Zabriskie
Point (1970)
Director
- Michaelangelo Antonioni
Writers - Michaelangelo Antonioni, Franco Rossetti
Sam Shepherd, Tonino Guerra, Clare Peploe
Starring - Mark Frechette, Daria Halprin, Paul Fix, G.D.Spradlin,
Bill Garaway, Kathleen Cleaver, Rod Taylor, Harrison Ford
– Airport worker
Review by Noel Baily
Thirty
two years has put in place a focus the film never had in 1970
At the time of its release, ZABRISKE POINT caused great division
in film-going circles. A "wannabe classic but artless
piece of empty canvas" was the view of the establishment,
most critics included. To the alternative movement...a "revelation
of everything that is wrong in the world today (1970)"
Poor
old Mark Frechette and Daria Halpin as the star crossed lovers
- definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time (weren't
they EVERY wronged and downtrodden teenager of the period???)
copped most of the flack, totally unreasonably. They were
SUPPOSED to be Mr and Miss typical troubled youth, not Rhett
Butler and Scarlett O'Hara on a bender! This was an image-driven
film and many flag waving americans were incensed that Italy's
outre director Antonioni was given free rein to portray the
angst of American youth.
Cinematically,
the film was awesome. In London at the time, I saw it on its
release and thought that from an objective viewpoint it was
quite brilliant (admittedly, I was only 24 myself). Many have
commented on its alleged self-indulgence. Yeah, well it WAS
Antonioni's film - surely he was free to express his art-form
in whatever way he saw fit at the time? The desert scenes
have not been topped by any film since.
ZABRISKIE
POINT may be shy of "masterpiece" status (mind you,
who amongst is solely qualified to make THAT call?) but it
is probably now, THE defining film of 70's culture. A time
when acid trips, communal living, even just plain old fashioned
"love" were not that easy a choice to live with!
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