The American director, screenwriter and producer made successful films such as “The Untouchables” and “Mission: Impossible”. His thrillers often contain cinematic quotations from crime master Alfred Hitchcock. Recurring themes and motifs in his films are voyeurism and surveillance, doppelgangers, multiple personalities and violence. Brian de Palma’s best-known works include “Dressed To Kill” (1980), “My Brother Kain” (1992) and “Mission Impossible” (1996)…
Brian Russell de Palma was born on September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey, the son of a surgeon.
Brian de Palma first studied medicine, but realized early on that film was his passion. He made a few short films, including 1960’s Icarus and 1961’s 660124 – The Story of an IBM Card. After seven independent productions, he had his first success in 1973 with The Sisters of Evil. Another milestone in his career was the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel “Carrie – Satan’s Youngest Daughter” three years later. Brian de Palma married actress Nancy in 1979, but they divorced four years later. De Palma’s next major project was the 1980 action thriller Dressed to Kill. The following year followed “Blow Out – Death Erases All Traces”, in which his second wife Allen played a role. De Palma also directed top films like “Scarface” and “The Untouchables” in the 1980s.
In 1987, he received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for The Untouchables, starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. His trademark are homages to the director Alfred Hitchcock, he is a fan of his locations and camera angles. This orientation towards the old master of crime fiction comes out clearly, for example, in the thriller “Death Comes Twice” from 1984. In the 1990s, Brian de Palma was responsible for successful productions such as “Carlito’s Way” and “Mission: Impossible” with Tom Cruise. In the two years 1998 and 1999 his films “Snake Eyes” with Nicolas Cage and “Mr. Hughes” came into the cinemas. Pop diva Madonna also had a role in his 1998 film “Ambrose Chapel”. De Palma’s other credits include the 2000 sci-fi film Mission To Mars and 2002’s Femme Fatale.
With the thriller “Black Dahlia” (2006), de Palma created a film noir that won over audiences and critics alike.
Table of Contents
Filmography
1960 – Icarus
1961 – 660124, The Story Of An IBM Card
1962 – Wotan”s Wake
1966 – The Wedding Party
1968 – Greetings
1970 – Hi, Mom – Confessions Of A Peeping John
1972 – Help, I succeed
1973 – The Sisters of Evil
1974 – The Phantom in Paradise
1976 – Carrie – Satan’s youngest daughter
1978 – Vicious Alpha
1979 – Home Movies – As you me, so you me
1980 – Dressed To Kill
1981 – Blow Out – Death erases all traces
1982 – Creative Consultant
1983 – Scarface
1984 – Death comes twice
1986 – Wise Guys – 2 well rested boys
1987 – The Untouchables
1988 – The Great O’Grady
1989 – The Damned of War
1990 – Purgatory of Vanities
1992 – My brother Cain
1993 – Carlito”s Way
1994 – Rotwang has to go
1996 – Mission: Impossible
1998 – Game for time
Ambrose Chapel
1999 – Mr Hughes
2000 – Mission To Mars
2006 – Black Dahlia
What did Brian De Palma do?
Brian De Palma, in full Brian Russell De Palma, De Palma sometimes spelled DePalma, (born September 11, 1940, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.), American motion-picture director and screenwriter best noted for his usually stylish, often graphic horror-suspense films that draw heavily on the work of director Alfred Hitchcock.
How old is Brian De Palma?
82 years
September 11, 1940
Was Brian De Palma Italian?
Born on September 11, 1940, De Palma was born in Newark, New Jersey in an Italian-American family.
Where should I start with Brian De Palma?
Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Carrie (1976)
Body Double (1984)
Carlito’s Way (1993)
Blow Out (1981)
Is Brian De Palma an auteur?
“De Palma was actually the first American auteur of the New Hollywood to emerge, but the last to come to prominence… He is also the most gleefully, perversely derivative of them all, and perhaps for this reason the most in tune with the times.