The Architecture of Vision: Writings and Interviews on Cinema

423 Pages·2007·5.12 MB·English

by  Michelangelo Antonioni

T H f
ARCHITfCTURf
OfV ISIOn
W R I T I N G S &
INTE R VIEWS O N
C I N E M A
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nnTontont
CONTENTS
Prefatcote h eA mericeadni tiboyMn a rgaC ottino-]onVeIsI
Prefatcote h ef tresdti tiboyCn a rldoiC arlo X
TheG azea ndt heS torbyyG iorgTiion azzi XIII
MY CINEMA
My Experience 5
MakinagF ilims M y Wayo fL ife 14
Actoransd P aradoxes 18
A Talkw itAhn tonioonnH ii sW ork 21
Reflectoinot nhseF ilAmc tor 48
TheE venatn dt heI mage 51
RealiatnydC inemVae rite 54
PrefatcoSe i x Films 57
MY FILMS
AttemptSueidc iSduei:c iidnet sh eC ity
TheG ir(frienLdosy: alttoPy a vese
L' avevnturTah:e A dventuorfeL s'a vventura
RedD eserMty: D esert
TheW hitFeo rest
Blowu pI:t w asb orinn L ondobnu,t i ti sn ot
anE nglifislhm 89
ZabriPsokiineWt h:a tT hisL andS aytso m e 92
A Convesratiaobno uZta briPsokiinet 94
ChunKgu oG.i naI:si ts tiplols sitbolfi el ma d ocumnetaryI?0 7
China athnedC hinese I 4I
TheP assenTghee"r. P aesnsgetrh"a yto ud idns'ete I2 0
Antonioonnti h eS even-MinSuhtoet I 52
TheM ysterOyb eofr waAlldm:o satc onfession 1 72
INTERVIEWS
A Convesratiwoint Mhi chelangAenltoo nioni 133
An IntervwiietwMh i chelangAnetloon ioni 141
ApropoosfE roticism 148
IAm Tireodf TodayC'isn ema !68
TheW orlIds o utsitdheeW indow 173
Myselafn dC inemMay,s elafn dW omen 185
TheH istoorfyC i nemIas M adeo nF ilms 193
ProfeosnAs giainst 217
TenQy estions 226
Conversation 230
Identificoafta iF oinl mmaker 245
INTERVIEWSO N FILMS
Stoorfya L ovAeffa ir
TheVa nquished
L' avventura
Lan otte
TheE clipse
RedD esert 283
TheN ightth,eE cliptsheeD, a wn 287
TheA mericDaens ert 298
ZabriPsokiinet 304
TheA mericaEnx perinece 313
A ConstaRnetn ewal 319
TalkinofgM ichelangelo 326
AntoniioD niscussTehseP assenger 333
An iDne-pthS earch 344
TheD irectaonrdT echnology 352
A FilmB aseodn C onflict 356
Idetnifaitcioonfa Woman 361
My Method 365
Interview 381
L1bouttheL1uthor 389
Filmography 391
SelecBtiebdl iography 393
Index 397
PREAFCET OT HEA MERICAN EDITION
byM argCao tot-i}nones
Int hSep rionfI9g 9 5 ,M ichelaAnngteolnowi aopsnr ie sewnittoehnd e t ohfe
moscto veptreidz aem so tipoinc tduirree ccatenovr e rre cetihvheeo :n orary
Oscfaorar l eitficmoem mitmteocn itn eTmhai.rs e cognhiathsii ognh lighted
Antonsiu onqniuiec' ontritbout thwieoo rnol fdc ineamnad choansf irmed his
reputaasta inao rnt wihsotm ,t hiweno rdRso land B"atrotuuhtneees ,c ollectiv­
itse'c acorpdoeur re ncnoiatraed,imr eari,m er."
Antoniporneoisf'ssi coanraehlea rbs e ecnh atrearcibzyea fd i rcmo nviction
thafti lmmahkaitdno bg ec onsltyra enntewebdo,ts hui bnj meacttta enrtd e ch­
niquienos r,d feorcr i netmoka e euppw itthh ceh anagneidsnn ovattiaoknisn g
plaicnte h ree waol rlAd d.i recrtooliresc' osm partaoab w lrei twehro'c so,m ­
munichaitvsei se owfst hweo rldh irtseo a dtehrrso wuoghr dAsn.t onhiaonsi
admitsteevdet riamlte hsah tii ssa w orolfdi magneosot,fw ordasn,td h aitit s
throiumgah gtehsah tec ommuantihecisis d eaansfd ee litnogh sia su dieAntc e.
thsea mtei mheeh, a osf tuesne hdip se ann hdi vso itcose p eoafhk i fsi lhmiss,
interheicssht osi,hc ievssi ,e ownsc inema.
Thicso llewcatsi otpn1u rbsltii snIh teadl iinI9a 9n4a st hfei rst ovfo lau me
larsgeerrti oeb sei ssuuenddt ehra ee goifCs i nceitIrnat ernaatsti hooenff a­l
sprionftg hF er necehd itporroijaielnsc ixvt o luamlerse ianpd uyb loinc*T.a htei
writpirnegsse ntmeods htwe horifech ,ha v bee etnr anslated fiortn hteo English
firtsitmb er,i tnotg h Een glish-srpeeaadkeiarnv sgeh rpiyrp e citoeusst iomfo ny
1 SeCea rldoi C arlPor'esf taoct eh per esveonltu fmorem ore deitnaofirlmeadtT ihoen .
secovnodl uomeft hIet alsiearnih eabsse epnu blisatht ehdee ndo f1 99b5y M arsilio
Editwoirtith,h tei tI.fil le mne c!a ss[ettFoi limnts h der awearn]d contAanitnoinnisgo ni'
scriapntdss u bjectfsor v tahrairtoe,ua ss onsn,ewvemerared ien tfoi lms.
Vlll\ TilE ARCHITECET UORFV ISION
Antoniocnoim'psla enxdm ultifvoiremow f h iwso rkasn do ft hew orltdh aits
behitnhd emT.h ee ssahyasv bee egnr oupiendf oupra rttsh:ef irtswto ",M y
Cine"ma and" MyF ilmcso,n"s oifsA tn tonioonwinw' rsi tiTnhgeso .t hetrwo ,
"nItervioenwC si nemaan"d" IenrtvieownsF ilmcso,n"t atihnet exotfss everal
ofh iisn etrviewwisti hm portIatnatl ainadFn r nechj ournaalnidcs rtist ics.
CarldoiC arlop'rse ftaoct eh Iet alian eexdpiltahiioonwnts h ei deoaft hceo l­
lectioena bcoaumatn,dh owi ti sc onnecwtietdoh t heirin tivaetsti akebnyt he
filcmo mmunittocy e lebArnattoen isow noir'ka ndm akei tb ettkenro wtno h is
viewearnsdt her eadipnugbi lcG.i orgTiionz azii'nst rodu"cTthieGo anz,ea nd
theS torpyr,e"p arreeasd feorwrsh atth ewyi lfli nidnt hivso lumbeyi ntroduc­
intgh em aitno piAcnst onidoinusisc siesnh iwsr itianngdis n etrviews.
This matgeirvireaesla dtehrosep portyut nosi etpea sste veorfat lh mei scon­
ceptiaobnosuA tn toniaonndhi i wso rtkh ahta ve been maitnhtpear iensesd. by
Ita lsoof fearb se ttuenrd erstaonfdh iiensx gt raordpienrasroyn aasla id tiyr ec­
toarn da h umabne inagn,da b etter apporfeh ciicsar tiitoinc al sahnadr pness
hiisns atiacbulrei ofsoirnt eyw p ersonalp roafneds seixopnearli eMnacneys .
readeorfAs n toniownrii'tsih navge b eeanm azetdof insdu cahn i mportant
direcstouo nrp retenttoiwoauhrsid msealnfdh iasc hievesm,ae nndat tt hsea me
timseo g eenrouisne valuatthiewno gr kosfo thedri recotros rors e stnreadii n
commnetinugp ont heo ften uvnifeawoisfhr i csr itics.
Antonihoansoi f tebne eanc cusoef"d c oldnoeros fs" "t echni.c"Sae lviesrmal
ofh ise ssacyhsa lletnhgeve a lidoifts yu cha ccuisoantsIn. thwersiet ings
J\ntOildlOinSlC hUlSdS hS!leCLa snh' pt dfesSalfn0T!o1tiV<1:tf01y1nSq.crortflrd"atCSiYL­
ingw ithhi csh aracotref rosrc, h oosicnegr tatienc hnitqhuaeptsu rpofuslley
drwa attenttoit ohne mselFvoeres x.a mpilneT ,h eV aqnuiesdha,n e arlfyi lm in
whichhe i nvestitghaeit sesduo efc rimaem onygo utthh,e d irecttooorak
stropnrgo fesssitoannadl agsayimnpsatt hiwziitnchgh aracitvneorlsdv weith
crimteh,u ssh owihnigse thiocpaplo sittoiv oinon lcee".Ia bsoludtiednl oyt
wanmty h eroteosb el ikabhleee ,x"p la"iInitsss . oe asyt om akea ni ndividual
witahg uni n hhiasn ldi ka.b.lTe.h .ed etachmtehnaItta mb einagc cusoefd
wasa imeadta voiditnhgep ossibtihlaittth eys tocroyu lidn fluenthcepe u blic
eveinn a ni nvolunnteagraitlwiyav ye.."
SimliarAlny,t oniopneir'sso enxapll anaftoirho inusss eo ft echniinncoavla ­
tiosnhso wt hree ansionbge hihnidrs e peautseoedf t hes pectieaclh nioqftu hee
"lontga kien"S toorfayL ovAejf ai�rae asontihnargte vehaildsse termtiinoan
toi nnvoatoen t raditciionneam"laI w: a s ablfer emety os eflrfo imt [ traditional
cine'mosa ldm ethobdy]w ,a yo fa v erlyo ncgr anmeo vementth afto llowtehde
PREFAC/E ix
charaucntteIirf llestt h nee etdos toHpi.cs"o mpluesoxef c oliosmr a dcel ear
byw hahtes ayisnh iisne trviweiwtJ he aLnu-cG odaarbdo RuetDd e sewrhte,r e
heu sed fcorot lhoferi rtsitmA es.h ee xplianit nhisen terAvniteown,si aown i
colaosarv eriym portteacnhtn tihqaoutpe e nuepcd o mplenteewpl oys sibilities
inf ilmmaeksipnegc,ii nra elllaytt oic ohna raacntdde ira lo"gLueets:a' tysh at
the[yt hpeaa sgseosfd ilaoguhea]vb ee erne dutcoet dhb ea rmei nimaunmid,n
thasten tsheea yr e litnhkuees doe fc t oolF oorer.x ampltehs,ec ieinnnt e h heu t
wherteh eayrt ea lkaibnogu t drugs aInc do uslntdoinut'ms rtue el Idan.nb tlsa,c k
anwdh iittwe o ulnde vhearv weo rkTehde.r epdu ttshv ei ewienrta so t aotfe
mintdh aatl lohwism atcoc esputcd hi aloIgttu'hesre. i gchotl foorrt hceh arac­
ters-wihnto u,ra nre,en tabiylt ehcdeo lor-aalnfsdorot hvei ew"e r.
Antoniaolnsrioee valhsip sr eerfenccoensc ertnhisenu gb jmeacttteo rf his
filamnshd,i osw n yeafrornw ihnaigtdss i ffearnendne twi nt hweo rlHdeo. f ten
stretshsieem sp orctoannnte cbteitownen eanr raatnifdv ielF mo.Ar n toniiotn i,
isa lwaayq su estoiffo inn dai sntgo irnyt hree awlo rld tealndli itwn egl l,
whethienwr r itoiron ngf ilHme.h imlsifes av ergyo ofdi ctwirointh eehr a;s
nootn lwyr itmtoesnot fh issc ribputhtsa ,as l saou thosreevdes rhaoslr tto ries,
publiisnhc eoadl lectiTohnaB toc wallAillnelgode n ty h Tei bAenrt.o niiasol nsio
greaftsalcyi nbayta elndle wf ormosf t echn,oa lnoedgv yebnyt hweo rolfds ci­
encfei ct"iTohrnea. n ogfep ossibwihliictthei cehsn ogliovtgeoyas f tlmmaker
isi nfinihtese a,y""sW .ec adno a bsolwuhtaewtle yw anwti t.h. th.e nseew
techno.l.oIg.tin.'eoss at l imidteivnigjc uets;ht o ep posHiotwee.v"he era ,l so
feelhsi osw nl imitawthiefonca neswd i tthh ceh angwionrgol fdt echno"lIo gy:
reawlilsyIwh e rael repaadroytft hante w woUrnolfrdt.u enlwayet,a rneo tth ere
yeatn,fd or o lder gnesns,eu rcaahsmt iinooert haotfp eopbloerj nu st tahfet er
war, itashr aettarl a g"e dy.
Throuoguhatl olft heesses aaynsdi ntervAinetwosn,ip oenris'otsyn·h,a i lsi
thougahnthdsi b se lsic,eo fmael iivnae ne ndeaarniednn gg agwianyTg.h rough
therme adweirlbsela blteor eaacn he wl evoefal p precainardte isopnfeor tc hti s
uniq"umeao nfi mages."
Augurs9 t9 5
LoAsn geles
PREFACET O THE AILTIANE DITION
byC ardlioC arlo
The" AntoniPornoij ewcats"f irpsrte senitnMe ady I9 88a tt heXL IC annes
FilmF esvtaila sa multimepdrioaj eIctwt a.s p romotiendia tlilbyy t heE nte
AutonomGoe stioCnien emaan dl atbeyrC iencitItnt�e.r natiUonndaelmr.y
curatortshhepi rpo,j ercetc eipvaretdi fuanld infgro m theM inistorfTy ou rism
andt hePe rofrminAgr ts.
Itw as dectihdaettdh ep rojweocutl edm barukp onaj ourntehyr oughtohuet
worlmda,k intgw entsyt oposve trh es paonf f ivyee arTsh.i jso urnweoyu ltda ke
thep rojefrocmt C annetsoIvl ontrefaorlm, M ontpeltloiI esrt antborumlP ,a ris
to NeYwo rkf,ro m Romet oL osA ngeleansd,f rom GenevtaoF erraNreaw.
prinwtesr ies suoefad l olf tfhiel bmysM icheglealnAon toni(obnoith his sh ort
filmasnd fheiast urlee ngftihl misna) d,d ittioos no muen relefaisleamdns dt he
documentathraitteh sed riecthoarsp roducienrd e ceyneta rssi,n hcieis l lness.2
Twoh underda ndt wenitmya geasm,o ntgh meo ssti gniffirocma hnitfs i lwmesr,e
presenitnea d p hotograepxhhiicbt ihtao tff ereda visuraela dionfhg i s work.
Thirteseenm inwaerrspe romotuendd etrh ea uspiocfte sh ep rojeacmto;n tgh e
mossti gnifoinceawsno,tr tmhe ntionairneg o tnhete hatto opkl aactet hLe ouvre
Auditorcihuami,rb eyAd l aiRno bbe-Grainldlt ehteo, n et hatto opkl aactet he
ItalCiualnt uIrnaslt iotfuN teewY orkc,hi arebdyF uriCoo lombo.
Alongstihdere e reloefaA snet oniocniin'estm oagrapwhoirck( ivne rsiwointsh
Frencahnd E nglissuhb tistilnetcshe,ee ntiprreo jehcatsb enefiftroem dp ublic
2 Aftesrfu efrifnrgo amn i cstt uhactas uesde rsii omuepdimteonh ti s alnesdgp sce he,
Antonihoansdi e crehaisfisel dm makaicntgtiy Hv.oi wevheerj ,u scto pmletweidt,h
Germdainr eWcitmoW ren dearf si,le mn tiAtIdl Iieadd elnelu v[oBelyeo ntdhC eol uds.]
PREFAC/Ex i
fundi"nofgrt hdei ssemionlfattailcoiinan nea mbar oaadp "u)b,l ipsrhoijniegsc t
abotuobt e c omplTehteec de.n teropfti hepicrseo jiessc itax -vosleurcmiaeel sl ed
L'CEuvdreMe i chelAanntgoenl(iofo tonvfite h evsoel uhmaevsae l rebaedeyn pub­
lishtehsdei; x itsth ob ec omplient1 e9d9 w5h)i,c ahl sion cloutdhepesur b lica­
tionnosot,ft hsiesr wiheiscw,eh r perv eiouasvllayai bolneli ynF rench.
TheC enrtoS perimedniCt ianletemo agrianftR ao mes houblecd r edfiort ed
thtei mepluyb licoaftt hiteoh niv rodl uomfte h see ries-AAnltbounmiU onnei :
biograipmhpioes seidbiitbleyRed e, n zRoe nzi-dtuhrReio nmga lne ogft hper o­
jeicnDt e cemobfe1 r9 9l2ti. csl etahrat thp er ojoefrc eti ssAunitnogn iwoonrik' s
asaw holiena,s eruineisq ubea tishnie az necd o mposition,f ucnodnas­titutes a
mental conttotr hiaebn uatlaiynosddnii ss setmiioannlloa fi tass pects.
Todatyh,I et aleidaintf imoanrl elly eiatfssie rvsos lteu .maIgnr eeenwmti tthh e
publiasnhtdeh drei recotfto hrsese rwieeh sa,vm eo difiitoesvd e ralwlh ipclha n,
wiwlli lhlav ea fdefiresnetq uefonrmct eh Fer necohn e.b eWlei ienfvca ett,,h at
thfiisrv sotl udmeed,i ctaoAt netdo nioni'asnh di cfsii nlesmmhsao, u plrde cede
thoet heirnos r,d teofr i al lg ianop u cri naetmogrcauplhtiucr e.
Unlimkaen oyt hgerre aautt hMoircsh,ae nlgeAlnot onihoaansvi io,d etde lling
hisst otrhyr oughhiloseiu a,ftn d thhaesr aevboyi ddeebda taibnohgui tme sl,af nd
abotuhtse i gnifoifhc iacsni cneea mnawd o r"kW.h aIth atdo s ayh,eh" a asl ways
mainta"iIsn aeitddh, r omuygfi hl ms,I h aanvndeo h tintgoa dtdo t hese."
Besitdheaesr titchlahetesw rotaesa c ritriocm-1 f93t6o1 95w0h,e hne
madhei fsl ffaeSttu ftrlemS ,t oorfayL ovAeff air-tahnawdti bllep ubliisnh ed
thnee xvto luminet sh siesr Ainetso,n iworniit'oisnnc g isn enmuam bneorm ore
thatnh iwrrtiyt,ot veetnrh s ep aonft hirtyye-afrisv.e
Att hsea mtei mwee,h avree altihzaehtdii sn terviewosf-a ge eintehrearl
natuarned,/c oorn cerasn niignlfget lm-aalrmeo sotfg raelialmt p ortTahnecye .
aruen suspseocutreocdfie nsf ormoabtrsiveoianot,na sn,ed v eonfr arreeev lations
abohuitos w nl iafnewd o rwkh,i ccho mplaentdee n rihcibhsi ograaspm hayn
anadsa rtIincs otll.e ctthienfmgor p ublicwaeht aivoceno mteo ctohnec lusion­
that thebyec osnhsoiudledr werdi t."io"nr gasl
Ther eseatrhcaGhti orTgiinoa aznzIidh avcea rroiuehtda asl louwse­d
betoerveer iynteghl ser-etncoso itdhecero mposoiftt hivioosnl uamned, t ohfe
nexotn ei,nl igohftt h efscaet s.
Thivso luhmaets h,e orrebefe,e snu bvdiidientd h feol lowmianngn tehrfte:r st
par"tM,yC inemcao,n"t aeisnssa ys, anadrr etfilocenlcsets ci,oi nn ema, along
with steweomg ilyna nomaltoeux-st" sMyE xperiaenndc" eAT "a lk with
MichelaAnngteolnoi oHniiWs o rokn' '-wohriicghi innta wtmoee de tiwnigtsh
Xll \TilEA RCHITECTUROE F VISION
studeonftt hseC entrSo perimleedn tiCa inetmoagraBte1caa.ut sheea yr aet t he
samtei mnea rraatnivdte e stniymt,oh ehya vbee comtew oa bsoluftiemldya men­
tarle efrencfoeras n yownheo w ishteosu ndersAtnatnodn iaonndhi i csi nema.
Thed ire'cswt roirtionngh si fst lamrsge a theirnet dh see copnadr "tM,y F ilms."
Generianltv eirewasp peianrt hteh ipradr "tI,tn ervioenwt sh Cei nemwah,e"r e­
as" ItnervioenwF si lmasp"p eianrt hfeo urth.
Alolf A ntoniownrii'tsih nagvse bpeuebnl isihn[e adnt dr anslfroamt]eI dt alian
orF rnechw,i tthh eex ceptoifto hno steex wthsi cAhn toniroensie rfvorei dn itial
publicaetiitohinen r Engolarin ntd h e UnSittaetdTe hse.c ritefroric olna ssifi­
catiwoint heianc pha ritsc hronological.