BLAST OF SILENCE
Posted: January 22nd, 2008, 7:45 am
For film noir fans.
I learned today that BLAST OF SILENCE (Allen Baron, 1961) is being released by Criterion in April. To the best of my knowledge, this is its the first non-DVD-R release.
Frankie Bono is an independent hit-man hired to assassinate a mob guy. Within that ultra-thin narrative, Baron creates a character study, with most of the emotional tension driven by loneliness, that is a film noir classic. Although film noir is generally discussed as having a focus on existential man, BLAST OF SILENCE has a nihilistic man. Not only is there no redemption or hope of redemption, the very concept of redemption seems foreign.
Prior to BLAST OF SILENCE, Baron directed some episodes of Hawaiian Eye and Surfside Six. After BLAST OF SILENCE, his career was limited mostly to TV, directing episodes of, for example, Room 222, Barnaby Jones, and Charlie's Angels.
Frankie Bono is portrayed by Allen Baron, whose only other acting performance was in CUBAN REBEL GIRLS (1959). Larry Tucker has a role that is marvelous, and the voice-over narration is by Lionel Stander. The film's opening shot with Stander's narration (You were born with hate and anger built in. Took a slap in the backside to blast out the scream. Then you knew you were alive.) alone is worth the purchase price. I prefer this film to MURDER BY CONTRACT, perhaps its nearest kin in the sleaze-noir family. I'm looking forward to replacing my "5 Minutes to Live" copy.
I learned today that BLAST OF SILENCE (Allen Baron, 1961) is being released by Criterion in April. To the best of my knowledge, this is its the first non-DVD-R release.
Frankie Bono is an independent hit-man hired to assassinate a mob guy. Within that ultra-thin narrative, Baron creates a character study, with most of the emotional tension driven by loneliness, that is a film noir classic. Although film noir is generally discussed as having a focus on existential man, BLAST OF SILENCE has a nihilistic man. Not only is there no redemption or hope of redemption, the very concept of redemption seems foreign.
Prior to BLAST OF SILENCE, Baron directed some episodes of Hawaiian Eye and Surfside Six. After BLAST OF SILENCE, his career was limited mostly to TV, directing episodes of, for example, Room 222, Barnaby Jones, and Charlie's Angels.
Frankie Bono is portrayed by Allen Baron, whose only other acting performance was in CUBAN REBEL GIRLS (1959). Larry Tucker has a role that is marvelous, and the voice-over narration is by Lionel Stander. The film's opening shot with Stander's narration (You were born with hate and anger built in. Took a slap in the backside to blast out the scream. Then you knew you were alive.) alone is worth the purchase price. I prefer this film to MURDER BY CONTRACT, perhaps its nearest kin in the sleaze-noir family. I'm looking forward to replacing my "5 Minutes to Live" copy.