Film reviews

Combining elements of an uncanny mystery with an investigation and its developing horror, this film is sure to appeal both to those who are Gabriel Knight fans and to those who enjoy films with an intriguing storyline.

Created in the 60s, by an English and Italian team, under the direction of Michelangelo Antonioni, this bizarre movie, which won the Golden Palm at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival, is difficult to review without spoilers.

Thomas (David Hemmings) is a fashion photographer. Although he lives in a wealthy world, surrounded by top models, he gets bored with his job and life. Looking for thrills, he uses his free time to photograph macabre things: dead animals, sick people. One day, as he is walking in a park, he comes across a couple kissing each other. He starts to photograph them and does not stop when they begin complaining. Back home, he develops the photos and examines them closely. A very attentive inspection shows that these photos are not what they seem, that in fact they reveal something frightening. Thomas understands that what he saw and photographed was not what he thought, and decides to investigate this mystery.

As Thomas’ quest goes on, you will wonder if what he experiences is real, or part of his imagination. This movie examines how our perception of the world is a conflict between illusion and reality.

In 1981, Brian De Palma took the main idea of this movie and created a very different scenario which led to the movie Blow Out. Having compared the two films, I can say there’s no doubt Blow Out has a less mysterious but more organised plot, and I can also recommend it as a satisfying film to watch.

Blow Up itself is a strangely attractive film – perhaps its beginning is better than the ending, but in my opinion it’s worth viewing for its strange atmosphere and the thrilling investigation.