#427: BARDEM, Juan Antonio: Death Of A Cyclist (1955)

BARDEM, Juan Antonio (Spain)
Death Of A Cyclist [1955]
Spine #427
DVD


Upper-class geometry professor Juan and his wealthy, married mistress María José, driving back from a late-night rendezvous, accidentally hit a cyclist and run. The resulting, exquisitely shot tale of guilt, infidelity, and blackmail reveals the wide gap between the rich and the poor in Spain and surveys the corrupt ethics of a society seduced by decadence. Juan Antonio Bardem's charged melodrama Death of a Cyclist (Muerte de un ciclista) was a direct attack on 1950s Spanish society under Franco's rule. Though the film was affected by the dictates of censorship, its sting could never be dulled.

88 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
in Spanish
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2008
Director


Juan Antonio Bardem was 33 when he directed Death of a Cyclist.

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Thirty-two page booklet featuring an essay by scholar Marsha Kinder, and Bardem’s 1955 call to arms for Spanish cinema.

Commentary

None.

Calle Bardem (2005)

A documentary on the revolutionary life and career of director Bardem.

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Complete Criterion Collection By Spine #

#331: OZU, Yasujiro: Late Spring (1949)

#304: ROEG, Nicolas: The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976)