Notes From My Journal
Suggestion…
If you enjoy film, fiction, and casual philosophical conversations, I have a suggestion for you and some of your like-minded friends. (This is something I did recently with The Mules, my book club.)
First: Read Julio Cortázar’s short story, “Blow-Up.” (30 minutes)
Second: Watch Michelangelo Antonioni’s film, Blow-Up. (90 minutes)
Third: Watch Francis Ford Coppola’s film, The Conversation. (90 minutes)
Antonioni’s film is based on the Cortázar short story. The Conversation is a clever adaptation of the Antonioni film.
Fourth: Discuss.
* What the heck is the short story about, anyway?
* How did Antonioni’s film adhere to and depart from Cortázar’s story?
* How is Coppola’s version like Cortázar’s story and how is it like Antonioni’s film?
* Blow-Up, the short story, is about direct observation; Blow-Up, the movie, is about photography; The Conversation is about audio recording. What is the common theme?
* Which did you like better, and why?