The Doorway to Hell (1930) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

on
  The Doorway to Hell (1930) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch  American Film, Crime, Drama Academy Awards, 1931- Nominee: Best Writing, Original Story The early 1930s in Hollywood were marked by a frantic, electric energy as the industry found its voice—literally. In the middle of this transition, a gritty little gem called The Doorway to Hell slipped into theaters, offering a blueprint for the gangster epics that would soon dominate the silver screen. While it often sits in the shadow of the titans that followed, this film captures a specific, raw moment in cinematic history that feels surprisingly modern even today. More on Wikipedia or Mubi  The Brutal Elegance of The Doorway to Hell  At its heart, the story follows a young gang leader who attempts to trade the chaos of the underworld for a quiet, respectable life. It is a classic American tragedy wrapped in the smoke of a speakeasy. The narrative leans heavily into the irony of a man trying to es...
0

Watch Surcos (1951)

on

 

Surcos (1951)
Spanish Film, Drama
English title: Furrows

Official Selection 

Furrows (Spanish: Surcos) is a 1951 Spanish film directed by José Antonio Nieves Conde, and written by him in collaboration with Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, Eugenio Montes, and Natividad Zaro. It provides an unsettling portrait of post-War Madrid while dictator Francisco Franco was in power. The plot follows the struggles of a Spanish family as it emigrates from the countryside to Madrid circa 1950. Facing difficulties in finding housing and employment, several family members turn to illegal or immoral activities in order to make ends meet, and the traditional family structure disintegrates.

Furrows is considered one of the very few Spanish neo-realist films from the era when the style was being created and popularized in Italy. The picture only escaped censorship because José María García Escudero [es], Spain's Chief of Cinematography, appreciated the value of the film for its artistic merit. 

Nieves Conde’s best-known work, this portrait of postwar Madrid set the precedent for Spanish Neorealist filmmaking. While the Catholic Church considered the film “deeply dangerous,” the political wing labeled it of “national interest.” More on Wikipedia or Mubi 

Cannes Film Festival, 1952- Official Selection
San Sebastián International Film Festival, 2024- Official Selection

Full Film (English subtitles)

 Full Film (English subtitle)

Comments

Post a Comment