Red Desert (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Considering the simple, largely absent storyline and plot, the fact that I'm still thinking about this 3 months later shows the power of the visual and colorful scenery and camerawork. I think the straightforward story actually makes it easier to enjoy the imagery and the Italian soundtrack with subtitling doesn't get in the way at all.I also enjoyed the extras. It's nice to get a view into this period in Italy, with the encroachment of the industrial world, "modern" shipping and manufacturing, and the push-pull of these rapid changes going on in the old country. It is not surprising Antonioni was able to snag Richard Harris and the rest of the well-cast picture.This movie definitely isn't for everyone. If you don't enjoy the visuals for their own sake then you might not be aware that a movie is even taking place. A lot of people would find the entire thing to be background noise, I think.

In the director commentary of the movie 'Point Blank,' John Boorman mentions being a fan of 'Red Desert,' and says it was fresh in his mind as he made his movie. Well, I'd never heard of it, but that was good enough incitement for me to order it, and I'm glad I did. If you're fascinated with Boorman's precise use of color in 'Point Blank,' watch 'Red Desert' to see a similar meticulous verve employed in this brooding look at an outwardly normal woman struggling to maintain a middle-class social life, while mental illness and self-imposed isolation threaten to strangle her relationships with those who love her.

My favorite Antonioni movie. Industrial Italy beautiful. Vitti nervous and miserable as ever.

The Red Desert is hard going for anyone too used to modern American film traditions. But it is eerily good in its way, and Monica Viti is amazing. I strongly recommend hearing the commentary track from the articulate, knowledgeable scholar that is included in the package..

Excellent product, thanks!

If you can hang with Antonioni's pace, you'll enjoy this bleak look at the effects of industrialization.This was a Korean product but it didn't matter as English subtitles were provided.

Really interesting movie holding its appeal even after all this years. Though it is a movie for cinematography crowd.

After L'aaventura one of Antonioni's best. The color photography is brilliant. One of the best colorist films ever produced then or now.

Antonioni, love him or hate him, I mean Blow Up (read the short story - the devil's dribble) was special but becuse it had swinging London in it - the feeling that an episode of the Avengers is round the corner - then the Passenger and then I thought the red dessert. I mean desert but one felt like sending it back. It has soom wierd scenes in it. Monica Vitti looks on the verge of something throughout, but one is not sure what. Harris looks puzzled by everything, maybe by the fact that when he talks Italian comes out, and let's face it, he is a brute of a man, uterly out of place as a company director type. There is a strip tease artist in it, famous and at one point things become oddly fruity and yet it all tails off. A comment on Italian Industry. Not really Blow Up territory.

Antonionis first venture in colour. A magnificent film about contemporary alienation. Criterions has done a tremendous job. It has a reddish quality to it (not found in the otherwise highly reccomendable - region B - BFI edition). It's almost like seeing the film for the first time. And the supplements include Antonionis first two Short films Gente di Po and N.U.It's locked to region A.

Following the success of 'L'avventura', 'La notte', and 'L'eclisse', Antonioni follows up with another study of modern isolation starring his muse Monica Vitti. And, this time, it's in colour.

The best representation of alienation and depression I've seen on film.

Antonioni è il solito maestro della fotografia e della recitazione, tempi giusti e pause studiate. La Vitti ha una vita un po' drammatica, finisce vittima di un esaurimento e cerca di ricostruirsi un'identità. Sapientemente guidata da Antonioni, un'interprete eccezionale. Il dramma del non-detto e l'afasia ricorrente dell'attrice potrebbero esplodere nei confini di un qualcosa di più tragico. Ma tutto procede secondo i tempi stabiliti.