A key film of Antonioni's middle-period, Le amiche (The Girlfriends) finds the Italian master expanding his palette in the realm of traditional narrative cinema by way of his powerhouse direction of an ensemble cast, while entrenching his devotion to expressing the emotional makeup of the modern woman.
Clelia (Eleonora Rossi-Drago) embarks from Rome to set up a fashion-salon in Torino. Shortly after arrival, she finds herself caught up in the (melo)dramas of a bourgeoise circle of acquaintances (including the iconic Valentina Cortese), and their attendant attempts at suicide, their class prejudices, and the romantic alliances that threaten to transform the social clique into an emotional tar-pit.
Le amiche represents the epitome of Antonioni's '50s period, and although it lays the groundwork for such '60s breakthroughs as L'avventura and La notte, it proves itself no less brilliant.
The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this stunning '50s masterpiece by famous Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni (L'avventura, La notte, Blowup, Zabriskie Point). Released for the first time ever in the UK on home video.
This new Dual Format Edition (DVD & Blu-ray) features a beautiful new transfer of the film in its recent restoration by Cineteca di Bologna, L'Immagine Ritrovata, and Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation, in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, and presented in a 1080p AVC encode on the Blu-ray. The package includes a lengthy booklet containing newly translated critical pieces about the film, excerpts of interviews with Antonioni, and more!
Film: Le amiche
Release date: 21st March 2011
Certificate: PG
Running time: 104 mins
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring: Eleanora Rossi-Drago, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, Valentina Cortese, Yvonne Furneaux
Genre: Drama/Romance
Studio: Eureka!
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
DVD Special Features:
• A new and exclusive video introduction to the film with critic and teacher Gabe Klinger
• A new and exclusive video featuring Gabe Klinger discussing the arc of Antonioni's entire career
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