The Passenger out on DVD finally!

A few years ago, the Oak Street Cinema managed to get their hands on a copy of Antonioni's "The Passenger." Where they got it from, I don't know. The movie wasn't in circulation; I heard that it was Nicholson's personal copy of the 1975 film. I felt priveleged to be seeing it. So part of me is a little sad to report that now you can go to your local video store (well, really arty local video store) and rent it for yourself.

It stars a young, wiry Jack Nicholson as reporter who stumbles on a dead body and decides, "Hey, why I don't I walk out on my life and become him?" He steals the man's papers, appointment book and identity.

If you want a movie that wraps up everything for you - and there's nothing wrong in wanting that, folks - this is not the movie for you. But if you like a movie to inspire conversation starting with, "what did that last scene mean?" then you should rent this.

Little fact: It was co-written by Mark Peploe, whose sister Clare (wife of Bernardo Bertolucci) co-wrote "Zabriskie Point" with Sam Shepard, Antonioni and a host of others. How's that for cool siblings? They worked together on a film in the late eighties called "High Season." It was pretty good, although about as far from "The Passenger" and "Zabriskie Point" as you can get. It's a romantic comedy set among expatriates in Greece. The Peploes are not exactly cutups so I never laughed out loud, but I did enjoy the film and I desperately longed to go to Greece when it was done. Still haven't made it...