The Untouchables and De Palma and production design use of numbering in the train station sequence

Think of an especially tense, suspenseful scene or scene sequence from a movie....

How do you think the scene or scene sequence's length contributed to the suspense of the scene or scene sequence?" A few weeks ago, those questions were offered up to the students in an online writing class for consideration as a topic for a brief discussion. I selected the train station sequence in Brian De Palma's 1987 film The Untouchables. I started thinking about that scene and my love of De Palma's films and Alfred Hitchcock and even though I could only share a few sentences about that topic in the discussion area, I kept writing things down for myself. I have been a big De Palma fan ever since I watched Blow Out when it was released back in 1981. The movie was so engaging that my life was changed forever by the profound effect that it had upon me - it was like a religious experience.

Last week on September 7th, 2009, the Cinema Viewfinder blog page began a De Palma blog-a-thon that will conclude on Sept 16th. I submitted an overly long piece a day or so ago and I hope that they might choose to add some of my observations to the celebration. Like a child waiting to be embraced, or in my seeking that feeling of internal happiness that occurs when another person smiles back at you, I decided that I wouldn't -or couldn't-wait any longer.
I also realized that because I did not have a blog, I could only comment on other submissions. So back on Monday night, I started this blog so I can share my thoughts.

No matter how imperfect or juvenile the style, no matter how fawning I may inadvertently appear to be, regardless of the potential unpleasantness of the sickeningly sweet taste of my words to a reader who might consider it to be a puff piece, I'm going to paddle out into the water with my mind, an alphabet, and my heart and start riding the tides....

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Part One
A quick look at the train station shootout sequence in Brian De Palma’s film The Untouchables

The production team -

Directed by Brian De Palma
Produced by Art Linson
Written by David Mamet
Original Music by Ennio Morricone
Cinematography by Stephen H. Burum
Film Editing by Jerry Greenberg and Bill Pankow
Production Design - Patricia Von Brandenstein

What follows is an attempt to provide some personal observations about De Palma’s use of numbers and visual storytelling in The Untouchables. My favorite De Palma films tend to be the ones that he has written and directed. I enjoy his work in general. I have always felt that De Palma has been mistreated, mischaracterized and discarded in print or online without being recognized for using the gifts and talents that he employs in his films.

We all know the line about opinions being like @$$holes because everybody has one.
My agenda, if there is one, is to offer a sincere appreciation of his communication skills as a filmmaker. An artist's work should speak for itself. No matter how gifted the creator may be, if the audience does not bring intelligence and an open mind to the encounter with the art, or a willingness to think about and try to understand what they are seeing or hearing, negativity ensues. If the audience is a co-creator in the creative dialog with the artist and they shirk the responsibility of thoughtful analysis, then meaning becomes meaningless and we all lose. I believe De Palma is a terrific artist who continues to be deserving of a much greater recognition and appreciation within his lifetime by film lovers throughout the world.