Blow Out

"So, you’re an ear-witness to an assassination.” Terry is a soundman working on exploitation films who, out one night in the countryside to record background sounds, witnesses – and tapes – the suspicious death by car crash of a presidential candidate.

If the plot of Blow Out (1981) sounds over-familiar to anyone with more than a passing acquaintance with 1970s conspiracy thrillers, the virtuosity of Brian De Palma’s direction quickly blows away any reservations. This restoration on Blu-ray from Arrow Films gives us a chance to appreciate anew the sinuous crane moves, the neon-drenched streets, the immaculate art direction, and the bravura staging that have made the film a cult favourite.

From the gloriously tasteless opening to the jaw-dropping final twist, De Palma balances exuberant, over-the-top film-making with precise story-telling to create a masterwork of pulp fiction. A lithe, unmannered and immensely likeable central performance by the young Travolta also proves a revelation. [Keir Roper-Caldbeck]