Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12350 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-10-27
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: Italian
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

Synopsis
RED DESERT (IL DESERTO ROSSO) is a post-industrialist masterpiece from director Michelangelo Antonioni. His first film in colour, it stars Monica Vitti as Giuliana, the disturbed wife of a factory owner, Ugo (Carlo Chionetti). Antonioni creates a bleak environment of the Italian countryside, where the natural landscape surrounding Ugo's factory is shrouded in fog and pollution. The low scratching and churning sound of the factory machines is a constant throughout the film, set off by the electronic beeps and strange female singing that Giuliana--who is losing her mind--hears in her head. Supposedly recovering from shock after a minor car accident, Giuliana's dementia isn't getting any better; new developments in technology, production, and industry--which fascinate Ugo and his business associate, Corrado (Richard Harris)--are foreign and threatening to Giuliana. However, Ugo is gentle and loving to Giuliana, giving her the freedom to wander wherever her fragile psyche leads her. Corrado is inexplicably drawn to Giuliana and he develops a desperate, awkward friendship with her that eventually leads to a small affair. In the end, the dank monotony of the port where they live only alienates Giuliana further, sending her deeper into her delirium. A cold and haunting film with grating sound effects and odd visuals that illustrate Giuliana's psychosis, RED DESERT is an Antonioni standout that stays in the viewer's mind long after the movie ends.

Customer Reviews

Il Deserto Rosso
I have to take issue with the previous review.
The BFI sourced the transfer of 'Red Desert' to Blu Ray from the original negative. Reviewers with far more technical knowledge than I have say the colours are true to the original 35mm release. I have seen the Blu Ray projected and the depth of colour, definition and healthy amount of film grain present, (In other words, the filmic look has not been smoothed out too much with restoration tools), create a truly fantastic home cinema experience.
If you view this or indeed any Blu Ray on a small TV or PC Monitor, then you will not see a difference in definition. You need a full 1080p TV of 40" or larger, in most cases, to really appreciate the difference between HD and SD.
But enough technical stuff, this film haunts me, Monica Vitti a pale chimera in Antonioni's bleached, barren yet beguiling poem to alienation, abstraction and industrialisation.
This Blu Ray is the cue for cineasts to go Hi-Def! Buy it now!

Purtroppo i sottotitoli in inglese non sono eliminabili.
Il film è uno dei classici di Antonioni. Il restauro è eccellente, il film è presentato nella versione originale italiana, ma purtroppo ci sono i sottotitoli in inglese non eliminabili. Tolto questo piccolo "difetto" la buona operazione rimane.