Press Release Criterion Press Release: Blow Out (1981) (4k UHD) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

​

In the enthralling Blow Out, brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances, as a film sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. To uncover the truth, he enlists the help of a possible eyewitness to the crime (Nancy Allen), who may be in danger herself. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, Blow Out is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on moviemaking.

FILM INFO​

• United States
• 1981
• 108 minutes
• Color
• 2.40:1
• English
• Spine #562
  
  

  DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES​

  • New 4K digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Interview with director Brian De Palma, conducted by filmmaker Noah Baumbach
  • Interview with actor Nancy Allen
  • Murder à la Mod, a 1967 feature by De Palma
  • Interview with cameraman Garrett Brown on the Steadicam shots featured in the film within Blow Out
  • On-set photographs by Louis Goldman
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Michael Sragow and, for the Blu-ray and 4K UHD editions, Pauline Kael’s original New Yorker review of the film
  New cover by Eric Skillman
  
  September 6, 2022

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases

 

[TravisR]

I can't wait!

 

[Dick]

This and THE UNTOUCHABLES (just released on 4K and finally looking good) are to my mind the two best De Palma films.

 

[Nick*Z]

View attachment 141883​

In the enthralling Blow Out, brilliantly crafted by Brian De Palma, John Travolta gives one of his greatest performances, as a film sound-effects man who believes he has accidentally recorded a political assassination. To uncover the truth, he enlists the help of a possible eyewitness to the crime (Nancy Allen), who may be in danger herself. With its jolting stylistic flourishes, intricate plot, profoundly felt characterizations, and gritty evocation of early-1980s Philadelphia, Blow Out is an American paranoia thriller unlike any other, as well as a devilish reflection on moviemaking.

FILM INFO​

• United States
• 1981
• 108 minutes
• Color
• 2.40:1
• English
• Spine #562
  
  

  DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES​

  • New 4K digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Interview with director Brian De Palma, conducted by filmmaker Noah Baumbach
  • Interview with actor Nancy Allen
  • Murder à la Mod, a 1967 feature by De Palma
  • Interview with cameraman Garrett Brown on the Steadicam shots featured in the film within Blow Out
  • On-set photographs by Louis Goldman
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Michael Sragow and, for the Blu-ray and 4K UHD editions, Pauline Kael’s original New Yorker review of the film
  New cover by Eric Skillman
  
  September 6, 2022

Uh...the 'new' cover by Eric Skillman looks suspiciously like the old cover of the standard Blu I already own in my collection.

 

[titch]

Excellent that Criterion are adding vintage De Palma to their 4K UHD line-up. I'm half-expecting Arrow Video or Kino to release a 4K UHD of Carrie. Criterion's CAV laserdisc of Carrie was one of their legendary releases, at the time.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Easily one of the most surprising and darkly humorous endings ever.

 

[Malcolm Bmoor]

This film contains a glorious example of 'artistic license' which sacrifices a never to be recovered credibility.

In the opening scene he's recording sound effects at night, using a Sennheiser 805 mic, a very long one rarely used nowadays as shorter ones became more effective. The film makers decided that the mic would be more photogenic seen au natural without any form of wind gag, without which it's so sensitive that it can't even be moved gently without the sound being ruined by wind noise, none of which, of course, is heard in the film.

What's most ridiculous is that the sound recordist of the movie would have been working with a similar mic but WITH a wind gag, whilst being forced to show somebody doing his job in a manner that couldn't work.

 

[John Maher_289910]

My favorite De Palma film, and John Travolta's finest performance.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Preorder added post #2

 

[GerardoHP]

Easily one of the most surprising and darkly humorous endings ever.

Really? The ending never made any sense to me. I think that's De Palma at his amoral worst.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Really? The ending never made any sense to me. I think that's De Palma at his amoral worst.

I can see amoral, but I think it's a commentary on the nature of Hollywood.

 

[GerardoHP]

I can see amoral, but I think it's a commentary on the nature of Hollywood.

But nothing in the movie is about "Hollywood", so why would you reach that conclusion.


SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER


That Jack would use the death scream of a woman he cared about, who died a horrible death while trying to help him, to overdub a scream in a cheap slasher movie that he despises, suddenly makes his character seem completely lacking in any kind of ethical or moral judgment, which has nothing to do with what we've been watching for the last two hours.

It doesn't fit.

 

[Jimbo.B]

Greatly unappreciated film.

I watched them filming the scenes at Independence Hall with Travolta and was excited about seeing the movie since I was living in Philadelphia at the time and recognized all the locations.
I was so disappointed that the film was a box office failure but I’m glad to see it being re-evaluated as one of DePalma’s best.

 

[JoeDoakes]

But nothing in the movie is about "Hollywood", so why would you reach that conclusion.




It doesn't fit.

Travolta plays a professional sound man in the Los Angeles film industry. In the early 80s, "cheap slasher movies" could be big box office (Halloween, Friday the 13th). That seemed Hollywood enough for me. It's also clear that Travolta hates himself for what he does at the end of the film, but that's the only way to meet the demands of his job. Again, sounds like Hollywood to me.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Travolta plays a professional sound man in the Los Angeles film industry. In the early 80s, "cheap slasher movies" could be big box office (Halloween, Friday the 13th). That seemed Hollywood enough for me. It's also clear that Travolta hates himself for what he does at the end of the film, but that's the only way to meet the demands of his job. Again, sounds like Hollywood to me.

Except the movie is set in Philadelphia.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Except the movie is set in Philadelphia.

Didn’t recall that. Good point. I was using Hollywood as a euphemism for the film industry anyway. Had it been set in Toronto would that make a difference?

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Didn’t recall that. Good point. I was using Hollywood as a euphemism for the film industry anyway. Had it been set in Toronto would that make a difference?

Yes, because these are not A-list Hollywood filmmakers. They're cranking out cheap, independent B pictures from Philly, hardly the film industry you think they're in.

"Oh, God. Five films in two years."

 

[TravisR]

I've always took the ending as that Jack was broken and had been driven a little crazy which made him think it was a good idea to use Sally's scream.

 

[John Maher_289910]

I was at this film's premiere in Philadelphia, with the cast and De Palma in attendance, after seeing so much of it being filmed. Couldn't have been more enthralled with the finished product.