7.6/10
56,941
298 user 145 critic

Blowup (1966)

Trailer
2:13 | Trailer
A fashion photographer unknowingly captures a death on film after following two lovers in a park.

Writers:

Michelangelo Antonioni (story), Julio Cortázar (short story "Las babas del diablo") (as Julio Cortazar) | 3 more credits »
Reviews
Popularity
3,472 ( 351)
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 9 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vanessa Redgrave ... Jane
Sarah Miles ... Patricia
David Hemmings ... Thomas
John Castle ... Bill
Jane Birkin ... The Blonde
Gillian Hills ... The Brunette
Peter Bowles ... Ron
Veruschka von Lehndorff ... Verushka (as Verushka)
Julian Chagrin ... Mime
Claude Chagrin Claude Chagrin ... Mime
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Storyline

A successful mod photographer in London whose world is bounded by fashion, pop music, marijuana, and easy sex, feels his life is boring and despairing. Then he meets a mysterious beauty, and also notices something frightfully suspicious on one of his photographs of her taken in a park. The fact that he may have photographed a murder does not occur to him until he studies and then blows up his negatives, uncovering details, blowing up smaller and smaller elements, and finally putting the puzzle together. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Michelangelo Antonioni's first British film See more »


Certificate:

R18 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Thomas impulsively buys the airplane propeller for £8, which, after adjusting for inflation, would be equivalent to about £135 in 2015. That amount is equivalent to $195.00. See more »

Goofs

When Jane tries to sneak out of the photographer's home with the camera, her hairstyle radically changes from the way it was upstairs to a different style when he stops her. When they go back upstairs it's suddenly back to the old style. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Mime: Give me your money. Do it.
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Alternate Versions

Some of the music was rescored for the Warner DVD release, namely the latter part of the opening title music. The VHS releases' music remain intact. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Nightmare (1981) See more »

Soundtracks

Verushka (Parts 1 and 2)
Written and Performed by Herbie Hancock
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User Reviews

 
Patience will be rewarded
7 June 2005 | by riderpridethemovieSee all my reviews

If you believe that the ending makes the movie, Blowup is for you. The first 30 minutes seem aimless and wandering, but they set up the main character and what is he is to discover about himself, about his occupation and about art in general. Antonioni builds tension (or frustration as you're watching it) not with plot, but with anti-plot. You want to scream at David Hemmings's character to: focus! screw those models! do something! But as the film unfolds you will see why Antonioni chose this actor, this profession and those girls. A wonderful manifesto about the dangers of voyeurism and what it does to a man's sexuality that is 40 years ahead of its time. The symbolism might get heavy handed at times (mimes, a broken guitar), but the sets are so full of creativity and the actors so beautiful (this will give my age away, but Vanessa Redgrave, who knew?) that you forgive Antonioni (he's Italian after all). Hemmings is Hugh Grant before Hugh Grant, but in this role at least, much more interesting. He's highly sexual, but unlike his painter roommate, his chosen art form represses him, all in the name of the shot. And when he finally gets the perfect shot in the perfect light, it's so perfect that someone steals it, and for good reason. Did those events actually take place or just through his camera lens? When the photos are the proof of what you see, then when that proof is taken away, did you see?


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Official Sites:

Criterion | HBOMAX | See more »

Country:

UK | Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 1967 (Italy) See more »

Also Known As:

Blow-Up See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,066
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »

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