L’Avventura

Movie Information

In Brief: When this ran in 2007, I wrote: “The four-star rating I’ve afforded Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Avventura (1960) is born of a desire to approach the film as objectively as possible. Objectively, this is an important film — maybe even close to a great film. The rich, detailed, deep-focus black-and-white images that make up the film are so striking that they alone make the movie worth the price of a ticket. I understand, too, the fuss that greeted this movie in 1960. The film’s daring choice to present a mystery that has no solution — the disappearance of a socially prominent young woman (Lea Massari) going through a bout of cosmic malaise on a deserted island during a posh boating trip — was just arty enough to capture the imagination. … However, from a completely subjective point of view, the movie — like most of Antonioni's — never engaged my emotions and frequently bored me. Still, I can’t deny the quality of the film, and I’d never suggest it shouldn’t be seen.” This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke published on Sept. 12, 2007.
Score:

Genre: Drama
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring: Gabriele Ferzetti, Monica Vitti, Lea Massari, Dominique Blanchar
Rated: NR

Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present L’Avventura on Friday, Oct. 5, at the new Flood Gallery location in Black Mountain, 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain.

SHARE
About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.