The Hour of the Furnaces (1968)

Divided into three segments, namely 1 Neocolonialism, 2 Act for liberation, 3 Violence and liberation, the documentary lasts more than 4 hours this deals with the defense of the revolution ... See full summary »

Directors:

Octavio Getino, Fernando E. Solanas

Writers:

Octavio Getino, Fernando E. Solanas

Stars:

María de la Paz, Fernando E. Solanas, Edgardo Suárez

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
María de la Paz	...	Narrator
Fernando E. Solanas	...	Narrator (as Fernando Solanas)
Edgardo Suárez	...	Narrator

Storyline

Divided into three segments, namely 1 Neocolonialism, 2 Act for liberation, 3 Violence and liberation, the documentary lasts more than 4 hours this deals with the defense of the revolution and the revolution of the third world such as the revolt of the students in the United States and Western Europe, Czech citizens protest against the Soviet Union's State bureaucracy and also the revolution that (probably) is unprecedented in Argentina.

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Plot Keywords:

anti colonial | third cinema | reference to eva peron | reference to fidel castro | united states of america | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish English Portuguese

Release Date:

1 November 1973 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

The Hour of the Furnaces

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company Credits

Production Co:

Grupo Cine Liberacion, Solanas Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

260 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was presented in different versions over the years.In 1973, after the fall of the dictatorship, the four minute clip of Che Guevara was replaced by the then more relevant image of Juan Domingo Peron, who was regaining power and with whom the group behind the film sympathized with.

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Connections

Edited from The Threatening Sky (1966)

User Reviews

a blast of white hot rage

First of all, I must say I only saw the first part of this film which lasts about 90 minutes. According to the people who were presenting it, the first part is the most accessible to modern, non-Argentine viewers.

This film is a lengthy diatribe against the smothering influence of European powers in Argentine cultural and economic life. The anger of the film makers was very effectively expressed by the film's rapid fire pacing, its fiery narration and its harsh, thundering soundtrack. The soundtrack was the strongest element, and its relentless pounding really drove the film maker's points home.

This film seemed less like a documentary than a filmed version of a revolutionary pamphlet. The single mindedness of the views expressed and the solution proposed, namely violent revolt, seemed immature and insufficiently reasoned. The views expressed seemed more inspired by bloody minded hatred for outside meddlers than sympathy for the oppressed and marginalized native Argentinians. It was very much a "shoot first and ask questions later" attitude. This is not the sort of attitude that I would want to see shown by my leaders if I were an Argentinian.

I suppose much of the bitter hatefulness of this movie can be understood by considering that it is a reaction to very oppressive censorship. Such a movie is acceptable as a preliminary blast against the oppressors, but one would hope that calmer, clearer heads would prevail afterwards. The attitude of the film makers here, in this film, really borders on the unhinged, the demented.