Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up is a rather complex murder mystery, of sorts. What appears to be a film about a shallow, self-centered fashion photographer turns out to be only the tip of the ice-berg, as the story shifts into more of a social commentary/character study. Set in the "swinging" 1960's England, Blow-Up follows the story of Thomas, a fashion photographer who, between photo shoots, stumbles upon what may or may not be a murder in a public park. After closing observing his photographs, he realizes the possibility that he may have accidentally captured a killing on film. Sound interesting? Well, here's where the real twist comes in. Antonioni chooses to focus not on the possible murder, but on the character who observes it. As we watch Thomas' personal life, we see that he is alone in his own little distant fantasy world, where only he and his needs are of any concern. Thomas, played by David Hemmings, is so pompous and unlikable that it is very difficult to have any real feelings for his character, other than disgust. He treats women as props in his compositions, play things in his lust life, and may very well be almost completely devoid of emotion. Hemmings' performance is so flat that I can only imagine that that was the point, to show his distance from the world around him. In fact, all of the characters in this movie are played without emotion. We see meaningless sex (exhibited in awkward, childishly playful sex scenes), a complacent audience at a Yardbirds concert, pointless conversations, and an overall sense that in the director's eyes, all of his characters are dead. I don't mean dead in the literal sense, but dead to themselves, their emotions, senses, and to the world around them. Interesting photography comes into play here as well, as interesting compositions are used to create an odd, other-worldly atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in an entirely unfamiliar place. The best moment in the film, and probably, the most famous is the seen in which Thomas begins to realize what his pictures may actually contain. As the camera is used to reveal what Thomas sees, using montage and zooming affects, we share in Thomas' frightful discovery. A masterful scene, it is almost worth watching Blow-Up just for this moment. There is much here left open to interpretation. Blow-Up is an "art film" (as much as I hate that term), and should be viewed with that being understood. If you are looking for a murder mystery, look else where. If you are interested in something more, particularly something to contemplate, something to read into, Blow-Up is as good a choice as any. An interesting movie, but certainly not for everyone.
Review of Blow-Up
