Posted by Solomon on 2/4/2017, 6:03 pm
This Spanish noir is one that Grant missed. I found it very well done, very easy to like, and clearly noir. ChiBob called it to our attention a little while back and I'm glad he did.
A good review of it is here: https://jiescribano.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/film-notes-the-strange-voyage-spanish-el-extrao-viaje-1964-directed-by-fernando-fernn-gmez/
The film itself is free on DailyMotion. Decent subs are available.
"The film was a huge flop on its limited release. It was voted seventh best Spanish film by professionals and critics in 1996 Spanish cinema centenary."
Jesus Franco is in it, playing an addled brother. He reminds me of Zero Mostel.
"Part murder mystery, part passionate indictment of the Franco regime, The Strange Voyage is a fabulous oddity. El extraño viaje benefits from brilliant direction, magnificent and fitting black and white photography, and above all the splendid performances by the entire cast, notably Tota Alba in her superb role as the frustrated spinster and also well-known film director Jesús Franco as the withdrawn and fearful Venancio."
"...focuses on one of the dominant themes of the 1950s and 1960s in Spanish cinema, the oppressive life in Spanish provincial towns. The film builds up on the tension created in traditional Spain by the advent of foreign modernity, in this instance the presence of contemporary popular music (the Twist) brought to the small Castilian town each week by the regularly scheduled performance of a dance band."
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