Review of Red Desert (1964) by Tony O — 09 Sep 2011
I love watching established directors first use of color. Giuliana (Monica Vitti) strolls lost and vulnerable through drab and dreary factory landscapes punctuated by color. Antonioni calls attention to this manipulation on more than one occasion; a fruit stand painted grey (complete with grey apples) to match the foggy streets, the walls and ceilings of a lover's bedroom shift between cuts from off-white to a vibrant purple, finally settling post coitus on a dull pink (the furniture suddenly shares the hue), and an unfinished paint job leads to a discussion of color - Giuliana fears her choice of color might clash with what she's trying to sell in her new shop, then exclaims she doesn't know what she wants to sell.
Antonioni seems to share this fear as it is rumored he painted entire fields for the shoot, but that incredible control over the visual palate indicates he knew exactly what he was selling.
This review of Red Desert (1964) was written by Tony O on 09 Sep 2011.
Red Desert has generally received very positive reviews.
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