A young former college student Mark (Mark Frechette), jaded with lack of any revolutionary actions, wanders with his friend from one gun shop to another, deceiving a seller that they need weapons for self-defence, with a view to initiating his own revolution. During the disturbances in which students partake, Mark is said to have slaughtered a policeman (one never sees clearly if it's true – the protagonist argues it isn't). So as to evade consequences, Mark steals a small aeroplane and escapes from Los Angeles. While he is looking at the deserted landscape from the plane, he notices a car, which is driven by Daria (Daria Halprin), an attractive hippie who is a secretary and lover of Lee Allen (Rod Taylor). Mark and Daria's relationship begins and starts to flourish
Zabriskie Point (1970) was Michelangelo Antonioni's first and sole American motion picture. One may assume that the astonishing success of Blow-Up released 4 years earlier derived from the fact that the movie, on account of an apparent thriller premise, was understandable for less orientated viewers who were deeming the plot and its afterthoughts in a superficial manner. Zabriskie Point was a financial disaster, devoid of such aspect and thus incomprehensible to an ordinary film-goer. Even more risky was spending 7 million dollars on this art-house, adjusted to American industry, with an anti-Establishment and anti-consumerism message. Additionally, Zabriskie Point was dismissed by the critics for being anti-American as well as insufficiently profound to analyse both the problems of youth and those pervading America tackled in the film. Notwithstanding, these aren't the only reasons why Zabriskie Point was one of the greatest flops of 1970s as this Antonioni's flick is heavily flawed. Apart from having sparse, scatter-brained texture, the movie has a juncture which looks like a resolution and only when one sees that the action continues, does one make out it isn't the end. Unfortunately, this isn't all. The characters played by Frechette and Halprin virtually aren't given any kind of depth, their acts aren't driven by any desires, aims or needs, thus their emotional background is very shallow. The feeling of pointlessness is ubiquitous which also might be entailed and compounded by the unconvincing acting (both actors had very little experience) which doesn't render the things better. The moments of better performances are few and far between.
Mise en scène leaves mixed impressions. There is no doubt one deals with Michelangelo Antonioni, but outbursts of cinematic beauty are quite rare and the direction seems very distant, tepid and unsatisfying. While efforts such as Blow-Up (1966), The Passenger (1975) have quasi-documentary ensembles and illusory, bizarre finales which indicate more complex exegeses and contrast with earlier exploited style, Zabriskie Point starts to be solipsistic and hallucinogenic already from the half. The action takes place in the late 60s. The beginning reminds of a documentary recounting a turmoil occurring in LA in that period of time. Utilizing fast zooms, swift movements, shaky camera-work and sharp editing, Antonioni gives it a documentary appearance. The instant a viewer beholds open and isolated spaces of Zabriskie Point, the flick gets more surrealistic and the best illustration of it is the love scene, owing to which Zabriskie Point was originally rated X at its premiere in 1970. It is a hallucinogenic vision which probably depicts the mental state of both characters and comments on sex which was considered to be a taboo subject. Antonioni deems this act as a normal deed and in this way he scoffs at all arguments against acknowledging its role in life of every human being. Antonioni exploited actors from The Open Theatre, an experimental theatre group, active from 1963 to 1973, to shoot the sequence which is absolutely ravishing as well as intense and remains one of the best moments in the film. It displays other couples kissing and making love in the desert which transforms from an isolated into a crowded place. Whereas the first part isn't that engaging, in the second one, particularly towards the end, one receives a genuinely graceful Antonioni style. Once Daria is forlorn, one obtains a great deal of beautifully crafted scenes regarding isolation and solitude which are typical for earlier Michelangelo Antonioni's movies. The finale sequence is simply phenomenal, although the music accompanying it changes too abruptly.
The cinematography by Alfio Contini is spellbinding. It miraculously captures the beauty of warm sun-baking dunes of Zabriskie Point. The lighting is terrific and it is truly bewildering in how many ways one can depict the same desolated and lifeless space. The soundtrack composed by Pink Floyd, Jerry Garcia and other musicians is tremendous and might be one of the best ones ever recorded. Every single score is simply exquisite.
Zabriskie Point has obviously an anti-Establishment message, but Antonioni portrays America of 60s in a so demonized manner (i.e. protesters are good, the police are hostile and bad etc.) that his vision of the USA looks utterly unreal. Certainly, the reflection that the world should be altered by the force of mind as well as our behaviour, not violence isn't anything ludicrous, but the framing which Antonioni utilizes to state it is too harsh and thus excessively subjective. In addition, in case of Zabriskie Point Antonioni appears to be too confident and incapable of refraining from some self-indulgences. Antonioni is positive what he wants to utter in Zabriskie Point, but the movie does not contain sufficient substance to discuss. The subject, which is superficially analysed, outweighs the plot, the script and the characters, which ruins the entire concept. Structurally, Zabriskie Point is a spectacular catastrophe, with more and less riveting moments, but it's still a catastrophe which lacks consistent storytelling. The visually imposing framing cannot diminish its numerous flaws and the omnipresent feeling of pointlessness sweeps away plentiful benefits. Notwithstanding, Zabriskie Point is worth a look forasmuch despite implicating all those errors, it flabbergasts with its artistic opulence and ravishing visuals.
Zabriskie Point (1970) was Michelangelo Antonioni's first and sole American motion picture. One may assume that the astonishing success of Blow-Up released 4 years earlier derived from the fact that the movie, on account of an apparent thriller premise, was understandable for less orientated viewers who were deeming the plot and its afterthoughts in a superficial manner. Zabriskie Point was a financial disaster, devoid of such aspect and thus incomprehensible to an ordinary film-goer. Even more risky was spending 7 million dollars on this art-house, adjusted to American industry, with an anti-Establishment and anti-consumerism message. Additionally, Zabriskie Point was dismissed by the critics for being anti-American as well as insufficiently profound to analyse both the problems of youth and those pervading America tackled in the film. Notwithstanding, these aren't the only reasons why Zabriskie Point was one of the greatest flops of 1970s as this Antonioni's flick is heavily flawed. Apart from having sparse, scatter-brained texture, the movie has a juncture which looks like a resolution and only when one sees that the action continues, does one make out it isn't the end. Unfortunately, this isn't all. The characters played by Frechette and Halprin virtually aren't given any kind of depth, their acts aren't driven by any desires, aims or needs, thus their emotional background is very shallow. The feeling of pointlessness is ubiquitous which also might be entailed and compounded by the unconvincing acting (both actors had very little experience) which doesn't render the things better. The moments of better performances are few and far between.
Mise en scène leaves mixed impressions. There is no doubt one deals with Michelangelo Antonioni, but outbursts of cinematic beauty are quite rare and the direction seems very distant, tepid and unsatisfying. While efforts such as Blow-Up (1966), The Passenger (1975) have quasi-documentary ensembles and illusory, bizarre finales which indicate more complex exegeses and contrast with earlier exploited style, Zabriskie Point starts to be solipsistic and hallucinogenic already from the half. The action takes place in the late 60s. The beginning reminds of a documentary recounting a turmoil occurring in LA in that period of time. Utilizing fast zooms, swift movements, shaky camera-work and sharp editing, Antonioni gives it a documentary appearance. The instant a viewer beholds open and isolated spaces of Zabriskie Point, the flick gets more surrealistic and the best illustration of it is the love scene, owing to which Zabriskie Point was originally rated X at its premiere in 1970. It is a hallucinogenic vision which probably depicts the mental state of both characters and comments on sex which was considered to be a taboo subject. Antonioni deems this act as a normal deed and in this way he scoffs at all arguments against acknowledging its role in life of every human being. Antonioni exploited actors from The Open Theatre, an experimental theatre group, active from 1963 to 1973, to shoot the sequence which is absolutely ravishing as well as intense and remains one of the best moments in the film. It displays other couples kissing and making love in the desert which transforms from an isolated into a crowded place. Whereas the first part isn't that engaging, in the second one, particularly towards the end, one receives a genuinely graceful Antonioni style. Once Daria is forlorn, one obtains a great deal of beautifully crafted scenes regarding isolation and solitude which are typical for earlier Michelangelo Antonioni's movies. The finale sequence is simply phenomenal, although the music accompanying it changes too abruptly.
The cinematography by Alfio Contini is spellbinding. It miraculously captures the beauty of warm sun-baking dunes of Zabriskie Point. The lighting is terrific and it is truly bewildering in how many ways one can depict the same desolated and lifeless space. The soundtrack composed by Pink Floyd, Jerry Garcia and other musicians is tremendous and might be one of the best ones ever recorded. Every single score is simply exquisite.
Zabriskie Point has obviously an anti-Establishment message, but Antonioni portrays America of 60s in a so demonized manner (i.e. protesters are good, the police are hostile and bad etc.) that his vision of the USA looks utterly unreal. Certainly, the reflection that the world should be altered by the force of mind as well as our behaviour, not violence isn't anything ludicrous, but the framing which Antonioni utilizes to state it is too harsh and thus excessively subjective. In addition, in case of Zabriskie Point Antonioni appears to be too confident and incapable of refraining from some self-indulgences. Antonioni is positive what he wants to utter in Zabriskie Point, but the movie does not contain sufficient substance to discuss. The subject, which is superficially analysed, outweighs the plot, the script and the characters, which ruins the entire concept. Structurally, Zabriskie Point is a spectacular catastrophe, with more and less riveting moments, but it's still a catastrophe which lacks consistent storytelling. The visually imposing framing cannot diminish its numerous flaws and the omnipresent feeling of pointlessness sweeps away plentiful benefits. Notwithstanding, Zabriskie Point is worth a look forasmuch despite implicating all those errors, it flabbergasts with its artistic opulence and ravishing visuals.