Greetings (1968) **1/2

Brian De Palma's Greetings (1968), his second released film, is a competently made farce which holds the distinction of being the first film released in the United States with an X rating. I'm not quite sure why because it seems like it would have been tame even back then. More a series of vignettes than a narrative film, which involves three young men (one played by Robert De Niro in his first credited role), all of whom are avoiding the draft. Many topics are covered and satirized including US involvement in Vietnam, computer dating, peeping, sex, the French New Wave and the JFK assassination. Some objectionable racial and homophobic slurs, as well as treatment of women may turn some viewers off. It's kind of cool to see De Palma's technique blossoming but I don't feel like this is a film I would revisit often.

You can find my Brian De Palma Feature Films Ranked list here.