The Hold Up

The Hold Up (1972) was Ferrara's second short film. The actual short lasts around twelve minutes. Seeing this short, you can tell that Mr. Ferrara had the making of a great director. But with a tiny budget and a cast of friends and neighbors, the final product looks like the work of a young film student. The only surviving copy of this film exists on a shoddy videotape transfer. To enjoy this short you have to watch it on DVD with the director's commentary. Trust me, you'll enjoy it a whole lot more!

An interesting note, the director looped his own voice over the actor who's in the starring role. The short was funded by the school he was attending. Nicholas St. John and Abel Ferrara co-wrote the screenplay. This would be the second collaboration between these life long friends.

Recommended for historical value.

Hold Up, The (1972)

** (out of 4)

Ferrara's second film tells the story of three friends who get laid off from a local factory. With wives at home and kids, the men decide to hold up a gas station to try and make extra money. This short runs a brief 14-minutes but there are bits and pieces where you can see future touches by the director. I think where we really see the director come to life is during the robbery, which is pretty dark, well shot and features some violence you might not see coming (nothing graphic, just a beating). Another nice touch was how the ending was handled but I certainly won't ruin it for anyone. Considering the extra-small budget and the fact that the director filmed this with a bunch of neighbors you really can't expect too much. There are a few nice touches here and there but this here is mainly going to appeal to fans of Ferrara who must see everything he's done.