The Giallo Energy of Brian De Palma’s ‘Mission: Impossible’
Mission: Impossible marked my first experience with Brian De Palma. Little did I know in 1996 (at just 15) that De Palma would eventually become my favorite director. As I began to lean into my love of cinema, I eagerly devoured more of De Palma’s output. His signature style encompasses a number of different themes. The director takes inspiration from the giallo films of years past, film noir, Alfred Hitchcock, and the paranoid political thrillers of yesteryear. De Palma’s work also makes use of artistic camerawork and editing; he frequently uses his visual aesthetic to enhance the tension inherent to a film’s narrative. Moreover, De Palma’s output is almost always tinged with a level of eroticism that gives his work a sexually charged intensity. Many of the aforementioned elements are present in De Palma’s Mission: Impossible.
Mission: Impossible follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team of agents as they attempt to intervene and prevent a rogue agent from stealing a list containing the identities of countless undercover assets. When the mission goes awry, the majority of Ethan’s team turns up dead and the blame falls squarely on his shoulders. Not content to go down as a traitor, Ethan puts together a new crew and attempts to prove his innocence and keep the list out of the wrong hands.
Also Read: The 10 Most Disturbing A24 Thrillers And Where To Stream Them
Some movie lovers might see the first entry in the Mission: Impossible cannon as the odd duck of the franchise. It’s certainly different from future franchise installments. But I count the original Mission: Impossible as near-perfect because of how different it is. De Palma wasn’t interested in making an action spectacle that would put butts into multiplex seats. Instead, he delivered a visually stunning offering that favors intrigue over the death-defying acts of derring-do for which the series would later come to be known.
De Palma weaves his signature aesthetic into the film’s DNA. The tightly framed shots and beautiful camerawork augment the tension inherent to the narrative. And there is an undeniable level of eroticism to the dynamic between Ethan and Claire (Emmanuelle Béart). Additionally, Mission: Impossible is filled with giallo elements throughout. But the themes aren’t quite as easy to spot as in pictures like Dressed to Kill or Body Double. However, I assure you, dear reader, they are there. So, please allow me a moment to speak to when and where the giallo references transpire.
One of the most noticeable giallo influences in Mission: Impossible is the shot of Jim’s (Jon Voight) hands as he’s bleeding out on the bridge. Any giallo scholar surely knows the films of that subgenre almost always feature POV shots of the killer’s hands. That element likely serves as a subtle attempt at foreshadowing the dangers to come. However, I will leave it there to avoid major spoilers.
Also Read: ‘The Night House’ Is Smart, Stylish, and Terrifying [The Overlooked Motel]
Another giallo reference comes by way of the masks that allow cast members to don a different identity at will. That trope was previously used in the Klaus Kinski-starring giallo Double Face. Changing one’s identity with a mask is not nearly as easy as the film makes it look. But that aspect gives Mission: Impossible a pulpy quality common to giallo filmmaking and serves as a subtle nod to one of De Palma’s core cinematic influences.
Also similar to the giallo output of years past, the picture features a twist where the antagonist proves to be a core character. That aspect helps fuel the sense of paranoia for which De Palma is well-known and allows the narrative to focus more on the intrigue and less on creating death-defying action spectacles. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy high-octane action flicks. Some of the Mission: Impossible sequels are excellent. But, for my money, the inaugural franchise installment is far more visually striking than the subsequent follow up efforts.
Also See: ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night’ Might Be Better Than ‘The Strangers’
The final piece that gives the film a level of giallo flare is the setting. Portions of the picture unfold in Europe, where most gialli are based. That in and of itself isn’t nearly enough to support the case I’m making, of course. Many films are set in Europe. But when you combine that distinction with the shot of Jim on the bridge, the paranoia-filled storyline, the narrative twist, and the face-swapping component, it’s easy to see that De Palma managed to work giallo influences into Mission: Impossible and did so in such a way that most moviegoers were none the wiser. Bravo, sir. Bravo.
All things considered, Mission: Impossible is a paranoid thriller tinged with giallo elements and plenty of other De Palma signatures. It’s a brilliant showcase of the director’s style. He prioritized making art over selling tickets. And the film is better for it.
If you haven’t yet seen the original Mission: Impossible, you can find it streaming on Paramount+ as of the publication of this post. Check it out and hit me up on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram with your thoughts.
Categorized:Editorials
