Blow Out

Top 10 Fun Facts

1. During the filming of "Blow Out," John Travolta suffered from a sleep disorder called insomnia. The zzzzz deprivation helped create a very moody performance. It also created some challenges for the makeup crew with the creation of bags under Travolta's eyes.
2. The idea of a man discovering a crime by listening to a recording, as in "Blow Out," was a reinterpretation of Michelangelo Antonioni's film "Blowup." In the Antonioni version photographs were used. Today, Closed Circuit Television is used.
3. The accident you see at the start of the film "Blow Out," makes an indirect reference to the Kennedy incident at Chappaquiddick. The director later tried to down play any connection between the film and the politically damaging event, much like the politician involved tried to down play facts in the case.
4. Director Brian De Palma was feeling some Philadelphia freedom by scripting and shooting "Blow Out" in his home town, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
5. "Blow Out's" $18 million budget made it director Brian De Plama's biggest budgeted film since "The Fury." Despite critical acclaim, it was also one of his biggest box office failures, grossing only $8 million.
6. Director Brian De Palma wasn't feeling any "Summer Lovin" and did not cast John Travolta's former "Grease" sweetheart Olivia Newton John as Sally.
7. It seems as though Director Brian De Palma has a guilty conscience.  "Blow Out" was just one in a line of films by De Palma that explored the power of guilt. In this case, both Jack and Sally attempt to make right of their past wrongs, but unfortunately these actions meet with regrettable consequences.
8. During the editing process for "Blow Out," two reels of footage were stolen. Fortunately for the studio, the film was insured. Unfortunately for the insurance company, the film was insured. The scenes had to be reshot at cost of $750,000.
9. In the French version of "Blow Out," John Travolta's part was dubbed by highly respected French actor Gerard Depardieu. The commonality between the two actors began and ended with this film.
10. Director Brian De Palma was hesitant to cast his wife Nancy Allen in his film "Blow Out" because he did not want her to have a reputation for working only on her husband's movies. The concern was unnecessary. The coupled divorced two year later and Allen never appeared in a De Palma film again.

Cast

Crew