A review of The Criterion Collection Blu-ray of L'AVVENTURA (1960) by the fall 2017 Editorial Board of the magazine FILM MATTERS.

1. L’avventura (1960)
A CRITERION COLLECTION BLU-RAY
(SPINE #98) REVIEW IN FOURTEEN FRAMES

2. In this chosen frame from L'avventura (1960), heavy contrast immediately
draws the eye – it’s interesting to note that Claudia (Monica Vitti), though she
is removed from the indoors and the darker side of the frame, is still dressed
in deeper colors that set her off from the background. She looks like she has
been transplanted from the darker side of the frame – beyond that, her size is
not that much different from the doll that decorate the darker side of the
frame, providing some interesting implications to her character.
Catherine Colson Visual Review

3. This frame from Michelangelo Antonioni's classic Italian
film, L‘avventura (1960), portrays a dynamic and layered mise-en-
scene, as there is action and visual aesthetics in the foreground,
middle, and background. The intense depth of field relates to the
heavy narrative plot of the film.
L’avventura
(1960)
Jamie
Foley

4. L’avventura (1960) by JT Fritsch
In this extreme long shot in L’avventura (1960), directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, Claudia (Monica Vitti) and Sandro (Gabriele
Ferzetti) are traveling through the European countryside to look for their friend Anna (Lea Massari). Lost, they stop at a church,
boasting large columns and archways, which towers over them and the town below, to ask for directions. The church is empty, which
prompts the question to Sandro: “I wonder why they built it at all.” This dialogue informs the positioning of the elements present
because it seems the church was framed to look as powerful as possible against the small characters and town, only to give the
travelers no answers. The other surroundings are desolate, gritty, and the plants in the foreground and the small garden seem to be
dead or dying. The town in the valley, enclosed by mountains, turns out to be a cemetery, reinforcing this idea.

5. Giulia (Dominique Blanchar) looks worriedly aside and
appears much shorter than Claudia (Monica Vitti) in frame,
emphasizing Giulia’s lack of confidence and insecurity
when juxtaposed with Claudia’s seemingly tall stature.
Sean Gallagher

6. This frame from L'avventura (1960), with its layered composition and long shot framing, creates a
voyeuristic feel as the audience watches Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti) and Claudia (Monica Vitti)
rendezvous. The framing of the shot from the dark alleyway sets up tension in the scene, creating a
sense of unease in the audience. Having the characters small in the frame also places the audience
outside of the situation, forcing them to think about what's happing between Sandro and Claudia.
 - Danet Grabbe

7. These final tantalizing shots in L’avventura (1960)
leave the audience wishing for more as the film
comes to an unresolved and confusing ending that
plays perfectly into the open-ended and unfinished
nature of the film. Like the rest of the film, the ease
with which the characters stopped searching for Anna
in what is assumed to be the main plotline, the
ending just stops with no final answer for any of our
characters. The placement of Claudia’s (Monica Vitti)
hand on the back of Sandro’s (Gabriele Ferzetti) head
reflects a feeling of forgiveness, or a sense of pity
toward Sandro as seen in the close-up of the hand on
his head in the bottom image. The close-up shows
significance in the meaning behind the hand
placement instead of it appearing as a useless
gesture. The vast open landscape shown in the top
image is a representation of the open ending that the
film faces. The characters stare out into the mountains
without saying anything; but they are placed so close
together that it seems they are unable to resist their
pull to each other. They are weak to their own
passions and wants for each other despite what has
happened between them.
-Breanna Grim

8. In Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’avventura (1960) we find Claudia
(Monica Vitti) encompassed by the expanse of her lonely
environment; an island unto herself, she offers only cries of
confusion and pain into the void.
-Matthew Johnson

10. Although Monica Vitti is relatively still throughout this scene from L‘avventura,
she uses her eyes as a window to Claudia's emotions. The audience can see
she is having character thoughts without showing it directly. Vitti is natural with
her technique here and creates a three-dimensional character. She appears to
be using The Method, using her personal experiences to create a realistic
performance. The scene could be played without dialogue, and the audience
would still be able to feel her distress, which makes for brilliant acting.
-Cheyenne Puga
L’avventura
(1960)

11. T h e f r a m i n g i n t h i s s t i l l
f r o m L ‘ a v v e n t u r a ( 1 9 6 0 )
b u i l d s s u s p e n s e i n t h e m i n d
o f t h e a u d i e n c e b y
e m p h a s i z i n g t h a t w h i c h i s
o f f f r a m e .
T h e d e p t h o f p e r s p e c t i v e i n
w h i c h C l a u d i a ( M o n i c a V i t t i )
i s c a p t u r e d a d d s b o t h
c o n t e x t a n d w e i g h t t o h e r
v a n t a g e p o i n t i n w i t n e s s i n g
w h a t i s t a k i n g p l a c e o n t h e
s t r e e t b e l o w .
T h e f r a m e i s e f f e c t i v e l y
d i v i d e d i n h a l f b y t h e
l o o m i n g i n t e r i o r w a l l l e f t
o f f r a m e , w h i c h i s b o t h d a r k
a n d h e a v i l y t e x t u r e d . T h i s
m i s e - e n - s c e n e a c t s t o b o t h
“ b l o c k ” o u r v i e w o f w h a t
C l a u d i a i s w i t n e s s i n g , a n d
t o p u s h t h e f o c u s o f t h e
f r a m e f u r t h e r t o t h e r i g h t .
H e r e , t h e c o n v e n i n g w a l l s o f
t h e b a l c o n y a c t a s l e a d i n g
l i n e s t h a t h i g h l i g h t
C l a u d i a ' s p o s i t i o n i n g a t
t h e i r a p e x .
L’avventura (1960)
A u s t i n G r e y

12. The lighting of the rooms compared to the brighter outside, where
Claudia is, can also signify the film's focus more on Claudia despite
the audience following Anna at the beginning. Ethan Schneier
L’avventura
(1960) This frame
foreshadows the
entire plot of the
love triangle/love
affair that Sandro
(Gabriele Ferzetti)
has with Claudia
(Monica Vitti) while
also highlighting
how Claudia feels
distant, figuratively and literally, with the mise-en-scene, from Sandro,
as he may favor Anna (Lea Massari) over her throughout the film.

13. Here in a medium shot from Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventura (1960), we see our flawed protagonist
Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti) placed in the middle of the frame while the shadowy outline of Claudia (Monica
Vitti) is cast behind him. With this use of high-key lighting from directly behind the camera, Claudia's
silhouette is what really grabs the audience's eye (both on the wall and in the mirror). Even the particular
placement of Claudia's outstretched hand can be interpreted as acting as her invitation to Sandro to be
with her and be happy, but always out of reach. Almost like a temptation that cannot be enjoyed yet, as
long as their overall mission to find Anna (Lea Massari) looms over them. Also, Sandro's uninterested
reaction to Claudia's gesture can be seen as foreshadowing events that occur later on in the film, revealing
Sandro's true nature. – Anthony Wilson

14. In this shot from L’avventura (1960), the viewer is able to forgive the unusual narrative style in favor of
the pure filmic talent presented. With Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti) and the horizon sitting on the horizontal
lines in the rule of thirds, and Anna (Lea Massari) on the right vertical line, the audience is treated to a
beautifully composed shot. While the reclining positions and airy clothing suggest an innocuous
weekend getaway, the facial features and slight tension in the bodies of Ferzetti and Massari paired with
the formulaic positioning relay the proverbial calm before the storm depicted in this shot.
-K. M. Wise

15. Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection
 Disc Features
 New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
 Audio commentary featuring film historian Gene Youngblood
 Olivier Assayas on “L’avventura,” an analysis of the film in three parts
 Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials, a fifty-eight-minute documentary by Gianfranco
Mingozzi from 1966
 Writings by director Michelangelo Antonioni, read by actor Jack Nicholson, plus Nicholson’s
personal recollections of the director
 Trailer
 New English subtitle translation
 PLUS: An essay by critic Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Antonioni’s statements about the film after its
1960 Cannes Film Festival premiere, and an open letter distributed at the festival
 New cover by Lucien S. Y. Yang
 For more information about this product, please visit: https://www.criterion.com/films/209-
l-avventura