Michelangelo Antonioni
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User:AllieCashel @timeAndDate(1278617447)
Michelangelo Antonioni was an Italian modernist film director who experimented with radical ways of storytelling and theme portrayal in cinema. He began his career in Italy in 1942, eventually moving on to direct for the American MGM studios later in his career. He has been recognized at many award ceremonies around the world and also received the 1994 Honorary Academy Award which recognized him as "one of cinema's master visual stylists." Anyone who has seen Antonioni 's work will remember it for it's unique visual style, and the clear value of aesthetics over that of traditional storytelling. He was not a man who cared much for a standard plot, he was more interested in sending a message through a visual image, an interest that won him a powerful reputation as a truly brilliant director.
Popular Antonioni Films
'''''The Adventure (L'avventura)''''' - This 1960 film was one of Michelangelo's first to gain international recognition. Noted for it's careful placing and impeccable character development, it tells the story of two young women, their travels and the relationship that develops between them. It was the first of his "trilogy" of visual experiments and had a major impact on the visual language of the industry for years after its original release.
'''''The Night (La notte)''''' - This 1961 movie is often considered to be the focus of Antonioni's experimental "trilogy." It follows a day in the life of a middle aged, middle class couple residing in Milan, focusing more on the visual portrayal of these two lives and the people living them than the lives themselves. Like most of his work, it is not driven by plot, but visual and emotional stimulation which enables audiences to have an powerful viewing experience, raising interesting questions about society and about individuality.
'''''The Eclipse (L'eclisse)''''' - The last film of this director's "trilogy," ''The Eclipse ''tells the story of a young literary translator and her short but intense summer romance with an energetic young stockbroker. It focuses on the theme of the alienation of individuals in the modern, new world of technology. As with the other three movies in the "trilogy," it's very stylized, visually unique and provides moving and thought provoking insight into society and life for every viewer.
'''''Blowup''''' - This was Antonioni's first attempt at shooting in English and was an immediate success. It was set in swinging London and tells the story of a photographer's accidental involvement with a murder and, though it dealt with some intellectually challenging themes, was a huge hit in the box office (perhaps because of the numerous sex scenes that were very scandalous at the time).
'''''The Passenger''''' Colonial documentary. Though some find ''The Passenger'' to be pretentious, many critics praised the piece, describing it as a visual masterpiece. Originally, it didn't do as well as Michelangelo's other films at the box office, but has gained popularity in recent years.
Other popular Antonioni films include
Chronicle of a Love
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