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Brian De Palma

Brian De Palma

Director, writer, actor, editor and producer · Born September 11, 1940 (86) · Newark, New Jersey, USA

Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over forty years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films. De Palma was a leading member of the New Hollywood generation of film directors. His direction often makes use of quotations from other films or cinematic styles, and bears the influence of filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Jean-Luc Godard, and Michelangelo Antonioni. His work has been criticized for its violence and sexual content, but has also been championed by American critics such as Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 11, 1940 (86)
From
Newark, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Director, writer, actor, editor and producer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 4% in 30 days

What are Brian De Palma's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Crime12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
28%
Self
24%
Ideas
11%
Society
10%
Survival
9%
Bonds
8%
Power
8%
Art7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 8 · Dark 15

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 19

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 9 · Charged 8 · Intense 18

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 11

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 10

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 14 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 10

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 18 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 7

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Dread
12
Absurd
10
Contemplative
11
Melancholic
12
Other
23

How their films linger

Thought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic6
  • Ambiguous10
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Brian De Palma's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Brian De Palma's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 31 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Short Cuts : Scarface de Brian de Palma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Original Film Writer

  • Brian De Palma par Brian De Palma Leçon de cinéma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Brian De Palma

  • Scarface: 35th Anniversary Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Domino(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Brian De Palma Backstage at the Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Passion(2012)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Walk of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Thanks

  • Redacted(2007)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Original Story · Screenplay

  • The Black Dahlia(2006)

    Director · as Screen Test Director (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Gangland: Bullets over Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Black Dahlia Confidential (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • Unseen + Untold: Scarface (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Femme Fatale(2002)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Brian De Palma : Les Années 60 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Mission to Mars(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Stir of Echoes(1999)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Snake Eyes(1998)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Rotwang Must Go! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Famous American Movie Director

  • Carlito's Way(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Pehla Nasha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Original Story

  • Raising Cain(1992)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Bonfire of the Vanities(1990)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • A Boy And His Car (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Thanks

  • Casualties of War(1989)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Untouchables(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Wise Guys(1986)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Body Double(1984)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Scarface(1983)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Blow Out(1981)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Dressed to Kill(1980)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Home Movies(1979)

    Director · Producer · Story

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Fury(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Carrie(1976)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Obsession(1976)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Godfather Part II(1974)

    Musician

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Phantom of the Paradise(1974)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sisters(1972)

    Director · Original Story · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Get to Know Your Rabbit(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Hi, Mom!(1970)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Dionysus in '69 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor

  • The Wedding Party(1969)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • To Bridge This Gap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director

  • Greetings(1968)

    Director · Editor · Writer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Murder à la Mod(1968)

    Director · Editor · Writer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Show Me a Strong Town and I'll Show You a Strong Bank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • The Responsive Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor

  • Jennifer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director

  • Woton's Wake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Director · Writer

  • 660124: The Story of an IBM Card (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director

  • Icarus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Director

  • Catch and Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • Stalkings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Sweet Vengeance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 56 titles, 53 of them dated from 1960 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Mission: Impossible (1996)

$458M worldwide

Highest rated

Scarface (1983)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Carrie (1976)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting9 of 56: 8 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting41 of 56: 18 only directing, 23 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndWriting21 of 56: 3 only writing, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndProducing5 of 56: 0 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score21stCinematography2 of 56: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleEditing5 of 56: 0 only editing, 5 with another roleOther crew4 of 56: 4 only other crew, 0 with another role

56 titles, 23 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 18 of them.

By decade

1960s10 · crew1970s9 · crew1980s8 · crew1990s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s10 · 5 acting · 6 crew2010s5 · 2 acting · 3 crew2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Brian De Palma's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 31; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · director, writer

Redacted (2007)

74th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Scarface (1983)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 67/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Brian De Palma's work okay for kids?

Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore21 titles58–91 · median 75 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity23 titles15–78 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles42–90 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs18 titles32–71 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense19 titles42–86 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Brian De Palma work with?

People who share at least 2 of Brian De Palma's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Paul Hirsch shares the most, 11.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles