Death of a Cyclist
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Movie Reviews of Death of a Cyclist
Movie Review: A surprisingly good film from the midst of Franco's dictatorship
Summary: 5 Stars
A film with a lot of compelling dialogue and interesting shots; while the film is very sophisticated, sometimes it seems as if Bardem was so passionate about conveying his veiled, anti-establishment message he overlooked some curious errors: for example, the shot of the student protest at the university where you can see the shadow of the camera crane over the crowd, or the shot from the back seat of the vehicle being driven by Lucia Bosé where you actually see the gloved hand of the cameraman in the backseat of the otherwise "empty" car. The fact that Lucia Bosé has all her lines dubbed is also surprising. Great Hitchcock-style pace and suspense in the film.Movie Review: Ageless
Summary: 5 Stars
Thank you Criterion; everything excels. Mr. Merrit's brief review is absolutely spot on. I would only add that the secondary story...the student...is exceptional and will affect you greatly.
NOTE: The politics of the time in Spain and Europe in general are apparent, but are only retrospectively interesting today. But complementary to this film so try to keep them in mind.
Movie Review: Death of a Cyclist
Summary: 4 Stars
Death of a Cyclist, from 1955, is a thriller and a moral drama. Two lovers, Juan and Maria, accidentally hit a cyclist with their car, and have to flee the crime scene afraid of their illicit affair being revealed. They are part of high society: Maria is the wife of a very rich man, and Juan is a math professor, and they decide they have very much to lose: each other and their social status. Early on they get hints from another man that he knows, but exactly what he knows and what he wants is unclear.
The plot is very suspensive and contains some twists reminiscent of Hitchcock; the camerawork is competent, though the acting is maybe a little stiff (maybe typical for 1950s cinema?).
The moral dimension is interesting, with Juan who sees himself as a failure, economically and professionally, as he is dependent on influental relatives. The accident and his moral failure makes him re-evaluate his life. And Maria is confronted with her strong desire for status. In the films opening scene they choose to leave the cyclist in the ditch, dying.
The transfer from Criterion is excellent, and there are some extras: a documentary about Bardem and a informative booklet. The film is said to be a standard ingredient in cinema studies, and finally it is available on DVD. Recommended to everyone interested in cinema, and/or some suspense.
Movie Review: Life was not so good in Franco's Spain
Summary: 4 Stars
For those who like the old artsy black and white movies. Juan is a college professor who lacks ambition that his wealthy family expects. Juan just drifts along with his job as a college professor and his affair with a wealthy mistress. One day, while driving with his mistress, she runs down a cyclist. Rather than save the injured man's life, they leave to protect their dirty little secret. Juan visits the family of the dead cyclist and is amazed at the poverty where the dead man came from. As the guilt builds up in the Macbeth tradition, a sleazy character starts black mailing the mistress Maria. Meanwhile, Juan unjustly fails a student due to his own distracted mind. The disillusioned Juan finally decides to clear his conscience by confessing everything. His mistress is not so keen on losing everything. The movie is really a commentary about the poverty under Franco's rule. A good story.
--Doug Setter author of Stomach Flattening and One Less VictimStomach FlatteningOne Less Victim: A Prevention Guide
Movie Review: Decadence is beautiful
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a beautiful black and white movie with beautiful people. Its undisputed star, Italian actress Lucia Bose, plays exactly the same character like in Michelangelo Antonioni's "Cronada di un amore" - a dissatisfied egotistical trophy wife of a captain of industry and trade. The noirish plot (cover up of an accident by the Bose character and her lover) gets a political slant as the distracted lover, a mathematician shoved into a position at university by influential relatives, does not pay attention to a woman student and let her fail at an exam. This leads to (comparatively tame) student riots in which the (stunningly well groomed) students ask for the lover's head. The dissatisfaction with social conditions in Spain of the 1950 permeates this movie. The settings in wintry Madrid (and surroundings) will haunt the viewer for a long time. The final scenes are pretty campy but the overall impression is a good one.
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