Overview
A hitman returns to his old haunts, but the ghosts of his past threaten his mission.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- paranoid
- smoky
- late night viewing
- classic noir marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a brisk, visually striking and psychologically nuanced independent noir, though some find its stylized narration awkward or pretentious.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Frank Bono's assassination assignment unfolds during Christmas week, contrasting seasonal imagery with his violence and isolation.
Bono's reunion with Lori and Joe Boniface confronts his solitary existence with their calm marriage and unambitious domestic happiness.
Bono carefully stalks his target while exhaustion, distraction, and contact with his past undermine his disciplined method.
The film was shot on New York locations, and critics specifically praised the evocative city imagery.
Films like Blast of Silence, and why
The Killing
urban film noir, solitary professional criminal, existential dread, and stark location shooting
Le Samouraï
neo-noir fatalism, alienated hitman protagonist, and compressed criminal underworld narrative
Pickpocket
bleak crime drama, morally isolated protagonist, and psychologically tense pursuit structure
The Driver
stylized noir atmosphere, doomed criminality, and emotionally detached antihero
Movie Details
- Director
- Allen Baron
- Release Date
- 1961-03-20
- Runtime
- 77 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (113)
Cast
- Allen Baron
- Molly McCarthy
- Larry Tucker
- Bill DePrato
- Peter H. Clune
- Danny Meehan
- Joe Bubbico
- Gil Rogers
- Ruth Kaner
- Howard Mann
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Blast of Silence about?
- A haunted professional killer’s Christmas-week return to New York turns a routine mob hit into a terse descent through loneliness, memory, and fatalistic violence.
- What is Blast of Silence like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Blast of Silence as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Blast of Silence violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Blast of Silence as moderate.
- What did critics think of Blast of Silence?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a brisk, visually striking and psychologically nuanced independent noir, though some find its stylized narration awkward or pretentious.
- Which films are like Blast of Silence?
- Films with a similar feel include The Killing, Le Samouraï, Pickpocket, and The Driver.
- How long is Blast of Silence?
- Blast of Silence runs 77 minutes.
- Where can I watch Blast of Silence?
- In United States, Blast of Silence is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
