Brian De Palma
A master of cinematic suspense and bravura technique, whose stylish, often controversial thrillers dissected obsession, voyeurism, and violence.
Born 1940 (age 86)·American film director·Birthday: September 11·The Silent Generation
Biography
Brian De Palma emerged from the film school brats of the 1970s as the most unapologetically stylish and technically daring of the bunch. While his New Hollywood peers explored new narratives, De Palma was obsessed with form, crafting set-pieces of pure visual storytelling that paid homage to Hitchcock while forging a distinct, operatic voice. His career is a rollercoaster of critical disdain and cult adoration, often for the same film. He found early success with the chilling telekinetic horror of 'Carrie,' then dove into a provocative, morally complex body of work including 'Dressed to Kill,' 'Scarface,' and 'The Untouchables.' Films like 'Body Double' and 'Blow Out' are masterclasses in sound and perspective, turning the act of watching into a central, fraught theme. De Palma's work frequently courted controversy for its graphic violence and sexual content, which critics sometimes dismissed as gratuitous, but his champions saw a sharp social satirist probing American decadence and corruption. His influence is undeniable, his split-screen sequences and sweeping crane shots studied by directors who followed, cementing his place as a true cinematic provocateur.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Brian was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Directed the influential and enduring horror classic 'Carrie' (1976), launching several careers.
- Crafted the iconic, hyper-stylized gangster epic 'Scarface' (1983), which became a massive cultural touchstone.
- Won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival for 'The Black Dahlia' (2006).
- Directed the acclaimed crime drama 'The Untouchables' (1987), which earned an Oscar for Sean Connery.
Did You Know?
He originally studied physics at Columbia University before switching to theater and later attending Sarah Lawrence for graduate film studies.
He was part of a close-knit circle of filmmakers in the 1970s that included Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas.
He wrote the original script for what eventually became the film 'Mission: Impossible' (1996).
“The camera is a voyeur. It’s the eye of the devil, or the eye of God.”
