Blow-Up/Blow Out Review/Comparison

In 1966 Michelangelo Antonioni released Blow-Up a film about an English photographer (Thomas played by David Hemmings) who photographs something suspicious in a park. The film was released to wide acclaim (which included the Palme d'Or and two Oscar nominations) and is now a staple of 1960's cinema. While finishing Dressed to Kill, Brian De Palma came up with the idea of Blow Out. Essentially a remake but here he replaced the photographer element with a sound engineer (Jack Terry played by John Travolta) for B movies and the mysterious images of a park are replaced with a car crash that might have been murder.

Knowing the two were a pair I decided to watch them in a double header. However half way through Blow Out I realised that these two movies are not original and remake but rather companion pieces.

Both films are centered around an event but the style of the directing in each truly separates these films. Antonioni's film is a quieter film, letting the images do the talking. De Palma's is more about the sound and it makes the movie a great one to listen two. What makes these two films a great pair to watch is that of how the director dealt with image/sound in their film where it didn't drive the narrative the way its companion does. Antonioni shows us his attention to detail in sound just as much as he does for sound in Blow-Up and De Palma shows off his stylistic imagery (with help from Vilmos Zsigmond).

Blow-Up is the slower film, it has less story but it really wants you to wait, it's a slow suspense that's built up through the movie. The movie could have collapsed and become slasher flick with fast cutting scenes with great excitement. He rather lets the excitement stay in your head, questioning it. This reflects when our main character is questioning if he had photographed a murder.

Blow Out plays out more like Hitchcock movie which isn't surprising since most De Palma films have a Hitchcock influence. Like Hitchcock, De Palma has more of creative style when it comes to framing. Of which are perfectly highlighted when John Travolta listens to his recordings of the car crash.

While each film does have a different approach on suspense they both, in their own ways, pay off for the movie as a whole.

Both leads are portrayed perfectly for their respective films. David Hemmings (who would go on to be in Gladiator and Gangs of New York) goes for the more subtle emotions that has to be achieved with his body, especially when there are scenes with no dialogue and the story is told through the camera and blocking.

John Travolta gives his best performance of his career up to that date and one that isn't

topped until 1994's Pulp Fiction. Blow Out is also one of Tarantino's favorite films and it's because of this film he cast Travolta. I can't blame Tarantino for picking Travolta off this specifically because he's very believable. Travolta has more lines then Hemmings which makes it easier to act but in the style of Hitchcock, Travolta plays the 'wrong man' perfectly.

What I love about these two films is how they are constructed around one event but how each director uses their own stylistic tropes to make a film that represents their filmography. My only complaint about the two is that in Blow-Up it moves slowly at some points and it takes a while for the story to develop. I would highly recommend watching these two films as double header. Alternatively if you don't like suspense-thrillers just watch Blow-Up or if you don't like European art house films just watch Blow Out.

Overall Score:

Blow-Up 9/10

Blow Out 10/10

What do you think of these two films if you have seen either of them? Did it make you double check or your old photos or did it make you avoid mixing cars and politics.

Blow-Up is available on DVD through import (you can rent the film at Film Club Sydney in Darlinghurst) and Blow Out is available on DVD/Blu-Ray through Umbrella Entertainment

Blow-Up

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni

Writer: Michelangelo Antonioni (story/screenplay), Tonino Guerra (screenplay) and Edward Bond (English Dialogue)

Starring: David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Miles

Cinematography: Carlo Di Palma

Editor: Frank Clarke

Music/Score: Herbie Hancock

Blow Out

Director: Brian De Palma

Writer: Brian De Palma

Starring: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow and Dennis Franz

Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond

Editor: Paul Hirsch

Music/Score: Pino Donaggio