Man, watched this for the first time yesterday! I had a double bill of this and “perfect blue” and was blown away by both! Thank you for this my friend!
Daisuke! Thank you for taking the time to discuss this, one of my favorite films I saw for the first time in 2022, Blow Out. There's so much that I love about this film. It's truly one of John Travolta's best. Seeing him in this film makes my image of him in his best roles better because I now can see him in my mind as the Jack character from Blow Out as well. As a "Dexter" fan, seeing John Lithgow here also enhances my vision of John Lithgow as an effective psychopath in cinema. There is a particular scene in Blow Out where there is a shadow and a very scary stabbing motion that makes me wince every time. The use of sound in this film and how it is also important to the story, makes listening out for key noises or sounds so fun as you watch the film. Speaking of watch, the sound of a particular watch/wire. It is mentioned better than I could by others, but the relationship between the Nancy Allen character of Sally and Jack is so key to the emotional reactions one will have when watching this classic. I appreciate a lot also when engaging in a Brian De Palma journey, when you see a lot of the same actors or actresses. Dennis Franz' character here has such a memorable role and set of mannerisms that really make him stand out to me and I got such a thrill seeing him in another Brian De Palma classic, Dressed to Kill. Blow Out is sure to make a fan out of anyone who gives it a chance. I have Obsession and Blow Out set aside for my mother to borrow and view for the first time soon. I cannot wait to hear her comments about these Brian De Palma films!!! It will make me so happy to hear her thoughts because Brian De Palma is a master director and discussing his films brings about so many exciting feelings, as evidenced in this brilliant discussion here my friend!! I love this film Blow Out and I have the great encouragement of you and your channel to explore and re-explore the amazing works of Brian De Palma. Cheers!
@@DaisukeBeppu My mother recently borrowed this and watched it. She LOVED it! I was so proud to have shared this film with her. She said how much she loved how it reminded her of how she loved living in the 80's but she was very devastated by the ending! She will be watching Obsession and Dressed to Kill next! So glad I can share these experiences due to you encouraging me to view these De Palma films!
Blowout is a mesmerizing classic. Brian DePalma is at his artistic apex here. The camera movements, the soundtrack, the dialogue. It's all top notch. I have it on bluray but not the Criterion release. Thinking of double dipping...
Thank you so much… I think that the blu ray is still very high quality so one does not necessarily “need” to get the 4K UHD immediately. However, if you are a fan of this film and/or you do not have the film yet (though I know you do), I can recommend it.
This film has become one of my 10 faves of the 80s. Like many of my faves I try and not over-watch them and really let them simmer until I really want to experience them. Though I do have a 4k player and an LG OLED tv, I typically only buy upgrades that offer the blu-ray disc with the new restoration. I'm gathering this set only offers it with the 4k disc. One reason is because the 4k discs are pretty sensitive to playback issues over the more resilient bluray, and another is that the hdr settings are set super high for brightness, etc, so I believe that will decrease my tv's lifespan considerably watching content cranked up, plus I've done comparisons and found once you bring the settings down to a normal level, the difference is negligible outside of the brightness - since I dig my films a little darker anyways (can't take the old-school out of me I guess), I just don't see much of a difference. The true difference is in these amazing new 4k restorations that are being done. I was floored how great the blu-ray only disc of Fire in the Sky looked by Scream Factory on my tv, and was surprised how amazing Arrow's release of Flatliners looked.
I still need to get Blow Out in general, so perhaps with the B&N Criterion sale next month, I may finally get it. Thank you for talking about this release Daisuke, I hope you’re doing well. Have a great weekend!
I love this. My favorite DePalma that I’ve seen. The music and the ending scene always give me chills. Not to get too off topic but with Halloween around the corner I have wondered what you think of the Child’s Play and Chucky films/franchise; especially as they feature many DePalma references. Between the long takes, split-screens, split-diopter shots and getting Pino Dinaggio to score Seed there is truly a reverence from creator Don Mancini for DePalma’s work. Of course he is not the only filmmaker to incorporate these but it’s something one can’t help but notice when made aware. Now I have to upgrade my blu-ray 😮💨
Thank you so much my dear friend for this, and also let me say here too thank you for attending the livestreams as well. It is always so nice to see you. And to answer your question, yes, I love the Childs Play films!
Hello Mark Longshaw and thank you so much for this!! Oh wow, that would be such a wonderful film!! I agree… that scene with him is classic and to see it extended would be phenomenal.
I saw this film for the first time last month! I absolutely loved it. Travolta gives his best performance I think and I almost got Giallo vibes from the film. Of course I loved the film aspects of this with Travolta working in film. The opening really got me with the slasher film opening! And it was fun to spot posters to films I have seen such as Squirm. Further, one of the darkest endings I have seen that really unsettled me! I hope you are well and settled in your new place!
Oh my dear friend, I love how you mention “giallo” vibes! Yes! There is a particular piece of music for example that is used that reminds me a lot of a Goblin track from the Argento film Deep Red. And yes, the posters in the background!!! Yes!! Squirm!!! Cheers my dear friend.
What happens when an ordinary bystander gets wrapped up in a plan that is much bigger than one imagines? What themes are present in this movie? And how does this film fit in the conspiracy genre along with any allusions to previous real events? These are a few things one can go over as they watch Brian De Palma's masterwork triumph Blow Out which is a film that focuses on the concept of sound but it ends up being a larger piece of the puzzle as one is in just as much trouble as the protagonists. This also leads to a big conspiracy that has twist after twist for all involved. The movie starts off with a sound technician named Jack Terry (John Travolta) who is told by his sound producer to get a more realistic sounding scream and better wind effects while doing post-production for a slasher film. While getting these sound effects, he watches a car go off the road and plunge in a nearby creek. The male driver dies but Jack saves a young woman named Sally Bedina (Nancy Allen) and goes to the hospital with her. He finds out that a governor named George McRyan was driving the car and that there is a bit of a cover up. Jack tries to find out what is going on all while coming across someone who filmed the accident (Dennis Franz) and a mysterious man hired by a rival candidate (John Lithgow) which is where the plot thickens. One thing that really stands out with this movie is how sound plays an integral role in the film. It has a personal touch when it comes to Jack when he is looking for what he needs for the film he's working on. But the sound offers a sense of intrigue and mystery in regards to the events that occur with the car crash and there appear to be more things afoot. It gets played again and again as if one is able to unearth something else...something sinister. A conspiracy at heart with not everything being as it seems. Going back through the sounds reminds one of reviewing certain footage like if one were to review the Zapruder film trying to find another answer. This leads to one of the more important aspects of the film which involves the art of conspiracy. This film is all about that idea which involves going deep into trying to find out who caused this tragedy to happen and any other details. Blow Out references previous conspiracies like the Watergate scandal and the Kennedys which were real life. But it also is cut from the same cloth like previous conspiracy movies like Klute, Cutter's Way, The Parallax View, Three Days of the Condo, Capricorn One and The Conversation (which it shares in terms of sound). Another theme that is especially important in this motion picture is the idea of guilt. This is something that has been prevalent in De Palma films, but this comes off as a haunting reminder for the main characters. Both Jack and Sally are haunted by specific events from the past that stick with them and are a driving force to do right. This is especially evident with Jack when it comes to being involved in a wire tap operation gone wrong which was involving the government which has left him feeling empty and hollow. And it is guilt that follows him wherever he goes. And like previous De Palma films, the director focuses on the recurring theme of voyeurism. While the use of video and images still plays a small role, it really is more about the audio aspect in this movie. The audio takes the place of the camera primarily as Jack is listening to things that he shouldn't be listening to in the first place (albeit by accident). It is through this listening that it gets him into hot water and has him uncover this conspiracy. And De Palma does this nicely thanks to twisting the idea around to keep things interesting for the audience as well as the story. But the biggest parallel with this movie is how it connects to the Michalangelo Antonioni film Blow Up. Both involve someone who is involved in their trade and accidentally coming across a potential crime, though Blow Up was more with the camera and Blow Out was with sound. But both delivered on the same promise of giving the audience a puzzle to solve. Though they are both products of their own era along with their own styles but they really blend in the art of mystery, suspense and a bit of conspiracy. De Palma took inspiration from the latter and put his own personal touch on it. They're sister films in a sense. Blow Out is a Brian De Palma film that is more of the same work he has done in the past with mystery, suspense and delving more into the conspiracy genre. It has connections to his previous films but is all about De Palma changing things up so he can deliver a different kind of movie in his own way. And the way sound is incorporated is a nice approach and makes one want to listen to sounds more closely whether it involves actual sound effects or music just to uncover something out of the ordinary. But one needs to be careful when going down the rabbit hole like Jack did.
Another brilliant breakdown. Stealthborn, I have said it before and I will say it again but you have such a way with describing films, much better than I can.
I just picked up the 4k along with Lost Highway and Night of the Living Dead. Criterion had a recent half-off weekend sale. Blow Out is such a great political paranoia film. Along with the titles you mentioned, I think it sits along nicely with The Parallax View, 3 Days of the Condor, and Klute. I remember the film being released just months after Ronald Reagan's attempted assassination and John Lennon being murdered a few months prior. Paranoia was alive and well here in the states, and has stayed that way.
I don't get how many times the criterion has released this title. I bought it last year in the UK November 2021 (as first time release) on Blu-ray. Although I get that you rightly say it is released on 4k here. In the UK I rarely find 4k format for criterion releases, I don't think 4k is catching on in the UK. Btw I really enjoyed this work and think it is one of de parma's best, but my wife hated the ending and then totally trashed the rest of the film as a consequence. The ending was going to be a bit love or hate, I think it was judged spot on. I don't think films should be made to please others, just exist as they are meant to be, as life is also.
Thank you so much for this. I think this is a really great release of a great film, and yes, you are right it might not necessarily be a film for everyone. Cheers my friend.
Man, watched this for the first time yesterday! I had a double bill of this and “perfect blue” and was blown away by both! Thank you for this my friend!
Daisuke! Thank you for taking the time to discuss this, one of my favorite films I saw for the first time in 2022, Blow Out. There's so much that I love about this film. It's truly one of John Travolta's best. Seeing him in this film makes my image of him in his best roles better because I now can see him in my mind as the Jack character from Blow Out as well. As a "Dexter" fan, seeing John Lithgow here also enhances my vision of John Lithgow as an effective psychopath in cinema. There is a particular scene in Blow Out where there is a shadow and a very scary stabbing motion that makes me wince every time. The use of sound in this film and how it is also important to the story, makes listening out for key noises or sounds so fun as you watch the film. Speaking of watch, the sound of a particular watch/wire. It is mentioned better than I could by others, but the relationship between the Nancy Allen character of Sally and Jack is so key to the emotional reactions one will have when watching this classic. I appreciate a lot also when engaging in a Brian De Palma journey, when you see a lot of the same actors or actresses. Dennis Franz' character here has such a memorable role and set of mannerisms that really make him stand out to me and I got such a thrill seeing him in another Brian De Palma classic, Dressed to Kill. Blow Out is sure to make a fan out of anyone who gives it a chance. I have Obsession and Blow Out set aside for my mother to borrow and view for the first time soon. I cannot wait to hear her comments about these Brian De Palma films!!! It will make me so happy to hear her thoughts because Brian De Palma is a master director and discussing his films brings about so many exciting feelings, as evidenced in this brilliant discussion here my friend!! I love this film Blow Out and I have the great encouragement of you and your channel to explore and re-explore the amazing works of Brian De Palma. Cheers!
Seth my dear dear friend, I know we have talked a lot about De Palma so it is really wonderful to get this comment from you!!!!
@@DaisukeBeppu My mother recently borrowed this and watched it. She LOVED it! I was so proud to have shared this film with her. She said how much she loved how it reminded her of how she loved living in the 80's but she was very devastated by the ending! She will be watching Obsession and Dressed to Kill next! So glad I can share these experiences due to you encouraging me to view these De Palma films!
Blow Out is my favourite film of all time. I’ve finally got my hands on the criterion and I love it too, great review love the detail you go into
Blowout is a mesmerizing classic. Brian DePalma is at his artistic apex here. The camera movements, the soundtrack, the dialogue. It's all top notch. I have it on bluray but not the Criterion release. Thinking of double dipping...
Thank you so much… I think that the blu ray is still very high quality so one does not necessarily “need” to get the 4K UHD immediately. However, if you are a fan of this film and/or you do not have the film yet (though I know you do), I can recommend it.
This film has become one of my 10 faves of the 80s. Like many of my faves I try and not over-watch them and really let them simmer until I really want to experience them. Though I do have a 4k player and an LG OLED tv, I typically only buy upgrades that offer the blu-ray disc with the new restoration. I'm gathering this set only offers it with the 4k disc. One reason is because the 4k discs are pretty sensitive to playback issues over the more resilient bluray, and another is that the hdr settings are set super high for brightness, etc, so I believe that will decrease my tv's lifespan considerably watching content cranked up, plus I've done comparisons and found once you bring the settings down to a normal level, the difference is negligible outside of the brightness - since I dig my films a little darker anyways (can't take the old-school out of me I guess), I just don't see much of a difference. The true difference is in these amazing new 4k restorations that are being done. I was floored how great the blu-ray only disc of Fire in the Sky looked by Scream Factory on my tv, and was surprised how amazing Arrow's release of Flatliners looked.
thank you so much for this J Canada my dear friend. Yes, I think this 4K UHD is really great, but if you have the blu ray the blu ray could be enough.
I still need to get Blow Out in general, so perhaps with the B&N Criterion sale next month, I may finally get it. Thank you for talking about this release Daisuke, I hope you’re doing well. Have a great weekend!
Thank you so much and yes I can definitely recommend it!
Excellent video. My second favorite release this year from criterion.Travolta's best film.
Thank you so much my dear friend and yes, this is such a great film!!!!!
I love this. My favorite DePalma that I’ve seen. The music and the ending scene always give me chills.
Not to get too off topic but with Halloween around the corner I have wondered what you think of the Child’s Play and Chucky films/franchise; especially as they feature many DePalma references. Between the long takes, split-screens, split-diopter shots and getting Pino Dinaggio to score Seed there is truly a reverence from creator Don Mancini for DePalma’s work. Of course he is not the only filmmaker to incorporate these but it’s something one can’t help but notice when made aware.
Now I have to upgrade my blu-ray 😮💨
Thank you so much my dear friend for this, and also let me say here too thank you for attending the livestreams as well. It is always so nice to see you. And to answer your question, yes, I love the Childs Play films!
I love this movie. Although, rewatches make me want a 2 hour film of John Travolta just listening to and labelling the different sounds. Great scene.
Hello Mark Longshaw and thank you so much for this!! Oh wow, that would be such a wonderful film!! I agree… that scene with him is classic and to see it extended would be phenomenal.
I am obsessed with this film. I got it on 4K UHD!
Fantastic my friend!
I saw this film for the first time last month! I absolutely loved it. Travolta gives his best performance I think and I almost got Giallo vibes from the film. Of course I loved the film aspects of this with Travolta working in film. The opening really got me with the slasher film opening! And it was fun to spot posters to films I have seen such as Squirm. Further, one of the darkest endings I have seen that really unsettled me! I hope you are well and settled in your new place!
Oh my dear friend, I love how you mention “giallo” vibes! Yes! There is a particular piece of music for example that is used that reminds me a lot of a Goblin track from the Argento film Deep Red. And yes, the posters in the background!!! Yes!! Squirm!!! Cheers my dear friend.
I hope Body Double will be available again
Yes that would be great.
What happens when an ordinary bystander gets wrapped up in a plan that is much bigger than one imagines? What themes are present in this movie? And how does this film fit in the conspiracy genre along with any allusions to previous real events? These are a few things one can go over as they watch Brian De Palma's masterwork triumph Blow Out which is a film that focuses on the concept of sound but it ends up being a larger piece of the puzzle
as one is in just as much trouble as the protagonists. This also leads to a big conspiracy that has twist after twist for all involved.
The movie starts off with a sound technician named Jack Terry (John Travolta) who is told by his sound producer to get a more realistic sounding scream and better wind effects while doing post-production for a slasher film. While getting these sound effects, he watches a car go off the road and plunge in a nearby creek. The male driver dies but Jack saves a young woman named Sally Bedina (Nancy Allen) and goes to the hospital with her.
He finds out that a governor named George McRyan was driving the car and that there is a bit of a cover up. Jack tries to find out what is going on all while coming across someone who filmed the accident (Dennis Franz) and a mysterious man hired by a rival candidate (John Lithgow) which is where the plot thickens.
One thing that really stands out with this movie is how sound plays an integral role in the film. It has a personal touch when it comes to Jack when he is looking for what he needs for the film he's working on. But the sound offers a sense of intrigue and mystery in regards to the events that occur with the car crash and there appear to be more things afoot. It gets played again and again as if one is able to unearth something else...something sinister. A conspiracy at heart with not everything being as it seems. Going back through the sounds reminds one of reviewing certain footage like if one were to review the Zapruder film trying to find another answer.
This leads to one of the more important aspects of the film which involves the art of conspiracy. This film is all about that idea which involves going deep into trying to find out who caused this tragedy to happen and any other details. Blow Out references previous conspiracies like the Watergate scandal and the Kennedys which were real life. But it also is cut from the same cloth like previous conspiracy movies like Klute, Cutter's Way, The Parallax View, Three Days of the Condo, Capricorn One and The Conversation (which
it shares in terms of sound).
Another theme that is especially important in this motion picture is the idea of guilt. This is something that has been prevalent in De Palma films, but this comes off as a haunting reminder for the main characters. Both Jack and Sally are haunted by specific events from the past that stick with them and are a driving force to do right. This is especially evident with Jack when it comes to being involved in a wire tap operation gone wrong which was involving the government which has left him feeling empty and hollow. And it is guilt that
follows him wherever he goes.
And like previous De Palma films, the director focuses on the recurring theme of voyeurism. While the use of video and images still plays a small role, it really is more about the audio aspect in this movie. The audio takes the place of the camera primarily as Jack is listening to things that he shouldn't be listening to in the first place (albeit by accident). It is through this listening that it gets him into hot water and has him uncover this conspiracy. And De Palma does this nicely thanks to twisting the idea around to keep things interesting for the audience as well as the story.
But the biggest parallel with this movie is how it connects to the Michalangelo Antonioni film Blow Up. Both involve someone who is involved in their trade and accidentally coming across a potential crime, though Blow Up was more with the camera and Blow Out was with sound. But both delivered on the same promise of giving the audience a puzzle to solve. Though they are both products of their own era along with their own styles but they really blend in the art of mystery, suspense and a bit of conspiracy. De Palma took inspiration from the latter and put his own personal touch on it. They're sister films in a sense.
Blow Out is a Brian De Palma film that is more of the same work he has done in the past with mystery, suspense and delving more into the conspiracy genre. It has connections to his previous films but is all about De Palma changing things up so he can deliver a different kind of movie in his own way. And the way sound is incorporated is a nice approach and makes one want to listen to sounds more closely whether it involves actual sound effects or music just to uncover something out of the ordinary. But one needs to be careful when going down the rabbit hole like Jack did.
Another brilliant breakdown. Stealthborn, I have said it before and I will say it again but you have such a way with describing films, much better than I can.
Probably my favourite from De Palma.
Excellent my friend.
I just picked up the 4k along with Lost Highway and Night of the Living Dead. Criterion had a recent half-off weekend sale. Blow Out is such a great political paranoia film. Along with the titles you mentioned, I think it sits along nicely with The Parallax View, 3 Days of the Condor, and Klute.
I remember the film being released just months after Ronald Reagan's attempted assassination and John Lennon being murdered a few months prior. Paranoia was alive and well here in the states, and has stayed that way.
Thank you so much for this Robert Saul. Yes, Blow Out works so well on many levels, such as a political paranoia type of film. You are so right.
Killing a few birds with one stone eh Daisuke?..covering the work of DePalma and a new release title at the same time. Well played. Cheers.
Thank you my friend!
I don't get how many times the criterion has released this title. I bought it last year in the UK November 2021 (as first time release) on Blu-ray. Although I get that you rightly say it is released on 4k here. In the UK I rarely find 4k format for criterion releases, I don't think 4k is catching on in the UK.
Btw I really enjoyed this work and think it is one of de parma's best, but my wife hated the ending and then totally trashed the rest of the film as a consequence. The ending was going to be a bit love or hate, I think it was judged spot on. I don't think films should be made to please others, just exist as they are meant to be, as life is also.
Thank you so much for this. I think this is a really great release of a great film, and yes, you are right it might not necessarily be a film for everyone. Cheers my friend.