Antonioni Dead at 94

Great Italian filmmaker was behind ‘L’Avventura’ and ‘Blow-Up’
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 31, 2007 9:36 AM CDT
Antonioni Dead at 94
Undated file photo of film director Michelangelo Antonioni. Antonioni died Monday, July 30, 2007. He was 94 years old. (AP Photo)   (Associated Press)

Michelangelo Antonioni, one of Italy’s most beloved filmmakers, died yesterday at age 94, after directing 25 films over nearly 50 years. His masterpieces of alienation, known for their nearly wordless, melancholic style, included "Red Desert" and "The Passenger." Immobilized by a stroke that left him mute, he still managed to helm "Beyond the Clouds" in 1994.

Once called “a hero of the highbrows,” Antonioni helped move Italy away from the Neorealist movement, the AP reports. His challenging films often left him strapped for backers over his long career. He was also left strapped for Oscars in 1996, when a thief ran off with his best-director award for "Blow-Up." (More obituary stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X