MURDER HAS A SOUND ALL OF ITS OWN!
Philadelphia sound effects technician Jack Terry (John Travolta) happens to witness (and record) a car accident… and realizes that someone with a gun must have caused it. Director Brian De Palma followed up his impressive Dressed to Kill (1980) with another thriller featuring seedy sex, well-staged murder scenes and a willingness to have fun with movie clichés. The story was obviously inspired by the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident, as well as Antonioni’s Blowup (1966). John Lithgow’s creepy killer adds tension, and so does a beautiful, Hitchcockian Liberty Day climax. Travolta is solid in the lead.
1981-U.S. 107 min. Color. Widescreen. Written and directed by Brian De Palma. Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond. Music: Pino Donaggio. Cast: John Travolta (Jack Terry), Nancy Allen (Sally), John Lithgow (Burke), Dennis Franz, Peter Boyden.
Trivia: Al Pacino was allegedly considered for the lead.