Allen Baron

Blast of Silence

Blast of Silence

Swift, brutal, and blackhearted, Allen Baron’s New York City noir Blast of Silence is a sensational surprise. This low-budget, carefully crafted portrait of a hit man on assignment in Manhattan during Christmastime follows its stripped-down narrative with mechanical precision, yet also with an eye and ear for the oddball details of urban ­living and the imposing beauty of the city. At once visually ragged and artfully composed, and featuring rough, poetic narration performed by Lionel Stander and written by Waldo Salt (both uncredited), Blast of Silence is a stylish triumph.

Film Info

  • United States
  • 1961
  • 77 minutes
  • Black & White
  • 1.85:1 and 1.33:1
  • English
  • Spine #428

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration presented in two aspect ratios, 1.85:1 (widescreen) and 1.33:1 (full-screen), with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • Requiem for a Killer: The Making of “Blast of Silence”
  • Rare on-set Polaroids
  • Photos of locations from the film in 2008
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty and a graphic-novel adaptation of the film by acclaimed artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Reckless, Fatale)

    Cover by Sean Phillips

Purchase Options

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration presented in two aspect ratios, 1.85:1 (widescreen) and 1.33:1 (full-screen), with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • Requiem for a Killer: The Making of “Blast of Silence”
  • Rare on-set Polaroids
  • Photos of locations from the film in 2008
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty and a graphic-novel adaptation of the film by acclaimed artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Reckless, Fatale)

    Cover by Sean Phillips
Blast of Silence
Cast
Allen Baron
Frank Bono
Molly McCarthy
Lori
Larry Tucker
Big Ralph
Peter H. Clune
Troinano
Danny Meehan
Petey
Howard Mann
Bodyguard
Charles Creasap
Contact man
Bill Da Prado
Joe Boniface
Milda Memenas
Troiano’s girlfriend
Joe Bubbico
Bodyguard
Ruth Kaner
Cleaning woman
Gil Rogers
Gangster
Jerry Douglas
Gangster
Don Saroyan
Lori’s boyfriend
Dean Sheldon
Nightclub singer
Lionel Stander
Narrator (uncredited)
Credits
Director
Allen Baron
Produced by
Merrill Brody
A production of
Alfred Crown
A production of
Dan Enright
Screenplay by
Allen Baron
Narration written by
Mel Davenport (Waldo Salt)
Music composed and conducted by
Meyer Kupferman
Director of photography
Merrill Brody
Camera operator
Erich Kollmar
Editor
Peggy Lawson
Assistant director
Carole Brody
Art director
Charles Rosen
Production manager
Joel Mandel

Current

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