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Michelangelo Antonioni's first English language film is as maddening to watch as it is absorbing. Equally in that category is David Hemmings, who stars as the playboy photographer of this swinging 60s London thriller.
His life is one of wildly driving a roller convertible around town whenever he's not back at his studio taking snapshots of smouldering young models. Clearly tiring of the perfect female form he happens upon a park where, after taking a few shots of some pigeons, he moves his lens onto an amorous couple. The woman is none other than Vanessa Redgrave who takes great exception to Hemmings and begs for the film out of his camera.
He refuses, and upon developing the film notices something strange in the background. He gradually blows-up a part of the photo, which involves creating new prints in ever increasing close-ups. This lengthy sequence is done without music or dialogue. And yet it is endlessly fascinating to watch as we realise that he's uncovering a crime. Bizarrely, there is a break in the events when two young ladies arrive for a naked romp in his studio before he's allowed back to his investigation.
This crude Shakespearean technique of injecting a scene of light relief into a tense situation is symptomatic of Antonioni's inability to develop the plot of the film. He raises questions without answering them and this so infuriated then film critic Dario Argento that he went on to make his own interpretation, "Deep Red", again starring Hemmings.
There is, nevertheless, a quiet power to this film with plenty of absorbing visceral appeal, enhanced by some incredible camerawork from Carlo Di Palma.
"Blow-Up" can be purchased on VHS from Warner Â鶹ԼÅÄ Video for £9.99.
Almar Haflidason examines "Blow-Up"'s influence on Italian Director Dario Argento and his gory 1975 thriller "Deep Red"
