Being a hitman isn’t as exciting as some movies might make it out to be. Of course, I’m not speaking from experience, but rather referring to the lonely perspective of Cleveland hitman Frank Bono (played by Allen Baron, who also serves as the writer and director), the protagonist of the bare-bones, gritty noir, Blast of Silence. In this film, Frank Bono’s job is nothing but a that: a job. It’s not something he go into because he’s got an appetite for murder or a lust for power. No…it’s just something he fell into. It’s just business. And his trip to New York is pretty much nothing but a really bad business trip.

New York City – the Big Apple! It’s Christmastime, but Frank Bono’s got a job to do. The cheer and celebrations of the holiday season isn’t going to stop him from terminating Manhattan mobster Troiano (Peter H. Clune). The reason? Frank don’t know and he don’t care. But he does need to follow him and get to know him. He’s got to hate him. And like the gravely-voiced narrator (Lionel Stander) states, “you don't have to know a man to live with him. But you have to know a man like a brother to kill him.” So, like he’s probably done many times before, Frank tails his target, sets the spot for the job, and he’s all set. But there’s a problem: Frank’s got some time on his hands – too much time - waiting around for the holiday to pass by. Rather than confining himself to his drab hotel room, he takes to wandering around the big city aimlessly. All the while, a second-person narration constantly playing in his head.

Everywhere Frank wanders, he daydreams about other things, about another person he could’ve been. Maybe he could’ve been an architect. Maybe he could’ve actually had a nice wife to come home to every night with a couple of little ones. And witnessing the holiday festivities and the countless families crowding the city only serves as constant reminder to Frank about how incredibly alienating his job is. Realizing his loneliness becomes no more apparent when he runs into an old friend, Petey (Danny Meehan) and his sister Lorrie (Molly McCarthy). Being recognized like that is, needless to say, bad for the job, but in more ways than one, especially in terms of Frank’s mental state. Nothing about his job is going to be as quick and east as Frank’s used to.

It's hard not to be amazed at the fact that this film was even able to be made. On less than a shoe-string budget, Blast of Silence was made without numerous film permits, was stopped by police at one point, lost its original intended star causing Baron to step in, but somehow miraculously got just enough money to finish the picture. The result, I would say, all things considered, is fairly impressive.

Blast of Silence is a bleak and gritty noir that shows it how it is. Frank’s good at his lethal job with a good reputation and makes a lot of money because of that, of course. But Blast of Silence isn’t a traditional piece within the noir genre. There’s no glorification or over-dramatization of this lifestyle, and there’s no traditional femme fatal. It really is just Frank and Frank alone, going through the motions, incapable of enjoying any of life’s pleasures. Its honesty and tragedy really set it apart from the classic Hollywood noirs that we’re used to. And that is extremely refreshing to experience.

The second-person narration is also a unique facet of this film that, I think, simultaneously does a couple things that are very powerful to the themes and experience watching it. One, it really hones in on Frank’s disassociation. It’s his inner monologue, but it isn’t his voice. It’s as if he doesn’t fully inhabit the body and the life he’s living, like someone else is thinking for him and talking to him. Second, the audience constantly hearing “you” really immerses the audience in Franks’s head and situation. You start to picture yourself in Frank’s daydreams, planning the hit, and justifying the violent thoughts and actions. You feel in-step with completely with Frank.

Blast of Silence isn’t a perfect film or a perfect noir by any stretch. But considering the micro-budget conditions and the mass amount of heart and determination put into it, it’s hard not to be impressed by it. And from the unique use of narration to the relatable loneliness of Frank Bono to the supporting cast (with a stand-out performance by Larry Tucker as the hilariously sleezy Big Ralph), Blast of Silence is tense, darkly funny at times, and very well-crafted.

Blast of Silence is now available with a new restoration courtesy of the Criterion Collection.

Home Video Distributor: Criterion
Available on Blu-ray - December 5, 2023
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: LPCM Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Swift, brutal, and blackhearted, Allen Baron’s New York City noir Blast of Silence is a sensational surprise. This low-budget, carefully crafted portrait of a hit man on assignment in Manhattan during Christmastime follows its stripped-down narrative with mechanical precision, yet also with an eye and ear for the oddball details of urban ­living and the imposing beauty of the city. At once visually ragged and artfully composed, and featuring rough, poetic narration performed by Lionel Stander and written by Waldo Salt (both uncredited), Blast of Silence is a stylish triumph.

Video

This release offers two presentations of the film. Both 1.85:1 (widescreen) and 1.33:1 (full-screen) aspect ratios are option to choose before viewing the film. Personally, I went with the widescreen, and boy does it look fantastic. For a film now over sixty years old, this new 4K restoration gives Blast of Silene new life with improvements in the clarity, depth, and details of the picture. The greyscale is impressive and pleasing. Film grain is balanced well. And the blacks, both indoor and outdoors are nice and deep, never sacrificing the clarity of the picture. It’s a wonderful restoration.

Audio

The uncompressed monaural soundtrack has everything come in crisp and clear. The narration, music, other dialogue, and sound effects are all balanced well, giving the movie a nice, natural soundscape.

Supplements:

There’s no commentary, but devoted fans will feast in the special features where Allen Baron himself walks us through memory lane with wonderful stories about the production of the picture.

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

• Requiem for a Killer: The Making of “Blast of Silence”
• Rare on-set Polaroids
• Photos of locations from the film in 2008Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty and a graphic-novel adaptation of the film by acclaimed artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Reckless, Fatale)

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Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 77 mins
Director: Allen Baron
Writer: Allen Baron; Waldo Salt
Cast: Allen Baron; Molly McCarthy; Larry Tucker
Genre: Crime | Drama | Noir
Tagline: An Unforgettable Experience in Suspense!...As the Seconds Tick Off a Timetable for MURDER!
Memorable Movie Quote: "If you want a woman, buy one. In the dark, so she won't remember your face."
Theatrical Distributor: universal Pictures
Official Site: https://www.criterion.com/films/538-blast-of-silence
Release Date: April, 1961 (limited)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: December 5, 20223
Synopsis: Swift, brutal, and blackhearted, Allen Baron's New York City noir Blast of Silence is a sensational surprise. This low-budget, carefully crafted portrait of a hit man on assignment in Manhattan during Christmastime follows its stripped-down narrative with mechanical precision, yet also with an eye and ear for the oddball details of urban living and the imposing beauty of the city. At once visually ragged and artfully composed, and featuring rough, poetic narration performed by Lionel Stander and written by Waldo Salt (both uncredited), Blast of Silence is a stylish triumph.