Blast of Silence, spine #428, received a Blu-ray upgrade in the Criterion Collection on December 5, 2023.
Blast of Silence has been on my watch-list for years. It’s a shame how many films remain in the desolate wasteland that is a “watch-list” without ever making it to the television. Lucky for me, the Criterion Collection upgraded its release of the classic film just in time for Christmas. Sure, you could throw on Home Alone or Elf for the billionth time, or you could try something less traditional and watch a lonely hitman navigate the happiest time of the year on a quest for murder. Merry Christmas!
Blast of Silence Plot
Frank Bono is a hitman. He lives a life of solitude, dedicated to the violent craft of his employment. It’s Christmas time, the streets of Manhattan are illuminated by string lights and Christmas trees. Frank spends the holiday season stalking his newest target over a period of several days, like a predator in the jungle closing in on its prey.
The Critique
Also Read: Criterion Collection: The Others Review
Blast of Silence strips the hitman genre down to its bareboned core. It doesn’t glamorize the job or strive to fill every scene with tension or suspense. Instead, the unique line-of-work is viewed similarly to any other job. There’s a focus on the mundane simplicity of its execution. As I watched, I couldn’t help but recognize the similarities to David Fincher’s The Killer, released to Netflix earlier this year, and it’s clear that Fincher took great inspiration from the 1961 classic.
It’s surprisingly brutal in its violence, especially for a film of this era. This brutality acts as a stark contrast to the simplicity of the rest of the film. Being a hitman isn’t just about killing, but when the time to kill comes, it’s handled with a swift ruthlessness that is both captivating and difficult to watch.
Blast of Silence is a film-noir, through-and-through. From its black-and-white imagery to its voice-over narration, it’s among the truest depictions of the classic film style I’ve seen. We learn very little about our main character or his past. We know he’s an orphan, raised by nuns. During one line of voice-over — which is performed by an unseen third-party — it’s revealed that Frank has pondered whether it is his Godly purpose to rid the world of his targets.
This moral quandary is hinted at, but never explored on a deeper level. It toes the line of what’s expected from a hitman movie, then side steps those expectations. The film’s low budget is evident; however, it adds to the story’s gritty and grimy nature. As the film came to an end, I found myself admiring what I’d just watched and questioning why I had waited so long to see it.
The Special Features
There isn’t a plethora of special features included on the disc, but we do get Requiem for a Killer: The Making of Blast of Silence. It’s an hour long deep-dive into the birth of the film. Anytime there’s an opportunity to see the methods put to use behind the scenes, I’m here for it.
Also included on the disc are polaroid photographs from on-set, and location photos taken in 2008. But it’s the special features included in the film’s case that are most impressive. We get an essay by film critic Terrance Rafferty and a graphic novel adaptation of the film by artist Sean Phillips.
Would I Recommend This Purchase? With the new upgrade, absolutely.
Is It Worth a Blind Buy? This one may be best suited to a watch prior to purchase. Its stripped-down approach may catch some viewers off guard if they don’t know what they’re getting into.
9/10
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