Brian De Palma on making Blow Out

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the footage I used. Copyrights belong to their respective owners. This video is covered by "fair use".

[@MiguelCruz-oz7km]

Baumbach should just do hour long interviews with him about every one of his movies.

[@JasonBagherian]

Check out this film on Brian De Palma www.imdb.com/title/tt1683048/

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

@@JasonBagherian Seen it. Good documentary.

[@kennethrussell1158]

He's the Hitchcock of his generation.

[@Nataloff]

This is how it should be done. Brian is a notoriously combative interview subject, but when he's safe with a knowledgeable host he is giving and funny and charming and as bright as can be. Great work and fine scholarship.

[@BULL.173]

Very interesting. It's totally true but I never really put that together in my head. I think there area couple of reasons why De Palma can be salty during interviews. I think he's maybe a little self conscious of the fact that he's made quite a few miscalculations in his career. High minded ideas that were either sabotaged by studios and others I think De Palma just couldn't properly translate to the screen. But he is very much a nuts and bolts filmmaker and he likes the company of people who A) understand the process and B) are fans of his films.

[@kennethrussell1158]

Tarantino can be a little defense too.

[@trevorallen5266]

@@kennethrussell1158De Palma is one of Tarantino’s favorite directors

[@sayitwithhellhounds]

De Palma only seems combative when the line of questioning itself is combative or ignorant

[@UNUSUALUSERNAME220]

Travolta was brilliant in this movie! I understand why this is the film that Tarantino tells people to watch, if they question Travolta's ability. Two scenes, when he realizes that the battery from the wire on the undercover agent is burning him, and the end scene when he uses Nancy Allen's scream for the movie and it just crushes him! Those two scenes MAKE that performance for me. Great film!

[@09nob]

It's a testament to the quality of this film that the interview could have gone on for another 2 hours and been just as fascinating.

[@GEMSofGOD_com]

A film is main testament for a film, and authors' words, primarily, too. This extra hour is a gift to humanity. The film's a masterpiece.

[@aaronmarrazzo5888]

Incredible movie and, far and away, Travolta's best ever performance.

[@kjsmom41]

I hesitated for a sec then realized you might just be right. He’s amazingly talented and great in everything but this performance of this particular character is downright harrowing.

[@chuckmorton8823]

One of the great endings of any film

[@ronaldh8446]

Gut punch!

[@Jeckxdeel]

Totally agree!

[@frederiklegoff8843]

John Travolta is excellent in this film, his best dramatic performance!👍

[@TheCousinEddie]

Clearly you haven't seen "Boy in the Plastic Bubble". /s

[@ralpncapobianco262]

Blow Out is one of the key movies that inspired to go into Cinematography-and ultimately work in television production…shooting, editing, lighting, audio…etc. Especially when JT character cuts up the magazine stills and animates them. I remember think how cool that was!

[@Ax18NY]

De Palma's best. Love Blow Out. One of my favourite films.

[@ThePinkladies18]

Mine too

[@Jeckxdeel]

A wonderful movie indeed!

[@carminemurray6624]

This film is too emotional for me, sensory overload, I still watch it but cry like a lil girl when she gets murdered, it is just too real and her scream is a real bloody death scream. I spent ten years on ambulances as an EMT and saw some really nasty stuff.

[@knownpleasures]

A great insight into the mind and genius of Brian de Palma

[@arunphillips6977]

So pleased that this movie now receives the recognition it deserves. That ending though, and the theme...utterly heartbreaking!

[@LS-kg6my]

Just watched this again last night. Such a solid noir film and visually beautiful film, especially the fireworks ending.

[@commercialzone4141]

Cited by Tarantino as one of the best films of all time. He gives high praise to Travolta here too. I saw an old interview where he picked this as his #1 of 3 films he would take with him if he was stranded on a desert island.

[@vova47]

Have seen Blow Out a thousand times and loved it, but after seeing this conversation I need to see it again.

[@TranceofHaterd]

Blow Out is one of my favourite movies.

[@machngunjoe]

I could listen to Brian all day

[@donatodipelino992]

Great interview. I would ask De Palma more about the symbolic use of colors in the movie. Always red and blue...quite mystical. Even the objects in this movie...tape recorders, machines,...the way they are shown...the objects are functional, true to themselves.

[@palmereldritch7777]

....and white. It WAS kind of obvious....

[@convolution223]

@@palmereldritch7777 in other words, patriotic

[@palmereldritch7777]

@@convolution223 the allusion to American politics is certainly there, i mean Just Nancy Allen's scream shot is not being subtle about it, till you see how ingrained and woven into the whole film it is. But i would say critical instead of patriotic more likely. Casualties of War, Snake Eyes, even to a lesser degree Bonfire and Scarface all contain critiques of American dreams, and goals and ideals. (the world is yours - even if that is lifted from the original movie). One movie i enjoyed a lot more on a second repeat was the much maligned Redacted. The budget constraints show, but once you get beyond the initial first view " what is this?" reaction, a second time around it's just a wonderful way to tell a very sad, sad story. (again building on storytelling techniques he used in Snake Eyes Eyes, Mission Impossible, even his last one Domino). And if you've never seen Hi Mom, the "Be Black" segment is a very early masterful sequence - guess every de Palma fan loves that one.

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

Red and blue for me symbolize America and De Palma was a new Hollywood director and they were very political with their films often criticizing Nixon era politics

[@jameslacey5474]

The film was a political triller and the red, white and blue colors are featured on the American flag (also represents Americal)and are also used in political campaigning and the world of politics.

[@johnmaynardable]

I loved this movie when I saw it when it came out. De Palma is a great director and he clearly respects Noah Baumbach. Good interview.

[@reinaldo777araya]

Es una de las mejores películas que he visto en mi juventud 🤔 hasta hoy 2024 la recuerdo.👌

[@jeffkoons001]

one of the all time great films

[@kjsmom41]

I love everything about this vid: the interview/questions, the subject/movie, the director, and the cast crew. Great job!👏🏾

[@alantoler8266]

The Great Brian Depalma ....Luv all his movies...a Tru genius....

[@alexallan-musicaaovivo500]

DePalma is one of the best directors. I wonder why he hasn´t got better recognition.

[@jameslacey5474]

Women's rights organizations ganged up on him for films like this, with the ending and especially 'Body Double' and 'Dressed to Kill' because of the depiction of woman. I'm sure statements like the one in this interview where he said you want to see the gun shot and referring to woman as 'IT undressed' dosen't help. I'm just saying, I love this movies. I think 'Blow Out' is one of De Palma's best film's. I actually saw it in the theaters (as well as own it on Blu-Ray) when it came out and loved it. I even really love that 25 sec title intro to the movie after the prologue with the sound effects that are later used in the film with the wind and heart-beat, Nancy Allen's scream (as they show her name), a man breathing heavy, and the gun shot and sound of the tire skid. What a interesting way to set the stage and fore shadow what is to come. The cross pollination of ideas of Chappaquiddick, 'Blow up' (except with sound), and 'The Conversation' and the Zapruder film.

[@alexallan-musicaaovivo500]

@@jameslacey5474 I totally agree. Too bad that politics interferes with whatever one does. Artists get blacklisted, then white-listed again over the decades. Your comments were very enlightening. Thank you kindly!

[@kdizzle901]

He’s the most underrated of that group…..Coppola, Scorsese, Lucas, Spielberg, De Palma

[@haintedhouse2990]

SNL did a mock trailer for one of his imaginary films and said "from the master of terror, suspense and plagiarism Brian De Palma returns with a new release so his wife can have a job" i've read several reviews of his work where"pretentious" was one of the kinder words. one critic asked "does Brian De Palma have an original idea in his head?" his work is always heavy with Hitchcock tributes (or rip-offs - hello Dressed to Kill) besides his portrayal of women i just wish he'd ease up on the endless slow-motion sequences.

[@mucknstrunz]

I watched this movie for the first time yesterday and rewatched it today. Its absolutely amazing. That ending puts it in the Pantheon of all time Classic movie masterpieces. Wow

[@vinceniederman]

Such a Amazing Thriller Movie Without Question!

[@ibopwebop]

the ending is so cheap and kitch. so disapointing and cheesy!!

[@mucknstrunz]

@@ibopweboplol. Yea have you seen godfather part 2 btw? What a cheap and kitch ending that was too right? Trashmovie. I am going to watch some more Transmorfers and fast and furious and stuff now. Bye.

[@rogerguy3592]

Great interview with a great director. Thanks for posting this.

[@RavenMockery]

Fantastic! Thanks a lot for this great "entretien", Jason.

[@beflygelt]

53:54 lol I'm imagining Baumbach and De Palma watching Good Time together

[@ryanegger4425]

do you think that's the movie they're talking about?

[@ryangettig274]

Happy Birthday Wishes Mr. De Palma!:)Thank God I share my birthday with a beautiful cat like you:)Absolute Cinematic Genius!!:)

[@allsystemsgo8678]

Very cool interview. Underrated movie

[@DanJanTube]

One of the best films of that era

[@ehvway]

What a great interview! Very inspiring, because Mr De Palma is a true veteran when it comes to film making!

[@ralphduerr5959]

Very good & interesting interview.

[@panoramaaaaaa]

I was really excited to show this movie to my wife tonight, as much as she loves cinema, I was sure she was going to like it. This is to date one of my favourite films. But then she didn’t like the essence of it. She enjoyed the cinematography, but detested how women are depicted in it, especially Sally who was treated as a tool by everyone, including the photographer, the killer and even Jack from beginning to the end, and she could have ran away a million times. My wife is indeed right about it, but this fact didn’t stop me from deeply falling in love with that picture, as from the intro scene to the last one, it is to me a masterpiece. But I realize that some movies are not made for all audiences.

[@gabrielgolden4336]

One of my all-time favorite movies, what a treat to hear DePalma talking about it.

[@kdizzle901]

This is probably my favorite De Palma movie

[@heartthehorse]

Fantastic interview

[@RMS5006]

Awesome masterpiece. We recommend this to everyone we can.

[@17samalex]

This was Brilliant great job and Deplma movies are great

[@brianolson6366]

Underrated great film

[@kennethrussell1158]

He's the Hitchcock of his generation.

[@gonogazz]

I love to listen to people that love what they doing..:)

[@hardsam68]

Depalma and donaggio a classic combination and collaboration

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

I would ask him whether he too has trouble analyzing a film on a first watch through and ask him about his inspirations for his films and what turned him on to Hitchcock. Also the best way to learn how to analyze and how to make films

[@fredkeeler4620]

Being a Philadelphia native makes this of extra interest to me.

[@shannonb082905]

Best Film Ever!

[@kevinpatrick3280]

Love this movie. Great insight.

[@JasonBagherian]

Me too.

[@sbrute66]

My favorite De Palma and Travolta movie. I wonder why the actress who played Debbie the receptionist wasn't credited for her role in this?

[@JasonBagherian]

Maybe she asked not to be credited. Or perhaps they forgot to credit her, it does happen.

[@sbrute66]

@@JasonBagherian A shame. She had some BIG BOOBIES... lolololol

[@Fintanflaherty]

Everyone would have been harassing her. Outstanding.

[@James_Bowie]

Interviewer Noah Baumbach reminds me of a young Al Pacino.

[@hans983]

De Palma God Director

[@cl759]

5:19 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 When I first saw it, I almost didn't watch because it appeared to be a traditional lascivious horror. But I was really young and really, really had nowhere to go so I kept watching.. boy, was that a pleasant surprise when it turned out to be a fantastic movie. Saddest thing ever, but a fantastic movie with, back then, sexiest man alive

[@danielmcdonald4717]

DePalma is a visionary genius. There I said it. I.J.S.

[@SmartCookie2022]

And he really wanted to be a theatre director, not movie.

[@ThatGingerCuntFromTerminator2]

Thanks for uploading. This video was already on youtube but for some reason it got taken down.

[@JasonBagherian]

You're welcome!

[@thebossman80s]

You have the best name I’ve ever seen

[@carminemurray6624]

I agree, your name is so awesome, I wish I knew more about you.

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

I’d also ask him why he likes split diopter shots so much

[@frankielambardo9268]

One of the greatest movies ever made!

[@davidstrickler5362]

"Figure it out, pal!" So Philly!

[@carminemurray6624]

Interesting because I did audio stuff like that as a teenager, I had access to lots of audio equipment.

[@ThePinkladies18]

But this time John and Nancy weren’t the bad guys this time

[@chrisfinch8637]

John and Nancy didn’t even know they were bad guys, until they actually saw their performances in “Carrie”- they thought they were there for comic relief, just like how Piper Laurie thought that movie was a “black comedy” (she was laughing between her takes with Sissy Spacek), and still believes that it is.

[@torihyder1290]

this is so epic

[@cllgscreative]

I needed this so bad. In film school right now and it's so uninspiring. This charged me up.

[@LeoDominique23]

I thought this interview was held in a prison at first

[@UNUSUALUSERNAME220]

Me too! I'm like, what the Hell did I miss with Brian De Palma!?? It looks like the room where they interview old mob guys doin life!

[@LeoDominique23]

@@UNUSUALUSERNAME220 haha exactly

[@michaelmuldowney8]

An erratic directors best movie.

[@rctubs3593]

"good scream, good scream". Travolta was great.

[@friedricengravy6646]

I didnt know he married Nancy. Cool! Learn something new every day I hope.

[@rctubs3593]

He's brilliant. The star in his movies is always the camera.

[@NostalgiNorden]

58 minutes about Blow Out??? SOLD!

[@darkknightwithanidea1845]

DE Palma - a Directors director - IDEAS !!!! Not technical trash & toys you see so many directors talking about today. Great directors have IDEAS.

[@farroutproductions]

Who is the interviewer? He sure knows his stuff. Great video and very educational. DePalma fan here

[@RobbieSkyeHamilton]

That’s filmmaker Noah Baumbach

[@runawaytrain9794]

The early 80's had some dark endings. "Star 80" was another devastating one...with a maybe even darker ending because this was based on a real-life occurrence. And there wouldn't be a dark ending for years after that until "Se7en"...a sad ending as well EXCEPT that it was a smash hit. So audiences WANT sad endings but only ONCE in a blue moon?? lol. IDK.

[@xdfckt2564]

Those lost boxes.. wonder where they are right now!

[@carminemurray6624]

This movie always reminds me of Ted Kennedy and the unfortunate death of Mary Jo Kopechne (sp?)

[@nomiddlenamenmn427]

I agree. It likely was its inspiration.

[@TheEleatic]

DePalma referring to a woman as an “it” was purely accidental and unintentional. He would never condone or dream of objectifying women. Hollywood films are violent, racist, sexist, and, generally, xenophobic-on a good day. It is clear why Tarantino lists Blow Out as one of his favourites. I don’t think it ranks close to Vertigo, Blow Out, or The Conversation.

[@rubbernun66]

This man is a god. Read Pauline Kael.

[@palmereldritch7777]

One wihfullfillment dream : Snake Eyes with the Tidal wave/ Deus ex machina AND the discarded Pino Donaggio Score......(love you Sakamoto, but i just keep wondering.....another De Palma Donaggio score......what happened ?)

[@jeremiahwoods1845]

3another Philly classic like Manikin

[@Champagneyear]

Haha having a great time watching this lmfao first Times in years i actualy lauoghed but srs is the Guy interjewing high look at his eyes and facal expression

[@hankworden3850]

interjewing

[@kennethrussell1158]

In my opinion Travolta's best movie next to "Face Off".

[@jackbombay1423]

De Palma never had recognition or success due to the way women are protrayed in his films. But probably because of that reason he´s my fav of all time and maybe that makes a bad person to many people´s eyes. But in Tarantino´s voice: Because It´s so much fun and it´s a movie!

[@jackbombay1423]

@ChrisJones-ek2gm No problem, pal.

[@jackbombay1423]

@ChrisJones-ek2gm Are you considering?

[@Studeb]

A sadistic child rapist/murderer was caught because a guy was out testing his new camera here in Sweden about a decade ago, thought of this movie straight away.

[@UNUSUALUSERNAME220]

Oh man! That's awful! I hope they put that guy away forever!

[@mikegioia9289]

When was this interview?

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

I think it was conducted in 2010.

[@MrOctober44]

My only problem with the film is it's the same exact ending as The Conversation

[@jamesferry1523]

"A girl--when is somebody going to undress it?" Jesus.

[@koreaneinstein]

49:27 Owen Wilson is that you

[@Enr227]

Remarkable techno-loner movie, along with The Conversation. Peeping as prelude to catastrophic interaction. Foretold today's connect-at-a-remove lame global fake community;

[@fishstickfortnitegamer]

“COVER!?!”

[@David-mg1yj]

51.52 Do you cover the whole scene in the wide?.... COVER??!!! 😂🤣😅

[@VictorLugosi]

Body double is better than blow out..

[@fokionbogris]

Not really

[@chrisdoctor599]

Dude looks like Adrian Brody lol

[@SmartCookie2022]

Brian De Palma really understand POV. One thing that I've never understood is when a protagonist is dreaming in any given movie, we don't see it from their POV. It's always shot from a third person angle looking at the protagonist within their own dream, which isn't how a dream actually works.

[@geertvanbergen3905]

Opening boring geography shots. Like the one in The Sining 😬😉

[@brencelt]

between Michael Mann and de Palma you have seemless film making

[@nomiddlenamenmn427]

As much as I admire DePalma, I cringe when he refers to adult women as girls. I doubt he would refer to males in their late 20s/early 30s as boys, although he might. I wonder if he would refer to John as a boy.

[@hankworden3850]

Ok Boomer

[@AndyMangele]

"Blow out" had a rather bad rap when it first came out - I never understood why.

[@d9iego]

0 es parecido 1 es falso 2 está duplicado 3 funcionó 4 es la taza 5 para pagar 6 si es culpable 7 ver asesinato 8 funciona no alcanza porque están duplicados 9 es árabe

[@SmithMrCorona]

De Palma and his split diopter shots. I get why he uses them, and he does know how to use them effectively, but christ! he over uses them. There are some shots that are so egregious that you can't help but notice them (e.g. the shot of connery and costner at the church in The Untouchables), and that in turn spoils the good ones. I don't always want to notice your tricks, I just want to lose myself in your movie. FILMMAKERS: Please use them sparingly.

[@curtisnewton895]

meh, who would have thought she dies at the end

[@PastPerspectives3]

Considering how much they had played with her death already, and the whole ‘get-the-girl’ cliche, I don’t think it was completely predictable that she was going to die.

[@ibopwebop]

Does De Palma mention that he stole the idea for BLOW UP by Antonioni which a much much beter film then this. So many of his early films are derivatives of European & Hitchcock films.

[@SquabbleBoxHQ]

Blow Up is pretentious boredom synthesised. Many, many films are derivative of other things without owning up to it.

[@rowan631]

Yes they talk about Blow Up and Hitchcock multiple times throughout the interview, maybe try watching something before making a stupid snarky comment.

[@onstrimin261]

Why the host talks so much about what he thinks? So rude, nobody cares about his appreciations, also he makes comments about Brian just to prove how much of a fan he is, let Brian to speech for himself!

[@hankworden3850]

Funny...I was just thinking about how nobody cares about your appreciations...

[@onstrimin261]

you were thinking about me? thanks! @@hankworden3850

[@onstrimin261]

maybe you are new into films but do you know this is the guy who wrote barby? and his wife directed it@@hankworden3850

[@Shaki123]

Nice interview, but the dude has made so many terrible movies that I've almost forgotten the good ones. Him talking about how things should be done makes no sense. He lost his magic a long, long time ago.

[@SquabbleBoxHQ]

Sisters, Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Body Double, Scarface, The Untouchables, Casualties of War, Carlito's Way, Mission: Impossible. There's even a few that aren't considered classics, but fit the bill fine if you wanna pass a couple hours. If you need more than ten popular films to be considered a good or even great filmmaker, then I imagine most directors lost their magic for you a long, long time ago. I guess we should be judged for life on just our misses alone.

[@Shaki123]

@@SquabbleBoxHQ the movies you mentioned are indeed classics. What happened to him?

[@SquabbleBoxHQ]

Do you like your own comments?

[@Richard_T89]

I really didn’t like the ending. I didn’t buy that he’d listen to the recording much less go “hey… that reminds me…”

[@panoramaaaaaa]

I was really excited to show this movie to my wife tonight, as much as she loves cinema, I was sure she was going to like it. This is to date one of my favourite films. But then she didn’t like the essence of it. She enjoyed the cinematography, but detested how women are depicted in it, especially Sally who was treated as a tool by everyone, including the photographer, the killer and even Jack from beginning to the end, and she could have ran away a million times. My wife is indeed right about it, but this fact didn’t stop me from deeply falling in love with that picture, as from the intro scene to the last one, it is to me a masterpiece. But I realize that some movies are not made for all audiences.

[@chloebhanks]

It’s interesting- I have these kinds of conversations with my sister. When I’m watching a film or reading a book, I let the character just be who they are, even if they make “bad choices” or they’re not likable, or - they don’t represent their (insert race, gender, etc) in a positive way. How boring would stories be if everyone was good, and smart, and never ran up the stairs instead of out the door 😉