Maps of Movies
Blowup (1966)
Where Blowup says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A photographer enlarges a photo of a London park until a murder appears, and the park is real.
View on the map
Scenes and places
The mime jeep on the plaza (1966)
A jeep full of mime-faced revellers clambers up the steps of a concrete plaza and spills out in a procession of noise and play. The film opens on a London that performs for itself before Thomas ever appears.
Set in A London plaza — A troupe of mimes in white face piles into a jeep and drives up a flight of steps on a concrete plaza.
A New Brutalist plaza in St James's Street, built between 1959 and 1964 by Alison and Peter Smithson.
Filmed at The Economist Building plaza, St James's Street (Westminster, London, United Kingdom) — Filmed here: the film's opening scene. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The doss house at dawn (1966)
Thomas leaves a doss house after a night of shooting for a book of art photographs, still carrying his cameras. He is already behind schedule for the day.
Set in A doss house — The flophouse where Thomas has spent the night taking pictures for a book of art photographs.
An industrial corner of south-east London; the sources do not pin down the building itself.
Thomas's studio, the model shoot (1966)
Thomas arrives late and works Veruschka through a feverish shoot, then loses patience with the next set of models and walks out on them. Restless and bored, he shows what the work has done to him.
Set in Thomas's studio — The photographer's studio where he shoots Veruschka and then a group of models.
A working photographer's studio, the film's main interior and home to the film's murals.
Filmed at Pottery Lane, Holland Park (one source) (Holland Park, London, United Kingdom) — Studio exterior placed here by one source. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The antique shop (1966)
Thomas drives off to an antique shop near the park, hoping to find landscapes, and instead he takes a liking to an old wooden propeller. He pays eight pounds for it and insists it has to be delivered the same day.
Set in An antique shop near Maryon Park — An antique shop where Thomas goes looking for old landscape paintings and ends up buying a propeller.
A junk shop beside a quiet road in Charlton, a few minutes from the park.
The lovers in the park (1966)
Thomas wanders in and photographs two lovers without them knowing, then follows them into a secluded corner. The woman, Jane, spots him and runs after him, demanding the film while he keeps shooting.
Set in Maryon Park — A quiet park where Thomas secretly photographs a couple, and the woman chases him to get the film. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A small hillside park in south-east London that has changed little since the shoot; the grass was painted greener for the film.
Filmed at Maryon Park, Charlton (Charlton, London, United Kingdom) — Filmed here: the park scenes. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Lunch with Ron (1966)
Thomas meets his agent Ron for lunch to plan the book and picks the park shots as its quiet ending. He notices a man following him and looking into his car.
Set in A restaurant, lunch with his agent — A lunch where Thomas shows his agent Ron the book pictures and notices he is being followed.
A terrace off King's Road in Chelsea; the site is now a restaurant.
Jane at the studio and the blow-ups (1966)
Jane turns up desperate for the roll of film. Thomas flirts, hands her a different roll, and gets a false telephone number in return. Alone in the darkroom he blows the photographs up again and again until a gunman in the trees and a shape on the ground emerge from the grain, and he calls Ron claiming he may have saved a man's life.
Set in Thomas's studio — Back at the studio Jane begs for the film; later Thomas enlarges the photographs and sees something in the trees.
The same studio, now a darkroom where the story turns into a mystery.
The Yardbirds at the club (1966)
Thomas follows Jane into a club where the Yardbirds are playing 'Stroll On'. A buzzing amplifier makes Jeff Beck smash his guitar and throw its neck to the crowd; the audience scrambles for it and Thomas grabs the neck and runs.
Set in Ricky-Tick club — A club where the Yardbirds are playing and an audience fights over a guitar neck.
A London rock club of the period, the Ricky-Tick, recreated for the film.
Filmed at Elstree Studios replica of the Ricky-Tick club, Borehamwood (Borehamwood, London, United Kingdom) — Built as a set here and filmed 12 to 14 October 1966. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The party on the Thames (1966)
Thomas finds Ron stoned at a party and asks him to come to the park as a witness. He cannot convince him, and ends up staying at the party at Ron's insistence.
Set in A house party on the Thames — A drug-drenched house party where Thomas tries to get Ron to come and see the body.
A riverside house; the film does not give an address.
The mime tennis match (1966)
Back in the park Thomas watches a troupe of mimes play a game of tennis with no ball and no racquets. The film ends in this place where it began its mystery.
Set in Maryon Park — The park where Thomas watches a mime troupe play mock-tennis. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A small tennis court and lawn in the park where the lovers were photographed.
Filmed at Maryon Park tennis court and grass, Charlton (Charlton, London, United Kingdom) — Filmed here: the mime tennis match. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at Stockwell Road, Stockwell (Stockwell, London, United Kingdom) — Thomas drives through the streets Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Bayswater Road, by Hyde Park (Bayswater, London, United Kingdom) — Thomas drives through the streets Google Maps · Apple Maps
Characters
- Thomas — A young London fashion photographer who sees something strange in his own pictures.
- Jane — A woman photographed in the park who is determined to get the film back.
- Ron — Thomas's agent and sometime sounding board.
Questions answered on the map
- Where is the park from Blowup?
- Where is the photographer's studio from Blowup?
- Where did the Yardbirds play in Blowup?