Movie #180 Blow Out *1981*

John Travolta - Jack Terry
Nancy Allen - Sally
John Lithgow - Burke
Dennis Franz - Manny Karp
Brian De Palma (Director)

I have always been on the fence about Brian De Palma.  I loved The Untouchables when I was younger, before I knew about directors better yet De Plama.  I love elements of Scarface, but as a whole I think it is too over the top and self aware.  I don't like Snake Eyes or The Black Daliha at all.  I watched Sisters as part of my Year of Film (Movie #92) and was less than enthused.  But I keep hearing that he is a master so I keep on giving him the benefit of the doubt.

So Thursday I watched the new Criterion Release of Blow Out.  I had just finished playing basketball and was physically beat.  I put it in the Blu Ray player kind of expecting to fall asleep to it.  Instead I couldn't take my eyes off it.  The film opens right into a slasher flick.  Soon we find out that this is a film that is being viewed by Travolta and that movie's director.  Travolta is a sound guy and they are trying to find the perfect scream. 

Blow out ends up being about Travolta (a sound guy for B movies) recording a car crash and saving one of the passengers, the female while the male dies.  The man in the car was Governor and presidential hopeful.  The woman was a call girl of sorts.  Once the cops begin trying to cover the whole thing up Travolta thinks there is something going on and plans to use his audio recording to prove it.  The film evolves into a gut wrenching thriller with a psychopathic killer, a slime ball photographer, extreme political ambition and a hooker with a heart of gold story lines all interweaving.  The film ends with a crazy chase that leads into a Liberty Day celebration of fireworks that perfectly lights the penultimate scene. 

Q. Tarantino is all over this film.  I have read that he thinks it is one of the 5 greatest movies ever made.  He blantly stole the lead actor (Travolta) for Pulp Fiction, the titles for several films, the phone booth scene (also for Pulp) and the music for Death Proof.  This music is used in a scene that while I was watching it I knew that it must be referencing something else, I just didn't know what.

I can't wait to see this film again and it will be joining my collection when Barnes and Noble have their 50% off Criterion sale in July.  I give Blow Out ★★★★1/2.  Check out the Trailer Park to see for yourself.