18: Mission: Impossible

This week, we disavow any knowledge of Brian de Palma’s 1996 spy thriller Mission: Impossible. How does 1996 reimagine the 1960s’ spycraft of the original TV series? How does a labyrinthine plot collapse into three big actions sequences? Is this the Tom Cruise franchise we were waiting for? Content warning: violence, drugs, betrayal Unanswered Questions: Does this film function as a response to GoldenEye? If so, in what ways? What are the politics of the IMF, of individual heroism, and of American treason in a pre-9/11 world? What is the function of a blockbuster franchise at this point in Cruise’s career? Further reading: The 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time (Rolling Stone) Carrie (1976) Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Weak (Skunk Anansie) TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) The Last Star In Hollywood Definitive List Of Tom Cruise Films The Last Star In Hollywood: Production Schedule Thanks for listening! For bonus shows, extra content and more, support The Last Star In Hollywood and the Next Word network by visiting Patreon.com/NextWord! Join us next time as we show you the money in Cameron’s Crowe’s 1996 rom-com Jerry Maguire! The Last Star In Hollywood is an independent podcast produced by Elizabeth Rae and Alastair Stephens. Copyright © 2023 The Last Star In Hollywood. All Rights Reserved. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★