THE MYSTERY OF OBERWALD
Italy, 1981, 129 minutes, Colour.
Monica Vitti, Franco Branciaroli, Paolo Bonacelli.
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni.
The Mystery of Oberwald is an experimental feature by Michelangelo Antonioni. After making many documentaries, he moved in the early 50s into features. He was adroit at observing society, relationships, isolation and alienation. In the early 60s with his famous trilogy starting with L'Avventura, he made master works on these themes. He also experimented by making Blow Up in England, Zabriskie Point in America and filming documentaries in China.
The film experiments with video technology, especially in the use of video colour, almost making colour a musical equivalent, giving atmosphere and tone to characters and situations. He takes the credit for 'electronic editing'.
The screenplay is based on Jean Cocteau's play The Eagle Has Two Heads. The musical score includes selections from Richard Strauss, Arnold Schonberg, Johannes Brahms.
1. The work of Antonioni? interest in technical experiments, use of colour? Themes of relationships and alienation?
2. The work of Jean Cocteau? His play? The change of period from 19th century to turn of the century? Royalty, death, the police, revolution, poetry, romance? Fatalism and tragedy?
3. The film as experimental in style: electronic techniques, video? The use of colours, shades, tones indicating characters, worlds? The visual impact? Emotional impact?
4. The film as character study, the characters as symbols, their style of interaction? Antonioni observing or inviting the audience to empathise?
5. The political situation, 1900, Central European Kingdoms and empires on the verge of collapse, echoes of assassination attempts, the prelude to World War One? The Queen as a recluse, the centre of intrigue, revolution, death? A world in transition?
6. The focus on the Queen, the memories of her past life, the death of her husband, Sebastian resembling the ghost of her husband? Her being veiled and a recluse? Edith and her attendance, reading to her? A spy for the Queen Mother? The Queen Mother and her concern? The Duke of Willenstein? Her way of life, the poetry? Sebastian's invasion? Her recognising him? Her seeing him 'an angel of death'? The taunts, his infatuation? His becoming her reader, his spying, advice and change of heart? The enmity of Foehn? The climax and his taking the poison, the Queen taunting him to shoot her? A tragic and fatal figure?
7. Edith and her work as attendant, reader, her communicating information to the King's mother? Her being replaced by Sebastian?
8. The Duke of Willenstein and his courting the Queen? Foehn and his intrigue? The role of the police? The pursuit of Sebastian? The announcing of the arrest of the assassin? The confrontation? The ultimatum? The police winning?
9. Sebastian as revolutionary, his subversive poem, bursting in on the Queen, fascinated by her, becoming her reader, involved in the court intrigues, his wanting her to assert herself, the ultimatum by Foehn, his slow death, the Queen taunting him with pretence and his shooting her?
10. A portrait of a contrived and artificial world - in a contrived and artificial portrait? A study of tragedy and fatalism?
