially what this film is about. Topics like racism, manipulation of the masses through television, attempts for creating 'modern' forms of art are approached with satire in "Hi mom" and this very satire seems to be the DePalma's aim here. The result is rather difficult to comprehend in its whole - especially if you are not a US resident and don't live in 1970 :o) - but is also fascinating to watch, almost breathtaking at times. The parallel use of coloured and black & white frames works effectively and the naturalism in some scenes is remarkable. DeNiro, of course, is excellent, and so is the rest of the cast.

9

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5 utilisateurs sur 7 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
One of De Palma's very best; perhaps his most gleefully deranged, 29 août 2005

Auteur : MisterWhiplash de Etats-Unis

In this very late 60's irreverent, almost anarchic low-budget film, Brian De Palma defines more of his strange, given Hitchcock-like fascination of voyeurism, and attacks the issues of the day. The most prominent of which, both cringe-inducing and just plain funny, is when he focuses on the black-power movement (a black woman handing out fliers asking white people 'do you know what it's like to be black'), which is something that could only work for that time and place, not before or now.

But one of the key things to the interest in the film is 27 year old Robert De Niro (not his first or last film with the director), who plays this character who sits in a room looking out through his telescope at women in their rooms, setting up phony deals, and in the end basically throwing bombs. Those who have said that De Niro can't act and just is himself in every movie should see this movie, if only out of some minor curiosity. A couple of times in the film it's actually not funny, as when there's a disturbance in a black-power meeting (filmed in a grainer, rougher style than the rest of the film).

In the end it's capped off with a rambling monologue in an interview that tops De Niro's in King of Comedy. It's pretty obvious where De Palma's career would go after this, into slightly more mainstream Hollywood territory, but all of his trademarks are here; the dark, almost nail-biting comedy, the perfectly timed style of voyeurism, and interesting usage of locals. Think if De Palma and De Niro did a Monty Python film, only even more low-budget and in its New York way just as off-the-hinges, and you got Hi, Mom! It also contains an eccentric and funny soundtrack.

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6 utilisateurs sur 9 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
I expect youre wondering why I'm wearing two watches, 24 mars 2003

Auteur : suzanna kempner (daphnecrane50@hotmail.com) de Bournemouth University, England

This film was bought in a petrol station for 5 pounds on DVD. I expected little from it. It turned out to be one of the sharpest, funniest and deepest comedies I've ever seen.

De Niro is an idol of mine and he was fantastic as Jon, underplaying while displaying many layers to his comedy. My friend and I were giggling ourselves stupid at the opening scene where the superintendent keeps upping the price of the disgusting flat, with it's bath full of cat shite, and broken furniture. The montage of various bits of furniture breaking in the superintendent's hands is endlessly watchable, and one of the great comic moments in cinema as far as I'm concerned.

The satirical nature of Be Black, Baby was incredible. It is as poignant today as it was 30 years ago, and raised some interesting points.

All in all, I think the film was hysterically funny, De Niro looked and acted great, and I only wish that he'd do more comedy like this today, because even as a green up-and-comer he was more than capable. So why are we still watching painful moments like 'Rocky and Bullwinkle'?

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2 utilisateurs sur 2 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Hard to believe DePalma did this comedy!, 1 juin 2006

Auteur : Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) de Etats-Unis

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

Very strange and satirical look at a Vietnam vet (Robert DeNiro) and how he tries to get a job after being discharged. First he's a peeping tom--photographing neighbors without their knowledge. He also gets involved with one--Julie Bishop (Jennifer Salt). Then he joins a black theatrical group who basically rob all the white liberals who attend their plays! THEN he becomes an urban guerrilla willing to blow up buildings.

As you can see this is not for all tastes. The humor is sharp, absurd, no holds barred and VERY funny. This movie takes aims at many targets (blacks, whites, race relations, politics, liberals) and goes after them full force. This may be a little strong for some people (the movie almost got an X rating for nudity) but I loved it. There's a particularly funny episode with blacks questioning white people on the street if they know what it's like to be black.

DeNiro is a wonder---he's SO young and already talented. He plays every sequence perfectly. His bits with Allen Garfield are hysterical--the banter between them goes nonstop. DePalma already shows his directorial talents using split screen (in the opening credits) and having almost all of DeNiro's adventures shown through a video camera. Salt is sort of annoying--but she's supposed to be.

A VERY 1970s comedy. Lots of the opinions and situations here just don't happen anymore but still worth seeing. Who ever knew that Brian DePalma could do a comedy? ("Bonfire of the Vanities" doesn't count--that was unintentionally funny). I give this an 8.

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