Blow Out (1981)

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writer:

Brian De Palma (written by)

Release Date:

24 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The Blow Out took them to the edge of terror . . . his questions took them way beyond [Video Australia]

Plot:

A soundman accidentally records the evidence that proves a car "accident" was murder, and consequently finds himself in danger.

Plot Keywords:

Pennsylvania | Fireworks | Nudity | Female Nudity | Blow Out

Cast

John Travolta	...	Jack Terry
Nancy Allen	...	Sally
John Lithgow	...	Burke
Dennis Franz	...	Manny Karp
Peter Boyden	...	Sam
Curt May	...	Donahue
John Aquino	...	Det. Mackey
John McMartin	...	Lawrence Henry
Deborah Everton	...	Hooker
J. Patrick McNamara	...	Detective at hospital
Missy Cleveland	...	Coed lover (as Amanda Cleveland)
Roger Wilson	...	Coed lover
Lori-Nan Engler	...	Sue
Cindy Manion	...	Dancing coed
Missy O'Shea	...	Dancing coed

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Germany:16 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | France:U (re-release: 2000) | Norway:16 (1982) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

30th Street Station - 3001 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Cinema 77

Trivia:

The idea of a man discovering a crime by listening to a recording is a reinterpretation of Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blowup (1966), but using sound instead of photographs.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Jack gets out of his vehicle to go into the train station to try to find Sally, he leaves his Jeep door open. When he comes out and gets back in the door is closed.

Quotes:

Jack Terry: No one wants to know about conspiracy any more!

Movie Connections:

References Zapruder Film of Kennedy Assassination (1963)

Great thriller

Jack Terri is a soundman for a B-movie studio. One night as he is out recording sounds for a film he sees an accident - a car swerves through a guard rail and into a river. Jack jumps in in effort to help and sees that the driver is dead, but he manages to save the passenger. He soon finds out that the driver was the current favorite in the presidential election and after listening to the recording he suspects that what happened was no accident.

This is the type of movie many people call a rip-off as not only does it take an idea from a previous story and film ('Blow Up') it is one of DePalma's many Hitchcockian efforts. However, under his direction the film feels fresh and moves very well. It is 13 years before John Travolta made 'Pulp Fiction' but he was already a good lead actor. Dennis Franz also gives a good turn as a photographer who knows more than he is telling.

However, the scene stealer, would have to be John Lithgow who stoically walks his way through the film as a ruthless killer who wants to remove Jack Terri for the evidence he has. Rarely is such a emotionless and callous role played out so well to such great effect.

Then there is DePalma's direction which is the great thing that put all the good stuff together. He has a particular skill of blending shots/scenes without dissolves and that carries the movie is an interesting way. Using shadows, silhouettes, rotating camera shots he is truly a master in good form here. 9/10

Rated R: some grisly violence, and profanity