Through the Eyes of Michelangelo Antonioni

Nothing is what it seems. If one had to describe the films of Michelangelo Antonioni with one phrase, that would do it. Antonioni made a career out of mesmerizing audiences with his films of complicated relationships that raise questions, but leave many of the answers to the viewer.

Michelangelo Antonioni was born in Ferrara, located in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna in 1912. He attended college in nearby Bologna during the 1930’s where he became involved in theater and painting. After graduation, he freelanced as a film critic for a local newspaper. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Rome and tried to make a documentary at of all places, an insane asylum. The project fell through, but some have said that his experience in making that film would go on to influence future works, in particular, Tentato Suicidio in 1953.

Many great filmmakers begin their careers with documentaries, and the same can be said of Antonioni. His first completed film documented the lives of residents living in a region near Ferrara, Italy. The film, Gente del Po was released in 1947, and revealed Antonioni’s distinct style of filmmaking that has gone unparalleled in his time. The success of his documentaries paved the way for his feature length films. In 1950, Antonioni’s first feature film, Cronaca di Un Amore was released. The film is similar to film noir. However, the traditional plot recipe belonging to film noir was compromised in order to shift focus to the intense feeling of the characters. Antonioni is known for his complex, well developed characters who don’t always make morally sound choices.

His first widescreen film, L’Avventura was made in 1960 and has been referred to as his masterpiece. In L’Avventura, Antonioni tells the story of a missing person through the experiences of the people heading the search. Those people, the missing woman’s fiancé and best friend end up having their own affair together. That film along with his other works of that period, La Notte (1961), L’Eclisse (1962) and Il Deserto Rosso (1964) all share a consistent style, theme, social setting and plot. Those works brought his career to the level in which it has remained through the years. He is something of an international art house legend, a classic, golden age director with an unprecedented, ageless method to his filmmaking. His influence has long reached beyond the borders of Italy.

Despite the success of his films of the early 60’s, the world was just getting a taste of his talent and unique vision. One can say that Michelangelo Antonioni reinvented himself with the making of Blow Up for which he earned two Oscar nominations. The film tells the story of a disenfranchised fashion photographer. When he takes a photograph in a London Park, he realizes something mysterious in the background, setting the stage for the 1966 drama, which co-stars Vanessa Redgrave. To this day, the film stirs up conversation and draws criticism due to its vast room for interpretation. In addition to the Oscar nominations, Blow Up won the Golden Palm at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival as well as a nomination for Best English-Language Foreign Film at the 1967 Golden Globes.

Antonioni made films throughout the 70’s and 80’s that experimented with different lighting techniques and different ways to use the camera to add his signature style to each scene. He created several layers to his films with the way they were shot, the intensity of the characters’ personalities and the political backdrop of the subjects. The combination of his style of filmmaking and the mainstream market of the late 70’s clashed, forcing Antonioni to eventually give up some of his strong, alternative ways for a more commercial approach. The first product to emerge from that way of thinking was, Identificazione di Una Donna in 1982. It would be his last film until 1995.

Al di La` delle Nuvole was Antonioni’s comeback film, after he suffered a severe stroke and was unable to work for thirteen years. His comeback was welcomed among critics, even if the film got mix reviews. The project was co-directed with German filmmaker, Wim Wenders. The movie consists of four vignettes tied together by a story filmed by Wenders, who you may remember won an Oscar for his 1999 documentary, Buena Vista Social Club. The film’s ensemble cast includes John Malkovich, Vincent Perez, Jean Reno, Marcello Mastroianni and Jean Moreau… as well as a recognizable selection of pop music. Each story, as Antonioni himself says, invites the viewer to an inner travel “towards the true image of that absolute and mysterious reality that nobody will ever see.”

Michelangelo Antonioni never really managed to connect with mainstream audiences. He had his own way of telling and shooting a story. He saw things when he looked through the lens of a camera that you and I don’t see. It’s been said that one should see Antonioni’s films several times over to truly appreciate the way he tells a story through the visual medium.

Several of Michelangelo Antonioni’s films are available through Amazon.com.