Zabriskie Point
A visually radical desert odyssey follows two alienated young Americans caught between student revolt, police power, and the seductions of commercial development.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- alienated
- psychedelic
- politically charged
- arthouse film night
- new hollywood retrospective
What critics said
Critics remain divided about the film's characters and politics but broadly recognize its striking cinematography and innovative music-driven audiovisual design.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mark's flight from authorities and Daria's uneasy involvement with a desert development project place countercultural youth against American institutions.
Death Valley and Zabriskie Point transform the protagonists' encounter into an austere meditation on isolation, freedom, and escape.
The film intercuts Mark's confrontation with protest politics and Daria's work around a developer's desert village.
The planned desert village and its advertising-oriented environment contrast sharply with the protagonists' rejection of conventional American prosperity.
Films like Zabriskie Point, and why
Easy Rider
shared new hollywood experimentation, youth rebellion, political unrest, and alienated atmosphere
The Trip
shared counterculture themes, psychedelic imagery, anti-establishment politics, and period music
Medium Cool
shared late-1960s social upheaval, radicalized youth, and stark American landscapes
Blow-Up
shared Antonioni-style alienation, visual modernism, and emotionally distant characters
Movie Details
- Director
- Michelangelo Antonioni
- Release Date
- 1970-03-26
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (456)
Cast
- Mark Frechette
- Daria Halprin
- Paul Fix
- G.D. Spradlin
- Bill Garaway
- Kathleen Cleaver
- Rod Taylor
- Martin Abrahams
- Michael L. Davis
- Lee Duncan
Common questions
- What is Zabriskie Point about?
- A visually radical desert odyssey follows two alienated young Americans caught between student revolt, police power, and the seductions of commercial development.
- What is Zabriskie Point like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Zabriskie Point as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Zabriskie Point violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Zabriskie Point as moderate.
- What did critics think of Zabriskie Point?
- Critics remain divided about the film's characters and politics but broadly recognize its striking cinematography and innovative music-driven audiovisual design.
- Which films are like Zabriskie Point?
- Films with a similar feel include Easy Rider, The Trip, Medium Cool, and Blow-Up.
- How long is Zabriskie Point?
- Zabriskie Point runs 113 minutes.
