I'm really happy you picked up on the cynical way Thomas is using the flophouse pics as a device to advance his career, and the fact that he draws no distinction between those and the model pics. Nobody ever seems to focus on this when talking about the film, and I think it really demonstrates the nihilism and lack of meaning in his life. It also explains why he is so excited about solving the murder; he's personally involved in the scene rather than distanced from it, and it gives him purpose and a way to give meaning to his existence. He finds meaning he's unable to get from impulse buys like the propellor, or from his debauched lifestyle. Excellent work!
By the time Thomas "finds the body", he is stressed and exhausted. He has been focusing on pulling meaning out of the overly 'blown up' images. So one interpretation I am comfortable with is that by the time he gets to the park in the middle of the night, he imagines finding the body. I support this theory with the ending, where the mimes are playing tennis without an actual ball. When they knock the ball out of the court and gesture for Thomas to pick it up & throw it back, he does so. He treats something made up as if it was real.
I find Thomas' relationship to the mimes really fascinating. The film opens with a protest which blocks the traffic. A lesser movie would introduce our antihero here with him being a grumpy man yelling at the protesters. Instead he happily breaks to let them cross the street, donates to their cause and even lets them put a protest sign into the back seat of his expensive car. This may have more to do with his ambivalence toward materialism and general layed-backness than to do with his kind heart, but it's still an interesting choice to portray him this way. The seemingly unimportant group of young mimes later end up in the final scene of the movie. Here, Thomas seems to gives up a little bit of his pomposity and decides to play along with the make-belief. He seems happy for an instance before apparently realizing something. Imo he's realizing that the body he's chasing may as well be as real as the imaginary ball he just threw. It's only real if others decide to believe it, it's existence is dependent on other people's acceptance. Perhaps he's realising the same can be said for him and his art. Ultimately he is a character in a film, so when he fades away on the screen (a highly stylized/unrealistic action which couldn't happen within the actual story world), we're reminded that he too only exists because we perceive him. There's so much to enjoy about this film, like how the antiques lady shows up at the party scene in the background, greeted by Thomas in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, implying a history between the two that is never explained and just left for the audience to piece together (a true day-in-the-life story where characters don't say things they wouldn't just for the sake of the audience). Or the cheeky use of a nude woman in the background with a conversation happening in the foreground, almost daring the viewer to gawk by saying "why are you even looking there? Nothing's happening. You should look at the foreground, so why aren't you?"
I recently thought about the movie "Mother!" again and it filled me with rage and hatred bc I greatly dislike that film. However, I've always been perplexed by how some people seem to like it. I can't imagine why. But I like the last bit in this video about how "Blow Up" isn't trying to give you all the answers and wants you to decide for yourself what is going on and what it means to you. Not saying this can necessarily be applied to Mother!, but it's given me a new perspective that I'll give a shot.
I haven't seen mother mainly for the reasons you say. I don't go for the super disturbing stuff. Tho I did really enjoy The Banshees of Inisherin which was kind of disturbing. I guess there's a deeper meaning to that story too. If I really like a story than I'm interested in anything else it might be saying. I like hearing what others think too. So if you share your thoughts on mother I'll definitely check it out!!!
I thought so too. Then I remembered that there is channel named Gingy which is about gaming. The owner of the account has a similar voice and to my ears, the same accent. I am not American, so I do not know what region of US thses guys come from. But you probably have heard that voice somewhere else. I think they have more or less the same age range and raised in specific part of US. That is why they sound similar.
I'm really happy you picked up on the cynical way Thomas is using the flophouse pics as a device to advance his career, and the fact that he draws no distinction between those and the model pics. Nobody ever seems to focus on this when talking about the film, and I think it really demonstrates the nihilism and lack of meaning in his life. It also explains why he is so excited about solving the murder; he's personally involved in the scene rather than distanced from it, and it gives him purpose and a way to give meaning to his existence. He finds meaning he's unable to get from impulse buys like the propellor, or from his debauched lifestyle. Excellent work!
By the time Thomas "finds the body", he is stressed and exhausted. He has been focusing on pulling meaning out of the overly 'blown up' images. So one interpretation I am comfortable with is that by the time he gets to the park in the middle of the night, he imagines finding the body.
I support this theory with the ending, where the mimes are playing tennis without an actual ball. When they knock the ball out of the court and gesture for Thomas to pick it up & throw it back, he does so. He treats something made up as if it was real.
That was beautifully written, ChetErez. Truly.
I find Thomas' relationship to the mimes really fascinating. The film opens with a protest which blocks the traffic. A lesser movie would introduce our antihero here with him being a grumpy man yelling at the protesters. Instead he happily breaks to let them cross the street, donates to their cause and even lets them put a protest sign into the back seat of his expensive car. This may have more to do with his ambivalence toward materialism and general layed-backness than to do with his kind heart, but it's still an interesting choice to portray him this way. The seemingly unimportant group of young mimes later end up in the final scene of the movie. Here, Thomas seems to gives up a little bit of his pomposity and decides to play along with the make-belief. He seems happy for an instance before apparently realizing something. Imo he's realizing that the body he's chasing may as well be as real as the imaginary ball he just threw. It's only real if others decide to believe it, it's existence is dependent on other people's acceptance. Perhaps he's realising the same can be said for him and his art. Ultimately he is a character in a film, so when he fades away on the screen (a highly stylized/unrealistic action which couldn't happen within the actual story world), we're reminded that he too only exists because we perceive him.
There's so much to enjoy about this film, like how the antiques lady shows up at the party scene in the background, greeted by Thomas in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, implying a history between the two that is never explained and just left for the audience to piece together (a true day-in-the-life story where characters don't say things they wouldn't just for the sake of the audience). Or the cheeky use of a nude woman in the background with a conversation happening in the foreground, almost daring the viewer to gawk by saying "why are you even looking there? Nothing's happening. You should look at the foreground, so why aren't you?"
I remember studying this movie in university!
Great content, haven't heard of this movie! I'm glad I stumbled into the channel.
Is it just me or does the lead actor look like if James Spader and Andrew McArthy somehow had a kid, this guy would be the son?
I recently thought about the movie "Mother!" again and it filled me with rage and hatred bc I greatly dislike that film. However, I've always been perplexed by how some people seem to like it. I can't imagine why. But I like the last bit in this video about how "Blow Up" isn't trying to give you all the answers and wants you to decide for yourself what is going on and what it means to you. Not saying this can necessarily be applied to Mother!, but it's given me a new perspective that I'll give a shot.
I haven't seen mother mainly for the reasons you say. I don't go for the super disturbing stuff. Tho I did really enjoy The Banshees of Inisherin which was kind of disturbing. I guess there's a deeper meaning to that story too. If I really like a story than I'm interested in anything else it might be saying. I like hearing what others think too. So if you share your thoughts on mother I'll definitely check it out!!!
@@davescripted3796 Mother! is a great film. But if you prefer not to think...
I used to use drugs and have had psychosis and that exactly what it feels like you believe something and try to get other ppl to believe it too
Goat
This analysis is gold. But I swear I've heard that voice before. Is it some kinda robotic voice?
I am not a robot... unless I'm really a replicant with memory implants 😬
@@davescripted3796 lol ur work is fire, mr. not a robot. Much love, bro
I thought so too. Then I remembered that there is channel named Gingy which is about gaming. The owner of the account has a similar voice and to my ears, the same accent. I am not American, so I do not know what region of US thses guys come from. But you probably have heard that voice somewhere else. I think they have more or less the same age range and raised in specific part of US. That is why they sound similar.
Congrats on pronouncing Csíkszentmihályi. You got closer than most