The Open Road
Title: The Motorcycle Diaries
Year: 2004
Director: Walter Salles
Writers: Jose Rivera based on books by Che Guevara (Notas de viaje) and Alberto Granado (Con el Che por America Latina)
My Take: This was a "must see" for 2004 as soon as I heard about it. I've got a soft spot for Latin American cinema and I'd be extremely impressed with Gael Garcia Bernal. in Amores Perros (one of my 10 favorite films of all time) and Y tu mama tambien. At only 25 years old, I think he's got a very bright future.
The first thing I noticed about The Motorcycle Diaries is that the film is simply beautiful. The cinematography is very much an ode to South America, as it should be given the entire film is based around Che Guevara and Alberto Granado's pan-South American motorcycle trip that took them from their homeland of Argentina along the western length of the continent to Venezuala. It was a life-changing experience for both men and this is readily apparent throughout the film. Guevara's transformation is more apparent, but Granado certainly didn't emerge untouched.
Perhaps the most impressive part of this film is that it was shot on location - the film's cast and crew retraced the steps of Guevara and Granado, interacting with residents of same villages and towns that the intrepid cyclists had ridden through on their journey 50 years before. Their travels and the film crew covered over 10,000 km and the resulting film is magnificent as a result. From lost love to poverty to lust to confusion to moments of clarity to compassion to rage to self-sacrifice, this film touches on many, many parts of the human condition and all in a believable and undramaticized way.
The Verdict: This will be joining my DVD collection shortly. I hope to see it in the theaters again before it rides off into the sunset.
Year: 2004
Director: Walter Salles
Writers: Jose Rivera based on books by Che Guevara (Notas de viaje) and Alberto Granado (Con el Che por America Latina)
My Take: This was a "must see" for 2004 as soon as I heard about it. I've got a soft spot for Latin American cinema and I'd be extremely impressed with Gael Garcia Bernal. in Amores Perros (one of my 10 favorite films of all time) and Y tu mama tambien. At only 25 years old, I think he's got a very bright future.
The first thing I noticed about The Motorcycle Diaries is that the film is simply beautiful. The cinematography is very much an ode to South America, as it should be given the entire film is based around Che Guevara and Alberto Granado's pan-South American motorcycle trip that took them from their homeland of Argentina along the western length of the continent to Venezuala. It was a life-changing experience for both men and this is readily apparent throughout the film. Guevara's transformation is more apparent, but Granado certainly didn't emerge untouched.
Perhaps the most impressive part of this film is that it was shot on location - the film's cast and crew retraced the steps of Guevara and Granado, interacting with residents of same villages and towns that the intrepid cyclists had ridden through on their journey 50 years before. Their travels and the film crew covered over 10,000 km and the resulting film is magnificent as a result. From lost love to poverty to lust to confusion to moments of clarity to compassion to rage to self-sacrifice, this film touches on many, many parts of the human condition and all in a believable and undramaticized way.
The Verdict: This will be joining my DVD collection shortly. I hope to see it in the theaters again before it rides off into the sunset.
posted by Hairy Lime at 11:03 AM
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