L'AVVENTURA (1960), one of his most celebrated films, is where I started my relationship with Antonioni. The movie is eerie and peculiar in ways that are hard to explain. A woman goes missing on a boating trip and in their search for her her best and boyfriend become attracted to each other. I found it intersting that the focus of the film is more on the relationships of the various search party members than on the mystery of the disappearing girl. Though it treads along slowly I never found myself bored. It ends up a really cool study of attraction, alienation, friendship and the loneliness and boredom of the upper class. Oh, and it's one of the most beautiful shot films ever.
Second I watched the film RED DESERT (1964). The first thing I noticed about this film is how influencial the coloring is in establishing the mood the filmmaker was looking for. Oddly enough this is Antonioni's first color feature. In its own way this film is just as beautiful as L'AVVENTURA. Instead of beautiful island scenery though, the setting of this film is giant factory smoke stacks emminating poinsonous gas, intertwining multi-colored pipe and polluted nature. This film caused a very different sense of disorientation: the kind that can only be felt when you can't identify with or understand your main character (played by the beautiful star of L'AVVENTURA, and many other Antonioni films, Monica Vitti). This an effective method though, since the film is about the character's general sense of depression, isolation and malcontentedness with her surroundings and acquaintances.
Third I watched a horribly boring film called THE PASSENGER (1975). Apparently both Antonioni and star Jack Nicholson were taking breaks from making good movies (Nicholson had just barely finished ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and was maybe tired?). I find it odd that this film is so highly regarded. Maybe I just didn't get it. I'm all for Antonioni's signature slow pace, which this movie has in spades. I'm all for a suspense-filled film where almost nothing actually happens. I was bored with this film more because the characters were made of cardboard and to me it looked so drab. Not much beauty in the frame.
Still, Antonioni is a classic-maker. His eye how to produce beauty is undeniable. I can't wait to see his film L'ECLISSE which is rumored to be among his best and once again stars Monica Vitti who I'm beginning to have a really big crush on. Is 78 too old for me?
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