Strong, Benjamin. “Old-School Paranoia.” Slate. 9 Mar. 2006 http://www.slate.com/id/2137770/

 Benjamin Strong’s article concerns the legacy of The Conversation and how this film influenced the whole genre of conspiracy films. He focuses on the influence of Antonioni’s movie Blow-Up (1966) on Coppola’s film, and subsequently, the movies that were influenced by The Conversation. While Coppola had wanted to make the movie before Nixon was even President, the release coincided with the House Judiciary Committee’s subpoena of the 42 tapes that would force President Richard Nixon to resign. Strong suggests that Harry Caul is meant to be a placeholder for Nixon, because their fear of paranoia certainly links the two.  Harry is unable to escape surveillance even though he is dubbed the “best bugger on the West Coast” as witnessed in the final scene where he rips apart his apartment but still fails to find the means that allow him to be watched. While this film was the only one to address wiretap surveillance from a cathartic perspective, many conspiracy films followed suit in the same existential tone as The Conversation. Harry Caul’s character was based on Antonioni’s jaded photographer in Blow-Up. In the film, the cynical character’s feelings are awakened when he accidentally records evidence to a murder; this character gets wrapped up in the crime just like Harry but, The Conversation gives in to a more optimistic point of view by implying that the truth will liberate the injustices. The movie also influenced a similarly named movie, Blow Out, which was the first movie to tackle wiretap conspiracies since Coppola. This film provided a more bleak view of the future that emphasizes the government’s denial to tell the truth when confronted with the ethical issues of invading privacy.