Review of Blow-Up (1966) by Donald M — 25 Aug 2009

A film that needs to be watched more than once, Michelangelo Antonioni's character study denounces the pop culture lifestyle, toys with the idea of reality, questions mankind's relationship with nature, and is a stylish snapshot of a time and place. David Hemmings is the fashion photographer who is bored with his work: He practically rapes a model while taking pictures of her. He also barks orders at other models so he can get the picture he wants. He's also working on a photography book, and decides to take some shots of a nice park.

The narrative of the film is loose and unfocused, perfectly reflecting the unfocused nature of the lead protagonist, as he buys random antiques, plays with a couple other models who are desperate for him to photograph them, even having a drink and flirting with a woman he accidently took pictures of at the park.

The plot truly picks up once the photographer notices something in the shots he took at the park: There is someone holding a gun hiding in the bushes. He blows up each photograph, arranging them in a logical order, as Antonioni's camera pans across from each individual blow-up, as we piece together each shot as our lead character does. It's a masterful piece of filmmaking, and there are so many nice and interesting touches that can easily be missed the first time round. Herbie Hancock's soundtrack is nice and unobtrusive, adding to the trendy style of London back in the 60's. Overall, this is a magnificent character study that bypasses conventional suspense and tension, offering so much more than a regular thriller. Brian De Palma remade this into "Blowout" (which I haven't seen), while Francis Ford Coppola would use this film as an influence for his magnificent and hugely underrated Surveillance thriller "The Conversation".

An excellent film by a director who always had something interesting to say.