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Portrayal of Women in the film Blow Up

            Over the decades films have been used as a way to portray human imaginations to the point that they are surreal. In fact, in the film "Blow Up", Michelangelo Antonioni reveals how women were mistreated in the 1960's culture, I argue that this representation remains inappropriate and sexist. Recent research shows that cultural norms have become a problem because it is keeping women from their potential and building their self-esteem. This evidence shows that media portrays the power and is a weakness in education for young women. Due to this film being noticed for its nudity and expressions of sexuality, does this make is ok to treat women the way they were treated in this film? Although we cannot control what the media puts out there and how it is presented, I believe that this film represents how women are degraded and mistreated.
             The characters in films have a huge impact, with regard to gender stereotype, on audiences of all ages. In the 1966 film "Blow Up" directed by Michaelangelo Antonioni, a wealthy photographer who snapshots models and high fashion in London during the mid-sixties, shows the portrayal of women with the use of explicit sexual content. The heartless photographer, Thomas Hemmings, continuously surrounds himself by models even though he shows no respect for them. The sequence from the photo shoots allows viewers to see Hemmings dominant and passionate characteristics. Although Hemmings treats the models poorly, they return to him anyway by finding his arrogance attractive. As this film was introduced in 1966, it became a visual for the Swing Sixties and was also the way Antonioni saw the social and artistic surroundings in London during that time period.
             During the course of the film, the director shows how dominant and controlling Hemmings is with something he has passion for. The reoccurring theme of the treatment of women which is first captured with the first model being introduced with a mere reflection of her.


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