Review of Blow-Up (1966) by Jasmine C — 04 Aug 2009

Usually I only review films I've seen recently, unless it is a 10. This is. It's Antonioni's big big masterpiece, although not the only one from him. In my opinion, Antonioni is greater than Fellini, greater than De Sica, greater than perhaps any Italian artist during the 20th century.

Blow-up is about this photographer (David Bailey's alter ego) in Swinging London 1966. The first scene, there he takes pictures of the mysterious model Verouschka is famous for its sexuality. The photographer doesn't penetrate her physically, but his camera certainly goes much deeper than that.

But that was anyway just carnal. Then the photographer (brilliantly played by David Hemmings) takes photos in a green park. There are trees and leaves, but he knows he has seen something, something nobody ought to see: Evil and murder. So this guy blows up. And blows up and blows up. And then he sees: All this that was a secret between the lens and evil.

This is not action. This is not horror. But it is a film which goes underneath your skin and into your nerves and after this, you will not see things like you did before.

Blow-Up may change your life. It certainly changes your sight and you have to make a decision: Shall I close my eyes from now or do I dare to confront pictures in photos and in reality?

Antonioni won't take your silence for an answer.