Hi, Mom! (1970)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Brian De Palma (screenplay)
Brian De Palma (story)

Release Date:

1970 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

God bless our humble upper-middle-class high-rise co-op and keep it free from smut peddlers, militants, urban guerrillas and Greenwich Village liberals.

Plot:

A Vietnam vet moves into an apartment and views in other people's windows across the street, meets one of the women, and discovers black theater.

Plot Keywords:

Experimental | Revolution | Comma In Title | Theatre | Guerilla Art

Cast

Charles Durning	...	Superintendant (as Charles Durnham)
Robert De Niro	...	Jon Rubin
Allen Garfield	...	Joe Banner
Abraham Goren	...	Pervert in Theater
Lara Parker	...	Jeannie Mitchell
Bruce Price	...	Jimmy Mitchell
Ricky Parker	...	Ricky Mitchell
Andy Parker	...	Andy Mitchell
Jennifer Salt	...	Judy Bishop
Robbie Heywood	...	Roommate #1
Leslie Bornstein	...	Roommate #2
Paul Bartel	...	Uncle Tom Wood
Gerrit Graham	...	Gerrit Wood
Nelson Peltz	...	The Playboy
Delia Abrams	...	Date #1

Also Known As:

Blue Manhattan
Confessions of a Peeping John
Son of Greetings

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (1998) | Australia:M | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

West End Productions

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Jon Rubin is finally about to seduce Judy Bishop in her apartment, you can see a microphone 'peeping' into the room several times from behind the sofa where she is lying down.

Movie Connections:

References Porgy and Bess (1959)

Soundtrack:

Hi, Mom

Fascinating

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