Blow Out
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Videos & Photos
- Criterion Trailer (02:06)
- Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for Blow Out (01:16)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
A movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.
Cast
- John Travolta
- Nancy Allen
- John Lithgow
- Dennis Franz
- Peter Boyden
- Curt May
- John Aquino
- John McMartin
- Deborah Everton
- J. Patrick McNamara
Letterboxd User Reviews
4.1
415.7K
135.6K
147.0K
- Apr 24, 2016
"Now that's a scream." I've seen this one countless times and though De Palma has a number of masterpieces this is the one that's always felt like it summarizes and symbolizes his entire filmography. His love of/playful use of pulp and B-moviemaking (voyeur-horror,…
Josh LewisMar 3, 2023that’s how you do it!!!
KarstenJan 24, 2021love how de palma has the entire opening scene of this devoted just to making fun of john carpenter for no reason other than spite
comrade_yui - Nov 22, 2014
The works of Brian De Palma are cinema's comfort food, and Blow Out is the tastiest of all. Plus, it has John Travolta, and an ending for the ages.
SilentDawnJul 13, 2013Pornography for analog fetishists, paranoid voyeurs, mentally unbalanced Americans.
sydneyJan 18, 2025ever hear a slasher scream so good you know it wasn’t ethically sourced
Jay - Feb 15, 2021
Travolta is so good and the ending is incredible. Once again very different than Rataouille
brendan o'hareNov 9, 2020the whole time you’re watching this you’re thinking, “is this the best movie of all time???”
nickusenNov 27, 2022Brian De Palma and i aren’t so different in that i also think split diopter shots are cool as hell and should be used fervently and often
Sydney🚀
Queue Community Reviews
89%
Community 2,051
Top Reviews
- Formal likedBlow Out
- The fact that he used her scream at the end for the movie was kinda crazy, can’t lie 🫣🫢
EDB likedBlow OutSolid plot but the ending was iffy
Jikitiz likedBlow OutBlowout.
- ant lovedBlow Out
simply put, there are things I haven’t seen before in this one, and for me that’s what it’s all about, that’s what I look for. and it’s very rare. multiple split diopter shots, colors used in a way I’ve only seen in apocalypse now from memory. it’s insane. it’s perfect. this is very much my thing
Samuel Gutierrez lovedBlow Outhonestly one of the best movies i’ve ever seen. the acting was solid. the plot was amazing. brian de palma masterclass. the way they use sound. the suspense thru out was great. the romance was pretty good(usually can be too corny for me). the ending was so devastating. def a 9/10
Platypus Lord likedBlow OutEngaging story & mystery, put to screen with flair & great central performance. Interesting look at data/media manipulation and the obstacles to exposing the truth. Enjoyed the Hitchcockian influences. I loved seeing the minute details of this particular occupation's craft.
- Nick Dubberly is "meh" onBlow Out
I had seen that this film had a Criterion release, but I knew nothing about it. I have to say it’s a pretty decent film. It builds tension so slowly that when it comes time for the climax you can’t take it! I’m not a huge fan of the ending, but overall it’s a solid thriller.
jam jammy jambam lovedBlow OutVisual masterpiece. Interesting story with some nice reveal moments that keep it exciting, without feeling overly complicated. Oh and a fantastic ending. My third (?) De Palma and also my favorite thus far. If he somehow manages to top this one I would be very impressed
Evan Vachon likedBlow Out8/10 This movie has a super interesting premise and executed it pretty well. Great performances by both John Travolta and Lithgow although I wish he had more screen time. The behind-the-scenes moviemaking aspect was really cool and I wish we saw a bit more of it.
Atom Users Reviews
Metacritic
USER SCORE (42)
Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Reviews
This 1981 release is one of Brian De Palma's more interesting and better-made thrillers, though it's even more abjectly derivative than his Hitchcock imitations (borrowing mightily this time from Antonioni's Blowup, as the title suggests).
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
A conspiracy thriller as euphorically entertaining as it is devastatingly bleak.
Jordan Raup
The Film Stage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blow Out (1981) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Blow Out (1981)?
The movie is 1hr 48min long.
What's Blow Out (1981) about?
A movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.
Who's the cast of Blow Out (1981)?
- John Travolta as Jack
- Nancy Allen as Sally
- John Lithgow as Burke
- Dennis Franz as Manny Karp
- Peter Boyden as Sam
- Curt May as Donahue
- John Aquino as Detective Mackey
- John McMartin as Lawrence Henry
- Deborah Everton as Hooker
- J. Patrick McNamara as Detective at Hospital
Who's the director behind Blow Out (1981)?
Brian De Palma directed Blow Out (1981).
Who produced Blow Out (1981)?
George Litto produced Blow Out (1981).
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