Weekend Viewing: Blow Out

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—01. John Travolta as Jack Terry.

Words

Blow Out, directed by Brian De Palma and released in the US in 1981, is a thriller of striking proportions and, in my opinion, by far the best film he’s made. Taking inspiration from Hitchcock and most obviously the ‘60s classic, Blow-Up, it trades a photographic recording of a murder for a sound recording of one. The film tells the gripping story of an assassination plot caught on tape and how those who witness the event piece it together after the fact. The opening is absolutely pitch-perfect B-horror that leaves you scratching your head for a moment before you’re taken on a taught and thrilling ride, rich with incredible shots and a surplus of costume and production design details.  

—Available from Criterion