Michelangelo Antonioni, R.I.P.

[tandfman]

He died the same day as Ingmar Bergman. They were two of the greatest of their generation.

[midnightsun]

He was born here, Ferrara.

[Per Andersen]

A great one. My favorites are "il Deserto Rosso" Red Desert and La Notte.
Blow-up was very impressive when it was first released but I don't think it stands up today.
He was the last to die of my top three Italian film makers : Fellini, De Sica and Antonioni.

[gh]

I think Blowup (college soph as I recall) was the first time I had ever seen pubic hair on the screen. It was certainly out there as a flic for its time.

[kuha]

I wrote a paper on Blow-Up in college. It was being screened at my school over a long weekend and I saw it something like 8 times in a few days. Got to know it VERY well! My favorite bit all these years later is the band scene featuring the Yardbirds when both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page were in the group.

[SQUACKEE]

I wrote a paper on Blow-Up in college. It was being screened at my school over a long weekend and I saw it something like 8 times in a few days. Got to know it VERY well! My favorite bit all these years later is the band scene featuring the Yardbirds when both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page were in the group.

Jeff couldnt believe they didnt get Jimi to smash the guitar. If you look closely Jeff changes from his good guitar to a crapping one just before demolition.

[Per Andersen]

I think Blowup (college soph as I recall) was the first time I had ever seen pubic hair on the screen. It was certainly out there as a flic for its time.

In 1953 Bergman's "Sommaren med Monika" (Summer with Monika) was released. We all went crazy over that movie. The fabulous Harriet Andersson in the nude, both on land and in the water. Unfortunately I was only 12 and you had to be 16 to see it but older kids I knew were ecstatic. Saw it later and it was still great. Bergman definitely had his lighter side as in "Sommarnattens leende"
(Smiles of the Summer night) The english translation sounds lame because Nordic summer nights are unique + "leende"= a cross between smile and laughter.

[dr ngo]

And also . . .

Smiles of a Summer Night may be better known to American fans of musical theatre as the basis for Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. One of the best shows EVAH!!

[mike renfro]

Down here in San Diego, news arrives slowly. We got the obits of Bergman and Walsh the day after. I didn't find out about Anfonioni until today's Sunday arts section. I only saw a couple of his films. L'Avventura whilst in college (or the Army, memory is fuzzy), Blow Up (in college, saw it again on DVD, ain't got legs) and Zabriskie Point (not a favorite). I missed The Passenger, will rectify just for the Barcelona shots.

[Friar]

During the 'Summer of Love' Kenmore Sq. in Boston had In the heat of the Night, The Graduate, Blow Up playing at the same time. Blow Up I think was rated "X" and still in grade school, I didn't try to get in. I did take a shot at "Graduate" though.

[tandfman]

An appreciation of Antonioni's work, written by Martin Scorsese, appears in today's New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/movie ... ref=slogin