Director: Mira Nair
Country of origin: India
Year of release: 2001
Running time: 114'
Language: English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, with English subtitles
Monsoon Wedding is a joyous celebration of love and family, set among an upper-middle class family in Delhi. Father-of-the-bride Lalit, a businessman, is trying hastily to arrange his daughter Aditi’s nuptial celebrations to Hemant, who lives in the USA and to whom Aditi was introduced only a few weeks earlier, before the annual monsoon rains arrive.
What should be a happy time, however, is fraught with complications. Lalit is undergoing cash-flow problems, Aditi is carrying on a secret affair with her former boss, and when the extended family arrive, Aditi’s cousin, Ria, has to deal with painful childhood memories of sexual abuse suffered at the hands of Lalit’s brother-in-law. Meanwhile, the plucky wedding planner, Dubey, gets distracted when he is love-struck by Alice, the family’s maid.
The director of such movies as Mississippi Masala and Kama Sutra, Mira Nair brings together her love for traditional Punjabi culture and a desire to explore issues facing modern India in this exuberant, colourful film. Monsoon Wedding mixes spicy song and dance sequences with melodrama; warm comedy with lyrical and tender romance to create an undeniably entertaining cinematic experience.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Screening for Monday 7th December: Buena Vista Social Club
Director: Wim Wenders
Country of origin: USA/Germany/Cuba
Year of release: 1999
Running time: 105'
Language: Spanish and English, with English subtitles
Buena Vista Social Club is a documentary that takes its viewers on an extraordinary musical journey. The film tells the story of a group of elderly, almost-forgotten Cuban musicians who play cubano son, an indigenous form of music that blends Spanish canción and guitar with African rhythm and percussion.
The musicians—a few of whom are in their nineties—are brought together by the American producer Ry Cooder to record an album, the Buena Vista Social Club, named after a Havana music hotspot of the 1940s. Following this, the musicians head to the United States, some of them for the first time, where they give a triumphant, sold-out performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
Mixing touching observation and interviews with enthralling live performances, Buena Vista Social Club is a wonderful testament to the love of music, and the enduring soul of a people.
Country of origin: USA/Germany/Cuba
Year of release: 1999
Running time: 105'
Language: Spanish and English, with English subtitles
Buena Vista Social Club is a documentary that takes its viewers on an extraordinary musical journey. The film tells the story of a group of elderly, almost-forgotten Cuban musicians who play cubano son, an indigenous form of music that blends Spanish canción and guitar with African rhythm and percussion.
The musicians—a few of whom are in their nineties—are brought together by the American producer Ry Cooder to record an album, the Buena Vista Social Club, named after a Havana music hotspot of the 1940s. Following this, the musicians head to the United States, some of them for the first time, where they give a triumphant, sold-out performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
Mixing touching observation and interviews with enthralling live performances, Buena Vista Social Club is a wonderful testament to the love of music, and the enduring soul of a people.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Screening for Monday 30th November: Tokyo Story
Director: Ozu Yasujiro
Country of origin: Japan
Year of release: 1953
Running time: 136'
Language: Japanese, with English subtitles
One of the masterpieces of world cinema, Tokyo Story follows the lives of an elderly couple, Shukichi and Tomi, after they set out from their small seaside hometown to visit their children and grandchildren in bustling postwar Tokyo. When they arrive, however, they are disappointed to find that the children, busy with their own families, jobs and lives, have little time to spend with them.
The children send their parents to a cheap spa resort, after which Tomi goes to stay with her war-widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko. Noriko is the only person who has taken a genuine interest in the elderly couple’s visit, and Tomi tries to convince her to get remarried. After Shukichi and Tomi decide to return home, Tomi falls seriously ill, and the neglectful children rush to be at her side.
Considered the greatest film by arguably the most visually distinctive director in film history, Tokyo Story is calmly understated, yet deeply moving. Though uniquely Japanese in its style, its profound meditations on life—in particular its exploration of how, with the passage of time, the different generations inevitably grow apart—make it a universal film, and a timeless one.
Country of origin: Japan
Year of release: 1953
Running time: 136'
Language: Japanese, with English subtitles
One of the masterpieces of world cinema, Tokyo Story follows the lives of an elderly couple, Shukichi and Tomi, after they set out from their small seaside hometown to visit their children and grandchildren in bustling postwar Tokyo. When they arrive, however, they are disappointed to find that the children, busy with their own families, jobs and lives, have little time to spend with them.
The children send their parents to a cheap spa resort, after which Tomi goes to stay with her war-widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko. Noriko is the only person who has taken a genuine interest in the elderly couple’s visit, and Tomi tries to convince her to get remarried. After Shukichi and Tomi decide to return home, Tomi falls seriously ill, and the neglectful children rush to be at her side.
Considered the greatest film by arguably the most visually distinctive director in film history, Tokyo Story is calmly understated, yet deeply moving. Though uniquely Japanese in its style, its profound meditations on life—in particular its exploration of how, with the passage of time, the different generations inevitably grow apart—make it a universal film, and a timeless one.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Screening for Monday 23rd November: The Piano
Director: Jane Campion
Country of origin: Australia-New Zealand
Year of release: 1993
Running time: 122'
Language: English, Maori, Sign Language, with English subtitles
Set in the mid-nineteenth century, The Piano is the story of Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter, in an Academy Award-winning role), a mute Scotswoman who is married off by her father to Alistair Stewart (Sam Neill), a New Zealand frontiersman. Ada is sent out to her new home with her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin, who also won an Academy Award), and her piano.
Ada is forced to leave the piano on the beach by her new husband, who claims there is no space for it in their house. Stewart then makes a deal with Baines (Harvey Keitel), a European who has taken on many of the indigenous Maori ways, to give Baines the piano and playing lessons from Ada, in exchange for some land.
Furious, Ada goes along with the scheme in order to be near her beloved instrument. Soon she is drawn into an affair with Baines. Stewart finds out about the affair, and makes Ada vow not to see Baines again. But then Stewart discovers, through Flora, that Ada is actually in love with Baines—a discovery that will have profound consequences.
Country of origin: Australia-New Zealand
Year of release: 1993
Running time: 122'
Language: English, Maori, Sign Language, with English subtitles
Set in the mid-nineteenth century, The Piano is the story of Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter, in an Academy Award-winning role), a mute Scotswoman who is married off by her father to Alistair Stewart (Sam Neill), a New Zealand frontiersman. Ada is sent out to her new home with her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin, who also won an Academy Award), and her piano.
Ada is forced to leave the piano on the beach by her new husband, who claims there is no space for it in their house. Stewart then makes a deal with Baines (Harvey Keitel), a European who has taken on many of the indigenous Maori ways, to give Baines the piano and playing lessons from Ada, in exchange for some land.
Furious, Ada goes along with the scheme in order to be near her beloved instrument. Soon she is drawn into an affair with Baines. Stewart finds out about the affair, and makes Ada vow not to see Baines again. But then Stewart discovers, through Flora, that Ada is actually in love with Baines—a discovery that will have profound consequences.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Screening for Monday 16th November: Mr Deeds Goes to Town
Director: Frank Capra
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1936
Running time: 115'
Language: English
Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a Cinderella Man screwball comedy from the golden age of Hollywood. In it, Gary Cooper plays Longfellow Deeds, a simple small-town dweller who loves nothing more than playing his tuba. One day he unexpectedly becomes the inheritor of $20 million, and that’s when his troubles start.
Thrust into the big city, Deeds must struggle to maintain his integrity, especially against those trying to prevent him giving away his wealth to the poor. Enter Louise “Babe” Bennett (Jean Arthur), a hard-nosed reporter who, for the sake of a story, poses as a damsel in distress to get close to Deeds, before inevitably falling in love with him.
Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a romantic comedy that regards the broader themes of innocence and corruption, and the power of the common man to fight the forces of a greedy, unjust establishment. It wields a message that would have been gratifying to the Depression-era audiences who first saw it, and remains a funny and supremely entertaining experience.
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1936
Running time: 115'
Language: English
Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a Cinderella Man screwball comedy from the golden age of Hollywood. In it, Gary Cooper plays Longfellow Deeds, a simple small-town dweller who loves nothing more than playing his tuba. One day he unexpectedly becomes the inheritor of $20 million, and that’s when his troubles start.
Thrust into the big city, Deeds must struggle to maintain his integrity, especially against those trying to prevent him giving away his wealth to the poor. Enter Louise “Babe” Bennett (Jean Arthur), a hard-nosed reporter who, for the sake of a story, poses as a damsel in distress to get close to Deeds, before inevitably falling in love with him.
Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a romantic comedy that regards the broader themes of innocence and corruption, and the power of the common man to fight the forces of a greedy, unjust establishment. It wields a message that would have been gratifying to the Depression-era audiences who first saw it, and remains a funny and supremely entertaining experience.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Screening for Monday 9th November: Hyenas
Director: Djibril Diop Mambéty
Country of origin: Senegal
Year of release: 1992
Running time: 110'
Language: Wolof, with English subtitles
Hyenas tells the story of Linguère Ramatou, who as a young woman fell in love with and became pregnant for a certain Dramaan Drameh. Dramaan denied paternity of the child, and bribed two men to say they had slept with Linguère. Disgraced, Linguère was driven from her village.
Years later Linguère, now miraculously wealthy—“as wealthy as the World Bank”—returns to the village seeking revenge. She offers the villagers untold material riches if they will kill Dramaan. Seduced by this lure, the people all join together in the name of greed to effect Linguère’s wishes. Inexorably, the village descends into a mad hell of corruption, degeneration and decay.
A striking and surreal satire of neocolonialism and consumerism, Hyenas blends compelling imagery and symbolism with a unique voice and perspective. The result is a brilliantly original example of African cinema, the last feature film from perhaps the continent’s most distinctive filmmaker.
Country of origin: Senegal
Year of release: 1992
Running time: 110'
Language: Wolof, with English subtitles
Hyenas tells the story of Linguère Ramatou, who as a young woman fell in love with and became pregnant for a certain Dramaan Drameh. Dramaan denied paternity of the child, and bribed two men to say they had slept with Linguère. Disgraced, Linguère was driven from her village.
Years later Linguère, now miraculously wealthy—“as wealthy as the World Bank”—returns to the village seeking revenge. She offers the villagers untold material riches if they will kill Dramaan. Seduced by this lure, the people all join together in the name of greed to effect Linguère’s wishes. Inexorably, the village descends into a mad hell of corruption, degeneration and decay.
A striking and surreal satire of neocolonialism and consumerism, Hyenas blends compelling imagery and symbolism with a unique voice and perspective. The result is a brilliantly original example of African cinema, the last feature film from perhaps the continent’s most distinctive filmmaker.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Screening for Monday 2nd November: The Harder They Come
Director: Perry Henzell
Country of origin: Jamaica
Year of release: 1972
Running time: 103'
Language: English, Jamaican creole
In The Harder They Come reggae star Jimmy Cliff plays Ivan O. Martin, a Jamaican country boy who heads for Kingston in search of fame and fortune as a singer. Faced with the harsh reality of city life, Ivan ends up taking work with a local preacher, and is later jailed for participating in a knife fight.
Upon his release, Ivan finally gets to record his song “The Harder They Come”, but is then exploited by a dishonest record company executive. Ivan turns his back on the establishment, and slides into crime and the drug trade. He keeps the police at arm's length by offering them a slice of the action, but ultimately finds himself in the middle of a bloody raid. Ivan kills several cops and escapes, whereupon "The Harder They Come" is released, elevating the fugitive to the status of folk hero.
Adopting a take-no-prisoners approach to its material and presenting an unadorned view of Jamaican ghetto life, The Harder They Come is the first true classic of Caribbean cinema, packing an emotional impact that is undeniable. And it features one of the all-time great music soundtracks, including unforgettable songs from Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, and of course Jimmy Cliff himself.
Country of origin: Jamaica
Year of release: 1972
Running time: 103'
Language: English, Jamaican creole
In The Harder They Come reggae star Jimmy Cliff plays Ivan O. Martin, a Jamaican country boy who heads for Kingston in search of fame and fortune as a singer. Faced with the harsh reality of city life, Ivan ends up taking work with a local preacher, and is later jailed for participating in a knife fight.
Upon his release, Ivan finally gets to record his song “The Harder They Come”, but is then exploited by a dishonest record company executive. Ivan turns his back on the establishment, and slides into crime and the drug trade. He keeps the police at arm's length by offering them a slice of the action, but ultimately finds himself in the middle of a bloody raid. Ivan kills several cops and escapes, whereupon "The Harder They Come" is released, elevating the fugitive to the status of folk hero.
Adopting a take-no-prisoners approach to its material and presenting an unadorned view of Jamaican ghetto life, The Harder They Come is the first true classic of Caribbean cinema, packing an emotional impact that is undeniable. And it features one of the all-time great music soundtracks, including unforgettable songs from Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, and of course Jimmy Cliff himself.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Screening for Monday 19th October: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Country of origin: Spain
Year of release: 1987
Running time: 90'
Language: Spanish, with English subtitles
Pedro Almodóvar’s international breakthrough, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a farce built upon coincidences of mounting improbability, which bring the film’s various characters into unlikely but hilarious collision with one another. Pepa, an actress, is desperate to save her relationship with serial womaniser Iván. Tracing his movements, she stumbles upon another of his lovers, the deranged Lucia, with whom she discovers Iván has a grown up son, Carlos.
Carlos meanwhile is hoping to rent an apartment with his formidable girlfriend Marisa, in which context they turn up at Pepa's penthouse, unaware of Carlos’ connection with its owner. Meanwhile Pepa's friend Candela has troubles of her own: she's on the run from the police and is in hiding at the apartment. Chaos, masterfully orchestrated, ensues.
A film that is both hugely theatrical and richly cinematic, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown revels in the glossy, larger than life potential of cinema to be the purveyor of magic and dreams, not to mention nightmares. For sheer delerious entertainment value, it is perhaps the director’s most enjoyable film to date, full of sparkling wit and invention, relentless style and panache.
Country of origin: Spain
Year of release: 1987
Running time: 90'
Language: Spanish, with English subtitles
Pedro Almodóvar’s international breakthrough, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a farce built upon coincidences of mounting improbability, which bring the film’s various characters into unlikely but hilarious collision with one another. Pepa, an actress, is desperate to save her relationship with serial womaniser Iván. Tracing his movements, she stumbles upon another of his lovers, the deranged Lucia, with whom she discovers Iván has a grown up son, Carlos.
Carlos meanwhile is hoping to rent an apartment with his formidable girlfriend Marisa, in which context they turn up at Pepa's penthouse, unaware of Carlos’ connection with its owner. Meanwhile Pepa's friend Candela has troubles of her own: she's on the run from the police and is in hiding at the apartment. Chaos, masterfully orchestrated, ensues.
A film that is both hugely theatrical and richly cinematic, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown revels in the glossy, larger than life potential of cinema to be the purveyor of magic and dreams, not to mention nightmares. For sheer delerious entertainment value, it is perhaps the director’s most enjoyable film to date, full of sparkling wit and invention, relentless style and panache.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Screening for Monday 12th October: Bicycle Thieves
Director: Vittorio de Sica
Country of origin: Italy
Year of release: 1948
Running time: 93'
Language: Italian, with English subtitles
The Academy-Award winning Bicycle Thieves has been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, and one of the most influential. Set in early post-World War II Rome, Bicycle Thieves centres around Antonio, a man who has been out of work for nearly two years and finally gets a job putting up movie posters, work that requires a bicycle.
Not in possession of a bicycle, Antonio pawns the family’s bed linen to get one, only to have it stolen. With the help of his young son, Bruno, Antonio begins a desperate search through the city to recover the bicycle—if he does not, he will lose his precious job and the only means of support for his family.
Bicycle Thieves, with its emotional clarity, social righteousness, and brutal honesty came to define the Italian Neorealist style of filmmaking, and served as a catalyst for new movements in filmmaking around the world. Yet it is the film’s simple, universal story, of the struggle for a dignified life in the face of overwhelming adversity, that continues to resonate with viewers everywhere.
Country of origin: Italy
Year of release: 1948
Running time: 93'
Language: Italian, with English subtitles
The Academy-Award winning Bicycle Thieves has been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, and one of the most influential. Set in early post-World War II Rome, Bicycle Thieves centres around Antonio, a man who has been out of work for nearly two years and finally gets a job putting up movie posters, work that requires a bicycle.
Not in possession of a bicycle, Antonio pawns the family’s bed linen to get one, only to have it stolen. With the help of his young son, Bruno, Antonio begins a desperate search through the city to recover the bicycle—if he does not, he will lose his precious job and the only means of support for his family.
Bicycle Thieves, with its emotional clarity, social righteousness, and brutal honesty came to define the Italian Neorealist style of filmmaking, and served as a catalyst for new movements in filmmaking around the world. Yet it is the film’s simple, universal story, of the struggle for a dignified life in the face of overwhelming adversity, that continues to resonate with viewers everywhere.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Apologies
Campus Film Classics apologises for the cancellation of today's screening of The Harder They Come. We hope to reschedule the screening for a date to be decided. The schedule for the film screenings continues as planned.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Screening for Monday 5th October: The Harder They Come
Director: Perry Henzell
Country of origin: Jamaica
Year of release: 1972
Running time: 103'
Language: English, Jamaican creole
In The Harder They Come reggae star Jimmy Cliff plays Ivan O. Martin, a Jamaican country boy who heads for Kingston in search of fame and fortune as a singer. Faced with the harsh reality of city life, Ivan ends up taking work with a local preacher, and is later jailed for participating in a knife fight.
Upon his release, Ivan finally gets to record his song “The Harder They Come”, but is then exploited by a dishonest record company executive. Ivan turns his back on the establishment, and slides into crime and the drug trade. He keeps the police at arm's length by offering them a slice of the action, but ultimately finds himself in the middle of a bloody raid. Ivan kills several cops and escapes, whereupon "The Harder They Come" is released, elevating the fugitive to the status of folk hero.
Adopting a take-no-prisoners approach to its material and presenting an unadorned view of Jamaican ghetto life, The Harder They Come is the first true classic of Caribbean cinema, packing an emotional impact that is undeniable. And it features one of the all-time great music soundtracks, including unforgettable songs from Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, and of course Jimmy Cliff himself.
Country of origin: Jamaica
Year of release: 1972
Running time: 103'
Language: English, Jamaican creole
In The Harder They Come reggae star Jimmy Cliff plays Ivan O. Martin, a Jamaican country boy who heads for Kingston in search of fame and fortune as a singer. Faced with the harsh reality of city life, Ivan ends up taking work with a local preacher, and is later jailed for participating in a knife fight.
Upon his release, Ivan finally gets to record his song “The Harder They Come”, but is then exploited by a dishonest record company executive. Ivan turns his back on the establishment, and slides into crime and the drug trade. He keeps the police at arm's length by offering them a slice of the action, but ultimately finds himself in the middle of a bloody raid. Ivan kills several cops and escapes, whereupon "The Harder They Come" is released, elevating the fugitive to the status of folk hero.
Adopting a take-no-prisoners approach to its material and presenting an unadorned view of Jamaican ghetto life, The Harder They Come is the first true classic of Caribbean cinema, packing an emotional impact that is undeniable. And it features one of the all-time great music soundtracks, including unforgettable songs from Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, and of course Jimmy Cliff himself.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Screening for Monday 28 September: Touch of Evil
Director: Orson Welles
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1958
Running time: 112'
Language: English
Campus Film Classics is pleased to announce its return with a screening of Touch of Evil, directed by Orson Welles. The screening takes place on Monday 28 September at 5pm (please note new day and time), at the Institute of Critical Thinking (upstairs the Centre for Language Learning, the previous venue for CFC), UWI main campus. The screening is free and open to the public.
Touch of Evil is a brilliant crime thriller, dark mystery, and a cult classic, the last great film noir during the so-called classic era of noirs. Beginning with one of the best opening shots in all of cinema, Touch of Evil explodes onto the screen with a car blowing up, setting into motion a classic noir tale of betrayal and murder. In a complex exploration of character and morality, Orson Welles plays the racist Captain Hank Quinlan, a grotesque, troubled, and powerful figure who runs his small US border town according to his own version of the law.
Quinlan's brutishness and vulgarity contrast starkly with the idealism and playboy good looks of Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston), a Mexican detective trying to put away the leader of a dangerous family of drug dealers. Vargas becomes consumed with exposing Quinlan and his highly questionable methods--too busy to see that his beautiful American bride, Susie (Janet Leigh) is in serious danger.
In almost every way, Touch of Evil is a masterpiece. Every shot is impeccably crafted, every word of dialogue concise and pointed. The supporting cast, led by Marlene Dietrich, gives exhilarating performances. Welles’ last American film, Touch of Evil is a near-perfect examination of the dark underbelly of society and the tragic downfall of a once proud and powerful man.
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1958
Running time: 112'
Language: English
Campus Film Classics is pleased to announce its return with a screening of Touch of Evil, directed by Orson Welles. The screening takes place on Monday 28 September at 5pm (please note new day and time), at the Institute of Critical Thinking (upstairs the Centre for Language Learning, the previous venue for CFC), UWI main campus. The screening is free and open to the public.
Touch of Evil is a brilliant crime thriller, dark mystery, and a cult classic, the last great film noir during the so-called classic era of noirs. Beginning with one of the best opening shots in all of cinema, Touch of Evil explodes onto the screen with a car blowing up, setting into motion a classic noir tale of betrayal and murder. In a complex exploration of character and morality, Orson Welles plays the racist Captain Hank Quinlan, a grotesque, troubled, and powerful figure who runs his small US border town according to his own version of the law.
Quinlan's brutishness and vulgarity contrast starkly with the idealism and playboy good looks of Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston), a Mexican detective trying to put away the leader of a dangerous family of drug dealers. Vargas becomes consumed with exposing Quinlan and his highly questionable methods--too busy to see that his beautiful American bride, Susie (Janet Leigh) is in serious danger.
In almost every way, Touch of Evil is a masterpiece. Every shot is impeccably crafted, every word of dialogue concise and pointed. The supporting cast, led by Marlene Dietrich, gives exhilarating performances. Welles’ last American film, Touch of Evil is a near-perfect examination of the dark underbelly of society and the tragic downfall of a once proud and powerful man.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Intermission
Campus Film Classics is currently on hiatus, while we finalise a new venue for our screenings. We should be back very soon. In the meanwhile, don't miss the upcoming trinidad+tobago film festival--two weeks of great local, Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora films, workshops, panel discussions and much more.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 18 August: Amores Perros
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Country of origin: Mexico
Year of release: 2000
Running time: 158'
Language: Spanish, with English subtitles
The debut feature by director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Amores Perros features three linked stories based in and around Mexico City. The first tells of Octavio, a young barrio-dweller who is in love with his sister-in-law, Susana. Determined to win her away from his brother Ramiro, a thief, Octavio resorts to using his dog Cifo in dogfighting circles to raise enough money for him and Susana to run away together.
The second story concerns Daniel, an editor who abandons his wife and two children for a supermodel, Valeria. When Valeria is involved in a car crash (the other car is driven by Octavio) and becomes handicapped, Daniel is forced to take care of her. Then Valeria’s beloved dog Richie becomes lost under the floorboards of her and Daniel's new apartment. The relationship strains the longer the pitiful dog's whines are heard without his rescue.
Finally comes the story of El Chivo, a bitter ex-guerilla turned hit man, who is given a contract to kill a wealthy, powerful businessman. A witness to the fateful car crash, El Chivo rescues Octavio’s dog, Cifo, whom paramedics have placed on the street—and who will teach the dehumanised El Chivo a shattering lesson.
Considered the film that launched the recent new wave of Mexican cinema, Amores Perros is marked by interconnected plots, dizzily fast pacing and gritty realism. In its structure and style (if not necessarily its content) it anticipates a number of films from the past few years, including Crash, City of God, and even Slumdog Millionaire.
Country of origin: Mexico
Year of release: 2000
Running time: 158'
Language: Spanish, with English subtitles
The debut feature by director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Amores Perros features three linked stories based in and around Mexico City. The first tells of Octavio, a young barrio-dweller who is in love with his sister-in-law, Susana. Determined to win her away from his brother Ramiro, a thief, Octavio resorts to using his dog Cifo in dogfighting circles to raise enough money for him and Susana to run away together.
The second story concerns Daniel, an editor who abandons his wife and two children for a supermodel, Valeria. When Valeria is involved in a car crash (the other car is driven by Octavio) and becomes handicapped, Daniel is forced to take care of her. Then Valeria’s beloved dog Richie becomes lost under the floorboards of her and Daniel's new apartment. The relationship strains the longer the pitiful dog's whines are heard without his rescue.
Finally comes the story of El Chivo, a bitter ex-guerilla turned hit man, who is given a contract to kill a wealthy, powerful businessman. A witness to the fateful car crash, El Chivo rescues Octavio’s dog, Cifo, whom paramedics have placed on the street—and who will teach the dehumanised El Chivo a shattering lesson.
Considered the film that launched the recent new wave of Mexican cinema, Amores Perros is marked by interconnected plots, dizzily fast pacing and gritty realism. In its structure and style (if not necessarily its content) it anticipates a number of films from the past few years, including Crash, City of God, and even Slumdog Millionaire.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 11 August: Affair in Trinidad
Director: Vincent Sherman
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1952
Running time: 98'
In 1948 Rita Hayworth wed Prince Ali Khan (the third of her five marriages) and unofficially retired from the movies. Four years later, the marriage at an end, Hayworth made her comeback to the silver screen with Affair in Trinidad, a romance thriller that reunited her with Glenn Ford, her co-star from the very successful, highly infamous Gilda (1946).
Hayworth stars in Affair in Trinidad as Chris Emery, a sexy, hip-grinding dancer who works in a sleazy Port of Spain nightclub owned by her husband. When he dies in mysterious circumstances, Chris' life is turned upside down, especially after the police pull her into the investigation.
Her brother-in-law Steve (Ford) then arrives, and the two are drawn deeper into the mystery and, eventually, each other's arms. What Steve doesn’t realise, however, is that Chris is keeping a dangerous secret from him, one that could have fatal consequences for them both.
Affair in Trinidad features steamy dance sequences (Hayworth first appears dancing barefoot to a “calypso” number called “Trinidad Lady”) and dazzling evening gowns (for which the film won a Best Costume Design Academy Award). Even better is the tempestuous pairing of the “Love Goddess” Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. Finally, the film offers the irresistible appeal of seeing what Trinidad was like in the early 1950s—as viewed through the eyes of Hollywood.
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1952
Running time: 98'
In 1948 Rita Hayworth wed Prince Ali Khan (the third of her five marriages) and unofficially retired from the movies. Four years later, the marriage at an end, Hayworth made her comeback to the silver screen with Affair in Trinidad, a romance thriller that reunited her with Glenn Ford, her co-star from the very successful, highly infamous Gilda (1946).
Hayworth stars in Affair in Trinidad as Chris Emery, a sexy, hip-grinding dancer who works in a sleazy Port of Spain nightclub owned by her husband. When he dies in mysterious circumstances, Chris' life is turned upside down, especially after the police pull her into the investigation.
Her brother-in-law Steve (Ford) then arrives, and the two are drawn deeper into the mystery and, eventually, each other's arms. What Steve doesn’t realise, however, is that Chris is keeping a dangerous secret from him, one that could have fatal consequences for them both.
Affair in Trinidad features steamy dance sequences (Hayworth first appears dancing barefoot to a “calypso” number called “Trinidad Lady”) and dazzling evening gowns (for which the film won a Best Costume Design Academy Award). Even better is the tempestuous pairing of the “Love Goddess” Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. Finally, the film offers the irresistible appeal of seeing what Trinidad was like in the early 1950s—as viewed through the eyes of Hollywood.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Welcome the trinidad+tobago film festival 09
Campus Film Classics is pleased to be associated with the trinidad+tobago film festival 09, which runs from September 16 to 29. The festival presents some of the best films by Caribbean filmmakers, as well as films being made about the Caribbean in the Caribbean spirit.
In addition to the main film screenings at MovieTowne in Port of Spain, the festival also encompasses workshops and seminars for filmmakers and others in the film industry, panel discussions with visiting filmmakers, outreach screenings (at StudioFilmClub in Laventille, UWI St Augustine, San Fernando and MovieTowne, Tobago), social events and more.
And for the first time in the festival's history, there will be jury prizes for the best films, including a US $10,000 prize for best feature.
Subscribe to the festival blog for daily festival updates, news, and more.
In addition to the main film screenings at MovieTowne in Port of Spain, the festival also encompasses workshops and seminars for filmmakers and others in the film industry, panel discussions with visiting filmmakers, outreach screenings (at StudioFilmClub in Laventille, UWI St Augustine, San Fernando and MovieTowne, Tobago), social events and more.
And for the first time in the festival's history, there will be jury prizes for the best films, including a US $10,000 prize for best feature.
Subscribe to the festival blog for daily festival updates, news, and more.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 4 August: Rue cases nègres
Director: Euzhan Palcy
Country of origin: Martinique
Year of release: 1983
Running time: 103'
Based on Joseph Zobel’s coming of age novel, the story of Rue cases nègres (Black Shack Alley or Sugar Cane Alley in English) is told through the eyes of José, a young boy growing up with his stern grandmother in the poverty of rural Martinique in the 1930s.
José is friends with Mèdouze, an old field worker who tells José stories of the past and of life in Africa. After Mèdouze’s death José moves with his grandmother to Fort-de-France, where he is to take up a scholarship at a private school. Inspired by Mèdouze’s tales, José begins to write stories that are so accomplished that his teacher is convinced he has plagiarised them.
Humiliated, José runs away from school. When he returns home, however, he finds his grandmother has told his teacher all about Mèdouze’s tales, and the teacher—now full of admiration for the young man—predicts that José will become a great writer.
The debut film by Euzhan Palcy (who would go on to become the first black woman to direct a Hollywood feature, A Dry White Season, starring Marlon Brando), Rue cases nègres is a genuine classic of Caribbean cinema, a vivid and emotional portrait of the colonial society, and one boy’s ability to go beyond the limitations of that society.
(Some info taken from austinfilm.org and imdb.com)
Country of origin: Martinique
Year of release: 1983
Running time: 103'
Based on Joseph Zobel’s coming of age novel, the story of Rue cases nègres (Black Shack Alley or Sugar Cane Alley in English) is told through the eyes of José, a young boy growing up with his stern grandmother in the poverty of rural Martinique in the 1930s.
José is friends with Mèdouze, an old field worker who tells José stories of the past and of life in Africa. After Mèdouze’s death José moves with his grandmother to Fort-de-France, where he is to take up a scholarship at a private school. Inspired by Mèdouze’s tales, José begins to write stories that are so accomplished that his teacher is convinced he has plagiarised them.
Humiliated, José runs away from school. When he returns home, however, he finds his grandmother has told his teacher all about Mèdouze’s tales, and the teacher—now full of admiration for the young man—predicts that José will become a great writer.
The debut film by Euzhan Palcy (who would go on to become the first black woman to direct a Hollywood feature, A Dry White Season, starring Marlon Brando), Rue cases nègres is a genuine classic of Caribbean cinema, a vivid and emotional portrait of the colonial society, and one boy’s ability to go beyond the limitations of that society.
(Some info taken from austinfilm.org and imdb.com)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 28 July: Hoop Dreams
Director: Steve James
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1994
Running time: 170'
Considered by many to be the greatest documentary film ever made (and arguably the greatest sports film ever), Hoop Dreams is the remarkable true story of two young African American men from the inner city determined to turn their love of basketball into personal success.
Plucked from the streets and given the opportunity to attend a suburban private school and play for a legendary high school coach, William Gates and Arthur Agee soon discover that their dreams of glory become obscured amid the intense pressures of academics, family life, economic circumstances and athletic competitiveness.
Yet both boys remain focused on their dream, no matter how hard tragedy strikes or how desperate their situation becomes. Their faith in the game they love continually gives them hope, a hope that ultimately allows them to build upon their failures as well as their triumphs and make for themselves a potentially better life.
Far more than a sympathetic portrait of two teenagers reaching for the
stars, Hoop Dreams, while remaining epic in scope, manages to be intimate in detail, chronicling the universal process of growing up and coming of age. It is about success and failure not just on the basketball court, but also in school, at home, in society, and ultimately, in life.
(Some info taken from kartemquin.com)
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1994
Running time: 170'
Considered by many to be the greatest documentary film ever made (and arguably the greatest sports film ever), Hoop Dreams is the remarkable true story of two young African American men from the inner city determined to turn their love of basketball into personal success.
Plucked from the streets and given the opportunity to attend a suburban private school and play for a legendary high school coach, William Gates and Arthur Agee soon discover that their dreams of glory become obscured amid the intense pressures of academics, family life, economic circumstances and athletic competitiveness.
Yet both boys remain focused on their dream, no matter how hard tragedy strikes or how desperate their situation becomes. Their faith in the game they love continually gives them hope, a hope that ultimately allows them to build upon their failures as well as their triumphs and make for themselves a potentially better life.
Far more than a sympathetic portrait of two teenagers reaching for the
stars, Hoop Dreams, while remaining epic in scope, manages to be intimate in detail, chronicling the universal process of growing up and coming of age. It is about success and failure not just on the basketball court, but also in school, at home, in society, and ultimately, in life.
(Some info taken from kartemquin.com)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 21 July: Awara
Director: Raj Kapoor
Country of origin: India
Year of release: 1951
Running time: 193’
If one person can be said to have created the magic formula of Hindi cinema—Bollywood as it is commonly known—that person is director/actor/producer Raj Kapoor. And if one film more than any other set the standard for the Hindi film as we know it today, it is Kapoor’s 1951 classic, Awara.
Awara is an atmospheric social commentary about Raju (Raj Kapoor himself) a cheerful Bombay slum-dweller who has taken to petty crime to feed himself and his ailing mother, Leela. Both were thrown out on to the streets by Leela’s husband, the district judge Raghunath (Raj Kapoor’s real-life father, Prithviraj), who wrongly believed his son to not be his own but that of a sworn enemy.
While on a thieving caper, Raju meets up after many years with his childhood friend, the beautiful, budding lawyer Rita (Nargis). The two fall in love, but little do they know that Rita’s guardian is none other than Raju’s estranged father himself. A violent encounter follows the discovery, which leads to a date in court for Raju and a difficult first case for Rita.
A landmark in Hindi cinema, Awara firmly established many of its hallmarks, from the lovers hampered by a rich/poor divide, to the fantasy-dream song sequence, to the testosterone-appeasing fist fights. Yet the movie is perhaps best loved for the radiant chemistry of the two leads, Nargis and Raj Kapoor, whose romance both on and off screen remains the stuff of legend.
(Some information taken from filmjournal.net)
Country of origin: India
Year of release: 1951
Running time: 193’
If one person can be said to have created the magic formula of Hindi cinema—Bollywood as it is commonly known—that person is director/actor/producer Raj Kapoor. And if one film more than any other set the standard for the Hindi film as we know it today, it is Kapoor’s 1951 classic, Awara.
Awara is an atmospheric social commentary about Raju (Raj Kapoor himself) a cheerful Bombay slum-dweller who has taken to petty crime to feed himself and his ailing mother, Leela. Both were thrown out on to the streets by Leela’s husband, the district judge Raghunath (Raj Kapoor’s real-life father, Prithviraj), who wrongly believed his son to not be his own but that of a sworn enemy.
While on a thieving caper, Raju meets up after many years with his childhood friend, the beautiful, budding lawyer Rita (Nargis). The two fall in love, but little do they know that Rita’s guardian is none other than Raju’s estranged father himself. A violent encounter follows the discovery, which leads to a date in court for Raju and a difficult first case for Rita.
A landmark in Hindi cinema, Awara firmly established many of its hallmarks, from the lovers hampered by a rich/poor divide, to the fantasy-dream song sequence, to the testosterone-appeasing fist fights. Yet the movie is perhaps best loved for the radiant chemistry of the two leads, Nargis and Raj Kapoor, whose romance both on and off screen remains the stuff of legend.
(Some information taken from filmjournal.net)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 14 July: North by Northwest
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Country of Origin: USA
Year of Release: 1959
Running time: 131 minutes
North by Northwest is a supremely entertaining, often tongue-in-cheek espionage thriller. The film stars Cary Grant as a Manhattan advertising man, Roger O. Thornhill, who is kidnapped by a gang of spies led by Philip Vandamm (James Mason), who believe Thornhill is a CIA agent.
Thornhill escapes, but is pursued across the US by a seemingly conspiratorial group of spies, the police and the FBI, as he seeks to clear himself of a murder he did not commit. Along the way he gains the help of a mysterious and beautiful blonde woman, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). He also finds himself in the middle of some of the most memorable action scenes in all of cinema, including a brush with a crop-duster in a cornfield, and a climactic struggle on Mount Rushmore.
A brilliantly manipulative tale featuring mistaken identity, murder, mayhem, spies, counterspies, a femme fatale, and a domineering and unbelieving mother, North by Northwest is a masterwork by one of cinema’s greatest talents, working at the height of his powers.
(Some info taken from filmsite.org and imdb.com)
Country of Origin: USA
Year of Release: 1959
Running time: 131 minutes
North by Northwest is a supremely entertaining, often tongue-in-cheek espionage thriller. The film stars Cary Grant as a Manhattan advertising man, Roger O. Thornhill, who is kidnapped by a gang of spies led by Philip Vandamm (James Mason), who believe Thornhill is a CIA agent.
Thornhill escapes, but is pursued across the US by a seemingly conspiratorial group of spies, the police and the FBI, as he seeks to clear himself of a murder he did not commit. Along the way he gains the help of a mysterious and beautiful blonde woman, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). He also finds himself in the middle of some of the most memorable action scenes in all of cinema, including a brush with a crop-duster in a cornfield, and a climactic struggle on Mount Rushmore.
A brilliantly manipulative tale featuring mistaken identity, murder, mayhem, spies, counterspies, a femme fatale, and a domineering and unbelieving mother, North by Northwest is a masterwork by one of cinema’s greatest talents, working at the height of his powers.
(Some info taken from filmsite.org and imdb.com)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 7 July: Raise the Red Lantern
Director: Zhang Yimou
Country of Origin: China
Year of Release: 1992
Running time: 125 minutes
Language: Mandarin, with English subtitles
Raise the Red Lantern is a sumptuously photographed drama set in northern China in the 1920s. It stars the incomparable Gong Li as Songlian, a college student who is married off by her stepmother, becoming the fourth wife of a wealthy, elderly landlord. Songlian, who had hopes of using her education to broaden her horizons, now finds herself reduced to a small enclosure at the beck and call of her husband, who lights a lantern outside of the house of the wife with whom he intends to spend the night.
Songlian also finds herself having to negotiate her relationships with the three other wives. The first, almost as old as the landlord himself, ignores Songlian; the third, a beautiful ex-opera singer, is fiercely jealous of her; while the second wants to be her friend—or so it seems. Banned in China when it was first released—many see the film as a veiled critique of the country’s political system—Raise the Red Lantern is a moving exploration of power and intrigue in a suffocating world of ossified tradition and naked ambition.
(Some info taken from allmovie.com)
Country of Origin: China
Year of Release: 1992
Running time: 125 minutes
Language: Mandarin, with English subtitles
Raise the Red Lantern is a sumptuously photographed drama set in northern China in the 1920s. It stars the incomparable Gong Li as Songlian, a college student who is married off by her stepmother, becoming the fourth wife of a wealthy, elderly landlord. Songlian, who had hopes of using her education to broaden her horizons, now finds herself reduced to a small enclosure at the beck and call of her husband, who lights a lantern outside of the house of the wife with whom he intends to spend the night.
Songlian also finds herself having to negotiate her relationships with the three other wives. The first, almost as old as the landlord himself, ignores Songlian; the third, a beautiful ex-opera singer, is fiercely jealous of her; while the second wants to be her friend—or so it seems. Banned in China when it was first released—many see the film as a veiled critique of the country’s political system—Raise the Red Lantern is a moving exploration of power and intrigue in a suffocating world of ossified tradition and naked ambition.
(Some info taken from allmovie.com)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 30 June: Grand Illusion
Director: Jean Renoir
Country of origin: France
Year of release: 1937
Run time: 114 minutes
Of the many great directors who have worked in film, only a handful can be truly counted among the masters of cinema. France's Jean Renoir is one such filmmaker, and Grand Illusion is one of his greatest cinematic achievements.
Grand Illusion is the story of three Frenchmen detained in a German prisoner of war camp during WWI. The film shows us how they manage to deal with their confinement, and allows us to watch their disappointments and their attempts to escape. The other main character is a German commander with whom the prisoners become friendly, raising complicated questions of loyalty and duty.
An anti-war film that escapes many of the conventions of the genre, Grand Illusion is as much about themes of class, nationality and religion, about humanity, relationships and identities, as it is about the horrors of war. (So potent was the film’s message when it was first released that it was banned in Nazi Germany, and by Mussolini in Italy.) Apart from the film’s timeless themes, however, it continues to stand up today as an example of great filmmaking because of its fine acting, deft pacing and fluid camera work.
(Some info from imdb.com)
Country of origin: France
Year of release: 1937
Run time: 114 minutes
Of the many great directors who have worked in film, only a handful can be truly counted among the masters of cinema. France's Jean Renoir is one such filmmaker, and Grand Illusion is one of his greatest cinematic achievements.
Grand Illusion is the story of three Frenchmen detained in a German prisoner of war camp during WWI. The film shows us how they manage to deal with their confinement, and allows us to watch their disappointments and their attempts to escape. The other main character is a German commander with whom the prisoners become friendly, raising complicated questions of loyalty and duty.
An anti-war film that escapes many of the conventions of the genre, Grand Illusion is as much about themes of class, nationality and religion, about humanity, relationships and identities, as it is about the horrors of war. (So potent was the film’s message when it was first released that it was banned in Nazi Germany, and by Mussolini in Italy.) Apart from the film’s timeless themes, however, it continues to stand up today as an example of great filmmaking because of its fine acting, deft pacing and fluid camera work.
(Some info from imdb.com)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Screening for Wednesday 24 June: Mandabi
Please note that this week's film will be held on Wednesday, not the usual Tuesday, at 5:30pm.
Director: Ousmane Sembene
Country of origin: Senegal
Year of release: 1968
Run time: 90 minutes
Mandabi is the story of Ibrahim, an illiterate Senegalese villager who tries to cash a money order sent to him by a relative working in Paris, and somehow finds himself pitted against overwhelming bureaucratic and societal forces. Ibrahim is a lazy and vain but fundamentally decent man, and his unexpected windfall becomes the catalyst of his downfall—the means by which this simple, more-or-less honest, foible-ridden individual comes face-to-face with the indifference, the corruption of the modern world.
Ibrahim’s story takes on the quality of a comic fable, and Ousmane Sembene, keeping his characters at arm’s length, is able to convey their basic equality as creatures trying to survive in a confusing, unfair world. This mid-range staging is also perfect for creating a deliberate, unobtrusive sense of comedy, of human folly gently revealed. At the same time, the film is a window upon the culture of post-colonial Senegal, a world that seems poised uneasily between tradition (village life, Islam) and modernity (bureaucracy, crime, money-grubbing).
(Some info from imdb.com)
Director: Ousmane Sembene
Country of origin: Senegal
Year of release: 1968
Run time: 90 minutes
Mandabi is the story of Ibrahim, an illiterate Senegalese villager who tries to cash a money order sent to him by a relative working in Paris, and somehow finds himself pitted against overwhelming bureaucratic and societal forces. Ibrahim is a lazy and vain but fundamentally decent man, and his unexpected windfall becomes the catalyst of his downfall—the means by which this simple, more-or-less honest, foible-ridden individual comes face-to-face with the indifference, the corruption of the modern world.
Ibrahim’s story takes on the quality of a comic fable, and Ousmane Sembene, keeping his characters at arm’s length, is able to convey their basic equality as creatures trying to survive in a confusing, unfair world. This mid-range staging is also perfect for creating a deliberate, unobtrusive sense of comedy, of human folly gently revealed. At the same time, the film is a window upon the culture of post-colonial Senegal, a world that seems poised uneasily between tradition (village life, Islam) and modernity (bureaucracy, crime, money-grubbing).
(Some info from imdb.com)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 16 June: Seven Samurai
Please note that because of the lengthy running time, this week's film will start at 4:30pm.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Country of origin: Japan
Year of release: 1954
Run time: 204 minutes
Seven Samurai is an epic set in 16th century feudal Japan. It tells the story of a veteran samurai warrior who has fallen on hard times and answers a village’s request for protection from bandits. He recruits six other samurai, who together teach the villagers how to defend themselves. The film culminates with a giant battle against the bandits.
Directed by the great Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai is a cinematic masterpiece, weaving philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action into a rich, evocative, and unforgettable tale of courage and hope. It was remade as the Hollywood Western, The Magnificent Seven, in 1960.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Country of origin: Japan
Year of release: 1954
Run time: 204 minutes
Seven Samurai is an epic set in 16th century feudal Japan. It tells the story of a veteran samurai warrior who has fallen on hard times and answers a village’s request for protection from bandits. He recruits six other samurai, who together teach the villagers how to defend themselves. The film culminates with a giant battle against the bandits.
Directed by the great Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai is a cinematic masterpiece, weaving philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action into a rich, evocative, and unforgettable tale of courage and hope. It was remade as the Hollywood Western, The Magnificent Seven, in 1960.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Screening for Tuesday 9 June: City Lights
City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1931
Run time: 87 minutes
He is one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived, and with his Little Tramp—he of the black bowler, toothbrush mustache and waddling gait—he created arguably the most iconic figure in the history of world cinema.
Charlie Chaplin’s films are timeless works of art that exemplify all that is beautiful and good about the medium of film. And City Lights is considered by many to be the greatest of all Chaplin's films. Released in 1931, City Lights is the story of Chaplin’s Little Tramp’s love for a poor, blind flower-seller. Heroically determined to get the money for the operation that will restore the girl’s sight, he takes on a series of odd jobs, before he is wrongfully accused of theft and sent to prison. The film’s conclusion, where the Little Tramp is reunited with the flower-seller, is one of the most celebrated endings in all of cinema.
A wonderfully seamless blend of comedy, drama, pathos and pantomime, City Lights is a testament to the unique genius of Charlie Chaplin, who, in addition to being its director and star, also wrote, edited, produced and scored the film.
Director: Charles Chaplin
Country of origin: USA
Year of release: 1931
Run time: 87 minutes
He is one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived, and with his Little Tramp—he of the black bowler, toothbrush mustache and waddling gait—he created arguably the most iconic figure in the history of world cinema.
Charlie Chaplin’s films are timeless works of art that exemplify all that is beautiful and good about the medium of film. And City Lights is considered by many to be the greatest of all Chaplin's films. Released in 1931, City Lights is the story of Chaplin’s Little Tramp’s love for a poor, blind flower-seller. Heroically determined to get the money for the operation that will restore the girl’s sight, he takes on a series of odd jobs, before he is wrongfully accused of theft and sent to prison. The film’s conclusion, where the Little Tramp is reunited with the flower-seller, is one of the most celebrated endings in all of cinema.
A wonderfully seamless blend of comedy, drama, pathos and pantomime, City Lights is a testament to the unique genius of Charlie Chaplin, who, in addition to being its director and star, also wrote, edited, produced and scored the film.
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