Synopsis

Thomas (David Hemmings) is a London fashion photographer facing an existential ennui. One day, he chances upon a woman (Vanessa Redgrave) with a man in an empty park, and takes random shots of them. While developing the photos, he becomes convinced that there is something suspicious going on.

Antonioni’s vision resulted in a seminal film, progressive in both form and content—pushing the boundaries of art and representing counterculture onscreen, specifically the Swinging Sixties. Inspired by Argentinian Julio Cortazar’s short story, Blow-Up is a bold depiction of nihilistic behaviour in a media-frenzied world.

Because of the provocative content, MGM did not receive the Motion Picture Association of America’s approval to distribute the film in the US under their Production Code (Hays Code). The Hays Code, a set of moral guidelines the US film industry needed to follow for distribution, had been challenged in a number of ways. MGM was the first MPAA member company to defy the MPAA and release Blow Up despite the lack of approval certificate, contributing significantly to the end of the Hays Code and MPAA’s switch to a film rating system.

Movie Trailer