La Notte Details

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tense and unnerving!

With two giants of the film world, Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau in the main roles and featuring an appearance from Antonioni's muse, Monica Vitti, this is essentially (like many of Antonioni's other films) a character study and a display of powerful acting skills.

A man and wife visit a dying friend, attend social gatherings, revisit their past and are tempted to cheat on each other. The eventual death of the friend brings about a very tense and emotional conversation regarding the breaking down of their marriage as she confesses she no longer loves him.

As with every other eureka/masters of cinema release i have seen, this is beautifully presented and is a top quality print. highly recommended.

Stylish but empty

Milan, early 60s. A couple visit a friend in hospital then go to an all-night party. During the course of the night they discover truths about each other and their relationship.

This is pure arthouse. If you enjoy spending two hours watching beautiful people agonising over not very much then it's a film for you. If you want a gripping plot then you should go elsewhere. The chief interest is in the look of the film. It was made at a time when Italian design lead the world and it looks ravishing in widescreen black and white. There are several memorable cinematic images and the leads are iconic.

I didn't fall in love with the film, but I do intend watching it again before I send it back, so it must have some pull.