"Who's Knocking on My Door" Asks God! Martin Scorsese's first film

Arden 2022-07-05 16:59:29

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Faith itself protects the good? Still evil!
――――Kavka Lu’s



film is a process of accumulation and learning. Martin Scorsese’s first film begins with a typical Italian-American home life scene, and uses the familiar streets as the theme. It is related to the director's own life experience.
The scene of the street fight is the plot, but it is more like the director is studying the scheduling ability of the scene. The scene in the bar was obviously influenced by film noir. Unlike the general novice, Martin's perspective is mostly from the top, with the director's subjectivity.
In the scene where Besson met JR, there are a lot of characters talking about John Wayne's Westerns and Italian films, JR is basically speaking for the director, about the Westerns, about "The Searcher", the director's camera follows them. The dialogue moves, close-up and close-up are alternately used, and JR’s memories are inserted, so that this chapter does not appear to be lengthy. Tired, some taste of technical research.
In the passage between JR and Besson, the director loaded the Italian culture's attitude towards marriage and love, and the virgin complex is related to the traditional religion of Italy. It also laid the groundwork for Besson's later recounting that he was raped by JR.
Inserted into the film is a sex scene of Harvey Keitel shot by Martin in the Netherlands. According to Martin's own explanation, he feels that there is no essential difference between the grand production of the scene and the small cost, as long as the director is imaginative, it can be shot well. So in this scene, he explored the composition of the picture and the method of photographic movement, making this scene two points of the film, with the boldness and passion of Nordic pornography. The psychedelic music of THE DOORS adds to the sensuality of the scene.

In this movie where the story is somewhat loose. Martin Scorsese is more focused on exploring the light perception of photography and the scheduling of shots. Besson described the rape scene to JR. Martin filmed it in a noir way. When Besson left JR, JR's angry face was in the foreground, and Besson's back became distant in an instant due to the change in focus. express their differences.
The flashback scenes of JR, who was drinking to relieve his sorrows in the pub, and Besson's rape, alternately appeared, allowing the audience to experience his inner sadness and hesitation more. JR's bitter smile corresponds to Besson's struggle and pain at the time, making it all more impactful.
The drunk JR returned to the apartment and stood against the wall. The director used an elevated shot to make the characters even more helpless. When his hand was slowly stretched out, a flashback showed the moment he once touched Besson's face, deepening the scene. the audience's understanding of his grief and pain.
Martin's films always have a religious complex, so the image of the statue of the god in the church at the end has a reflection on the shackles of religion on the soul, because JR's reflection on Besson's rape has Catholic reasons. The crucifixion statues seem to question what kind of question: He has already suffered for the Son of Man, why is there so much suffering!
The rape scene flashed back in front of the idol is critical and suspicious. Faith itself protects the good? Still evil! This kind of doubt reached the peak of speculation in Martin's later famous film "The Last Temptation of Christ" and became his characteristic.
The life of the film lies in the real intention of intervening in life, just like the "Yellow Earth" of the young Martin Scorsese, and the young Martin Scorsese's "Who's Knocking on My Door" chose the neighborhood he was familiar with, and Musically utilizes psychedelic and rock music. The jazz records in Besson's house are also the director's own preference. The film's pursuit of photographic language and its proper grasp of editing make this film of life flow look less boring, which is the credit of photography and editing.
At the end of the film, JR bids farewell to the priest, and melts into the night, and everything tomorrow is still in the night.
Tomorrow, will it be a new day? !







【Appendix: Video Information】
"Who's That Knocking at My Door?" 1968 American Director: Martin Scorsese
Actors: Harvey Keitel, Sina Besson (Zina Bethune)
Trivia: Interview with Maddick Martin, Assistant Photographer of the Year
Duration: 90 minutes
Recommendation index: IMDB: 6.3/10 (433 votes)
Rating: R
Award: Chicago Film Festival Entry

Sunday September 26, 2004 10:02 pm

Independent Film Critic: Osama Kavka Lu )

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Extended Reading

Who's That Knocking at My Door quotes

  • [repeated line]

    J.R.: I called first!

  • J.R.: You're beautiful.