It is a “no-good-news-for-the-film buffs” week on BYT:
Michelangelo Antonioni, one of the most innovative and distinctive film-makers of the 20th century (and my personal all time favorite), has died at the age of 94. The Italian director died at his home in Rome on Monday evening, fewer than 24 hours after the death of Ingmar Bergman, that other great giant of European art-house cinema.
Alongside his near contemporary Federico Fellini, Antonioni signalled a break with the “neorealist” style that flourished in Italy at the end of the second world war. In contrast to the working class parables of Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini, his films were cool and stylised, traditionally focusing on the experiences of an alienated bourgeoisie.
Antonioni made his film debut with Cronaca di un amore in 1950.
International success followed with the release of his classic L’Avventura in 1960. (featuring Monica Vitti at her most breathtakingly radiant and melancholic (she later worked with him on L’Eclisse as well). If you have not seen this, get the Criterion collection edition of it this very second)
Away from his native Italy, Antonioni made his English language debut with the epoch-catching London thriller Blowup in 1966 (and the only movie poster I ever owned. Featuring: Vanessa Redgrave in her 20s, Jane Birkin pre-Gainsbourg, Verushka and ever other bright young London thing of the 60s). He moved to America to shoot the counter-culture romp Zabriskie Point in 1970 and directed Jack Nicholson in The Passenger in 1975.
In 1985 Antonioni suffered a severe stroke that left him unable to speak.
He directed his last film, 1995’s Beyond the Clouds, from his wheelchair, with the assistance of director Wim Wenders. The following year he was presented with a lifetime achievement Oscar by his friend and former collaborator Jack Nicholson.
“With Antonioni dies not only one of the greatest directors but also a master of modernity,” said Rome mayor Walter Veltroni this morning. A quiet funeral is planned in the town of Ferrara, in northern Italy, where the director was born, this Thursday.
we leave you with the “Blow up” photoshoot scene:
Bill Walsh - San Fran 49′ers coach.
Also Ingmar Bergman passed. that’s 3 big birds in one day.
July 31, 2007 at 11:39 am“I’m only doing my job. Some people are bullfighters. Some people are politicians. I’m a photographer. ”
…sadness
July 31, 2007 at 11:39 amingmar bergman in memoriam here.
i don’t even know the rules of American football, let alone who Bill Walsh is.
But the Bergman/Antonioni 24 devastation almost destroyed me.
Seriously, can we see if Visions can reopen for a 24 hour Bergman + 24 hour Antonioni festival?
July 31, 2007 at 11:42 amSpeaking of Visions, when are we all going to join hands across america to get them to turn off the neon lights?
July 31, 2007 at 11:50 amBLOWUP movie poster is the best. movie.poster.ever.made.
July 31, 2007 at 12:00 pmi can already see it under the neon lights.
Since the dead director trifecta is now in play, I’m predicting that Sidney Lumet is next to go.
July 31, 2007 at 1:24 pmThe guy who got the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas died. Does he count?
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5009880.html
July 31, 2007 at 2:26 pm(insert: shut down” where appropriate.)
July 31, 2007 at 2:26 pmnot quite in the same artistic category, but Michael, by all means, I put you in charge of the Martin Zindler write up/retrospective.
Amaze me.
re: cale’s comment about visions
how about you guys all join hands across america and BUY visions so you can throw your own amazing film/dj/popcorn parties….the fact that space is sitting there empty and unused is a tragedy along the lines of a bergman film…
byt cinemas. (i would like 10% please…)
August 2, 2007 at 9:39 am
Some dude who did something with a football died too.
July 31, 2007 at 11:19 am