SYNOPSIS: In the enthralling Blow Out, brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances, as a movie sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. He enlists the help of a possible eyewitness to the crime (Nancy Allen), who may be in danger herself, to uncover the truth. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, Blow Out is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on moviemaking.
| Jack | John Travolta |
| Sally | Nancy Allen |
| Burke | John Lithgow |
| Manny Karp | Dennis Franz |
| Detective Mackey | John Aquino |
| Sam | Peter Boyden |
| Frank Donahue | Curt May |
| Director | Brian De Palma |
| Screenplay | Brian De Palma |
| Producer | George Litto |
| Executive producer | Fred Caruso |
| Director of photography | Vilmos Zsigmond |
| Production design | Paul Sylbert |
| Editing | Paul Hirsch |
| Music | Pino Donaggio |
| Conducted by | Natale Massara |
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION:
By April 25, 2011
The following review of Blow Out was first published in the July 27, 1981, issue of the New Yorker. At forty, Brian De Palma has more than twenty years of moviemaking Read more »
January 13, 2012
It’s the time of year when the list makers do their heavy lifting, looking back over the preceding twelve months and deciding what was best and brightest. We’re happy to report that some of our Read more »
May 06, 2011
“As the greatest film ever made by one of the two or three most important filmmakers to emerge from the New Hollywood movement of the ’60s and ’70s, Blow Out is among the most significant films of Read more »
