Zabriskie Point

A foray into the Barbican Centre in London today was rewarded with a screening of Michelangelo Antonioni's rarely seen 'Zabriskie Point'. Before I delve into the film, I'd like to mention the Barbican- what an odd place. It seems like a place I would have been to before, I recognised the name n'all- but it was such a surprise to look upon this insular space, centred around a large lake-ish thing complete with stylish water features and fountains. The Barbican hosts flats, schools, a church (!) and of course the arts centre it self. What is perhaps most surprising is that it's almost a ghost town.
Anyway onto Zabriskie. I've been studying Antonioni recently so was relatively up to speed with his work. L' Avventura I found quite tedious and repetitive, Blow Up was stylish and worthwhile for showing 60's London and The Passenger was the strongest of the three for me, with an excellent performance from Jack Nicholson, an engaging premise of stolen identities and good use of location and camera shots. Antonioni is well known for drawing attention to the camera to remind the audience of it's presence, and his dissection of the modern life. Although seemingly mundane on the surface, looking closer at his films shows revealing aspects of the characters personality and feelings through subtle nuances. This is perhaps why I need a second viewing of L'Avventura.
Zabriskie Point seems distinctly odd compared to L'Avventura. Whereas the earlier film seems measured, limited in it's focus on the miscommunication of bourgois couples and muted in colour and tone, Zabriskie is a hippyish, highly experimental film that I enjoyed a lot. Starting off with an almost documentary style debate in an American uni, the film rails against capitalism and the authorities of that period. It is a film of it's time most certainly. Following two lovers as they encounter police brutality, riots and then continue onto a trek across the desert, Zabriskie features much more 'action' than a film like L'Avventura. The film features some startling sequences such as a plane soaring over the desert landscape, an orgy on rocky slopes and the explosion of a hilltop base repeated over and over to great effect. Antonioni uses music to propel the film along, with the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and John Fahey contributing to the soundtrack. Even if you don't understand or agree with the politics and ideologies on show then the spectacle is certainly enough.