:
John Travolta,
Nancy Allen,
John Lithgow,
more...
:
Brian De Palma
see all cast/crew...
: 
: MGM
: Political Thriller
: 108 min.
: English, Spanish
: Spanish, French
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Brian De Palma's homage to Michelangelo Antonioni's classic art movie Blow-Up (1966) blends suspense and political paranoia when a Philadelphia soundman inadvertently records a murder. Former police technician Jack Terri (John Travolta) makes his living doing sound for slasher flicks. While recording new outdoor effects one night, Jack witnesses a couple's car careen off a bridge into a river, but he can save only the female occupant, Sally (Nancy Allen). Jack begins to suspect something when he learns that her dead companion was a Presidential hopeful. Re-playing his tape over and over, Jack thinks that he hears a gun shot before the crash-causing tire blow-out. When sleazy photographer Manny Karp (Dennis Franz) comes forward with photos of the accident, Jack discovers the real reason that the naïve Sally was in the car -- and also a way to prove his auditory suspicions through motion pictures. Even with all his surveillance talent, however, Jack cannot see (or hear) how dangerous the big picture really is until it's too late. Taking a break from horror films, De Palma turned his interests in technology and voyeurism toward more politically loaded subject matter at the dawn of the Reagan era; the film's red, white and blue mise-en-scène, "Liberty Day" celebration climax, and conspiracy surrounding political "dirty tricks" suggest that American politics are still rotten, seven years after Watergate, . Although Blow Out earned some favorable notice, particularly for Travolta's first "adult" performance, De Palma's downbeat film did not go over well with 1981 summer audiences. Rather than blockbuster escapism, Blow Out instead harks back to 1970s political thrillers like The Parallax View (1974), using cinematic fireworks to tell an unsettling story about one man's struggle against unstoppable corruption. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
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| Robin Sherwood steals the show
by cenzo
December 10, 2006 - 5:41 PM PST
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| See this disaster of a movie for the look in Robin Sherwood's eyes. It is something you do not see everyday. |
| It's a screeeeam
by cammelltoe
March 3, 2004 - 12:34 PM PST
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3 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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| Brian DePalma unleashes his version of Antonioni's BLOW-UP or Coppola's THE CONVERSATION and the results are close to psychotronic perfection. John Travolta plays a soundman who unravels a conspiracy no one wants to believe is true, including airhead romantic interest Karen Allen. John Lithgow also appears,memorably, as a psycho-killer. DePalma's trademark flat images, giallo-ish scores and split screens are all used to compelling effect. Best of all is the twin themes of making a movie to discover the truth and the hopelessness of becoming engaged with "real" life (travolta fails twice when trying to use his talents as a sound recordist in meaningful ways, at the cost of human life). An intersting movie. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.74)
84 Votes
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