Blow Out (1981)
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 108m
Director: Brian de Palma
Cast: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow
Synopsis:
A sound engineer out looking for nocturnal wind effects accidentally records the assassination of a leading political figure, but has to fight against the ensuing cover-up.
Review:
Like much of the work of this most frustrating copycat talent (in this case a fusion of Blow-up and The Conversation with elements such as Chappaquiddick and the Kennedy-inspired conspiracy thrillers of the seventies), the film is beset by a discomfiting misogyny, coarse acting and some execrable dialogue. On the plus side we have an ingenious framing premise, nourished by insider knowledge, impeccable technical credentials, notably Zsigmond's cinematography - but not Donaggio's bombastic score! - and a lot of directorial showing off (split-screen, rack-focus, hi-angle shots, transitional crane shots, slow motion, and a gratuitous train station suspense sequence 'from another movie' and like a rehearsal for The Untouchables's counterpart scene). A definite curate's egg, then, and not one that helped keep Travolta's career riding the wave.
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 108m
Director: Brian de Palma
Cast: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow
Synopsis:
A sound engineer out looking for nocturnal wind effects accidentally records the assassination of a leading political figure, but has to fight against the ensuing cover-up.
Review:
Like much of the work of this most frustrating copycat talent (in this case a fusion of Blow-up and The Conversation with elements such as Chappaquiddick and the Kennedy-inspired conspiracy thrillers of the seventies), the film is beset by a discomfiting misogyny, coarse acting and some execrable dialogue. On the plus side we have an ingenious framing premise, nourished by insider knowledge, impeccable technical credentials, notably Zsigmond's cinematography - but not Donaggio's bombastic score! - and a lot of directorial showing off (split-screen, rack-focus, hi-angle shots, transitional crane shots, slow motion, and a gratuitous train station suspense sequence 'from another movie' and like a rehearsal for The Untouchables's counterpart scene). A definite curate's egg, then, and not one that helped keep Travolta's career riding the wave.
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 108m
Director: Brian de Palma
Cast: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow
Synopsis:
A sound engineer out looking for nocturnal wind effects accidentally records the assassination of a leading political figure, but has to fight against the ensuing cover-up.
Review:
Like much of the work of this most frustrating copycat talent (in this case a fusion of Blow-up and The Conversation with elements such as Chappaquiddick and the Kennedy-inspired conspiracy thrillers of the seventies), the film is beset by a discomfiting misogyny, coarse acting and some execrable dialogue. On the plus side we have an ingenious framing premise, nourished by insider knowledge, impeccable technical credentials, notably Zsigmond's cinematography - but not Donaggio's bombastic score! - and a lot of directorial showing off (split-screen, rack-focus, hi-angle shots, transitional crane shots, slow motion, and a gratuitous train station suspense sequence 'from another movie' and like a rehearsal for The Untouchables's counterpart scene). A definite curate's egg, then, and not one that helped keep Travolta's career riding the wave.