Red Desert (1964)

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Stars: Monica Vitti, Richard Harris, Carlo Chionetti
Runtime: 117 minutes

Synopsis: In an industrial area, Giuliana, an unstable woman, attempts to cope with life by starting an affair with a co-worker at the plant her husband manages.

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Costumes/Makeup: 8/10
Editing: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10

Verdict: Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Monica Vitti in the last contribution between the two, "Red Desert" also acts as the very first color film of the legendary Italian filmmaker.

In it, Vitti plays Giuliana, a troubled woman who develops a relationship with her husband's co-worker Corrado, played by the great Richard Harris.

Technically, the movie has all the ingredients of a destined classic. From incredibly layered acting to three-dimensional characters and dialogue, the film reminded me at times of a mix between Coppola's "Lost in Translation" and Linklater's "Before" trilogy. "Red Desert" also does a wonderful job at presenting the film's themes of industrialism and mental illness, both of which felt like passive characters observing the unfolding narrative.

Having said that, I'd be lying if I didn't mention that I did look at my watch a couple of time despite everything, script and editing included, being masterfully handled. At almost two hours, the film did start to drag at a certain point and I started to slowly lose interest with what was going on.

I don't really know what my issues with "Red Desert" were. It's a perfectly made film that just didn't grab me as much as I was expecting it to and one I won't be running to watch a second time, even though a part of me is certain that another watch would enhance my experience. It's impossible to me, however, not to recommend it to pretty much anyone who enjoyed Coppola and Linklater's aforementioned movies.   

FINAL GRADE: 7.5/10