I watched 'Blow-Up' a couple weeks ago. I'm just getting into the Continental European artsy movie scene and this was recommended by our own Little Earl. My immediate reaction was, 'So David Lynch isn't so odd and innovative after all.' Every trademark feature of Lynch's work is in 'Blow-Up' one way or another. It doesn't reach the level of authorial antagonism of early Lynch, or the sexualized norm-baiting of his more recent movies, but it could easily fit in somewhere in the middle.The DVD I watched was scratched during the pivotal scene but I don't think I missed much. If anything it just added to the intended air of mystery and confusion. A later scene involving a rock 'n roll concert was also scratched. Again, however, the intended message--disaffected blank-faced youth, dissonant music, malfunctioning technology based art--remained intact. I'm sure Antonioni would object, but I'll stick with Walter Benjamin's judgment that sanctifying art only removes the humanity from it. A scratched DVD is better than nothing at all. (What would Kubrik think of Netflix?)
I didn't like 'Blow-Up' as much as L'Avventura, but I would still recommend it if you like slightly offbeat movies. If for nothing else, watch it for the mimes.
I didn't really see the Antonioni/Lynch connection myself, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. If you ask me, Lynch probably ripped off Bunuel and Fellini more than Antonioni. A little Bergman in there too somewhere. But the thing is, Lynch doesn't really have any contemporaries who make movies similar to his, and that might be why he appears to be so original to us, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI just rented Bunuel's Belle de Jour (it's in color). You could possibly add that to your list if you felt like it.
I don't see how you could not see it! Mimes = bugs, photography = gas huffing, London = LA, it is so obvious!
ReplyDeleteAre you guys saying Lynch is directly ripping off storylines, characters, and plot devices, or are you saying that he was influenced by European directors of the '50's '60's and '70's?
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten around to analyzing movies by these directors myself, and then cross-referencing my notes with Lynch's films.
Style, style, style!
ReplyDeleteI think it's close to a rip off in some ways but not entirely. The storyline and characters were different but I recognized many of Lynch's favorite stylistic elements. It wouldn't be so noticeable if there were more directors like Lynch though.
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