1966—Michelangelo Antonioni, director—starring David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave
One of the most intriguing movies of the Sixties, Blow-Up features British actor David Hemmings as Thomas, a mod fashion photographer in Swinging London. Like so much great art, Blow-Up looks at illusion vs. reality, as perceived in the shallow lives of Sixties youth, the faux glamour of Carnaby Street and Twiggy, and the trivial, insincere encounters of the sexual revolution. At the film’s heart is a mystery: but, the deeper Thomas delves into it, the more it seems to evaporate. This fascinating film, marking its 60th anniversary, was Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni’s first in the English language. It won the Palme D’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Content warning: Blow-Up is an R-rated film.