Youssef Chahine's Cairo: Central Station is a refreshing blend of hidden sexual tension, film-noir and neo-realism from the 1950's. Sexual motifs pop up regularly, including the playful jest of soda bottles and steaming train whistles. Surprisingly, it is free of censorship and restraint for its day, being an Egyptian film. There's even a hint of breasts seen through the wet blouse of a leading lady.
I truly enjoyed the mixture of labor politics and existential crisis for the cripple newspaper vendor (played by the director himself), who craves a beautiful soda selling con-girl, who is an exact mixture of Brigitte Bardot (French actress) and Maria Schneider (Last Tango in Paris). The acting is superb considering most of the people are street performers.
Highly recommended if you can see it at a film festival.
I truly enjoyed the mixture of labor politics and existential crisis for the cripple newspaper vendor (played by the director himself), who craves a beautiful soda selling con-girl, who is an exact mixture of Brigitte Bardot (French actress) and Maria Schneider (Last Tango in Paris). The acting is superb considering most of the people are street performers.
Highly recommended if you can see it at a film festival.