Quote Originally Posted by Chris Knipp View Post
My father and I saw L'AVVENTURA in New York when it was brand new and we both absolutely loved it. I think those who "hated" it were not very sophisticated, like the people who "hated" Picasso or Matisse in earlier years, or perhaps the films of earlier great directors you would know more about than I do. Sneers and catcalls at Cannes reflected the lack of a conventional "narrative arc," obviously; the superficial judgment that "nothing was happening." .
The vitriol of the Cannes audience was unbelievable. I've read several accounts by people who were in attendance, like critic Penelope Houston. I would call this behavior philistene. But there were some reasonable critics (and moviegoers) who simply did not find it to be a good experience, and I think you're right to bring up narrative. The events depicted do not constitute what Aristotle called "a complete action", something that audiences then and now generally demand.