The residents of a poor neighbourhood in Piraeus are asked to leave as modernization will take place. The prostitutes of one of the many brothels are preparing to move on. The camera follows their individual stories, their misery, shattered dreams and hopes for a better future.
Director: Vasilis Georgiadis. AKA The Red Lanterns / Τα κόκκινα φανάρια
Writers: Alekos Galanos (play & screenplay)
Stars: Jenny Karezi, Giorgos Foundas, Dimitris Papamichael, Manos Katrakis, Mairi Hronopoulou, Faidon Georgitsis, Alexandra Ladikou, Despo Diamantidou, Eleni Anousaki, Notis Peryalis, Iro Kyriakaki, Kostas Kourtis, Katerina Helmy, Thodoros Kefalopoulos.
1964 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
1964 Cannes Film Festival – Nominated for the Palme d’Or.
Great film, full of colorful performances and good music.
Whoever made the subtitles made a great job, because there was a lot to translate, but …
… there is so much talk in this talky movie that reading the subtitles is a real heavy burden. I can’t read fast enough to catch their meaning in the short fractions of seconds they appear, so I have to rewatch scenes quiten often, which makes this a tiresome procedure.
I am now at minute 35 and will probably quit. The movie and its characters are just not interesting enough to really follow them through 130 (!) minutes and I also miss a sort of structure, a sort of storyline.
If you like Robert Altman, you will like this. I don’t like Altman, never understood the fuss about him.
Be warned, this movie is dated and tiresome … might be different, if you speak Greek.