Anyone who truly loves cinema and the history of American filmmaking surely knows how impactful Brian De Palma has been. Like his contemporaries Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, De Palma was part of a class of young American filmmakers who helped change the way films were made in Hollywood.
Though De Palma's career has not remained as popular as those aforementioned colleagues, it's impossible to ignore his astonishing body of work which includes some of the most highly acclaimed films of all time. For those unfamiliar with De Palma's filmography, Rotten Tomatoes provides an excellent education on his best work.
10 Scarface (1983) - 81%
Perhaps De Palma's most famous work is this wild crime story. Scarface stars Al Pacino as Cuban immigrant Tony Montana who gradually works his way up in Miami's drug trade. Through intimidation and force, he becomes the biggest drug lord in the city while making plenty of enemies.
De Palma crafts a stylish and over-the-top crime epic with a hugely entertaining performance from Pacino at its center. Scarface remains one of the most beloved gangster movies of all time.
9 Dressed To Kill (1980) - 81%
De Palma has played around with a lot of different genres, but he is known for his erotic thrillers. One of his best is Dressed to Kill which follows a call girl who witnesses a brutal murder. Not only does she become the prime suspect of the crime, but she also becomes the next target of the real killer.
Critics found the film to be the perfect project for De Palma's strengths. He expertly builds the mystery while filling the story with all kinds of dark and twisted aspects that make it an unforgettable thriller.
8 Carlito's Way (1993) - 81%
Many people consider Carlito's Way to be a spiritual successor to Scarface. The film reteams De Palma with Pacino for another crime story. Pacino plays a former criminal who is released from prison and seeks to start a new life, only to find himself surrounded by various threats and temptations.
The movie is a more grounded and reserved film than Scarface but it is still quite thrilling. Pacino is once again great in the lead role and Sean Penn is terrific as his unhinged lawyer friend.
7 The Untouchables (1987) - 82%
It's clear that De Palma is drawn to crime stories and he took on real-life gangster Al Capone in the epic film, The Untouchables. Kevin Costner plays Elliott Ness, a determined lawman who assembles a team of cops to go after Capon during the Prohibition era.
The story is a bit of pulpy fun that nods to classic gangster tales, though critics noted that De Palma elevates the material with his stylish directing. The Untouchable was also praised for its excellent cast, including Sean Connery in an Oscar-winning supporting role.
6 Casualties Of War (1989) - 83%
It seems like almost every filmmaker from De Palma's era tried their hand at a Vietnam story at one time or another. Casualties of War is one of the more overlooked films on the subject. It stars Michael J. Fox as an honest soldier who is forced to go against his fellow soldiers when they kidnap a Vietnamese woman from her village.
Though a smaller scale war film, critics acknowledge that the movie effectively portrayed the harrowing nature of war. The ensemble, which also includes Sean Penn and John C. Reilly, was also praised. Many critics noted De Palma's more mature approach to this project.
5 Phantom Of The Paradise (1974) - 84%
While De Palma has some mainstream films in his filmography, he is certainly not afraid to take some big chances. One of his most ambitious films is Phantom of the Paradise. The rock opera defies genre in the story of a music club haunted by a mysterious and vengeful figure.
Some critics noted that the film is a not-so-subtle critique of the music industry and the result is only somewhat interesting. But the real thrill is seeing De Palma embrace his most wild ideas to create this insane and wonderful experience.
4 Blow Out (1981) - 85%
De Palma is an expert in tension-filled thrillers. Blow Out featured an early starring role for John Travolta, who plays a sound technician who accidentally records proof of a murder. He then finds himself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy.
Blow Out was a big hit with critics as they seemed to be especially taken by the film's many references to cinema. They also compared De Palma to Alfred Hitchcock in his talent for using paranoia and suspense to phenomenal effect.
3 Sisters (1973) - 87%
Even in the early years of his career, De Palma was able to craft unforgettable and twisty thrillers. Sisters stars Margot Kidder as a young woman who witnesses a murder from her apartment window. After the police fail to find any evidence of a crime having taken place, she hires a private detective to learn the truth.
The film was called a faithful homage to other classics in the genre. While aspects of Sisters felt familiar to some critics, they also praised De Palma's clever script and his stylish direction.
2 Greetings (1968) - 88%
De Palma made his feature directorial debut with this low-key character-driven comedy which feels quite different from many of his films that followed. Greetings is told in a unique episodic format, focusing on three friends going down different paths while living in New York City.
Though not for everyone, many critics found Greetings to be smart and engrossing. Though they acknowledge there is a lack of story, the humor it finds in the society of the time is where the film shines.
1 Carrie (1976) - 92%
There have been endless adaptations of Stephen King novels, but Carrie is often ranked as the best of them all. Sissy Spacek stars as the titular character, a shy and bullied young girl whose ongoing torment seems to awaken a dark psychic power inside of her.
De Palma was praised for delivering something much more than a teen horror movie. His balancing of various themes helps to make the project even more compelling. Spacek is excellent in the lead role and the set pieces remain among the most iconic in horror movie history.
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