Principal cast
John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz and Peter Boyden
Film 392 of 498 on the Screen Path
Blow Out
Murder has a sound all of its own.
About the film
Blow Out at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1981 film at stop 392 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terry stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into a river. Jack jumps into the water and fishes out Sally from the car, but the other passenger is already dead โ a governor intending to run for president. As Jack does some investigating of his tapes, and starts a perilous romance with Sally, he enters a tangled web of conspiracy that might leave him dead.
Key craft credits
Vilmos Zsigmond (director of photography), Paul Hirsch (editor), Pino Donaggio (original music composer) and Paul Sylbert (production design)
- Director
- Brian De Palma
- Release
- 1981-07-24
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
- Genres
- Crime, Mystery and Thriller
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example โFull cast
Full cast
- John TravoltaCharacter: Jack Terry
- Nancy AllenCharacter: Sally Badina
- John LithgowCharacter: Burke
- Dennis FranzCharacter: Manny Karp
- Peter BoydenCharacter: Sam
- John AquinoCharacter: Det. Mackey
- John McMartinCharacter: Lawrence Henry
- Deborah EvertonCharacter: Hooker
- J. Patrick McNamaraCharacter: Detective at Hospital
- Roger WilsonCharacter: Coed Lover
- Missy ClevelandCharacter: Coed Lover
- Curt MayCharacter: Donahue
Full crew
Full crew
- Brian De PalmaCredits: Director, Writer
- Fred C. CarusoCredits: Executive Producer, Production Manager
- George LittoCredits: Producer
- Pino DonaggioCredits: Original Music Composer
- Vilmos ZsigmondCredits: Director of Photography
- Paul HirschCredits: Editor
- Bill Mesce Jr.Credits: Additional Writing, Writer
- Lynn StalmasterCredits: Casting
- Bruce WeintraubCredits: Set Decoration
- Joe CranzanoCredits: Makeup Artist
- Leo Lotito Jr.Credits: Makeup Artist
- Vivian McAteerCredits: Hairstylist
- Lyndell QuiyouCredits: Hairstylist
- Randall ColemanCredits: Assistant Sound Editor
- Lowell MateCredits: Dialogue Editor
- James M. TanenbaumCredits: Sound Mixer
- Rimas TumasonisCredits: Boom Operator
- Dick VorisekCredits: Sound Supervisor
- Brian L. McCartyCredits: Boom Operator
- Carl PaganoCredits: Cableman
- Calvin Joe AcordCredits: Special Effects Supervisor
- David DomeyerCredits: Special Effects
- Rick AveryCredits: Stunt Double
- Lewis GouldCredits: Second Assistant Director
- Joe NapolitanoCredits: First Assistant Director
- Jeannine OppewallCredits: Set Designer
- Carey LoftinCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Durrell NelsonCredits: Stunts
- Mike PridgenCredits: Stunts
- Jan KiesserCredits: Camera Operator
- Rick MartensCredits: Gaffer
- Lisa FreibergerCredits: Casting Associate
- Joanna ObermanCredits: Extras Casting
- Paul SylbertCredits: Production Design
- Vicki SรกnchezCredits: Costume Design
- Michael MoyseCredits: Sound Editor
- Dan SableCredits: Supervising Sound Editor
- Tom FleischmanCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Ann RothCredits: Costume Designer
- Gina RooseCredits: Assistant Editor
- Ted KurdylaCredits: Location Manager
- Robert RothbardCredits: Location Coordinator
- Jacquie LittoCredits: Music Coordinator
- Robert Q. LovettCredits: Music Editor
- Hannah ScheelCredits: Script Supervisor
- Michael GershmanCredits: Assistant Camera
- Michael GreenCredits: Second Assistant Camera
- Ken NishinoCredits: Second Assistant Camera
- John G. FoxCredits: Second Unit Director
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.