mkrupnick Reviews

Blow-Up (1966)

Subtleties often missed

[24 May 2003]

Michelangelo Antonioni indulges his singular talent for landscapes in this 1966 classic. Poorly imitated by dePalma in "Blowout", this quirky gem has some unique qualities that are seen nowhere else. The composition of each frame is fastidious and compelling; indeed, there are scenes which could be exhibited as stills on a museum wall. The photographer's sensibility infuses the entire film, bringing us into his world with a totality that is stunning in its completeness. David Hemmings is brilliant as the passionate yet disaffected artist. Vanessa Redgrave gives an intense portrayal of the enigmatic and confused accidental subject of his lens. The dialogue is uneven, a heady mix of banality flashed with occasional wittiness. This is not a fault, but an attribute of life, and rings true. Curiously, the words themselves are not important to the story: you could get it all without understanding a single syllable. Nevertheless, the sound track is as painstakingly rendered as the imagery, with foley work that is truly wonderful and an ambience that is ghostly at times and raucous at others. The ending is a masterpiece of aural/ visual integration, simple and powerful in its execution. The `60's atmosphere of SoHo is captured in all its facets, from the photo studio/darkroom to the literally smashing performance of the original Yardbirds in a club. "Blowup" is one of the most original and well-crafted films ever made, and a "must-see" for any serious film student or follower of the sixties.

The Coca-Cola Kid (1985)

A true gem hidden in the dirt

[21 December 2002]

This is that rare find: a truly lovely yet unpretentious film. Never in their careers have Roberts and Scacchi been more genuinely warm and transparently human. Every twitch of the eye and gesture comes across as the real deal. The direction and writing are wonderfully sparse and unaffected, letting the simple story shine through. This is comedy in it's most understated form, and if the viewer is paying attention, he/she can't help but laugh and cry just as we do in life.