Blow-Up

Blow-Up

Movie poster for Blow-Up

Blow-Up is one of those movies that receives widespread acclaim, but is probably more notable for it's setting as a cultural document, than it's effectiveness as a dramatic presentation.

For those unfamiliar, the story involves a photographer who insults his models and coworkers, does little actual work, and drifts around aimlessly around 1960s London until he photographs a woman in the park one day. She eventually shows up at his studio, demanding the photos.

The first hour is slow and confusing. It's not really until an hour into the film when the photographer finally makes the titular bow-up of the photos do things start to get interesting. But, while the concept of a photographer accidentally photographing a crime - like Rear Window with a camera rather than a telescope - is a great setup for a mystery, the plot never really develops - so to speak.

So what we have is interesting as a document of an era where casual drug use, casual sex, and passionless hedonism were commonplace, yet Anonioni's swinging-60s London potboiler, like a lot of experimental cinema of the 1960s, just doesn't hold up too well in the 21st Century.

The Good: 

• Herbie Hancock's jazz score
• gorgeous models, clothed
• gorgeous models, nude

The Bad:

• filled with Antonioni's usual obtuse metaphors, like a bunch of loud, rowdy mimes that travel around in an army Jeep, randomly appearing throughout the film for no good reason
• a frustratingly ambiguous ending

Stuff to watch for:

• Mid-Century modern furniture and Mod fashion aplenty
• The Yardbirds with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page performing a smoking version of "Stroll On" in a club scene

The Verdict:
*** out of *****