Best known for thriller and suspense films, director Brian De Palma has also dabbled in the horror genre during his lengthy career which spans four decades. In this edition of Best Horror, we pay tribute to the acclaimed director and look at the top 10 Brian De Palma movies.
10. The Fury – Part spy movie and part horror film, The Fury concerns a man’s search for his two telekinetic children. Stars Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving, John Cassavetes and Charles Durning.
9. Wise Guys – Harry (Danny DeVito) and Moe (Joe Piscopo) and low-level criminals for the Newark mob. After getting in debt to their boss, each man is ordered to kill the other in this 1986 comedy. Harvey Keitel also stars.
8. Casualties of War – Based on a true story, this chilling tale concerns a young soldier (Michael J. Fox) and his quest to seek justice for a young Vietnamese girl who’s raped and murdered by his squad. Sean Penn plays the violent and conflicted Sergeant Tony Meserve. John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo make their screen debuts.
7. Dressed to Kill – A housewife (Angie Dickinson) is murdered, and an investigation is launched into her death. A prostitute (Nancy Allen) saw the killer, a large blonde woman wielding a straight razor. Oh, and Michael Caine also stars as a New York shrink.
6. Blow Out – John Travolta plays a sound effects technician who may have recorded a murder. A tense thriller with John Lithgow co-starring as a creepy assassin. One of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite movies.
5. Mission: Impossible – De Palma tries his hand at a summer blockbuster and succeeds on all levels. Loads of fun, and a pre-crazy Tom Cruise does a great job as an action hero. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is the American version of James Bond.
4. Carlito’s Way – Another collaboration between De Palma and Al Pacino, Carlito’s Way centers around a criminal trying desperately to reform his lawless ways.
3. Carrie – Based on the novel by Stephen King, Carrie tells the story of a lonely girl with frightening powers of telekinesis. When I saw this as a child, it freaked me out for a long, long time.
2. Scarface – De Palma redefined the crime movie and inspired a generation of gangsta rappers. Al Capone is wonderfully over-the-top as Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who longs for money, power and women.
1. The Untouchables – Kevin Costner plays Eliot Ness on the trail of Robert DeNiro’s Al Capone. Excellent direction, a superb cast, and a killer soundtrack make The Untouchables the masterpiece of De Palma’s storied career.
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