LA NOTTE (Criterion, 1961) D: Michelangelo Antonioni, w/ Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau. Rating: NNNNN DVD package: NNNNN Rating: NNNNN
The oppressive imagery of glass and concrete tells La Notte’s story of an alienated married couple better than the deliberately muted acting and minimal plot.
Middle-class Milanese couple Giovanni and Lidia (Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau) go through a day: a hospital visit, a book launch, a long walk, a nightclub and a lavish party. They say little until the final eruption, but we understand their characters very well.
In the extras, critic Adriano Aprà and historian Carlo di Carlo detail director Michelangelo Antonioni’s methods and meanings. In another interview, visual and environmental studies professor Giuliana Bruno uncovers layers of meaning in La Notte’s striking use of architecture.
EXTRAS Three analytical interviews, two print essays. Italian audio. English subtitles.
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