Blowup

Blowup, from 1966, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni is an astounding film for both its visual aesthetic and production. Blowup’s aesthetic and Antonioni’s approach to film production allowed Blowup to question reality itself without directly alluding to it.

The production process that Antonioni uses when approaching film led to its interesting aesthetic. In an interview with Antonioni, Antonioni said, “I may film scenes I had no intention of filming; things suggest themselves on location, and we improvise. I try not to think about it too much. Then, in the cutting room, I take the film and start to put it together, and only then do I begin to get an idea of what it is about.” This directors approach is striking similar to how an artist would paint a picture. Often they start with foundation of loose shapes and colors and then build and define the painting as time goes on. In a similar manner, Antonioni started with locations, such as an unassuming tennis court or  at first a mundane park and then he built on them to craft Blowup. Antonioni even felt the need to paint some of the grass featured in the film green just for the sake of it being visually more green. This production choice represents the mental ideology that Antonioni has. He is careful in what he films and how it looks because he is aware that in post-production these elements will prove to be the building blocks of a strong film.

Maryon Park, where the photographer finds the body is of particular interest. The grass is a vibrant green, the area is fenced in and the vast majority of this location is barren save for a few lone trees. These details are extremely important because they bring about a sense of isolationism and a set up for the voyeurism that the photographer takes part in. Though the park seems aesthetically pleasing at first, the audience later discovers that the location is incredible suffocating. Even when the photographer later returns to the park, the body that he finds is near the fence and not entirely concealed. This drives home the idea that nothing can remain entirely hidden forever. Here is a shot of the park, with its wall like fence in the background.

Also, when the photographer begins to take pictures of the man and the woman in the park, the woman becomes upset, presumably due to a breach in her privacy. In the park, there are few places for the man and the woman to be entirely concealed since the park is fairly open. During this sequence, the shots are held for large lengths of time which brings about a slow sense of pacing that is unique to this film.

The slow pacing also allows the audience to see the park as the photographer does. Since the shot changes are kept to a minimum, one begins to take notice of minute details, such as the sound of wind blowing through the trees coupled with the tree branches gentle moving. This level of immersion exemplifies Michelangelo Antonioni’s ability to incorporate the feelings of existentialism with little character dialogue. The feelings of being alone and watched are shown and not told which makes the visual mise en scene of Blowup incredible well executed.

Lastly the end of Blowup combines many of the ideas discussed above in a single instance. The photographer is by himself standing in a field. The camera shot shows nothing else besides the photographer and an endless sea of grass. Then when the photographer disappears. The view of the camera gives the audience nothing to visual focus on besides the photographer. The photographer is completely isolated yet there is still an audience watching him. Then when the photographer disappears the very plot of the movie is question with this small visual moment. The murder, the photos taken, the protagonist himself are possibly all mere illusions. This is questioning not just film but all art. In this single scene Antonioni asks the audience what meaning art has if no one is there to give it meaning. Here is the classic ending, featuring the not-so-silent mimes.

Source for the interview: http://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/interview-with-michelangelo-antonioni