Blow Out
Directed by:
Brian De PalmaScreenplay:
Brian De PalmaCinematography:
Vilmos ZsigmondComposer:
Pino DonaggioCast:
John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz, John McMartin, Roger Wilson, Robin Sherwood, J. Patrick McNamara, Roberto Lombardi, Maurice Copeland (more)VOD (1)
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One of Brian De Palma's most acclaimed films, this brilliant fusion of the obsessive sleuthing of Blow-up and The Conversation with themes drawn from real-life political scandals (the JFK assassination, Chappaquiddick, Watergate) starts with sound technician Jack Terry (John Travolta) accidentally recording what might be explosive evidence of a deadly conspiracy. Brilliantly shot by the then recent Oscar-winner Vilmos Zsigmond, this terrifically stylish thriller co-stars Nancy Allen as the eyewitness who becomes the unwitting target of John Lithgow's serial killer as he ruthlessly attempts to bury all the evidence. It's also a film about the filmmaking process: Terry is originally hired to work on the low-budget slasher film Coed Frenzy, and later turns his technical skills to much more serious use as he tries to reconstruct a political assassination on film in a way that will stand up in court. (Arrow Films)
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Reviews (3)
Blow Out is a top-notch detective thriller centered around a sound engineer working for a small film company, with John Travolta in the lead, delivering a stellar performance right after Grease. What I love most about this film is not only the perfect 80s vibe but also the deep love for cinema that shines through the plot. The scenes where Travolta’s character is messing around with sound could’ve gone on forever, and I’d still be hooked. It's a solid piece of work, with just the right amount of moodiness that I always appreciate in American films from that era.
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Blow Out is an incredible acting recital by John Travolta who perfectly mastered the role of a sound engineer, Jack Terry. Sound plays a huge role in this movie and De Palma is well aware of it and lets us hear things which can’t usually be heard in an ordinary movie. And what is more, he does some incredible things with the camera (the lead-in scene of the film or the 720° circular dolly shot). The movie also has a very strong conspiracy atmosphere and the ending is completely superb. And they even managed to get the scream that they were searching for so long.
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An (audio) pulp version of Blow Up that starts as a typical seventies conspiracy film and ends as a typical eighties chilling thriller with an uncompromising conclusion. But it is the symbiosis of the trio De Palma/Zsigmond/Donaggio that puts the crown on it.
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