Blow Out (1981)

Blow Out
This is a fabulous movie that was filmed in Philadelphia.
Being from Philadelphia, I love looking at all of the locations.
I also love all Brian DePalma films.

DePalma's Psychological Conspiracy Thriller!
Just like in 1980, when Brian DePalma, Master Of The Macabre, invited you to see the latest showing in fashion...in murder, in 1981 he invited you to listen to the sound of murder, conspiracy, paranoia, mistaken identity, a psychotic serial killer, and political corruption...in "Blow Out", written & directed by DePalma, and produced by George Litto.
Starting the film out with a B-grade slasher flick, brilliantly satirizing the heavily trafficked godawful sleazy marketing of a schoolbus full of gonzo slasher films, DePalma establishes from the outset that all is not as it appears to be (plus, he shows just how easy he could just as well do a cheap-a** slasher flick if he so chose, but would rather expose them for the low-brow form of film that they are). We soon learn that the slasher flick is a film that main character Jack Terri (John Travolta) is working as a sound man on; and, this is just one in a thousand B-rate horror films he has done for this company. A problem arises: The girl in the film has a terrible scream! It is like nails on a chalk board.
So, Jack has a new mission, and that is to find a good 'screamer' for the audio track of the film, plus some more background sounds as well, something fresh, something not used a thousand times already. So, late at night, Jack goes to a nearby park to record some fresh nature sounds for the film. Out of the blue, he hears a loud BANG with hints of an echo, then a car appears onscreen, careening off a bridge, and Jack is quick to dive into the murky water(s) to try and be of help. He see's that the driver (who we later find out was Governor McReiley, who was possibly gonna be the next President of the USA) is dead, but there is a woman inside, screaming for help. He rescues her, then at the hospital, is asked by high goverment officials to 'forget' that she was even there. And, to 'forget' that the whole 'incident' even took place. He is puzzled, but goes to Sally's (the girl that was in the car) room, and gets to know her, and invites her to have dinner with him.
As the film progresses, Jack and Sally (Nancy Allen) get to know each other better, Jack works on the tape he recorded of the accident, converting it to visual film that he pieced together from pictures of the accident from a tabloid newspaper, taken by a guy named Manny Carp (Dennis Franz). Well, it just so happens that Manny and Sally know each other, and Jack wants Sally to get the original film from Manny.
Meanwhile, there is a terrorfying madman, Burke (John Lithgow) on the loose, trying to cover up any and/or all loose ends to the 'conspiracy', and the last one involves doing away with Sally. He, by accident, then on purpose, becomes "The Liberty Bell Killer", killing women and carving a sign of the Liberty Bell into their stomach/groin area with an ice pick, so that way Sally's 'death' will look like a random of killings by the same serial killer.
Jack turns his tapes into the police (which he has a very painful memory with, for he used to be a soundman for them, and a guy he wired was exposed and killed, and Jack blamed himself), but later finds out the tapes are erased, making Jack sound like a conspiracy nut. All of his tapes in his office are erased as well. A 'Phil Donahue' type reporter named Donahue (Curt May) wants to meet with Jack and see his film mixed with the sound he recorded. Jack is hestitant. He decides to 'wire' Sally, and she goes to meet with Donahue, and Jack trails behind.
And, this is where I'll stop as far as plot goes, for I would never want to give away the ending to this for anything!
DePalma makes great use of MANY of his brilliant techniques in this, ranging from split screen, split dioptor, to spinning and whirling, crane tracking shots, to slow motion, making everything work to his advantage.
The story is quite a mix of "Blow Up" (but, where in "Blow Up", Antonioni's themes were how things lost meaning and/or relevance once out of context, DePalma shows just how important each and every little piece of a puzzle is important, whether in/out of context or not), "The Conversation" (where as Coppolla had a character 'think' he heard the sound of a murder, DePalma lets you know his character DID hear the sound of a murder), "Vertigo" (the hero has an incident from the past that is 'crippling' to him now, plus the whole 'saving the lady' theme), and the real life Chappaquiddick Incident (but, here we are shown that it WAS a cover up!). Showing (and exposing) just how corrupt and manipulating the film industry, the media, and politics are, this film will leave you utterly breathless, and cold, and in utter bewilderment to see how a Human life can be condensed to nothing more than a mere scream in a low budget horror film.
HIGHLY recommended!! Thank you! ;-)

DePalma's Psychological Conspiracy Thriller!
Just like in 1980, when Brian DePalma, Master Of The Macabre, invited you to see the latest showing in fashion...in murder, in 1981 he invited you to listen to the sound of murder, conspiracy, paranoia, mistaken identity, a psychotic serial killer, and political corruption...in "Blow Out", written & directed by DePalma, and produced by George Litto.
Starting the film out with a B-grade slasher flick, brilliantly satirizing the heavily trafficked godawful sleazy marketing of a schoolbus full of gonzo slasher films, DePalma establishes from the outset that all is not as it appears to be (plus, he shows just how easy he could just as well do a cheap-a** slasher flick if he so chose, but would rather expose them for the low-brow form of film that they are). We soon learn that the slasher flick is a film that main character Jack Terri (John Travolta) is working as a sound man on; and, this is just one in a thousand B-rate horror films he has done for this company. A problem arises: The girl in the film has a terrible scream! It is like nails on a chalk board.
So, Jack has a new mission, and that is to find a good 'screamer' for the audio track of the film, plus some more background sounds as well, something fresh, something not used a thousand times already. So, late at night, Jack goes to a nearby park to record some fresh nature sounds for the film. Out of the blue, he hears a loud BANG with hints of an echo, then a car appears onscreen, careening off a bridge, and Jack is quick to dive into the murky water(s) to try and be of help. He see's that the driver (who we later find out was Governor McReiley, who was possibly gonna be the next President of the USA) is dead, but there is a woman inside, screaming for help. He rescues her, then at the hospital, is asked by high goverment officials to 'forget' that she was even there. And, to 'forget' that the whole 'incident' even took place. He is puzzled, but goes to Sally's (the girl that was in the car) room, and gets to know her, and invites her to have dinner with him.
As the film progresses, Jack and Sally (Nancy Allen) get to know each other better, Jack works on the tape he recorded of the accident, converting it to visual film that he pieced together from pictures of the accident from a tabloid newspaper, taken by a guy named Manny Carp (Dennis Franz). Well, it just so happens that Manny and Sally know each other, and Jack wants Sally to get the original film from Manny.
Meanwhile, there is a terrorfying madman, Burke (John Lithgow) on the loose, trying to cover up any and/or all loose ends to the 'conspiracy', and the last one involves doing away with Sally. He, by accident, then on purpose, becomes "The Liberty Bell Killer", killing women and carving a sign of the Liberty Bell into their stomach/groin area with an ice pick, so that way Sally's 'death' will look like a random of killings by the same serial killer.
Jack turns his tapes into the police (which he has a very painful memory with, for he used to be a soundman for them, and a guy he wired was exposed and killed, and Jack blamed himself), but later finds out the tapes are erased, making Jack sound like a conspiracy nut. All of his tapes in his office are erased as well. A 'Phil Donahue' type reporter named Donahue (Curt May) wants to meet with Jack and see his film mixed with the sound he recorded. Jack is hestitant. He decides to 'wire' Sally, and she goes to meet with Donahue, and Jack trails behind.
And, this is where I'll stop as far as plot goes, for I would never want to give away the ending to this for anything!
DePalma makes great use of MANY of his brilliant techniques in this, ranging from split screen, split dioptor, to spinning and whirling, crane tracking shots, to slow motion, making everything work to his advantage.
The story is quite a mix of "Blow Up" (but, where in "Blow Up", Antonioni's themes were how things lost meaning and/or relevance once out of context, DePalma shows just how important each and every little piece of a puzzle is important, whether in/out of context or not), "The Conversation" (where as Coppolla had a character 'think' he heard the sound of a murder, DePalma lets you know his character DID hear the sound of a murder), "Vertigo" (the hero has an incident from the past that is 'crippling' to him now, plus the whole 'saving the lady' theme), and the real life Chappaquiddick Incident (but, here we are shown that it WAS a cover up!). Showing (and exposing) just how corrupt and manipulating the film industry, the media, and politics are, this film will leave you utterly breathless, and cold, and in utter bewilderment to see how a Human life can be condensed to nothing more than a mere scream in a low budget horror film.
HIGHLY recommended!! Thank you! ;-)