be.jazz comments
Blowup is about nothing, in a traditional storytelling context at least, just like music. therefore meaning should not be sought. i think you got it right about the cognitive dissonance. i think what antonioni is trying to do is simply create a reaction beyond words and meaning, visceral, independent of any rationalisation, just like the best things in life. i'll have to see zabriskie point tomorrow, but Blowup remains one of my favourite experiences ever.
Hi Oana,
It's appropriate that your first comment (I think?) should be related to Flagey, considering the photo on your blog.
I always wonder about things that don't have meaning. Perhaps "Blowup"'s individual elements don't have free-standing meaning, but surely the whole adds up to something? Might not the aesthetics carry meaning by themselves?
Doesn't sound like from your writeup you really missed anything Mwanji. Sounds pretty close to the experience of the film.
If you're curious about Antonioni try the 1950s films (which are quite marvellous & generally underrated: I especially like _The Lady Without Camellias_ and _The Girlfriends_), _The Passenger_ & the famous trilogy _L'Avventura/L'Eclisse/La Notte_ (sometimes expasterating but full of astonishing moments: also you can spot the Giogio Gaslini band in the latter's final shot!). _Red Desert_ is fascinating but almost self-parodic, & _Zabriskie Point_ is by & large a silly period piece with a few good moments (a groovy sand-encrusted orgy & the famous slo-mo explosion sequence).
of course, it adds up to the experience itself, the aesthetics if you will. i'm just frustrated with all the friends i've tried to turn on to the film failing to love it as i do because they look for a story. i really don't think stories in the classical sense are antonioni's strength, although i haven't seen his work from the italian period yet. but i am still to see another film which can match the closing scene in blow-up with the ball-less tennis game. anyway, can't remember if this is my first comment on your blog, but i've been a faithful reader for some time. we share a passion for the local jazz scene, i believe, and your write-ups are a great guide to what's going on. see at one of the concerts one of these days.
Well, anyway, maybe you'll prefer Woody's take in Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Sex.
And I always just looked at it as a silly, cool '60s time capsule.
the new yorker this week has an audio piece on bergman and antonioni. they keep it simple, but thought you might be interested, in view of your post. http://downloads.newyorker.com/
m...audio_denby.mp3
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