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The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema
The greatest films not in the English language...
Back Page 61 of 100 Next
The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema | #40. L’Avventura
Vote Now!
Should L’Avventura be higher or lower on the list?
Higher
Lower

L’Avventura Poster
Director
Michelangelo Antonioni

Cast
Gabriele Ferzetti, Monica Vitti, Lea Massari


L’Avventura
1960, Italy Italy Flag
Why so great?
Group spend the day on rocky outcrop. Woman disappears. Couple search for her. Er, that's it. To describe L'Avventura as languid is like calling the Himalayas a bit hilly: pulsing drama this is not. What it is, though, is a visually arresting art work that elevates mood and imagery above narrative. The couple in question, Sandro and Claudia, are not the kind of people you'd want looking for you - they're often feckless, amoral and wear their ennui like a fragrance - but in Antonioni's hands their journey is a poignant exploration of loneliness and despair. And they're Italian, so they look alright too.

Hollywood remake?
No.

Prizes
Although it was booed fiercely at the end of its first screening, L'Avventura won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes and was only pipped to the top prize by La Dolce Vita. It also picked up a BAFTA nomination.


What to say...
"It's a Lost In Translation for the beatnik generation."
What not to say...
"Cor, when's something going to happen?"

Back Page 61 of 100 Next

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Have your say
Which is your favourite from our list? Any other world cinema classics that we've missed our list? Register or login now to have your say.


Your Comments
1 Raise the Red Lantern not a critique of communist China!
Posted on Wednesday September 8, 2010, 04:50 by paddlin
In fact, it's the opposite. The movie is set in the 1920s, that is before the communists came to power. Out of the different groups that were vying for control of China at the beginning of the twentieth century, the old Qing Dynasty, the Japanese, the KuoMingTan nationalists (with US support), the Communist party was actually the only one against concubinage (which they outlawed when they came to power along with domestic abuse). I don't think it would be made into a national ballet of china production if it didn't support the CCP. Read More

2
Posted on Wednesday September 1, 2010, 12:10 by greenland
Not a great list - there seems to be a bias towards Asia. There is no films from 'new' world cinema power houses - such as Romania and Argentina. i mean, you have Persepolis, a decent film, but you do not have 4 months, 3 days and 2 weeks? Also classics such as Fanny and Alexander were missed Read More

3 What about...
Posted on Sunday August 29, 2010, 23:05 by therealdjcamm
'Tell No One' (2006)??? Read More

4
Posted on Tuesday August 24, 2010, 01:09 by arteddie
Infernal Affairs should be higher on the list, but Oldboy should also be higher. Also a few good films are missing. One is the Russian, 2003, film 'Roads to Koktebel', the other two vengence films from the director of 'Oldboy' and the 2003 Singaporean film '15' directed by Royston Tan, which i highly recommend, but you have to have a required taste for that film though. Read More

5
Posted on Sunday August 22, 2010, 18:31 by Jackal
Great shout for Number 1 but Ran should be much higher. Top 10 at least. Still, nice work. Read More

6 I don't like moaning but....
Posted on Saturday August 21, 2010, 22:10 by digvoldon
Why is the Host on this list & not Memories of Murder? I like the Host, it's a good monster movie with heart & better than probably 99% of recent Hollywood attempts at said genre, but in terms of cinema history it isn't an all time classic. Memories of Murder on the other hand is one of the best crime procedurals of the last 20 years. I hate myself for pointing this out, but shouldn't the poll thing on the no.1 movie have beena yes or no choice. The way it's structured now 100% of people that do vote or going to think seven samurai should be lower. Which isn't even remotely right. Read More

7 ?????
Posted on Tuesday August 17, 2010, 23:02 by D sully
Where are the most obvious, like; well i don't have to name them, just like the one your thinking of now ??? Read More

8 this should be higher
Posted on Monday August 16, 2010, 17:55 by jkoopa
just saw tokyo story, should definately be in the top 5. beautiful, beautiful film Read More

9 terrible
Posted on Saturday August 7, 2010, 18:33 by gabe127
some good films but horrible order, where are films like the sea inside, 36,the lives of others,danton, amorres perros,the white ribbon and anything by pier paolo passolini and cinema paradiso should be number one Read More

10 RE: Great list, but..
Posted on Tuesday July 6, 2010, 07:56 by bizarro
My only real gripe with the list is how low Ikiru is. Read More

11 RE: Pffft amend the list already
Posted on Sunday June 27, 2010, 21:26 by LastSamurai
After reading some posts i've watched a few of the films that weren't on the Top 100 list. Just finiished watchin Irreversible and WOW , great film. Gritty, real, and dark. Nicely acted and the "memento style" chronological way the film plays worked very well. Starts off a little slow but really gets going after 15 mins or so. If you've not seen this id personally recommend it. Defo a top 20 for me now. Read More

12 RE: RE:
Posted on Sunday June 27, 2010, 12:03 by eldiabolik
I didn't see any Robert Bresson on that list, which in turn makes any such list worthless. A joke in fact. Read More

13 RE:
Posted on Saturday June 26, 2010, 22:15 by fernetcontonica
I also think is worthy but being foreign myself and most films to my eyes too I find it rather odd myself and a list of myself would not be like this at all but that's a cultural perception issue. There's a set of films that hoarde the attention and some truly awesome stuff is not even left off on purpose because they don't even get any presence. Sometimes films that arrived here quickly take even a couple of years to hit the UK. It's not Empire's fault at all but I'd like to see them venturing deeper into the films the world offers. Read More

14 RE: What is the "world" anyway?
Posted on Friday June 25, 2010, 16:32 by rawlinson
L: Julmis I'm sure I'm not the first person to comment on the vaguely patronising tone of this whole thing, effectively setting a separate kids table for films made in other languages. sp; Or maybe it's a magazine trying to expand the viewing of their core fanbase by recommending 100 non-English language films? The list might not be perfect, these kind of lists never are, but it's a worthy aim. Talking about it as a kid's table is just seeing what you want to see instead of what's actually there.   films are then selected from those known in this country, leaving in the wilderness hundreds of possibly great or greater films which have not had the luck or funding to come to the attention of the English-speaking world. p; And maybe the more that publications like Empire encourage an interest in foreign language films the more likely it is that a fanbase will grow and people will find themselves searching out more obscure films. Read More

15 RE: What is the "world" anyway?
Posted on Friday June 25, 2010, 16:20 by elab49
World Cinema would be a standard recognised category in this country used by all sites and DVD outlets. It is clearly from really one point of view - but it is a British magazine, so World being defined as non-English language isn't patronising. It just 'is'. Read More

16 RE: RE:
Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 23:55 by TimBurtonVoodooGirl
I think Pan's Labyrinth should of been higher, it's one of the best films ever made!! And I agree with Popcorn Required, where is Amores Perros?? And also films like Life Is Beautiful, Talk To Her, Volver. You said that Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown wasn't as scrubbed up as Volver, so why didn't you include volver in your list?? >.> Apart from that, some pretty good films, not sure how much I agree with the rankings though :-/ Un Chien Andalou should of been a bit higher I think, though. 80 years and it still manages to shock and disturb it's audiences, that is impressive. Read More

17 RE: RE:
Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 16:13 by spamandham
Oh and this list inspired me to finally get round to watching Let the right one in. So well done. Read More

18 RE:
Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 16:11 by spamandham
The 'what not to say' on the Polanski entry made me lol Read More

19 RE: This list sucks
Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 22:43 by Miles Messervy 007
L: shady_88 Höstsonaten oh you make me laugh Read More

20 RE: nice list, but...
Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 19:13 by Ultimo Lee
L: nunojordao where's Gomorra? ame 852th........which is way too high Read More

21 RE: RE:
Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 02:07 by Perros
Absolutely terrible list. Good movies, terrible rankings. Also, no way in hell should Spirited Away be that high in the list. I've seen this movie twice and it's not as good as you all make it out to be. Read More

22 RE:
Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 23:45 by hiptobesquare_x
It isn't an appalling list but when you consider the fact that it is composed of every film not from the UK or the USA then 100 is a ridiculously small number to narrow it down to. I think it's as good a place as any to start for someone who wants to get in to World Cinema (eurgh how naff that sounds...). You get the picture. Read More

23 RE: This list sucks
Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 23:01 by swordsandsandals
L: shady_88 oh Empire, you make me laugh hy? Because they don't have exactly the same film taste as you? Read More

24 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 17:09 by Miles Messervy 007
L: elab49 It'd certainly be interesting definition wise if posters like Dantes and Fernetcontonica took part ote]Eh-khm. The list is an odd mix, but I had suitably low expectations and a horrible film at number 2 is sort of redeemed by some of the more interesting choices. Read More

25 RE: Top 100
Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 01:38 by LastSamurai
Hmmm... Ichi the Killer? Plus im enjoying hearing everyones opinions on other films they think should be on the list. The several that a few people have mentioned that weren't  i'm gonna try and watch. Perhaps if people could write a little about each film that was missed off people can just look em up and draw there own conclusions. Then we could perhaps do our own Top 100 with a more "educated" audience. Read More

26 RE:
Posted on Thursday June 17, 2010, 14:46 by Qwerty Norris
A good list there Empire, admittedly there's a lot I haven't seen but looking at what's on it I'm intrigued to see a number of stuff there. Still, I'm pretty disappointed you couldn't find a spot for the likes of Fitzcarraldo, the Lives of Others, the Diving Bell & the Butterfly, Au Revoir Les Enfants & the Return- and yet find room for the likes of Infernal Affairs to be so high on the list. Each to their own though I guess..... Read More

27 RE: The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema
Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 19:28 by demoncleaner
Just to point out a wee bijou error-ette (for my own near-sexual gratification than for editorial concern) but the Rashomon remake that credits Kurosawa as co-writer is ragebsp; lawsp;   *lights cigarette* Read More

28 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 00:18 by benskelly
L: rawlinson L: swordsandsandals Films not in the English Language then? With the obvious rule that Na'vi doesn't count as a language. sp; Or Klingon. Read More

29 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 00:17 by rawlinson
L: swordsandsandals Films not in the English Language then? sp; With the obvious rule that Na'vi doesn't count as a language. Read More

30 RE: Mesrine!!!??
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 22:03 by Piles
L: Bobby TwoTimes Possibly one of the greatest gangster movies ever made, certainly Vincent Cassel's masterpiece and the best French films since Irreversible (another one missing!). Not a great list Empire, it must be said. here's not a single Rohmer film in this list and you are complaining about Mesrine? Read More

31 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:59 by Piles
Also, Amelie at number two? Highest Godard at number 75? And that's 'Breathless'? Your list is rubbish. Read More

32 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:58 by benskelly
  So true, Piles.    You gotta' admit though - sure gets us clicking like monkeys with a cocaine button. Read More

33 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:55 by Piles
Dear Empire, Please in future can you make it so I don't have to press next a hundred times before I can be outraged by one of your lists. I would much rather be outraged in the space of a simple scroll down a texted list. Thanks. Read More

34 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:53 by swordsandsandals
Films not in the English Language then? Read More

35 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:35 by elab49
It'd certainly be interesting definition wise if posters like Dantes and Fernetcontonica took part Read More

36 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:24 by swordsandsandals
Top 100 World Cinema films - that could be an interesting one for us lot at Lists, Elab. Read More

37 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 20:07 by elab49
'course posters could list their personal top 100 World Cinema films, and also confirm they've seen each and every one of the Empire 100.   Just for context. Read More

38 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 19:39 by rawlinson
L: swordsandsandals How many more people are just going to list films they like but aren't in? They couldn't include every film, and chances are they don't like the one you keep harping on about as much as you do. Simple as that. sp; Have you never read one of these threads before? Read More

39 RE: Another interesting addition to the list...
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 18:29 by swordsandsandals
How many more people are just going to list films they like but aren't in? They couldn't include every film, and chances are they don't like the one you keep harping on about as much as you do. Simple as that. On another note, where was Once? I get it was in English, but it should be in every list ever. Read More

40 RE: Very Bad Empire.
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 17:54 by SYMONDS
That what I said, using some what dubious grammer. Read More

41 RE:
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 13:28 by Kendra71
Please tell me I'm not the only person who saw and loved Avalon ?  Wondered about the awesome Belleville Triplets, but couldn't think whether it was foreign language or in fact silent except for the song.  Happy to see Pan's Labyrinth so high.  I wish I could speak spanish so I could watch the film instead of the subtitles, but its still fantastic.  Battle Royle should have been higher as its a riot.  Interesting list all in all.  Reminded me to put Metropolis on my Amazon wish list. Read More

42 RE: Very Bad Empire.
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 12:25 by dankeane
Eh... Das Boot was made in 1981. What are you talking about? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/ Read More

43 RE:
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 07:46 by benskelly
L: KillerKane Irreversible? sp; Maybe for Most Disturbing Use Of A Fire Extinguisher, otherwise...nope. Read More

44 RE: Oldboy is good enough to be that high in the list.
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 07:37 by benskelly
Wow, a lot of posters on here have terrible taste... BATTLE ROYALE is utter crap.  It is one of the stupidest films I've ever seen. SUSPIRIA is the second biggest piece of crap. CROUCHING TIGER has it's moments, but is incredibly overrated. FLYING DAGGERS, on the other hand, is a giddy fucking masterpiece and visual feast - so for those of you saying "what???"...you're wrong.  Just FYI.    Now could we stop mentioning THE LIVES OF OTHERS over and over again?  It was a very good film, maybe great, and should have been in the lower half of the list.  I criticized the list, but jokingly.  It's a fine list.  There's no pleasing everyone.  And I love all these people who want to fill the Top Ten only with films from the last five years.  Gimme' a break.  Watch an old movie once in a while, you snotnosed brats.  Otherwise you really have no idea what you're talking about.  AndRead More

45 RE:
Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 01:28 by Ultimo Lee
Why when there's a list is there so many first time posters? Not bad managed to have seen 53 of them, my top 10 in no particular order would be City of God Oldboy Infernal Affairs Festen Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources A Prophet The Vanishing Hard Boiled Battle Royale Goodbye Lenin Read More

46 RE:
Posted on Sunday June 13, 2010, 18:12 by Deviation
Yes there are some strange omissions but still a great 100 List nontheless.  Read More

47 RE: Missing in favor of violence?
Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 23:18 by swordsandsandals
I'm going to focus on the positives. The Seven Samurai, Ikiru, My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Aguirre, City of God, Pan's Labyrinth and others are all masterpieces. I'm only in the Top 50 at the moment as well. Read More

48 RE: Missing in favor of violence?
Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 20:29 by benskelly
Okay, I have my gripes as well...   First of all, not including PELLE THE CONQUERER is a sin of the highest order.  Secondly, HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS should be much higher up, and I'd dump CROUCHING TIGER...   Then you need to open up your eyes to Jacques Becker's French crime masterpieces: LE TROU (THE HOLE), TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI, and CASQUE D'OR.   And the Japanese samurai classic HARA KIRI.   And where's BETTY BLUE?  Or, for that matter, LA FEMME NIKITA??   Carry on.       Read More

49 RE: RE:
Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 16:07 by evildave69
Reader's Poll eh? Do you not remember 'The 50 Worst Films Ever' list. If anything it proves that readers as a collective, whether Empire or not, no a truck load of fuck-all. Read More

50 RE:
Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 15:42 by JapStrangler
L: mcclane3011 Just the 1 bruce lee movie? Hardboiled needs to be much higher! and what about the killer...where the hell was that??!! Also what about jackie Chan's project A. At the risk of pissing a lot of people off seven samurai is much over rated and needs to be much lower. Korean war epic brotherhood should be on the list.Perhaps next time this kind of list is done it should be a list compiled by readers. ally, why can't we have a reader's poll? Read More

51 RE:
Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 10:09 by itzibitzius
They mixed up the descriptions of Touki Bouki and Xala... Get it sorted Empire! Read More

52 RE: Did I miss BETTY BLUE in there? wtf
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 21:58 by Megalo-who?
L: Wrathschild and how about STALKER hmmm. ther than Andrei Rublev and Solaris, Empire never mentions Tarkovsky. But yes, Mirror, Stalker, Notalgia and The Sacrifice should all be on there. Oh yeah and The Lives Of Others, a glaring omission considering the populist nature of the list and the fact that it towers above. Read More

53 Devdas and Lagaan, seriously?
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 20:16 by SultanAmeer
I won't argue about great movies like Rashomon and Nosferatu are lower in the list than less-great movie like Let The Right One In, City of God and Pan's Labyrinth because this won't change the mind of the person(s) who compiled that list but what about two not so great Bollywood movies in the list. Devdas and Lagaan both upper in the list than Mother India, seriously? Even most Bollywood critics won't agree with that. What about real great Bollywood movies like Pyaasa, Devdas (1955), Do Bigha Zamin, these movies are way better than Devdas and Lagaan and they are not even in that list. They should've research more before compiling that list. What's the issue with this quote "Shahrukh Khan isn't the Tom Cruise of Bollywood. Tom Cruise is the Shahrukh Khan of Hollywood!" They certainly didn't watch Shahrukh Khan's other performances or they just don't like Tom Cruise. Doesn't Das Boot released in 1981? Read More

54 RE:
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 19:31 by The Waco Kid
what about Man bites dog ( i thought it was bloody funny) or two films i think beat jean de florette/manon des source they being la gloire de mon pere le chateau de ma mere Read More

55 RE:
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 18:42 by Boyden
What is the reasoning to leaving out The Lives of others, Irreversible, Funny Games and Alexander Nevsky? Read More

56 RE: Honestly, how could you miss
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:12 by livila
L: Phanda03 Au revoir, les enfants????? ve that film too. Read More

57 RE: Great list
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:08 by livila
L: edwardon Great list, but I'd also like to have seen included Letters from Iwo Jima, The Lives of Others, La Mala Educacion, Eat Drink Man Woman, The Orphanage and e Margotote] Yes, definately La Reine Margot. I think with a proper dvd release rather than the cut US version, this film would be remembered again. Full version is available in Germany but not France. Other than that, great list. Personally I'd have After the Wedding, Volver and Twin Sisters in there. Read More

58 RE: COME AND SEE'S A BIG PILE OF SHIT!
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:04 by Mrs.Doyle
Ki-duk Kim's  2003 , Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring"eoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom) anyone?? Amazing Korean film that had us enthralled when shown on TV a few years back./align]Also nd Jim]Cinema Paradiso Top Ten! Read More

59 RE: Missing?
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 14:24 by tftrman
Some of the suggestions people are making just wouldn't get near a top 100 list -   City Of Lost Children - It's good but uneven in tone and the ending is badly written. Sympathy For Mr Vengeance - Not even the best of Chan-wook's vengeance trilogy Irreversible - That's a tough one, it's a really powerful film but there's no re-watch appeal for me so wouldn't make the list either.   Read More

60 RE: Missing?
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 13:58 by Helen OHara
Just to address a few of the points raised, we make no apologies whatsoever for the films on the list or their placement. This list was derived from a MUCH longer long list which included most of those y'all have suggested (except A Very Long Engagement - it ain't all that) and we narrowed it down to something that felt fair and representative to us. On a couple of the smaller mistakes, we're fixing those now. The classification of Persepolis and Un Chien Andalou as non-French was partly because of the directors and partly (if I'm honest) trying not to make it such a home run for the darn Frenchies, who have a nasty habit of making consistently brilliant films. Read More

61 RE: I'll be the first to bitch...
Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 11:14 by Funkyrae
L: Snake-Eyes THE ORPHANAGE? IRREVERSIBLE? actually, 'The greatest films not in the English language'? o where were PASSION OF THE CHRIST and APOCALYPTO?at about Snake-Eyes' Favourite - LE PACTE DES LOUPS?! opefully in the bin where they belong! Read More


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