How Antonioni Uses Locations

In this video essay I breakdown how Michelangelo Antonioni uses locations in films like L'Avventura, L'Eclisse, Red Desert and Blow Up.
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The video contains a number of spoilers (if you can call them that) for Antonioni's work. He's a pretty obscure filmmaker though, so there's hardly any plot twists...
L'Eclisse 02:45 - 03:25
La Notte 07:00 - 07:15
Zabriskie Point - 07:33 - End

[@pragyadhingra3772]

That end to the video was ridiculously cathartic :D

[@riccardoalcaro8483]

Antonioni was truly a genius, perhaps the greatest filmmaker ever. You never stop getting from his films

[@acdragonrider]

I agree he was great but greatest is a matter of opinion. Out of the Italian filmmakers, Vittorio de sica and his films two women, bicycle thieves and Umberto d are my favorites. My favorite filmmaker of all time is Alfred Hitchcock. He may be overrated for some but he speaks to me more than the others when it comes to the craft of film. William Wyler. Best years of our lives is always in my top ten. I believe film should not just be art but impart inspiring messages. And that leads to peter jackson and George Lucas. The messages they deliver in lord of the rings and Star Wars. The world building. Same with Ang Lee with crouching tiger. Terrence Malick presents just as visually pleasing artistry but is also more clearly philosophical. Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon and The Men are two of my favorite movies of all time.

[@riccardoalcaro8483]

Acdragonrider Videos of course greatest is always a matter of subjective judgement. The reason I consider Antonioni greater than De Sica, for instance, is that he explores with greater depth inter-human dynamics, with attention to how social-economic conditions may affect those dynamics. Il Grido from 1957 is about a poor worker who travels senselessly in northern Italy after his partner leaves him. Antonioni was accused of inserting bourgeoisie intimate problems into a worker’s mind. Antonioni replied that workers are human too, they have feelings and engage in complicated relationships which, if anything, may turn out to be even more complicated because of their disadvantaged social-economic conditions. In a way, I’d say that Antonioni was more realist than De Sica, in that he got closer to human inner reality than De Sica. Antonioni was also great in creating images - both visual and in terms of atmospheres - with which he could tell a story without any need of a plot. My opinion, of course!

[@riccardoalcaro8483]

Acdragonrider Videos of all others you mention, I’m fully with you as regards Hitchcock. He’s often deeper than most people think (and perhaps he himself). Wyler is great, agreed. Not a big fan of Star Wars (no-one is perfect). I liked Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, although I think he failed to capture the sweet seriousness of the book. Crouching Tiger is a gem, but I wouldn’t consider it a great movie. Again, my opinion!

[@arnavverma4507]

@@riccardoalcaro8483 Tarkovsky>Fellini>>>>>>Antonioni

[@seanwilson4885]

Brilliant analysis. I've always been fascinated by Antonioni's use of space and architecture as visual composition, not strictly for aesthetic purposes. The physical space itself becomes as much a character as the actors. Every shot is beautifully composed. Antonioni is incomparable.

[@BobSilverstein13]

Fantastic video. I've been seeing a lot of discussion lately regarding modern architecture and its harsh, unnatural forms versus traditional architecture which has shapes that fit well with the environment. Perhaps we don't always realize what an impact architecture can have on us, but Antonioni seems to recognize that sterile architecture has an almost disturbing aspect to it which can affect us unconsciously. Really well done, looking forward to more from you as always.

[@WhatsSoGreatAboutThat]

I love Antonioni's cinematography. The way he uses locations, as well as the relationship between environment and character, is probably my favourite part of his films. Great video! :)

[@TheDiscardedImage]

Thanks Grace. Your Antonioni video is ace too (on 'Zabriskie Point' folks, check it out!).

[@superamishguy]

Great video and I love hearing that L'Avventura theme. Never gets old

[@RemyMyer]

A wonderful analysis of the amazing cinematic genuis. A pleasure to watch.

[@cmonman3639]

Antonioni is my favorite director. This video was fantastic -- like a greatest hits missing only the sequence when Maria Schneider turns her back to the front seat in The Passenger.

[@FilmQualia]

This is awesome. I'm putting together a video essay partly about Antonioni's influence on Columbus and this has really helped me thinking about it more clearly.

[@SuperMegaTube]

Great video, continue the good work

[@lessonsfromthescreen6999]

Another great analytical one on the great modernist maestro! Thank you for this.

[@maxwellcouturefilms]

a wonderfully well put together video. Thank you.

[@Top7FilmCinema]

Great video. You really motivated me to watch all Antonioni. Also liked your Bresson and Godard videos. Please do more videos of european directors

[@EnzoTheBaker]

Wonderful video, thanks so much for making this.

[@nakedrobot20]

great video. thank you very much

[@deeznutz9869]

Great analysis, yet simple enough for someone like me without much film knowledge. Thanks for making this.

[@orlandozim4165]

Complex relations to Architecture and location.

[@sebastianpedone7209]

Este video es una maravilla! gran analisis, este trebol de 4 hojas de Monica Vitti es infinito, todo el tiempo uno esta volviendo a estas peliculas y nunca termina uno de ponerles un pin.

[@Grandebert]

stunning work!!!!!!!

[@petersolomon8894]

A very nicely observed essay, delivered perhaps by author Julian Palmer with just a whisker too much detachment.

[@sigitasilina4475]

This is amazing

[@stellamarie5076]

Could you do a separate video on ‚blow up‘? I really get your point in the other movies, but in ‚blow up‘...?

[@ErmanHaskan]

Amazing video.

[@NeonCinema]

Holy shit this is genius, im subbed

[@yallowrosa]

. YOU give the right (modern) rithm to Antonioni's opera .

[@wes6571]

Marvelous.

[@jgerardo231208]

great video!

[@AmpLabMedia]

Great topic

[@Videokeizah]

La notay? ;) Thanks for the video.

[@malo66]

La notte

[@vikazw]

Cool 😍

[@grantshalks7338]

L'ecliss-ay??!

[@francescofilippi2824]

In Italian "Eclisse":-)

[@grantshalks7338]

@@francescofilippi2824 Exactly ...!

[@grantshalks7338]

We need to let 'TDI' know .... lol!

[@R0CKDRIG0]

0:06 Name of the song anyone?

[@crculver2068]

It is not cool that you did not add a trigger warning at the start of the video for the rape scene. Victims of sexual violence can suffer great distress from your negligence.

[@arturojimenez7087]

There is a strong similarity between De Chirico's metaphysical paintings and some of Antonioni's compositions in the movie "The Passenger". Architecture and man-made spaces become characters unto themselves, emphasizing the alienation and loneliness of the modern world.