Blow-Up (2005 print check viewing)

Michelangelo Antonioni: Blow-Up (GB/IT 1966). Veruschka (as herself), David Hemmings (Thomas), Vanessa Redgrave (Jane).

Blowup

    GB/IT © 1966 Bridge Films. For Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. P: Carlo Ponti. D: Michelangelo Antonioni. SC: Antonioni, Tonino Guerra – based on the short story "Final del juego" (1964) by Julio Cortázar. DP: Carlo Di Palma. M: Herbie Hancock. ED: Frank Clarke.

    Starring David Hemmings (Thomas), Vanessa Redgrave (Jane), Sarah Miles (Patricia), Veruschka (herself), Jane Birkin (models), The Yardbirds. 110'.
    A print check viewing of a new 2005 print from Technicolor Hollywood / Warner Bros. / Hollywood Classics. At Finnish Film Archive, Orion, Helsinki, 29 June 2005.

When Teuvo Tulio (1912–2000) died without heirs, the Finnish state inherited him. The Finnish Film Archive used the proceeds from the sale of the tv rights to purchase film classics, among them, Blow-Up.

The 1960s classic still fascinates, also as a Zeitgeist piece. The sad news is that there are now no good prints of Blow-Up. Its brilliant cinematography can not be appreciated in cheapo prints which are far removed from the original. It's ironic that a classic called Blow-Up must be seen in prints which lack detail and in depth. Colour is very important in this film, especially green, but now also the definition of colour is poor. All this because of no good internegatives and light and colour settings. We wanted to buy this print from Warner Bros., the current owner of the MGM library, via Hollywood Classics, but it was as awful as all the others.

PS. Instead we bought from Warner Bros. a brilliant print of The Adventures of Robin Hood (US 1938) of its 2003 restoration. And in the 2017 restoration of Blow-Up it was finally possible to see a great copy of Antonioni's masterpiece again.