Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Avventura, L' (1960) > IMDb user comments

IMDb user comments for
Avventura, L' (1960) More at IMDb Pro »

Filter: Hide Spoilers:
Page 1 of 6:[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [Next]
Index 60 comments in total 

55 out of 61 people found the following comment useful :-
Shallow Characters In A Very Deep Film, 22 March 2005
10/10
Author: Poison-River from Stirling,Scotland

There's something strange going on in this film.

The first time I watched it, it seemed to wash over me without affecting me in anyway. Later on(and I've read this in other people's comments here as well) I found images and dialogue from the movie creeping into my subconscious; entire dreams would take place upon the island where Anna goes missing(often in monochrome), or I'd start to compare real life events to those that occur during the film. Did Antonioni plant subliminal messages within the movie? Probably not. It's more likely the masterful pace he employs here, coupled with the busy, deep cinematography is the cause of this. Notice how the backgrounds NEVER go out of focus, no matter how much is going on within the frame. Check out the scene about an hour and ten minutes in, where Sandro and the old man are talking in the middle of an extremely busy street; nothing blurs or goes out of focus, even when a tram comes in and out of the shot, nothing loses it's perspective, and as the scene ends and they walk deep into the shot we can see way past them and far, far into the distance.

This seems to be why the film has such a deep affect on the subconscious. The characters are deliberately shallow and are placed at the very foreground of every shot, yet the backgrounds are rich tableaux bustling with life. In the scenes on the island where Anna disappears, we see the main characters always in shot, yet in the background there is a feeling that something strange within nature itself is going on. The darkening of the clouds, the sudden mist upon the water, the rocks falling to the sea, even the sudden appearance of the old hermit character, all give a certain unease.

There's also the haunting feeling of the film, as Anna's friends begin, almost immediately to forget about her. Soon, they don't seem to care a jot about her, and neither, in a sense, do we. It's this feeling of loose ends and guilt on our part(for joining her so called 'friends' in forgetting about her so quickly) that leaves the deepest impression. The characters in this film are so morally shallow(the ending bears this out) yet they are the reason this film leaves such a strong impression on those who watch it, and who become captivated by it.

I cant recommend this film to everyone because I know that the Hollywood Blockbuster has reduced most modern cinema-goers attention spans to almost zero. But if you fancy a challenge, or merely wish to luxuriate in classic cinema.....begin here.

Was the above comment useful to you?

33 out of 36 people found the following comment useful :-
Innovative study on alienation, 1 March 2006
10/10
Author: Alexandar (acanovakovic@gmail.com) from Nis, Serbia

L'Avventura (1960)****

Young woman (Lea Massari) suddenly disappears during a boating trip on an inhabited island. Shortly afterward, her boyfriend (Gabriele Ferzetti) and her best friend (Monica Vitti) became attracted to each other.

However, don't expect the mystery. This is a study of emotional isolation, moral decay, lack of the communication and emptiness of rich people in contemporary (then) society. You can easily be bored by the slow pace and the lack of dramatics of this movie unless you capture its true purpose. This is "state of mind" or experience film rather than conventional plot film. Antonioni practically discovered the new movie language in L'Avventura. By using formal instruments he is expressing emotions of the characters (loneliness, boredom, emptiness and emotional detachment) and the viewer is forced rather to feel this same emotions himself than to be involved in the story and its events. These formal instruments are: slow rhythm, real-time events, long takes, visual metaphors like inhabited island(s), fog, extreme long shots (small characters in panorama) and putting protagonists on inhabited streets or large buildings and landscapes.

Great cinematography. Forms trilogy with La Notte (1961) and L'Eclisse (1962).

Was the above comment useful to you?

31 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
Love can be worth so little, 28 January 2003
9/10
Author: Mort-31 from Vienna, Austria

What I particularly liked about this film, was, in the first part, the surreal black-and-white landscape, and how people (literally and metaphorically) seem to disappear in that landscape. The movie is beautiful to watch, slow but never boring, an original story featuring complex characters. The actors are fascinating, they do not do a lot but they express a great variety of feelings, including the inability to feel in certain situations.

Of course, there are `themes' too. Basically, the movie is about forgetting; about the transitoriness of everything abstract, particularly about how little love can be worth; and I am sure a lot of other meanings can be gathered from this beautiful movie.

Was the above comment useful to you?

31 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
10/10, 12 February 2001
10/10
Author: zetes from Saint Paul, MN

I first saw this film about three years ago. It had come up in my reading, and it sounded interesting. So I rented it. I found it good, if a little boring. However, later I discovered that it was one of those films that may not be entirely entertaining when it is watched initially, but that comes back full force in the memory at a later time. This is true both for this film, and the only other Antonioni film I have seen, Blowup. Still, tonight was the first time in three years that I have actually sat down to watch L'Avventura (and I actually plan to re-rent Blowup in the next couple of days and any other Antonioni films I might be able to find).

As I have said, L'Avventura has been built up by my mind ever since I saw it. Was it as good as I made myself think for the past three years? Yes. I have confirmed my suspicion: L'Aventurra is one of the best films ever made.

In subject, this film is a lot like La Dolce Vita. Its main theme is the decadent lifestyle of the wealthy. The decadent wealthy in L'Avventura are a lot worse off, though, than those in La Dolce Vita. At least those who were living Fellini's version of the sweet life were having fun. Sure, it was soulless fun, but, while watching the film, this thought, no matter how much I wanted to suppress it, was pounding in my mind: "Jeeze, I wish I could party with these people." Their lifestyle seems just plain fun. They may have to pay for their hedonism in some way, but at least they're having fun in the meantime! L'Avventura's sweet life is the definition of "l'ennui." Life to them is an unfortunate event.

The script to this film, as well as anything else about it, is absolutely ingenious. To simplify things, let us say that the first plot point in the film is Anna's disappearance. This is the initial problem that the characters have to deal with. In a film made under the classical guidelines, this would have been the goal that would have to be solved by the end of the film. But as L'Avventura advances, the script allows us, or maybe even makes us, forget about Anna. This process is very gradual (and she never completely disappears from our minds, especially since Claudia mentions her so explicitly near the end), but it begins very quickly after she disappears, with the infamous kiss between Sandro and Claudia. There are miles of interpretation and discussion left to go, but it is unneccessary to continue here. This is just a beginning.

The title to this film is, of course, ironic. There is no literal adventure. One could make the argument that the adventure is one of the mind, but I do not believe this. The adventure, I believe, is an adventure in reinventing the cinema.

Was the above comment useful to you?

25 out of 37 people found the following comment useful :-
A fine series of tableaux, but not a great film., 12 November 2002
7/10
Author: Tom May (joycean_chap@hotmail.com) from Sunderland, England

Antonioni's "L'Avventura" is a most curious creation... It may be because this is the first film of the director's that I have seen, but I found it wilfully alienating and profuse in its indulgence.

This is first and foremost a cinematographer's film; absolutely astounding work here at times... there is an artist's eye to these canvases, such scope and depth to the pictures; it's quite beguiling. This is all said to be representative of Antonioni's vision of dislocated, isolated figures within a barren, icily arid Sicilian landscape.

The vision is soundly, perhaps too laboriously executed. Everything moves at a stubbornly staid, slow pace; surely meant to be symbolic of the odd, inert existences of the main characters. Inertia is excellently evoked; as is the emptiness of Ferzetti's character's emotions. Monica Vitti has an incredible screen presence, yet too much of her character is just built around playing at being enigmatic. Antonioni's camera revels in capturing this classical beauty in her languorous glory.

Yet it is the film's studied languor that really does alienate. The first 45-60 minutes, with the central enigma posed, leave one expecting something more special in the remainder. A hope that is not fulfilled, as the affair between Ferzetti and Vitti is padded out to its extremes. It's just not so interesting and involving a film once the action shifts away from the island. Everything is lingered on for perhaps inordinate lengths of time. Of course, the photography bewitches, but the actual dramatic matter of the film begins to grate a little after a while.

There is an excellent usage of subtle, background sounds to create a naturalistic, slightly unnerving effect, particularly in the island scenes, which form the most compelling part of the film. Also, the use of extras and bystanders, particularly late on, in the party scenes, is fantastic. Very subtle glances and body language from these extras help give a sense of odd scale about things. Adds a little more ambiguity as well.

There is little dialogue actually in this 145 minute film, and really the lines that do occur are not always that important; it is a film that rests on its photogenic lead performers and the intimidating tableaux of the photography. I did not really enjoy this film as an experience overall; it disappoints, perhaps because of its comparatively narrow focus, and the way things are stretched out needlessly. So, a film to be admired, and credited with a valid "vision", but not one to be loved.

Rating:- *** 1/2/*****

Was the above comment useful to you?

21 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the truly great works of cinema, 12 June 1999
10/10
Author: Opio from Oklahoma City, OK

"L'avventura"--"The Adventure", an adventure into the void of the modern world.

Antonioni's first international success is a subtle masterpiece focusing on the disappearance of an unhappy woman on an island and her friends' subsequent search. This is one of my favorite films of all-time. The composition and camerawork is aesthetically perfect; every frame is beautiful. The film's subtle psychological exploration is masterful, dealing with isolation and the protagonist's passive lifestyle forced to change under new circumstances. The sparse score perfectly fits the mysterious tone of the picture. Monica Vitti is nothing short of magnificent in the lead role. Constricting and excess plot details have been cut away, and the pace is slowed to allow the viewer to take in the wonderful images and actually think about the meanings and ideas contained within them. For viewers seeking serious, artful, intelligent, subtle, visually-stunning 'pure' cinema, this is the epitome.

Was the above comment useful to you?

11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
The "Adventure" of Existence, 17 April 2000
Author: mackjay from Out there in the dark

Just looking over the other comments on this page gives an indication of how rich yet elusive this masterpiece of Antonioni is. The seemingly limitless number of interpretations and reactions the film elicits are testimony to its success in conveying its theme. For Antonioni, life is an "adventure" a quest for identity and meaning.

It is no accident that the initial group of characters seem to forget all about their friend who suddenly vanishes on a barren volcanic island. The unexpected absence seems to open a void of speculation, which the balance of the film proceeds to explore.

It should always be remembered that the VISUAL aspect in Antonioni is as important as the verbal; and, often, it is more important. The characters continuously gaze at a landscape, run their hands along a rock or some other surface as if trying to see or feel what is under the veneer. There is something almost Eastern in Antonioni's aesthetic. His films seem to view the material world as an enormous surface illusion. People, the director has said, have lost touch with their true origin, as part of the natural world. Large cities and technology have cut us off, and isolated us from nature. The modern individual is constantly in search of a primal connection. This explains the preoccupation with sex in some characters, something Antonioni calls "serial monogamy". Since sexuality, as Huxley has said, is the only remaining link to the mystery of life, humans turn more and more to it as their world achieves greater sophistication and technological advancement.

Were Antonioni not an artist, such speculations could be either dull or off-putting. But through a poetic use of image and spare dialogue, he creates a world of strangely compelling and sympathetic characters. The viewer is compelled along with them on their "avventura".

In addition, this film makes beautiful case for black and white cinematography.

Was the above comment useful to you?

12 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
A solution that ends with a compelling mystery., 19 June 2003
8/10
Author: Moviejock from Phoenix, AZ

Using very little dialogue or music (virtually none of the latter), this is a smartly constructed work that readily reveals its character's psyches without the use of voiceover. Instead it relies on effective, rule-breaking camera work, visual metaphors, poignant dialogue and brilliant acting (mannerisms and behavior). The cinematography is gorgeous, and there are no wasted shots here. Every frame is a painting and a clue about the inner workings of the minds of its characters -- conveying their moods, theirs thoughts . . . their next move. Ingenious!

This is one of those films that appears to be one thing in the beginning, but turns out to be something else altogether. Antonioni pulls a fast one on us, but as he effectively uses one of storytelling's most common and powerful devices (the allure of the mystery), we're already in over our heads, utterly engrossed, when the ruse becomes apparent. This is a film whose story begins like a mystery, but is in fact a solution that ends with a compelling mystery.

8 out of 10

Was the above comment useful to you?

26 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
A Gem, at the very least, 25 July 2003
10/10
Author: clarkmc2 from United States

One could go on and on analyzing this great film, but I will settle here for merely (hopefully) being entitled to my opinion.

I have my favorites (Rumble Fish, The Last Picture Show), my most moving (The Plague Dogs and Pather Panchali), greatest achievements (Ben Hur, The Remains of The Day, Wild Strawberries), my no brainers (Citizen Kane, The Third Man, Intolerance). But this is, if I were objective yet receptive, probably the Best film I've ever seen. The only film that could make his Blowup seem less than it is, which is fabulous. I saw this film only once, on the big screen, thirty years ago. Even now, just thinking about it knocks me off my foundation and forces a reevaluation of all that I believe about humans interacting between nature, themselves and each other.

After reading the other reviews, I must add one observation. All my long adult life I have read about segments of `otherwise' great films dragging. Even accounting for the 'enjoy a baseball game' vs. `NBA gives action every second' mentalities and the endless MTV Generation attention span analogies, this is a load of dung. This is not a matter of taste. It is always a matter of the filmmaker's realization going over the viewer's head, to put it bluntly. When I was a kid, scientists explained that we use only five percent of our brain. Each decade they admit to a bit more of it being used to some effect. How learned exponents of the scientific method could ignore atrophy and evolution is beyond me, but film fans are often expert in this exercise in self delusion. We don't grasp something, so we call it a mistake. We don't see how something is helping us, so we say it doesn't do anything at all. It's called ignorance, not stupidity. Nothing to be ashamed of. We can learn if we continue to expose ourselves to the work of filmmakers more talented than ourselves.

The griping about today's blockbusters being special effects and deal driven are well known, and largely true. Here is a film that illuminates and reveals, I suspect, more than we viewers can ever perceive from it. It works superbly on so many levels at once that it dazzles us with its brilliance. It informs all of that with pure filmmaking consisting of director's craft, acting ability, writing talent and cinematography. It reveals its vision with its spaces as effectively as with its active elements. It allows us to bring much of ourselves to it by not filling up the experience wall to wall with specifics. It forces us to see most films as the obvious, spoon fed tripe that they are. What more could you ask from a film?

Was the above comment useful to you?

15 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Not the director's absolute best picture (that goes to Blowup), 17 April 2003
Author: Filmjack3 from United States

...yet any viewer can see why L'Avventura (in English "The Adventure", which is interesting considering what unfolds) put him on the map in the art-film/new-wave era. He tells a story of a group of high-society types, the kind that seem all the more empty as they are examined character wise, who on a boat trip stop on an island to walk around, when a woman, Anna (Lea Massari), goes missing. They search for her, send out more people to search for her, but as the film progresses it can be seen that the search for her is futile, and it becomes an existentialist examination of the character played by Ferzetti and Vitti.

The major flaw that I can see with L'Avventura is that it's at times a bit too assured with it's own storytelling skills, and occasionally it plods along. However the story works most of the time and it's non-formulaic structure keeps it very credible. But, what made me take notice and not nod out at all during the picture was the whole aura, the atmosphere. Antonionni, along with his director of photography Aldo Scavarda, always have a beautiful shot up on the screen, scenes which may seem of desperation are perfectly captured in the frames and any one could be freeze-framed and put on a wall to view like a painting (another film like this could be Raging Bull). On that level of pure skill and movement, as well as the realistic character development, L'Avventura is an accomplished piece of filmmaking. Important, to be sure, though some may feel turned off after a while. Grade: A

Was the above comment useful to you?
Page 1 of 6:[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [Next]

Add another comment

Related Links

Plot summary Ratings Awards
External reviews Parents Guide Plot keywords
Main details Your user comments Your vote history