Blowup (1966) scores a lot of firsts. It was the first Antonioni film made in English. It was the first breast exposure from Vanessa Redgrave. It was also the first full frontal in a mainstream film. The plot is easy to relate, but the meaning of the film has been endlessly debated, and will probably never be settled.

A photographer has just finished shooting a photo essay in a flop house for a coffee table book, and goes to a park for some recreational shooting. He spots Vanessa Redgrave with an older man and becomes curious. He stalks them, taking shot after shot, but she sees him, and demands the film. He tells her she can have it later. She shows up at his studio, and demands the film. After tricking her into sex, he gives her a different roll of film, and develops the shots of her. He is looking a the prints, when he notices that Redgrave is neither looking at the camera, nor the man she is with. He proceeds to make blowup after blowup, eventually figuring out that the man was shot by someone in the bushes. When he goes back to the park, he indeed finds the body, but his shots are missing when he returns to his studio. He tries to get someone to go view the body, but can't. When he returns alone, the body is gone. He starts watching a mimed tennis match with a group of mimes, and eventually buys into their reality.

My read is that Antonioni is examining the nature of reality (is it objective or subjective) and the role of the artist in creating reality. A friend of the photographer paints abstracts, and confides that he has no idea what they mean when he paints them. It is only later that they take on meaning. Obviously, this was also true of the shots in the park. Not only that, but the biggest enlargements looked much like the abstracts.

The photographer buys an old wooden propeller, and tells Redgrave it is beautiful because it is useless. The photographer clearly has his own reality, which he partially creates, but, in the end, accepts the group reality at the faux tennis match. There are no photos and no body. Did the murder really take place? Antonioni never answers the question.

We have breasts from Redgrave, partial breast and buns fro Verushka playing herself, and full frontal from Jane Birkin and Gillian Hills as two wannabe models who provide some comic relief in the middle of the film. IMDb readers have this at 7.4 of 10. It won numerous awards and nominations. The photography, in typical Antonioni fashion, is very nice. The film is also a jab at the new morality of the mod London 60s, and even includes a controversial pot party (which further blurs the entire question of reality). I enjoyed every moment of this film, although it was not heavy on character development, nor was it heavy on plot, and really did not have a lot of pace. Antonioni has told a complex story with images, and it is a compelling one. The genre is pretty much Antonioni, and this is one of his most accessible films. B-.

Other Crap:

• Ah, the joys of moral certainty.Abstinence based programs, if anything, actually induce teens to have more sex. And best of all - the kids have the sex without having learned about birth control!
• I don't know what the hell "miracle tan" is, but I like their ad campaign! (This is not actually an ad, but a staged topless photo of Pam Anderson taken by the legendary David Lachappelle.) How many boob jobs has Pam had now? Some up in size, some down. I've lost count. I'll say this for her - she's in great shape to begin with, and modern science has done the rest admirably.
• Base London's new ad campaign - unmodel behaviour. (Nudity, sex, perversion - now THAT'S advertising!)
• Gosh, Mr Wizard, what happens if you put a light bulb in a microwave? Well, now you know, Tommy. Unfortunately, you'll never be able to have children, so you won't be able to pass the knowledge on.
• The year 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of some true internet pioneers: Yahoo, Netscape, e-Bay, Amazon, and (most important of all) Uncle Scoopy's Fun House
• Cows have a complex mental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships and become excited by intellectual challenges.
  • And don't even get me started on pigs. The one on Green Acres was always demanding to have his M&Ms separated.
  • "Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Britain's Bristol University, said even chickens might have to be treated as individuals with needs and problems."
  • I see a Fox series in the making - "She's the hippest doc on the animal block. This is not her grandfather's psychologist. She's Punk, She's Pink. She's Sigmunda 'Pink' Freud, Pig Shrink"
• A 63-year-old Wisconsin man is charged with sexual gratification with an animal for allegedly having sex with calves after his local bar closed.
  • Quick, call "Pink" Freud, Animal Psychiatrist. This is a major issue. Their tender psyches might be crushed, and a cow which is molested in childhood might not be as delicious!
  • I'm curious about the name of the crime: "sexual gratification with an animal." Is it still a crime if the cow doesn't climax?
• Natalie Portman's Oscar dress - some see-through action. Keep your eyes open for better pics, as will we.
• Photo: Natalie Portman's Oscar dress. (Some see-through action)
• Ah, the greatest aspect of Oscar Night - the bitchy, catty fashion reviews.
• I just happened to find this entertaining and useful site by following a link back from our logs: The Not Safe For Work News . If you like Other Crap, this takes it up a notch to Holy Crap.
• VILLAGERS in Fiji are planning a legal challenge against Hollywood star Mel Gibson because he is buying an island which "was stolen from their ancestors in the 19th Century."
• Academy Awards TV audience down slightly overall. Chris Rock did bring in a new audience. The telecast was watched by more young people and more urban dwellers than last year, and viewership in the top 56 markets actually increased, but viewership in the heartland sunk.
• Will Zach Braff be the new Fletch? Kevin Smith seemed to indicate that on his message board Sunday, which is where the link goes. (Kevin's post is about a third of the way down. Look for the word "Fletch")
• Cranky carowner? Oh, man, that was the wrong place to park.
• The Case Against Michael Jackson: The Openings - February 28, 2005 "The Smoking Gun reports live from opening statements in the Jackson trial. Updates here every 10 minutes--whether you want them or not!"
• Paris Hilton to become big real estate wheeler-dealer, just as soon as she can pay Nicole the rent for a hotel on Baltic Avenue.
• Christina Ricci tells the Daily Show about her role as a soul-crusher on the set of her movies.
• The Daily Show's Lewis Black talks about right wing ideologues with gay relatives.
• Star "kisses celebrity posterior so tirelessly that it's a wonder her life isn't sponsored by Chapstick."
• The Daily Show looks at Black History Month and bowel discomfort.
• Transcript: Chris Rock's riff on President Bush at the Oscars
• The distinguished and prolific actor Ronald J. Hyatt will address the august Oxford Union debating society. (Mr. Hyatt is more commonly known as porn star Ron "The Hedgehog" Jeremy.)
• Saddam Hussein will be forced to sit in a Hannibal Lecter-style cage during his trial. "“Saddam will be housed in an underground cell and will travel to and from the courtroom cage using an elevator."
• Drew Barrymore has now become a totally different person.
• Here's Tim Robbins responding to Chris Rock. Chris said "here's the man who has thrilled us with his acting and bored the pants off of us with his politics .... "
• The Dutch wrestle with the consequences of liberalism. Many try to leave.
• USATODAY.com's pictorial slideshow of the 77th Annual Academy Awards, including the red carpet, and the winners' gallery.
• Weekly World News: How to tell when a politician is lying.
• Ever the diplomat, President Bush hands Pooty-Poot his ass in public.
• Halle Berry is not only gorgeous - she has a sense of humor about Catwoman! "I want to thank Warner Brothers for casting me in this piece of shit," says Halle Berry to the Razzie crowd. Chris Rock had a funny intro for Halle on Sunday, calling her an Academy Award winner and the star of the highly anticipated Catwoman 2.
• Strange Concepts: Blink O Rama - a blog all about people blinking
• Strange concepts: The Big Hebowski. (He-Man cartoon with The Big Lebowski's dialogue.)  

Other Crap archives. May also include newer material than the links above, since it's sorta in real time.

Click here to submit a URL for Other Crap

MOVIE REVIEWS:

Here are the latest movie reviews available at scoopy.com.

• The yellow asterisks indicate that I wrote the review, and am deluded into thinking it includes humor.
• If there is a white asterisk, it means that there isn't any significant humor, but I inexplicably determined there might be something else of interest.
• A blue asterisk indicates the review is written by Tuna (or Junior or Brainscan, or somebody else besides me)
• If there is no asterisk, I wrote it, but am too ashamed to admit it.

Today we have the first round of "who wore what on the red carpet and at the podium" 'caps.

• Beyoncé Knowles and Catalina Sandino Moreno on the red carpet. Moreno wore a low cut dress that revealed some nice cleavage.

• Salma Hayek looked a lovely as ever and of course gave us some nice view of her cleavage. In #3 she is joined on stage by Penélope Cruz. (1, 2, 3)

• Emmy Rossum and Charlize Theron presenting. Rossum ("Mystic River", "Day After Tomorrow") looks absolutely adorable.

Here are the results of our most recent other polls...
The Top 20 Nude Scenes of 2004

The Best Nude Film Debuts of the 80s

The Best Nude Film Debuts of the 90s

Which actress has been the most convincing playing a stripper.

Who has the best bum in Hollywood?

Email Scoopy Jr. with nominees, comments or suggestions.

Today from the Ghost...Jennifer Lawrence baring all 3 B's as she showers and gets it on in scenes from an episode of the late night cable series "Hotel Erotica".

• Jennifer Lawrence (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
• Jennifer Lawrence zipped .wmvs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

"Madhouse"
Horror/thriller from 2004 tries hard, but winds up being just average. Acting is good, plot is decent, but it's been done before and doesn't stand out.

When a young psychiatric intern reports to a mental hospital to work, he is aghast at the conditions, and of course decides he must set things right. As his stay lengthens, he finds indications that there are otherworldly forces at work. Or, is he just getting as nutty as the residents? Even Sara, another intern who befriends him, is beginning to have doubts.

It's a good effort, just not outstanding, and a nice twisty ending make it worth watching. Jordan Ladd, who plays Sara, didn't hurt either.

• Jordan Ladd
• Unknown

Don't forget....Today on DVD! Catch Scarlett lending her voice to the character of Mindy in "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"!

TREKKIES PROTEST AT PARAMOUNT
A Money-Losing Enterprise - Friday, outside Paramount Studios in Hollywood, about 100 "Star Trek" fans protested the cancellation of "Star Trek: Enterprise," which currently ranks a lowly 150th in the Neilsen audience ratings. None were in costumes, but they did have professional-looking laminated badges and printed protest signs, reading, "It's Not Just a Show, It's a Responsibility." They are so desperate, a group called Trek United has raised $48,000 in donations to give to Paramount to help produce another season of the show.