Los Olvidados

English title: The Young and the Damned

Genre: youth drama (in black and white)

With: Alfonso Mejía (Pedro, a basically good kid), Roberto Cobo (El Jaibo), Estela Inda (Pedro’s mother), Miguel Inclán (Don Carmelo, the blind musician), Mario Ramírez (the abandoned Ojitos, a.k.a. ‟Small Eyes”), Alma Delia Fuentes (Meche the spunky girl), Javier Amézcua (Julián), Francisco Jambrina (Director of the school farm), Jesús García (Julián’s father)

Director: Luis Buñuel

Screenplay: Luis Alcoriza. Luis Buñuel and Max Aub, with help from Juan Larrea and Pedro de Urdimalas

Release: 1950

Studio: Ultramar Films, S.A.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

‟I've told you not to come back if you hang [around] with these punks.” 

 

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Story-line: in the slums of Mexico City, youngsters have nothing to do but play frivolous games and become delinquents under the influence of their elders, especially Jaibo, who has just escaped from a reformatory. As the kids await his glorious return to the neighbourhood, they know he will have big plans for them… plans that will bring pesos to everyone, including Pedro, our protagonist.    

Pluses: wonderful acting all around, consistently great helming by a celebrated filmmaker (winner of the Best Director award in Cannes for this masterpiece), a potent, logical and implacable screenplay based on real events and invigorated by well-drawn characters and several classic scenes, irreproachable cinematography and editing, appropriate production values, a moody, almost dizzying musical score and a devastating ending.

Minuses: none whatsoever.

Comments: an exceptional and morally valuable film keenly attuned to its theme of childhood misery, LOS OLVIDADOS generates the pathos usually associated with neo-realism and shows flashes of poetry as evocative as those of Fellini’s LA STRADA a few years later. A social statement, a story for the ages and a milestone in world cinema, Luis Buñuel’s indestructible ensemble drama will captivate all movie buffs. 

 

MBiS 

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Ran

Genre: period drama

With: Tatsuya Nakadai (Lord Hidetora Ichimonji), Akira Terao (Taro Takatora Ichimonji), Jinpachi Nezu (Jiro Masatora Ichimonji), Daisuke Ryû (Saburo Naotora Ichimonji), Mieko Harada (Lady Kaede, Taro’s wife), Yoshiko Miyazaki (Lady Sué, Jiro’s wife), Pîtâ (Kyoami), Masayuki Yui (Tango Hirayama, Saburo’s faithful aide), Kazuo Katô (Kageyu Ikoma, Ichimonji’s untrustworthy aide), Hisashi Igawa (Shuri Kurogane), Mansai Nomura (Tsurumaru)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Screenplay: Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide and Akira Kurosawa (based on King Lear, by William Shakespeare)

Release: 1985

Studio: Greenwich Film Productions, S.A., Herald Ace Inc., Nippon Herald Films Inc.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.6/10    

 

‟What kind of world do we live in? One barren of loyalty and feeling.” 

 

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Story-line: the setting is medieval Japan. Although he can still hunt wild boars when he’s up to it, old Lord Ichimonji cannot thwart Father Time. Realizing that decrepitude is inescapable, he announces to his three sons, his jester Kyoami and his hunting party guests that peace, not rivalry, should be everyone’s concern from now on. Accordingly, he has decided to cede authority over all his dominions to his eldest son Taro and secondary properties to his other sons Jiro and Saburo. Ichimonji’s decision is acknowledged by Taro and Jiro but not by Saburo who calls his father a ‟senile old fool” and is banished for his conduct. Such an outburst augurs nothing but trouble for the Ichimonji clan.     

Pluses: excellent acting by all, especially Tatsuya Nakadai, Pîtâ (the free-speaking jester) and Mieko Harada (one mean mama!), world-class direction, a relentless and twisty screenplay filled with deceit, treachery and strong characters, breathtaking visuals, high-level production values, a spellbinding musical score and a striking ending.

Minuses: few characters rise above the fray in this tale about grudges, power grabs,  misunderstandings and revenge. Some scenes are violent or psychologically stressful.   

Comments: I have read somewhere that a movie director can’t mess up a good story… but what do you get when a great Shakespearian work is adapted for the screen by one of the finest directors ever? An epic film that flows like a wicked soap opera and a grand old time for movie buffs. Simply put, RAN is that good. 

 

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