Branden Negron
Professor Hammond
“Blow Up”
The fact that I didn’t absolutely love Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow Up” does not take away from the fact that I appreciated it very much. Visual Literacy has taught me to see movies in a different way, not only seeing them for what they are and understanding their plot but to really appreciate the directing taking place in every scene. Antonioni’s masterpiece is just that. While the untrained eye may be bored with the classic way of film, I saw this piece as a work of film genius. Some of the shots were revolutionary in a way, definitely setting a standard for motion pictures today.
The story revolves around a fashion photographer from London who happens to capture images of a murder during a candid photo shoot that he believes to be of just a couple in a park. Caught in the act, Thomas, the photographer, is faced with the female from the couple who says the pictures will just further complicate her life. Throughout the movie he struggles to solve this crime while the woman does whatever it takes to get the roll of film back.
While some scenes may seem boring, most viewers fail to acknowledge the beauty of the work. One aspect of the movie that I found to be interesting was the camera angles and shots during the driving scenes. With cameras mounted behind, in front, and away from the car, the audience can really get a feel for the driving, almost placing you in the scene, feeling what the driver is feeling. The movie's obscurity may seem to be going nowhere but in reality, the images shown to the audience were meant to break the mold and give the audience of that time a feeling they hadn’t felt when during prior movies. The risqué scenes strike chords, letting you in on the photographer’s crazy, pop-culture lifestyle, but also made this work groundbreaking and different in a time where sexuality was not seen to this extent in films.
What differentiates this movie from many others is the feel of it. The movie reveals the fast life of someone in the entertainment industry, surrounded by weed and women. This is the life that many dream to have during an age where pop culture is relevant and very popular. It allowed people to mix mystery with more mystery, meaning that people could now try to understand what goes through the mind of a creative photographer/ artist while also trying to solve the mystery of murder.
The way in which the movie ends is what declared this movie great in my eyes. It does not conclude with the photographer finally solving the murder, which is what the audience is hoping for. Instead, the final scene includes Thomas picking up an imaginary ball hit to him by mimes playing tennis and throwing it back to them. After throwing it back to them you can hear the sound of the mimes playing the ball, hitting it back and forth. This is what got me thinking, wondering what the significance of this ending was. Then I thought it was symbolic of the outcome. Since he was unable to solve the mystery murder, the invisible ball being played seems to hint at the fact that just because you cannot see it does not mean it is not there. To me, this ending is enough to label the movie as genius. The way that they portray their plot is not black and white but rather deep.
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