aarosedi The only guy I could relate to in this film is the guy that lives in the only shelter found on the rocky island which was brazenly trespassed by the wealthy socialite's informal search party. It is a film filled with such off-putting characters where one could easily make oneself a detached observer of the minutiae of their affluent lives, save perhaps for Claudia who at least shows some semblance of concern initially for the missing rich lady and it was kind of forgivable for her to have almost forgotten about it later on and easily moved on to life because let's face it, Anna is a such a brat or perhaps can be considered by some as a b****.But for a film filled with such unaffecting characters, it compensates for the scenery that is quite marvelous. Shots are brilliantly captured and for it to linger the way it did, even for a B&W film, I would have enjoyed it if the movie went on for six hours, the sort that I would leave on to play on a TV screen, to be left playing in the background like those aquarium channels on cable, catching a glimpse of it once in a while when my eyes linger away from whatever I'm preoccupied with at any given moment. It is a sumptuous film that is so easy on the eyes without the needing to immerse your consciousness in it much. My rating: A-flat.

invaderJim This movie is a masterpiece, certainly, but as admirable as it is for its technical mastery and genre inversion, it somehow fails to entertain. This should not discourage anyone from watching it, they should simply know what they are getting into from the outset. More than anything, this is an experiment of film: testing new possibilities for the medium (a trend that Antonioni would follow in the next two installments in this trilogy, La Notte and L'Eclisse) and new methods of emotional manipulation. The first thing to notice is the camera- work and direction style. It is a truly beautiful film, jumping from extreme close-ups characterized by frenetic movement to wide overhead shots of an island or city in which one or two distant figures can be viewed etching out their paths like ants in the sand. It often distracts from the underlying story, especially in the later parts of the movie when the story itself has almost seemed to vanish along with the missing girl who acts as the focal point of the film, if it can be said to have one. The story itself offers some severe challenges to the audience. The first thirty minutes are devoted to establishing the mystery involved in the disappearance of Anna, the best friend of one of the film's protagonists and lover of the second. In a departure from the traditions of the genre, however, this mystery does not lead to a criminal conspiracy or hard-boiled investigation, but is instead followed by a series of the most mundane events imaginable. This is not to say that the lives of the two protagonists do not turn upside down, merely that this upheaval is internal rather than dependent upon external circumstances. As their half-hearted attempts to locate Anna lead them nowhere, Claudia and Sandro find themselves committing a more profound betrayal than if they had abandoned Anna to die outright: moving on with their lives. Rather than serving as the primary driver of the film, the mystery is covered up like an untreated wound festering just beneath the surface and infecting everything around it. Eventually the two characters reach a point in which the reappearance of Anna would no longer be the solution to a problem, but would in fact be the culmination of one. The final scene is striking in its ambiguity. Are we witnessing redemption, or the final stages of the fall from grace? Even the music seems to be unable to decide.

elvircorhodzic L'AVVENTURA is a mysterious drama about human alienation and emotional emptiness. Mr. Antonioni has, through an unusual narrative structure and a very slow pace, skilfully hid a secret.Two young women, Anna and Claudia, travel from a suburb of Rome on a yachting cruise in the Mediterranean. Anna's lover, Sandro, has joined them in Rome. She is not sure about her feelings in him. He drives the two women to the coast where they join two wealthy couples. The next morning, they sail around small islands north of Sicily. Anna is visibly nervous. She confesses to Claudia a vicious game with her lover. At one of the smaller islands the party comes ashore. Anna and Sandro go off alone and talk about their relationship. After a frivolous discussion she is gone without a trace. They explore the island and find nothing. Shortly after that, Sandro and Claudia develop an attraction for each other...The holes in the story, which are very visible, have further intensified a mystery. Scenery is very impressive. Rich people, which are emotionally and mentally empty, were faced with a strange accident and intensive romance. A meaningless life is unpredictable. It is a small prank by Mr. Antonioni. He pays no attention to the small details. A sensational event has caused certain immoral situation. Love was born out of nothing. The protagonists would like "something", but are not capable of anything. They are lonely and they seek for help.The tension at the beginning of the film was replaced with anxiety. The characterization is excellent.Gabriele Ferzetti as Sandro is an energetic and impulsive, but boring and bitter character. A lover with immoral code and limited understandings. It's hard to sympathize with a guy like him. Monica Vitti as Claudia is a coquettish young woman. The blame for grabbing lover and fear of an unrequited love are mixed in her character. Lea Massari as Anna is a vain wealthy girl. She does not want anyone's love, more attention. Eventually, she has received a desired attention.Mr. Antonioni, through a weird adventure, has managed to fit an anxious mood and nonsense in a recognizable life mosaic.

jackasstrange This film is simply fantastic. Is definitely very different from what I thought it would be like. "Is actually a story about the disappearance of a girl, even that culminates in an odd romantic relationship between her boyfriend and her best friend. "*One of the very best screenplays ever written in film history. *Is an extremely well written film, with very well thought dialogs and with a very creative form of developing characters. And everyone who watched it knows the narrative is far from being conventional. I guess it must've been very groundbreaking back in 1960. Despite the film being more about the character's dramatic relationships, L'Avventura is often very funny as well. All the males of the film (mostly 40 year old men) took that very well done stare at Claudia's (Monica Vitti) legs, be her just walking on the streets or in a luxurious mansion. I also found weird that the protagonist looked so much older than her,and he wasn't attractive at all. Go figure."*Interesting from a visual standpoint.* Is also a very well shot film, I mean, really well shot, despite not being a very well lightened film, the placement of subjects, scene's profundity, the narrativity in every shot etc is very unusual and cleverly done. The final shot is a prime example: Claudia puts her hand in Sandro's back. This is the most powerful and intimal moment between both characters in the film, because is when finally Claudia understands Sandro, who fell apart and shows his angst. This scene was very oddly crafted, because we only got to see their by behind, in a wide shot, and they are not the focus of the scene. Is what I would call "subversion of filmmaking'. The film also ends in a very unconventional manner anyway, with a very abrupt cut. Which kinda fits the film overall atmosphere of indecision and weirdness. *Acting was underwhelming. *The film got a few flaws though. Besides a few goofs in the set's lights, the acting isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread. In fact, far from that. The actors ranged from decent to bad, but none of them I recall being good. Monica Vitti was certainly a stunning beauty but not very talented. *The use of music...* To finish, the use of music. It was weird. That main theme is certainly very good, and very catchy, I admit, but there were a few times, specifically in the ending, that the soundtrack became similar to one used in a psychological horror film, and added to these quiet final 15 minutes, resulted in a haunting atmosphere. Which was odd, since there wasn't really anything to justify the use of such soundtrack. Conclusion: *Is a masterpiece and definitely a must watch for anyone. *