Al di là delle nuvole (1995)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Directors:

Michelangelo Antonioni
Wim Wenders

Writers:

Michelangelo Antonioni (book)
Michelangelo Antonioni (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 October 1995 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Made of four short tales, linked by a story filmed by Wim Wenders. Taking place in Ferrara, Portofino...

Plot Keywords:

Infidelity | Divorce | Nudity | Female Nudity | Based On Book

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Fanny Ardant	...	Patricia
Chiara Caselli	...	Mistress
Irène Jacob	...	The Girl
John Malkovich	...	The Director
Sophie Marceau	...	The Girl
Vincent Perez	...	Niccolo
Jean Reno	...	Carlo
Kim Rossi Stuart	...	Silvano (as Kim Rossi-Stuart)
Inés Sastre	...	Carmen (as Ines Sastre)
Peter Weller	...	Husband
Marcello Mastroianni	...	The Man of All Vices
Jeanne Moreau	...	Friend
Enrica Antonioni	...	Boutique Manager
Carine Angeli
Alessandra Bonarotta		(as Alessandra Bonarota)

Also Known As:

Al di là delle nuvole (Italy)
Beyond the Clouds (USA)
Jenseits der Wolken (Germany)
Par-delà les nuages (France)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Italy | France | Germany

Language:

French | English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | USA:R (DVD rating) | South Korea:18 | Singapore:R21 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Company:

Canal+

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Back to Room 666 (2008)

Soundtrack:

Your Blue Room

Failure of the critic - one more praising commentary

I first saw the movie a couple of years ago and was totally and utterly impressed but its sensuality. It is one of the most touching films I have ever seen, though it might appear a little bit pretentious and artificial - too much beautiful, if you will. Anyway, one thing is for sure - the camera man has done a great job - each picture deserves to be cut off the film and displayed as a separate peace of art, comparable to the Chirico's or Bernard Buffet's paintings.

The music forms a perfect background for the story, especially U2's one played between the first and the second novels at the beach scene. As for the casting - I cannot be objective since I like Sophie Marceau and Jean Renaue very much and cannot add more to the praising comments of others.

However, the very fact that many people (critics and those sophisticated in cinema) criticized the movie made me watch it with a more critical eye for the second time. No doubt, the setting is splendid and the casting is gorgeous. But this is somehow not enough to make a comprehensive and cohesive film. The second novel (when Sophie Marceau tells her story to Malcovic is somehow superficial and does not tell much about the motivations of the people involved - was it only about shooting a beautiful and sensual love scene with the naked Marceau or what?). Apparently, it does not add anything to the idea of the movie and even the husky voice of Malcovic is being unable to link it to the main plot.

Other stories are more justified and are really beautifully shot, which indulges many of the logic fallacies within them. The scene when Jean Reneau is overlooking the city through the huge window of his apartment on the top of the high building is absolutely incredible. The feeling of moist air and fine haze, which is being spread by the first "Ferrera" scene can literally be sensed through the screen. No doubt, Antonioni is a great master of shades and semi-shades. My favorite novel is the last one - the most romantic, deep and meaningful - I guess that it the most Antonioni-like one in the whole movie - almost a parable.Probably, the overall positive impression from the movie is mainly due to the last one shot somewhere in a small Ghotic Italian town, with its winding narrow streets and crooked pavements, fountains with the l'eau potable and monumental cathedrals... It was laconic but really touching.

I hope that my impressions and comments on the movie, however chaotic they are would motivate somebody to spend an evening watching it (it works better with the home theater, having somebody caring by your side, than in the movie theater). Enjoy.

I beg your pardon for the imperfect English and any possible misspellings