Brian de Palma - Definition and Overview

Brian De Palma (born September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American film director.

De Palma is often cited as a leading member of the Brat Pack generation of film Directors and Actors including George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. For a time he was quite loyal in casting Amy Irving and Nancy Allen.

His works explore themes of suspense, murder, obsession, and psychiatric disorders, among others. De Palma's cinematic style is much indebted to that of Alfred Hitchcock to whom a number of films 'Dressed to Kill', 'Blow Out' and 'Body Double' are straight homages. He is famous for using techniques of split screen, split-diopter, process shots, and long tracking shots (for example, Snake Eyes opens with an uninterupted 25 minute Steadicam shot.

Critics of DePalma accuse him of being misogynistic, and of emphasizing technical aspects of storytelling at the expense of human stories.

Filmography

• Femme Fatale (2002)
• Mission to Mars (2000)
• Snake Eyes (1998)
• Mission Impossible (1996)
• Carlito's Way (1993)
• Raising Cain (1992)
• The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
• Casualties of War (1989)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• Wise Guys (1986)
• Body Double (1984)
• Scarface (1983)
• Blow Out (1981)
• Dressed to Kill (1980)
• Home Movies (1979)
• The Fury (1978)
• Carrie (1976)
• Obsession (1976)
• Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
• Sisters (1973)
• Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972)
• Dionysus (1970)
• Hi, Mom (1970)
• The Wedding Party (1969)
• Greetings (1968)
• Murder a la Mod (1968)
• The Responsive Eye (1966)
• Show Me a Strong Town and I'll Show You a Strong Bank (1966)
• Bridge That Gap (1965)
• Jennifer (1964)
• Wotans Wake (1962)
• 660124 The Story of an IBM Card (1961)
• Icarus (1960)

External links

• IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000361/)
• Unofficial DePalma fan site (http://www.briandepalma.net/)