Blowup (1966)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Michelangelo Antonioni

Writers:

Michelangelo Antonioni (story)
Julio Cortázar (short story)
(more)

Release Date:

18 December 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Michelangelo Antonioni's first British film

Plot:

A mod London photographer believes that he has photographed a murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Photographer | Mod | Fashion | Park

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 4 nominations

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	...	Herself (as Verushka)
Julian Chagrin	...	Mime
Claude Chagrin	...	Mime
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Beck	...	Himself with The Yardbirds (uncredited)
Susan Broderick	...	Antique shop owner (uncredited)
Tsai Chin	...	Thomas' receptionist (uncredited)
Chris Dreja	...	Himself in the Yardbirds (uncredited)
Melanie Hampshire	...	Model (uncredited)
Harry Hutchinson	...	Shopkeeper (uncredited)
Jill Kennington	...	Model (uncredited)
Mary Khal	...	Fashion editor (uncredited)
Chas Lawther	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Jim McCarty	...	Himself in the Yardbirds (uncredited)
Peggy Moffitt	...	Model (uncredited)
Rosaleen Murray	...	Model (uncredited)
Ann Norman	...	Model (uncredited)
Ronan O'Casey	...	Jane's lover in park (uncredited)
Jimmy Page	...	Himself with The Yardbirds (uncredited)
Keith Relf	...	Himself in The Yardbirds (uncredited)
Janet Street-Porter	...	Girl Dancing In Club (uncredited)
Reg Wilkins	...	Thomas' assistant Reg (uncredited)

Directed by
Michelangelo Antonioni

Writing credits
Michelangelo Antonioni		(story)
Julio Cortázar		(short story) (as Julio Cortazar)
Michelangelo Antonioni		(screenplay) and
Tonino Guerra		(screenplay)
Edward Bond		(English dialogue)

Produced by
Carlo Ponti	....	producer
Pierre Rouve	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Herbie Hancock		(as Herbert Hancock)

Cinematography by
Carlo Di Palma		(director of photography) (as Carlo di Palma)

Film Editing by
Frank Clarke		(uncredited)

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Assheton Gorton

Costume Design by
Jocelyn Rickards		(dresses)

Makeup Department
Stephanie Kaye	....	hair stylist
Paul Rabiger	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Donald Toms	....	production manager
Roy Parkinson	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Watson	....	assistant director
Antal Kovacs	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Roger King	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robin Gregory	....	sound recordist
Mike Le Mare	....	sound editor
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Arkadi De Rakoff	....	assistant sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Parslow	....	camera operator
Arthur Evans	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dennis C. Lewiston	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Alec Mills	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Breed	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Alan Corder	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)

Other crew
John Cowan	....	photographic murals
Piers Haggard	....	dialogue assistant
Betty Harley	....	continuity
Bruce Sharman	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Bridge Films

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (UK) (theatrical)
• Premier Productions (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic) (re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• MFA Filmdistribution
• MGM/UA Home Video (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1967) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD) (censored version)

Other Companies

• Cine Audio Effects  sound effects and foley design (sound effects)

Also Known As:

Blow-Up (Italy) (USA)
Blow Up (UK) (alternative spelling)
Blow Up (Greece) [el]
Blow Up (West Germany) [de]
Blow up - förstoringen (Sweden) [sv]
Blow-Up (Canada: French title) [fr]
Blow-Up (Deseo de una mañana de verano) (Spain) [es]
Blow-Up - Depois Daquele Beijo (Brazil) [pt]
Blow-Up - erään suudelman jälkeen (Finland) [fi]
Blowup - Deseo en una mañana de verano (Argentina) [es]
Cinayeti gördüm (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ekstaze '67 (West Germany) [de]
História de Um Fotógrafo (Portugal) [pt]
Nagyítás (Hungary) [hu]
Poveæanje (Croatia) [hr]
Powiekszenie (Poland) [pl]
Uvecanje (Serbia) [sr]
Yetzarim (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Zvetsenina (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK | Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Not Rated (video rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Hong Kong:IIB | UK:X (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Italy:VM14 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (w) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Chelsea, London, England, UK

Company:

Bridge Films

Trivia:

Thomas' Rolls Royce actually belonged to Jimmy Savile and used to be white but was painted black for the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the park the lens protector is down on the grass between Thomas's feet. He then takes a long step to bend down and pick up the lens protector from a distance.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)

Soundtrack:

Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

Fascinating 1966 film still pertinent 40 years later

Although released in 1966, BLOWUP is remarkably pertinent today, nearly 40 years later. Its theme of reality/illusion, with people seeing or not seeing what they want not to see, is still pertinent in this era of "missing" weapons of mass destruction.

Also, the movie's jaded view of a society distracted from reality by random sex, drugs and immediate sensation is still sooooooo true today.

The Mod fashions for the photo shoots look bizarre to us now -- but you'll see equally bizarre fashions in VOGUE, at least the European issues. And what's wrong with David Hemmings' white jeans?