THREE BY ANTONIONI
September 5 - 16
Michelangelo Antonioni (1912-2007), the consummate modernist who converted the language of cinema into contemporary forms, was hailed on his death last July as "the most modern and controversial artist of his generation." Antonioni began as a critic, collaborated on scripts with the neo-realists, and directed his first feature in 1950. With the release of the much-maligned L'AVVENTURA in 1960, arguably the most debated film of all time, he became regarded as one of the most influential directors in the world. Antonioni made three English language films, beginning with the decade-defining BLOW-UP which critics laud as his stylistic and tonal apogee. The firmly anti-establishment ZABRISIKIE POINT divided viewers with its shifts in mood and complexity, while the hauntingly intriguing THE PASSENGER holds up strongly decades later and was recently re-released to great acclaim. In honor of his tremendous body of work, the AFI is proud to present these three English language works of the acclaimed Italian master.
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AFI Member passes will be accepted at all screenings in the Three by Antonioni Series.
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 BLOW-UP
BLOW-UP brought the art film to the masses, broke the nudity barrier, captured the Mod look of '60s "Swinging London," and influenced both major studio movies and independent cinema for years to come. The Italian master's first foray into English language film accomplishes the sublime irony of being both a pop-culture classic and a subtly pointed indictment of youth's fecklessness. David Hemmings as BLOW-UP's jaded fashion photographer became a '60s icon, but never found another role to match. Famously loved, hated and debated (critic Pauline Kael was among its illustrious detractors), the film undeniably retains its power to provoke, challenge and inspire.
DIR/SCR Michelangelo Antonioni; SCR Tonino Guerra, with English dialogue by Edward Bond; PROD Carlo Ponti. UK/Italy, 1966, color, 111 min. NOT RATED
Friday, September 5, 9:30*; Saturday, September 6, 2:30, 9:30; Sunday,
September 7, 8:30, 12:40; Monday, September 8, 9:10; Wednesday, September 10, 9:10
*Opening night BLOW-UP party!
Kick off the Antonioni series in 60s mod style with AFI and BrightestYoungThings
Featuring DJs, dancing and special BLOW-UP themed photo shoots!
Friday, Sept 5
Film 9:30; after-party 11:00
Tickets on sale now!
 ZABRISKIE POINT
Eager to capitalize on the booming counterculture youth market, MGM poured $7 million into the film--an extravagant figure for that time and nearly five times what Antonioni spent to make BLOW-UP. Scored to the music of Pink Floyd and Jerry Garcia, a handsome rebel and a young woman embark on a strange journey amid the stark and beautiful imagery of Death Valley.
DIR/SCR Michelangelo Antonioni; SCR Fred Gardner, Sam Shepard, Tonino Guerra, Clare Peploe; PROD Carlo Ponti. US, 1970, color, 110 min. NOT RATED
Friday, September 12, 9:30; Saturday, September 13, 9:00; Sunday, September 14, 9:30
 THE PASSENGER
Shot in a dazzling variety of locations including Algeria, Germany, Britain, and Spain, Jack Nicholson is TV reporter David Locke who, while covering a civil war in Africa, embarks on a new life. Switching identities with a chatty stranger he finds dead in his hotel, Nicholson goes as far as keeping the appointments of the dead man until he discovers the man was involved in some less than reputable dealings on the black market. Along the way he begins an affair with a mysterious student, played to cryptic perfection by Maria Schneider. The meticulously shot film climaxes in one of the most talked-about shots of the decade, a seven minute single take slow zoom--a deft combination of technical proficiency and emotional unease.
DIR/SCR Michelangelo Antonioni; SCR Mark Peploe, Peter Wollen; PROD Carlo Ponti. Italy/Spain/France, 1975, color, 126 min. RATED PG-13
Saturday, September 13, 4:30; Sunday, September 14, 7:00; Monday, September 15, 7:00; Tuesday, September 16, 9:00
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