Blowup 1966

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: This is a fascinating picture, which has something real to say about the matter of personal involvement and emotional commitment in a jazzed-up, media-hooked-in world so cluttered with synthetic stimulations that natural feelings are overwhelmed. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: This is so ravishing to look at (the colors all seem newly minted) and pleasurable to follow (the enigmas are usually more teasing than worrying) that you're likely to excuse the metaphysical pretensions. Read more

Pauline Kael, The New Republic: In Blow-Up [Antonioni] smothers this conflict in the kind of pompous platitudes the press loves to designate as proper to "mature," "adult," "sober" art. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: The natural world is arrayed against the artificial scene; conscience is deployed against convention. If you've never seen Blow-Up, see it now, if only to see what part of the world was like 40 years ago. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Whether there was a murder isn't the point. The film is about a character mired in ennui and distaste, who is roused by his photographs into something approaching passion. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: As often with Antonioni, a film riddled with moments of brilliance and scuppered by infuriating pretensions. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: There may be some meaning, some commentary about life being a game, beyond what remains locked in the mind of film's creator, Italian director-writer Michelangelo Antonioni. But it is doubtful that the general public will get the 'message' of this film. Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: A prize '60s artifact, Michelangelo Antonioni's what-is-truth? meditation on Swinging London is a movie to appreciate -- if not ponder. Read more