L'Avventura - Criterion Collection (1961)

L'Avventura

"L'Avventura" is one of those films in which nothing much happens, but it is fascinating all the same. A sense of absence pervades the movie, the characters themselves drenched in ennui. Anna and her reprobate boyfriend, Sandro, join their other jet set friends on a boat trip. Anna and Sandro have problems; they don't see each other all that much and, as a result, he has become a stranger to her. They have quarrels. She disappears on the trip. Her best friend, Claudia, is devastated. Has she been murdered? Has she committed suicide? Did she just run off?

The remainder of the film is Sandro and Claudia searching for Anna. They follow leads. They meander half-heartedly through villages. Their search lessens in intensity as their feelings for each other increase. Perhaps finding Anna is no longer a desirable outcome.

The characters' motivations are really not explained. They just act spontaneously. They live; they wander; they make love. The only one who might not have fallen completely over the edge of that lonely abyss is Claudia, maybe because, as she says, she "grew up poor."

The film is beautifully shot; those leaves rustling at the very end reminded me of a similar scene in Blow Up. Monica Vitti is spectacular just as she would go on to be in L'Eclisse and especially Red Desert. August 31, 2008

Simply beautiful!

From the scenes of the sea and island at the beginning of the film to the portrayal of Claudia throughout it, the film is a visual masterpiece. Some of the scenes in this film are so breathtakingly beautiful - it's worth it to see this work of art for this reason alone. However, there are other reasons to fall in love with it.

The story begins with a group of wealthy young Italians out for a day cruise on the Mediterranean. They decide to explore an island. Anna, a girl from the group, goes missing on the island, and her devoted best friend, Claudia (the film's protagonist), begins the search for her (which lasts for the rest of the film). Rife with symbolism, that the plot follows Claudia's search for Anna, or "adventure," first on the island and then elsewhere in Italy, serves to underscore the film's main motif - that of self-discovery. However, I will leave the rest of the film to you, dear reader, to decipher. I highly recommend this film. April 15, 2008

Its Greatness Precedes Its Reputation

Like many of the best things in life, I came into the ownership of this film by accident. I was collecting the noir titles of the Criterion Collection and this film was categorized in that genre. This is not a noir film in any dimension.

I sat down and was spellbound from beginning to end. First, the cinematography was visually stunning, the lush black and white imagery set the tone of story contrasts. You immediately get the sense that something much more than talking heads spouting dialogue is going on. Frankly much of the dialogue is incidental to the film. Slowly, I began to grasp the grammar of the film, the contrasts between old and new, between substance and illusion and was drawn in. You quickly determine that something much more than a mysterious disappearance is going on. Ringing true, a character is there, and then she is not, with little or no explanation.

The theme is the transitory, opportunistic and shallow nature of "modern relationships." The principle characters set out on a quest that ends in a stunning conclusion. Film critic Joel Youngblood (passionate devote' of this film) provides a perfect narration of the film that should be viewed after you run through it first with just subtitles. You will be amazed with the detail and what is going on in this film as he leads you through it.

The director, Michelangelo Antonioni created a trilogy of sorts of this special type of film. My personal favorite of the three and the one I highly recommend L'Eclisse is also available in a richly narrated Criterion Collection version with a stupendous quality transfer. Monica Vitti is the lead actress in L'Eclisse also.

La Aventura is a compelling film that tends to draw you into repeat viewings. It is rich with visual nuance and camera shots that tell the story, instead of the actor's words. The film is revealed in the imagery more than through the dialogue. The lead actor Gabriele Ferzetti and the beautiful actress Monica Vitti sweep you away into their adventure journey. The ending is at once is impossible but probable. Wow! This is a CD to own, treasure and watch too many times. Careful, it is habit-forming, more like addictive. February 24, 2008

L'Avventura

A groundbreaking film but the long overview in English, which precedes the actual film is most fatiguing and can be skipped December 17, 2007

Assigned viewing feeling

A great classic - THE classic maybe. But feels like a class assignement. Very long and slow and feels dated. I liked it better in college. A must for any serious cinema lover. December 2, 2007

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