Movie posters and DVD covers should make you want to see a movie, but if you’d look at the one Blow Out has, you would immediately skip it. It only has a warped image of John Travolta’s head, screaming. Not a great way to sell this movie, but look a bit further and you will see that this movie has been directed by Brian De Palma, who also directed Scarface and the first Mission Impossible (among many others). Heard some good things about this movie so I was interested in giving it a chance.
Jack Terry (John Travolta) is a sound engineer who does sound effects for movies. When he is out recording sounds in the forest he happens to witness a car suffering from a tire blowout and ending up in the water. He tries to save the people in the car, but only partially succeeds, rescuing a woman in the car and bringing her to the hospital. There he finds out that the man who was also in the car wasn’t just anybody and it is the start of an exciting thriller where he tries to find out what really is going on.
Something I really like is the fact that this movie was made just before the introduction of computer editing. Working with audio is still an analog process, which means physically overlaying tracks, cutting them, matching them up with imagery and so forth. Although I never really experienced that, it was cool to see the processes used at the time. This movie has been often compared to Coppola’s The Conversation and I can understand why. Just like in that movie Travolta’s character uses what sound he has recorded of the accident to find out what actually happened.
Travolta is great in the movie, but I did have an issue with the woman he saved, played by Nancy Allen. She never comes across as very likeable and can get on your nerves pretty quickly. Despite that though Blow Out was a very enjoyable thriller with some unexpected twists and turns adding some surprises.
Great Brian De Palma film, fine review Nostra.
Thank you!
Good old De Palma; it’s hard not to like his stuff even if most of it is a homage or remake of something else, in this case Blow Up. Nicely reviewed as always my friend.
Have not seen Blow Up, is that worth watching?
I’ve heard of this film but never scene. I’m going to have to add this one to my ever increasing queue.
I really enjoyed it and I know the issue of an ever increasing list.
Nostra, I liked Blow Out but do find that it suffers from some typical DePalma behavior. He can’t resist trying to pull out the rug from under us and gets a bit too enamored with certain devices. Even so, this is one of his better films and definitely should be seen by more film lovers. Nice job!
I don’t think I have watched enough of his work to notice that, but I’ll keep an eye out for it if I watch other of his films.
Great review and critique, Nostra!
Everyone thinks ‘Blow Out’ is a John Travolta vehicle. When scarily dedicated, political fixer, John Lithgow’s Burke is the stand out psychotic character.
The film also shows the importance of finding and utilizing the proper “Scream Queen”!
Thanks Jack. Lithgow was awesome in it! And it shows that sound effects are very important indeed and can make a big difference
Agree with your rating on this one! Yeah, it did have comparisons to The Conversation, or even Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
Apparently Blow Out was inspired by several movies, including Blow Up (1966)-which I’ll be watching soon.
I will also be checking out Blow Up, interested to see what that’s like.
I watched Blow-up (1966), it was nothing special, I don’t think you’d like it.
Hmmm, it has quite a good score on IMDB, so still might give it a try.
Nice one Nostra. I loved this movie and it still stands as one of my favourites from DePalma.
I can understand why Mark!
One of De Palma’s best. Great read Nostra! š
Thanks a lot Dan!
Sweet review. I only caught this for the first time last year and was absolutely knocked for 10 by it. The direction is phenomenal, and like you say, watching the olden technology involved in film-making of yesteryear was really enjoyable and interesting.
I thought it was an awesome movie as well, nice to see we think the same about it. BTW, are you still joining the blogathon?
I actually disagree about the poster for the film. I found it to be very intriguing.
Like you, I appreciated the interest of the film towards sound and its manipulation. Can’t say I have seen another movie as dedicated to the study of sound as this one. I have, however, read a very interesting review somewhere before that pointed out that Blow Out is not as much about sound as it is about listening. Certainly an interesting way to interpret it.
Brian DePalma does not seem to get the same kind praise that other directors receive, which is not fair if we consider the quality of his oeuvre. I mean, not many can say they’ve directed Scarface AND The Untouchables.
Travolta is also great in this role. Almost as memorable as his performance in Pulp Fiction.
Just shows how posters can influence people differently. If I would have come across this poster without knowing anything I wouldn’t have watched the movie.
That is an interesting way of looking at it.
You are right, he has made a couple of awesome movies. My favorite is still Pulp Fiction, but this one is good.
My favorite De Palma film. Nicely done!
Thank you John!