It is that time once again, when as high-brow cinephiles we can put down our brandy sifters, button up our smoking jackets, and rejoice that Criterion is bestowing us with even more classic films come January. Criterion announced their January releases recently and they include the PBS funded white-guilt inducing film “El Norte,” the fromage covered “Magnificent Obsession,” Roberto Rossellini’s portrait of France’s most destructive monarch, “The Taking of Power by Louis XIV” and Rossellini’s history lesson in a box-set “Eclipse Series 14: Rossellini’s History Films-Renaissance and Enlightenment.”
El Norte
This 1983 film, other than being a staple of every university South American cinema class, was one of the first truly independent films to be nominated for Best Picture. It deals with the trials and tribulations of a pair of Guatemalan youths who flee their home country attempting to avoid ethic persecution. The two immigrants find themselves traveling through Mexico on their journey to America, where they are forced to crawl through a sewer pipe laden with rats. They soon find that American life isn’t everything they had imagined and are forced to become day-laborers living in southern California. The film was financed completely off the grid, and a large chunk came from PBS. It has since become been wildly successful in sending the vast majority of pupils forced to view it into a deep depression.
Magnificent Obsession
Douglas Sirk’s take on the Lloyd C. Douglas novel, which follows a young, spoiled playboy who crashes his boat while driving recklessly, occupying the towns only resuscitator. While he is being waited on by the townsfolk, the beloved physician suffers a heart attack and dies. Due to the fact that his careless ass was at fault for the death, the the hospital staff and townsfolk turn on him. Don’t let the awesome sounding premise fool you, the film quickly falls into a shamelesss fromage covered love story.
The Taking of Power by Louis XIV
Neo-realist giant Roberto Rossellini’s costume drama concerning France’s “sun king.” Rossellini’s penchant for realism brings the figures made infamous through the prism of time appear to be the mere mortals they were. The film follows Louis grapple for absolute power after the death of the chief minister Cardinal Mazarin, his construction of the palace of the Versailles, extravagant meals and other acts that permanently damaged the country. It was penned by Francois Truffaut’s trusted scribe, Jean Gruault and is a must see for any 17th century monarch enthusiast.
Eclipse Series 14: Rossellini’s History Films-Renaissance and Enlightenment
In his senile twilight years Roberto Rossellini began making films about important historical figures. Criterion is offering the three films in a single box set. It includes “Blaise Pascal,” which outlines the life of the influential philosopher who argued for science and intellect amid an atmosphere of superstition and ignorance. “The Age of the Medici” his three part series is a portrait of 15th century Florence political dynasty turned patron of the arts. His third film in the set is “Cartesius,” about the mathematician, scientist and writer Rene Descartes. He is considered to be the father of modern philosophy and we hear he was pretty important. If you are ever stuck in a dull humanities class do yourself a favor and view these instead of browsing aimlessly through your text book.