nathansnook

Zabriskie Point

“𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭.” “𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥.” What happens when the rioting becomes mere performance? An act towards an unresolved state? Sex in the dunes. Schlepping with contemporaries. Dying. America is at the height of consumption. With its bold banners and tabletop condiments. It cannot be escaped. It is so ingrained that it becomes the violence that wrecks the world. Michelangelo Antonioni's eye on America, obsessive and coked-out, creates a terrorised vibrancy that captures the teen angst of the times. And with Pink Floyd's dizzying score, we can't help but want to run into nothingness. Run towards the empty expanse. Watch things burn. Blow up. Destroyed from the inside-out. Exorcize. Become again. Though the last act cops out on the hippie answer that 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭, Antonioni just has a careful eye on setting, atmosphere, and the way characters navigate their surroundings that makes this a joy to watch. His attentive approach to the way the camera sweeps and captures is pure poetry, cinematically charged. 🥮🥮🥮 If you enjoyed this write-up, please consider purchasing my novella here (https://nathansnook.bigcartel.com/). Or find other thoughts on books and films here (https://www.youtube.com/@nathansnook/videos).

Vanzi

Zabriskie Point

Today it's the revolutionaries, tomorrow it will be you. There is no common ground with a police state that sanctions killings inside and outside of its borders. There is no common ground with the man pointing a gun down your throat. The time of figurative protests are over, there has to be change or there will be no future. A bleak and desolate film that truly feels like America being boiled down to its essence; decaying desert towns, canyon orgies and bursts of violence and action underscore the film and embeds itself deep within the zeitgeist of modern America. Michelangelo Antonioni is an outsider to America but his intent isn't to make an Easy Rider-esque adventure film but instead transplant the world's vision of America to the big screen. As for Antonioni there is a lot of raw, documentary like acting on display here but he is able to keep everything so engaging by having dialogue that is interesting and prescient. Combine that with incredible visuals and an incredible Pink Floyd score and you have a film that never feels dull. It is a true shame that America has never escaped from the mistakes highlighted in the film and the whole world is still suffering from the utter failure of the American people to fight for actual change.