http://whatculture.com/film/history-of-the-mission-impossible-film-franchise.php

‘Mission: Impossible (http://www.avclub.com/article/our-mission-which-we-accepted-was-watch-mission-im-201564)’ is based on a very successful TV series which ran from 1966 – 1973. It was later revived in 1988 for a 2 season run. The show followed the adventures of IMF (Impossible Mission Force), a covert government team sent all across the world with a new mission each week. They weaved in and out of dangerous and implausible situations under the guidance of their point man Jim Phelps.

Phelps was played by the late Peter Graves and introduced in season 2 after Steven Hill, the actor who played the original team leader Dan Briggs, left the show. Phelps was team leader throughout the original show and again for it’s 80’s revival, cementing himself as an icon of 20th century t.v.


Read more at http://whatculture.com/film/history-of-the-mission-impossible-film-franchise.php#c0VWVTBWP3TsFtgj.99

http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/mission-impossible/242490/how-different-directors-made-their-mark-on-mission-impossible-movies

Brian De Palma, John Woo, JJ Abrams and Brad Bird have all directed Tom Cruise in a Mission: Impossible film. But how did their styles vary?

The Mission: Impossible franchise is an odd beast. Since 1996, there have been four instalments, and all have proved to be commercially successful. Despite this success, an argument can be made that the series’s pop culture impact derives from the TV series it is based on, rather than the films themselves.

The most iconic aspect of the film series is the presence of star Tom Cruise as IMF agent Ethan Hunt. A major component of the character’s appeal is derived from Cruise’s willingness to perform his own stunts. Apart from its star power, what distinguishes the Mission: Impossible franchise from being just another action series, is the talent behind the camera. Thus far, Brian De Palma, John Woo, JJ Abrams, and Brad Bird have lifted the megaphone, and Christopher McQuarrie (the screenwriter behind The Usual Suspects and director of Jack Reacher) is currently at work on the fifth instalment.

Generally speaking, franchises and auteurs do not go hand-in-hand. Occasionally, there will be a exception such as Alfonso Cuaron with Harry Potter, but it is rare. It is usually the case that the established aesthetic and motifs dictate the style and direction of a series, rather than directorial vision. The Bond films are a prime example of this.

In contrast to this ethos, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible provides an intriguing case study of a series where each entry is clearly delineated by the vision and preoccupations of its particular director. With a new instalment on the horizon, let’s take a look at the illustrious names behind the brand name.

The Mission: Impossible Franchise - Hazy Reflections (http://haphazard-stuff.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-mission-impossible-franchise.html)