Blow Out

I am on the fence with this film. On one hand, it was unique and unnerving, but on the other hand it was quite frustrating. I really liked the mystery of this film through the idea of sound, which is something I’ve never seen utilized in film so heavily as in this one. I had to focus on both the visuals AND the sound at the same time, because they both equally important in the way the film unfolded. The way the film is structured reminded me of classic thrillers, but with far more engagement for the audience. You’re relentlessly being dragged through the scenes (in a positive way) and with the twists and turns. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. But the ending! Oh my god, the ending infuriated me. It’s not that a film needs to have a happy ending per se, but Blow Out set you up to really believe that Sally would survive. At the beginning of the film, Jack is searching for that perfect scream. Well, he found it, and that final scene where you hear Sally’s scream left me feeling extremely uncomfortable. If that was De Palma’s goal, then he certainly succeeded.