De Palma: New Doc Gives Intimate Look at Brian De Palma's Body-of-Work

By Sarah Soliman, JBFC Marketing Assistant

Brian De Palma, best known for his mastery of horror and thrillers, is a divisive figure. The director of films such as Carrie, Scarface, Blow Out, Carlito’s Way, and Mission: Impossible, has been disparaged or ignored by critics, and accused of misogyny, misanthropy, and a number of other things as a result of his fondness for violence on screen. The director has also been called an heir to Alfred Hitchcock, was championed by legendary critic Pauline Kael, and the new documentary, De Palma, dives deep into the filmography of the man, giving him the chance to showcase his unique filmmaking expertise.

Directed by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow, De Palma is essentially an extended interview which goes through De Palma’s body of work film-by-film, with De Palma providing perceptive analysis of his own work—both what he did well and what he didn’t—and astute observations about the film industry itself. A visual and technical master, De Palma proves to be as comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it. Discussion of his films is interwoven with behind-the-scenes gossip, making the documentary resemble a hybrid film class/tabloid, in the most entertaining way possible.

De Palma is a celebration of a director, and of films with a singular vision. It’s a must-see not only for De Palma fans, but also for those new to his work, and perhaps most of all, for De Palma doubters, who might be convinced to take a second look after seeing this insightful documentary. In short, De Palma is a film for anybody who loves film.

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