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Blow Out

Cast: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithglow

Director: Brian De Palma

Cinematographer: László Kovács

DVD, Rs. 399

The movie open with a typical teen party with almost-naked girls running to and fro and generally having a good time. Then it is time for the shower and as the girl takes a shower we see a shadowy figure brandishing a knife and the girl screams. The thin screechy scream is terrible and the camera pulls back to reveal audio technician Jack Terri’s dismay. Terri is the sound guy for Z-grade slasher movies. Terri decides to go out into the night and record fresh sounds.

In the still of the night with just a watchful owl for company, Terri starts to record. He spooks a couple, who summarily leave the spot. The silence of the night is shattered by a loud bang and as Terri watches in horror, a car goes out of control and crashes into the river. Terri jumps in and saves a girl who is in the car. The driver is beyond help.

Terri comes to in hospital and realises the man in the car was the presidential hopeful. He also figures out there is an attempt to hush up the whole thing. Terri gets involved with the girl, he rescues, Sally, even as he realises Sally is not entirely an innocent victim. Sally with a sleazy photographer, Manny, are in the business of photographing influential people in compromising positions and blackmailing them.

Terri is drawn into a conspiracy of silence that threatens his sanity and the killers are now on the look out for Terri and Sally.

This 1981 thriller directed by Brian De Palma is a veritable treasure trove. For film buffs, there is the fascinating technical world of cinema laid open with all its magical mysteries. When Terri puts together the pictures of the car crash and runs them together, you get an idea of the basic beginnings of the moving picture. Then he puts them on film and mixes sound and voila! you have a little movie within the movie!

There are De Palma’s trademark long, dreamy takes that go on forever and it is only when there is a cut that you realise you are holding your breath. It is pure dynamite. Even the supposed B-movie slasher flick the movie opens with is shot so beautifully, with the camera swooping down and soaring up with an artistic mind all of its own.

De Palma’s many nods to Hitchcock are there in the way everyday objects take on a sinister aspect. “Blow Out” is supposed to be inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blowup” with sound replacing photographs. This is not to say “Blow Out” is only for cineastes. First and foremost it is a cracker of a thriller. The chase through the subway and the climax during the Liberty Day parade keeps you on the edge of the seat. De Palma is in total control of his medium and revels in his master-of-style title.

De Palma originally wanted Al Pacino to play Terri but John Travolta (fighting insomnia according to IMDB) is sinuous and sleek as Terri. Nancy Allen plays Sally while John Lithglow plays the shadowy Burke. It is surprising this film did not do well when on release. “Blow Out” with its excellent camerawork, sound and silences and even the use of dialogue to reveal things about the characters rather than merely to propel the plot, is a consummate classic.

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