The_Void Brian De Palma would go on to become the number one Hitchcock imitator with the release of films such as Sisters, Body Double and Dressed to Kill. It's his style that he is most famous for; so as you would expect, his first feature is absolutely full of style and various experiments...the result is a mixed bag really. First of all, the stylish flourishes and experiments are all at the expense of the story, although some of it is interesting to watch. The plot itself focuses on a maker of very strange films and a girl who falls in love with him. The plot is clearly not the most important thing about the film, however, and really nothing in it makes a great deal of sense. The picture is a stark black and white and this gives the film a distinctive look which is to its credit. The majority of the movie is taken up by sequences that see the film's pivotal event (an ice pick murder) from the perspective of several different characters. I would not really say that this film is entertaining or even fun to watch really; but it is interesting to see the film that De Palma made before he got famous and the film is worth seeing for that reason.

MisterWhiplash It's something refreshing to the mind of a movie buff when we come across a filmmaker who doesn't change all that much during a career, but keeps making himself seem fresh, if that makes sense. Brian De Palma, for better or worse (and he's had both), is a filmmaker who hasn't changed a whole lot in forty years, at least where some of his central concerns meet. Take the opening scene, where a director is holding a screen test for a few girls, telling them to take off their clothes. This is also seen later on in The Black Dahlia where a director auditions Elizabeth Smart (in both I believe might be voiced uncredited by De Palma himself). Right from here there's no mistaking, even in just a simple one shot, how much he loves the act of watching, the technical, plastic aspect of it, the movement of a camera, frame speeds and the possibilities in even satirizing the process of film-making and voyeurism.Muder a la Mod is possibly his first feature, and it's certainly not technically perfect, or even very accomplished in the sense that his films of the 80s look (storyboarding, as he said he did for films like Dressed to Kill and The Untouchables). But I would much rather watch a work like this, which has a lot of invention and off-the-wall comedy and unpredictability, than one of his more recent bloated studio productions. And the story is gleefully ripped off the pages of quarter-cent paperbacks and given the De Palma twist: Karen is in love with Christopher, who is a freelance photographer and aspiring filmmaker, but she doesn't quite understand why he wants her to leave when she stops in one day as he watches dailies. Turns out he's making this film, a skin-flick, so that he can get a divorce from his wife. But there's more: a leering, merry/psycho prankster named Otto is stalking around the building doing this and that, holding not one but two ice-picks (one fake and one real, as little title-arrows direct us to at one point), and as Karen's friend waits outside for her a murder occurs, with bizarre circumstances.The twist to this, aside from seeing De Palma mess with the speed of film and timing and framing and cutting and this and that with lighting and going between Gothic horror and silent slapstick (in more Godard form than Hitchcock as one also saw in Greetings and Hi, Mom!) is that De Palma adds the touches of dark comedy that one associates with him, and that he can do well when working without a net. He jumps around, for example, in the middle of what should be a simple exposition scene between Karen and Tracy (not bad though not quite "good" actresses Norton and Akers), where the script seems to be presented in tact, just no in the usual 180-degree kind of structure of a scene. It's an uneasy feeling at first, but it's nevertheless captivating, and this attitude continues throughout, as though De Palma knew he had nothing to lose but his creative freedom on limited resources. I'm even reminded of Kubrick's two early films, Killer's Kiss and the Killing, by featuring a freewheeling, guerrilla-style take on New York City, and a the triple-back structure of the narrative in regards to the Killing.As I said, it's not exactly great shakes as a film, but it's flaws are mostly due to budget and, as expected, not having the best cast members (my least favorite scene involved a bank manager who gave Tracy a tough time in receiving her "ice", not simply because the bank actor but the scene goes too long). Though as in other cases, De Palma has a wild card in one of the great unsung character actors: William Finley. This is a strange, creepy man, who apparently can make some music as well as go about like some demented clown (he wrote and performed the title track). His character Otto is a little like his character in Sisters crossed with his character in Black Dahlia (the latter the one pleasant surprise in that film aside from the screen test bit); he has these two ice picks, and at first looks like a very sinister character, the "obvious" one to do the work of being the murderer, and as well carrying along a fresh corpse in that trunk. But De Palma's double back to him in the story is the most entertaining: he doesn't speak, but his thoughts are jumbled like out of a Frank Zappa record, and as he ascends stairs he sprints and the camera jubilantly follows quickly. In his first role, in the first De Palma movie, he makes his mark well.

Zorynarecords2 I'm so glad that Something Weird Video has issued this lost low budget film. This is Brian De Palma's first Solo attempt at feature film making. The Wedding Party was made earlier with two other fresh faced film students Cynthia Munroe and Willford Leach. Murder is Depalma's first flight on his own. He does a great job considering what he had to work with. There are some flaws with the picture; but it's very engaging and easy to watch.The b/w photography is as a plus, The acting is so so, with the exectpition of William Finley who steals the show despite having his lines dubbed in! Finley also writes and sings the Title Song, which isn't bad if you like 1960's garage rock!! The film is very dated. In fact it's dated 1967 on the title screen. It wasn't released until the following year; in a single New York theater!! Until Something Weird's DVD issue this film was next to impossible to see.I find Murder A La Mod interesting because it foreshadows his entire career. Many themes Mr. Depalma uses in later films are already in motion: His obsession with Hitchcock is touched upon with a wildly unpredictable shower scene! Voyeurism Peep Art and Porno Making are all integrated as they will be in his subsequent films: Greetings(1968), Hi Mom(1969) and Sisters(1973). Jennifer Salt looks fabulous in her film debut as a girl having trouble taking it all off. She does a great job, I wish she had a bigger part.Some other De Palma hallmarks present are: the speed ed up frame, the Hitchcock like editing in the murder scenes, misogyny, New York grubbiness and exploitation. It feels like the work of someone just fooling around without having any undue pressure placed upon them. The film is very disturbing and the violence is very graphic for 1967. The first murder takes place right after the opening credits!!! We then follow the Second murder through a series of takes that show the same thing from different angles. Just like Stanley Kubrick's racetrack robbery in The Killing(1956). Not to mention a whole slew of 1990's imitators who shall remain nameless. There are all kinds of holes in the plot, but the whole thing is so surreal that it works anyway. The Killer Male lead is the biggest problem with the film in my opinion. I wouldn't say that it is a great film; but sure is interesting and very worth while for the Brian De Palma or 1960 exploitation Drive-In fan. I give it a 6 out of 10

maccauleyjoseph Just finished watching this early De Palma, and I am glad that I was finally able to see it. I have seen almost all his early films and this one certainly was not boring, in fact there were a few thrills and chills. I found the story confusing but it still kept my attention. It featured some good DePalma stylish moments,as well as clumsy comedy. I was reminded of some of his later works, and when you watch this film it is apparent that DePalma really knew how to get the right thriller feel, even way back in his black and white days.....this film, in its own way is about as good as "The black dahila", but you gotta be a DePalma fan.......