Review of L'Eclisse (1962) by Augustine H — 24 Oct 2015

L'Eclisse features several of Antonioni's signature themes and stylistic flourishes (the inability to communicate, arbitrary relationships, constant framing representing the boundaries of reality and the limited nature of perception, existential despair), but re-contextualizes them with what seems to be a first in his filmography: legitimate human emotion.

In most of Antonioni's films, plot is largely meaningless, a means of moving the characters through various existential problems and communicating bleak truths through visually poetic shots, but in L'Eclisse the plot serves to underscore the themes it focuses on. The passionate central romance feels honest and endearing in way that most interactions in his work feel intentionally empty, and rightfully so given the fact that it's meant to focus on the nature of love, something that has to be felt to be understood. Sure, Antonioni makes it obvious that their love is never going to last, time's destructive presence destined to destroy whatever beauty exists and replace it with empty routine, but the brief glimpse of passion makes this message all the more impactful as the audience gets a sense of what is ultimately at stake.

As per usual, disconnect and identity are also extremely prevalent, human life meaning little in cold existence (to the point that stock-market gambling is a central focus, a succinct metaphor for life's cheap thrills tied to an ultimately arbitrarily cyclical institution of invented nothing), the central character rarely talking honestly with her mother, wandering aimlessly around the city looking for purpose. Everyone she comes in contact is trapped by some sort of barrier, be it race (a shocking scene involving blackface initially disgusts until a later scene forces Vittoria to acknowledge the ingrained ignorance and prejudices of the bourgeoisie through contact with the people she debases) or time (the characters fear the past and glamorize the undefined promise of the future, these perceptions effecting their view of the present), but the constant presence of nature offers a glimmer of hope even if it does always seem to be just out of reach.

The breathtaking final minutes provide an efficient and genuinely affecting coda that throws everything into question, exemplifying the existential depression the characters suffer with and acknowledging the unstable nature of their present situations through a reference to the lingering threat of nuclear war. Vittoria's love is beautiful, but it will fall into the same patterns of her former relationship, destined to fail; with this, Antonioni presents a void that society must fill in order to be whole again. Given the brief glimpse of love he allows the audience, he seems to make the case that this could very well be possible.