With a film career going all the way back to the 1960s, Brian De Palma has built up an incredibly impressive body of work over the decades. Boasting an eclectic mix of movies that range from slashers to gangster epics all the way to big-budget action movies, many of De Palma’s works are considered amongst the most iconic in all of cinema.
While critics certainly have their favorites however, it’s always interesting to see what the general consensus is among fans. With that in mind, we’re here to take a look at the best Brian De Palma movies, ranked according to IMDb.
10 Sisters (1973): 6.9
An underrated 1970s slasher flick, Sisters is one of Brian De Palma’s early forays into the horror genre – and the result is a twisty and entertaining thriller that’s since earned itself a cult following.
The movie follows reporter Grace Collier, who’s drawn down a dark and deadly path when she witnesses a murder at the hands of Dominique Breton – played by Margot Kidder – one of two former conjoined twins. Accompanied by a tense score from Psycho’s Bernard Herrmann, Sisters is one of De Palma’s least talked about movies, despite being one of his very best.
9 Casualties of War (1989): 7.1
Starring the likes of Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn, Casualties of War chronicles the disturbing real-life events of the ‘Incident on Hill 192’ – a particularly heinous war crime committed by American soldiers during the Vietnam War.
The movie is a challenging look at power and rage during wartime, standing out as one of the most poignant war movies of the past few decades. Bolstered by tremendous performances from Penn and Fox, De Palma tones down his usual stylistic flourishes and delivers a mature, haunting movie with Casualties of War.
8 Dressed to Kill (1980): 7.1
Another Brian De Palma slasher that doesn’t get enough love, Dressed to Kill centers on the murder of an unfaithful housewife, and the twisted events that follow in its wake. With style and intrigue to spare, the movie serves as a perfect encapsulation of De Palma’s bold directorial voice.
Starring Michael Caine as psychiatrist Robert Elliot, Dressed to Kill was a hit with critics and audiences alike – grossing an impressive $31.9 million on a $6.5 million budget.
7 Mission: Impossible (1996): 7.1
1996’s Mission: Impossible is arguably amongst the most iconic movies in Brian De Palma’s entire filmography, spawning a hugely successful franchise that continues to be lucrative even today. As of 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, the series has grossed a whopping $3.5 billion.
Following Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt – famously portrayed by Tom Cruise – as he’s framed for the murder of his fellow agents, Mission: Impossible sees Hunt attempt to untangle a deadly web of deceit within his own agency. De Palma’s sole entry into the franchise stands as perhaps the most widely recognized of the bunch, kicking off one of Hollywood’s most beloved franchises with a bang.
6 Phantom of the Paradise (1974): 7.4
Probably the most bizarre, out-there movie in Brian De Palma’s entire body of work, Phantom of the Paradise is also one of his most widely loved, becoming a huge cult hit with fans over the years. A loose amalgamation of several classic stories such as Phantom of the Opera and Faust, this musical horror-comedy sees its titular ‘phantom’ – disfigured musician Winslow Leach – seek revenge on nefarious producer Swan after he steals Leach’s music to open his new venue, ‘The Paradise’.
While Phantom of the Paradise wasn’t too warmly received by critics upon its initial release, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score regardless, and his since enjoyed a huge surge in popularity.
5 Blow Out (1981): 7.4
Boasting a cast featuring the likes of John Travolta, Nancy Allen and John Lithgow, Blow Out follows sound technician Jack Terry as he stumbles across audio proof of an attempted political assassination while recording for a slasher movie.
Taking influence from the trippy ‘Giallo’ genre, as well as classic movies like 1966’s Blowup, the movie sadly underperformed at the box office, not even making back its budget. Nevertheless, Blow Out is still recognized as one of the neo-noir genre’s best, receiving widespread acclaim and even becoming part of the Criterion Collection.
4 Carrie (1976): 7.4
One of pop culture’s most deeply embedded horror movies, Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s very first novel Carrie remains one of the highlights of his career. Telling the story of meek teenager Carrie White, who suffers abuse at the hands of her religious mother, Carrie sees the naïve young girl mercilessly bullied by her peers – resulting in the movie’s intense and iconic climax.
Carrie received two Academy Award nominations for its incredible performances from Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie – who played Carrie and Margaret White respectively – both of whom helped breathe haunting new life to King’s already disturbing story.
3 Carlito’s Way (1993): 7.9
Following Al Pacino’s retired gangster Carlito Brigante, as he attempts to abandon his life of crime, Carlito’s Way sees the former criminal unwillingly roped back into the toxic criminal underworld after he’s released from a five year stretch in prison.
A classic gangster story about redemption and the cycle of violence, Carlito’s Way showcases some of De Palma’s most impressive action sequences as well as a fantastic score. Like many of Brian De Palma’s best efforts though, the movie wasn’t fully appreciated until several years after its release – though some of the movie’s performances garnered Golden Globe nominations.
2 The Untouchables (1987): 7.9
Directed by Brian De Palma, written by David Mamet, scored by Ennio Morricone and starring the likes of Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, and Robert De Niro, The Untouchables showcases an almost inconceivable team of legendary cast and crew members, delivering one of the best gangster movies ever made.
The story chronicles the efforts of prohibition agent Eliot Ness and his team of ‘Untouchables’ to take down the mercurial gangster Al Capone, played menacingly by De Niro. The Untouchables was one of 1987’s biggest successes, raking in $106.2 million and racking up four Academy Award nominations.
1 Scarface (1983): 8.3
Perhaps the prime example of a remake eclipsing its predecessor, Scarface is amongst the most widely recognized movies ever put to screen – with even those having not seen it aware of its most famous quotes and scenes.
Taking the 1932 Paul Muni-starring classic and bathing it in excess and violence, Scarface is a quintessential gangster movie, reveling in its purposely saturated 80s Miami aesthetic. Scarface tells the story of overly ambitious drug lord Tony Montana – famously portrayed by Al Pacino – as he attempts to climb the ranks of the criminal underworld, no matter the cost. The movie is hardly subtle about its themes of greed and excess, but intentionally so – with Scarface’s striking visuals and clear-cut characters painting a vivid picture of the pitfalls of avarice.
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