Movie Review: "Blow-Up"

A photographer snaps pictures of a couple in a park...

Thus begins one of the most discussed, analyzed, and ambiguous mysteries in cinema history. The first english language film directed by acclaimed Italian film-maker Michaelangelo Antonioni, “Blow-Up” scandalized audiences upon it’s initial release in 1966. Rarely had a mainstream film dealt so openly with the questionable moral fiber of a society’s younger generation. “Blow-Up” ushered in a new morality in cinema, and set a new bar for the inclusion of graphic content in film.

“Blow-Up”, with its sensationalism, would merely be a flash-in-the-pan of cinema history were it not for the rich foundation of mystery the film is built upon. Thomas, a young photographer (played expertly by David Hemmings) has achieved all the trappings of material success. He spends his days photographing the world’s top fashion models, driving around London in his Rolls-Royce, and discussing the publication of his forthcoming book with his agent. The world he inhabits is rich but empty, exciting but apathetic. One day, on a walk through a park, Thomas notices a man and woman embracing in a picturesque meadow. Concealing himself, he begins to photograph the couple. Apparently satisfied, he goes on his way.

Through a series of suspicious incidents, including a tensely erotic encounter with the woman from the park (played by Vanessa Redgrave), Thomas begins to realize that there is something in the pictures he took that nobody was supposed to see. In one of the classic sequences from the film, Thomas begins to obsessively blow-up smaller and smaller elements of the pictures, until, through the masterful use of editing, the audience and Thomas simultaneously begin to realize that something very sinister was happening in the park that morning. But will Thomas be able to prove it, and if he could prove it, does he really want to get involved?

Director Antonioni meticulously crafted every aspect of the film, reportedly listening to hundreds of recordings of wind blowing through leaves before deciding on the soundtrack for the scenes in the park. Antonioni also ordered whole streets painted different colors to reflect the mood of the protagonist, Thomas, as he speeds through London in his Rolls-Royce. The attention to detail pays off, as the film is both visually stunning and emotionally gripping throughout.

“Blow-Up” remains a challenging, rewarding, and exciting viewing experience even 44 years after it was first released. While the film openly addresses topics such as the subjective nature of reality, it never loses touch with the strange, intriguing mystery at its core. Director Antonioni paints the canvas of “Blow-Up” with the broad and confident strokes of a true master film-maker. One of the greatest films of the sixties, it remains a mystery for the ages.

Blow-Up is available in the library's DVD collection.

Movie Review: "The Conversation"

“I’m not afraid of dying. I am afraid of murder...”

In 1972, director Francis Ford Coppola literally skyrocketed to the forefront of American cinema with the success of his film “The Godfather”. Seemingly on a roll and residing in a creative zenith that would envelop him throughout the following decade, Coppola went on to direct two of the greatest films of his career in the same year. 1974 would see the triumphant return of the Corleone crime saga to the screen, with “The Godfather, Part II”. 1974 also saw a Coppola masterpiece on a much smaller scale. Sandwiched between the one-two punch of the “Godfather” films is “The Conversation”, a much overlooked little gem that, while equally as important as the “Godfather” films, has, for thirty years, stood in their shadow.

“The Conversation” stars Gene Hackman in one of the best performances of his career. Hackman plays Harry Caul, one of the best wire-tapping surveillance experts in the world. Caul makes his living prying into other people’s private moments. While he is the best at what he does, we see that his career has left him a closed-up, paranoid shell of a human being. His heavily padlocked apartment belies the fact that he owns nothing worth stealing. When his girlfriend (played by Terri Garr) begins to ask him the most basic of personal questions, he leaves her apartment, never to return. He is a legend in his field, he is successful, and he is empty and alone.

The film opens with the recording of the conversation which gives the film its title. We watch as Caul, with two associates, takes turns shadowing a young couple through a park. With almost surgical precision, the three men complete their assignment, recording the private words of others without drawing attention to themselves. Later, we see Caul in his workshop, a cage in the far corner of an empty building. Using sophisticated machines, Caul uses the three different recordings of the conversation to make one definitive master, free of distortion, leaving every private word audible. As the audience and Caul listen to the conversation slowly begin to take shape, the ominous overtones of the couple’s words become readily evident. Convinced that the recording will be used for ill purposes, Caul grows a conscience, and refuses to turn in the tape. The events that follow lead to one of the most surprising, haunting, and shattering conclusions in film.

It is a rare film that bears repeated viewings while retaining the power to haunt and disturb. “The Conversation” is such a film. Coppola weaves a tapestry so rich in detail, so complex and layered, that to see this film more than once is not only recommended, it is necessary. On a small scale, “The Conversation” is one of the greatest character studies in the history of film. On a larger scale, “The Conversation” perfectly mirrors the paranoia of a post-Watergate U.S.. The film also raises intriguing questions over the nature of privacy. In our society with security cameras on every street corner, “The Conversation” bears even more relevance today than it did thirty years ago. It stands alone as one of the greatest films of the 1970's.

The Conversation is available in the library's DVD collection.

Movie Review: "8 1/2"

“Down, you come down. Down for good...”

In 1963, three years after the worldwide success of his film “La Dolce Vita”, legendary Italian film-maker Federico Fellini found himself under tremendous pressure to not only match his previous success, but to top it. He was under contract. He had producers, sets, and actors. All he was lacking was artistic inspiration. He was suffering from what a writer would call “writer’s block”. In a move that probably saved his career, Fellini turned back on himself for inspiration, and what resulted was one of his greatest masterpieces, the autobiographical film “8 1/2”.

“8 1/2”, so named because that was the number of films Fellini had directed up till that time, tells the story of a famous director who is at a loss as to what his next project should be about. The director, Guido Anselmi, (played by master Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni), is constantly being hounded by his producers, the press, and the public to give them some information about his next film. Anselmi does not, not because he wishes to keep his plans secret, but because he has no plans at all.

While not a traditionally narrative story, “8 1/2” never fails to fascinate with its endless array of arresting and unforgettable images. From the circus atmosphere swirling around Anselmi everywhere he goes, to a flashback of truant schoolboys watching the devilish Saraghina dance an obscene rumba on a beach, “8 1/2” is one of the most strikingly photographed films ever. Like several of Fellini’s films, “8 1/2” perfectly blends reality with fantasy and symbolism to create a wholly original type of story unto itself.

The film’s opening sequence, one of the most celebrated in cinema history, perfectly sets up the tone of the rest of the film. The director, Anselmi, is stuck in his car, in a tunnel, in a traffic jam. Noxious gas begins to pour from the heating vents, and Anselmi finds he cannot open any of the car’s doors or windows. As he struggles to free himself, he is claustrophobically surrounded by strange faces peering out of their own un-moving cars. Instead of helping him, they simply sit and stare. At the last minute, Anselmi escapes through his car’s sun-roof, and magically glides over the traffic, into the sky. As he glides through the clouds, he suddenly feels a tug on his leg. Looking down, he notices a rope tied to his ankle, and holding the rope, far below, is his producer. With one almighty tug, Anselmi plummets out of the clouds, and back to reality.

In the whole of cinema history, there has never been a film that dealt so openly with a director’s inability to create a subject for his film, or with the cinematic process in general. Aside from representing Fellini’s almost mystical ability to create something out of nothing, “8 1/2” also represents a definite turning point in the great director’s career. While echoing the sweet lyrical simplicity of Fellini’s early films, “8 1/2” also looks ahead to the gaudy excesses that would come to characterize his later work. As such, “8 1/2” stands poised on the fine line between genius and madness, and remains one of the greatest films of all time.

Bramlage Author Series Presents: Alan Gratz

Alan Gratz, author of four novels for young adults, will visit the Joplin Public Library Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in the first of a series of author visits made possible by a grant from the Bramlage Family Foundation. His presentation will be in the library’s large meeting room at 6:00 pm and will include time for questions from the audience. Gratz will also be available after his presentation to autograph copies of his novels. Changing Hands Book Shoppe will provide all four of Gratz’s works for sale at the event. This event is open to all ages.

Alan Gratz’s first novel, Samurai Shortstop, was named one of the American Library Association’s Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults in 2007. It is the story of Toyo Shimada, a 16-year-old boy in 1890’s Japan, who must blend baseball and bushido—the way of the warrior—in order to keep his family together. His novels Something Rotten and Something Wicked are loosely based on the Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Macbeth. They follow Horatio Wilkes as he navigates murder, deceit and conspiracy to get to the bottom of two mysteries and save the day. Gratz’s latest novel, The Brooklyn Nine returns to baseball and chronicles nine generations, or innings, of the Schneider family and their ties to the national pastime.

Gratz will spend Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at the Joplin High School visiting with various Communication Arts classes in the school’s library.

In addition to sponsoring the visit from Alan Gratz, the Bramlage Author Series will include author visits from Carolyn Hart on April 10, Nancy Pickard on July 10, and Will Thomas on October 9, 2010.

We're Hiring!

Want to join the JPL team? Check out our latest position opening (below) and apply at the library!

Joplin Public Library--CHILDREN’S ASSISTANT: 20 hrs per week. Two years of college preferred or equivalent experience. Must enjoy working with children and their parents, have excellent customer service skills, strong computer skills, and a love of literature. Must be reliable, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task. Experience with planning and presenting children’s programs a plus. Must be available to work a flexible schedule (see below), willing to plan and present in-house and outreach programs to all age groups. Library experience is not required, but enthusiasm and creativity are a must. Starting pay is $11.16 per hour and benefits include paid vacation, sick and personal leave, and some holidays.

Must apply in person at Joplin Public Library, 300 S Main St, before February 17.

The schedule requires flexibility, with the hours varying week-to-week, but here's a sample two-week rotation:

Week One:

• Saturday 9--6 or 10--4 (8 or 6 hrs)
• Sunday 1:00--5:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
• Monday 4:00--8:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
• Tuesday Off
• Wednesday Off
• Thursday 9:00--1:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
• Friday Off

Week Two:

• Saturday Off
• Sunday Off
• Monday 4:00--8:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
• Tuesday 9:00--3:00 p.m. (6 hrs)
• Wednesday 9:00--1:00 p.m. (4 hrs)
• Thursday 9:00--3:00 p.m. (6 hrs)
• Friday Off

And then week one will repeat...