Back Door to Hell (1964) User Reviews

BACK DOOR TO HELL (Monte Hellman, 1964) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 18 July 2011]

Hollywood has frequently (and variably) dealt with the WWII Pacific conflict: this is another such film, for which 'indie' director Hellman managed to secure the backing of a major studio, Twentieth-Century Fox (though the end result being just 69 minutes long, it was clearly sold as a 'programmer'). Anyway, Hellman's talent for introspection is even more evident (in an otherwise slightly-plotted effort) than before, with the emphasis on characterization (pertaining especially to the initial-distrust-which-develops-into-mutual-respect between the different races involved)...though the action, whenever the film resorts to it, is sufficiently well-handled.

Jack Nicholson co-stars as one of a trio of American soldiers who arrive by raft to the Philippines in anticipation of the imminent Allied invasion of Japan. Though good as always, and already displaying his chameleon-like abilities, the role (joker, radio operator and Japanese interpreter all rolled into one!) does not allow him to shine like he did in the simultaneously-shot FLIGHT TO FURY (1964), another Hellman collaboration. The chief reason for this has to do with the fact that the central figures here are Nicholson's conscientious superior (a youthful-looking but undeniably effective Jimmie Rodgers) and the dehumanized leader of the rebel army (imposingly played by Gerald Maga).

The third member of the outfit, then, is blood-thirsty John Hackett (who co-wrote the film!), while the locals also number among them a strong-willed girl who became attached to Maga after he lost his family during the early days of the war. The two units clash over the treatment to be accorded some Japanese officers they capture, but soon they are fighting them side by side: the Americans' radio having been rendered useless in a skirmish, the trio then decide to infiltrate the enemy camp in order to send word back home that their mission is accomplished. Caught in the act, however, Nicholson succumbs to a hail of bullets and, when the two groups eventually reconvene, the girl tells Rodgers that Maga has fallen as well!

Though reasonably impressive as a cinematic exercise, the general tone proves rather too low-key for the film to be properly gripping as a whole. Besides, the overall pace is decidedly leisurely (consequently feeling longer than its running-time would suggest!), while the overly familiar situations that unfold throughout do not exactly help make it a distinguished example within such a prolific genre.

Pedestrian war film

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 18 October 2017]

If it weren't for the presence of Jack Nicholson in the cast of Back Door To Hell I doubt this film would be remembered at all. Watching it today you can see the beginnings of the legendary cynical persona that Jack Nicholson was hewing for his later image that we know so well. That voice is unmistakable.

Although this World War II film was shot on location in the Phillipines for production values it's pedestrian and the direction is non- existent. Singer Jimmie Rodgers is not exactly an inspiring leader of men. Rodgers, Nicholson, and John Hackett are three advance scouts prior to the invasion of Luzon who are seeking intelligence on Japanese troop movements. The story is their mission and how they obtain what they need.

Jack Nicholson fans, this one's for you and very few others.

Little War Film That Could

[hrkepler · 6/10 · 4 June 2018]

'Back Door to Hell' is much better war film that one can expect from low budgeted B-movie. Little rough on the edges, but well put together with good story, enough tension and enough meaty characters to care for till to the end. The big battle in the end is cut together from stock footage, but that shouldn't come as a big shock.

Three men reconnaissance unit with hardened cynical sergeant Jersey (John Hackett) and philosophical wise cracker Burnett (Jack Nicholson) led by lieutenant Craig (played by pop singer Jimmy Rodgers who also was one of the financial backers), are on the mission in Luzon, Phillipines to gather information about the movements of Japanese troops prior to American invasion. Team must meet with guerrilla leader Miguel, but they find new leader Paco (Conrad Maga) instead, and learn that Miguel has been killed off by Paco himself. No certain explanation is given, except Paco's ambiguous answer, that you can't trust people during the occupation.

'Back Door to Hell' is not your typical anti-war film, nor 'we are the awesome heroes' type action piece. The film has a little existential and philosophical point of view, but it rather just depicts the war and its horrors. All this is enlivened by the location of Philippines.

The film didn't get much praise upon its release, and it is rather forgotten today, except when someone points it out as one of the earliest roles of Jack Nicholson (whose performance alone is definitely the reason to check out the film). But there are much more in that film. You can say that 'Back Door to Hell' is a film with personality.

Many great lines come from Jack Nicholson's character, but my favorite one is his answer to Jersey, when he asks: "We're all gonna die anyway - tomorrow, next week, 30 years from now. Did that little thought ever penetrate your thick skull?" And Burnett retorts: "Yeah, once when I was a boy, but naturally I dismissed it as being too outrageous."

P.S. Can anyone confirm, was it Japanese/American character actor Mako Iwamatsu in the role of captured Japanese soldier?

An unusual cast highlights this location filmed WWII tale.

[bux · 7 December 1998]

One time pop singing star Jimmy Rodgers is teamed with a VERY young Jack Nicholson, in this tale of three Intel-recon rangers, landing in the Phillipines, just prior to McArthur's return. This is an early directorial effort by Monte Hellman, and combined with the young cast, and several Phillipino actors there is a sense of awkwardness to the film that actually lends to its authenticity. The story, centered on knocking out a Japanese communication center is simple, the dialogue terse. Theatre owner/producer Lippert is credited as an executive producer, and the film is reminscent of his earlier release "Silent Raiders" (1954). Worth a look, just to see a young Nicholson, honing his craft.

Average World War II Actioneer Set in the Phillipines

[zardoz-13 · 5/10 · 6 February 2010]

"Back Door to Hell" qualifies as a traditional World War II thriller. In 1944, a sensitive U.S. Army lieutenant and two soldiers slip into Luzon in the Philippines by sea on a secret mission for General MacArthur. Allied headquarters wants all the information that they can get out of the Japanese. Accompanying Lieutenant Craig (Jimmy Rogers of "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come") is Burnett (Jack Nicholson of "Batman") and cynical Sergeant Jersey (John Hackett of "The Two Jakes") and the most precious piece of equipment that they are carrying is their radio. Before they rendezvous with Philippine resistance fighters, they encounter some relaxing Japanese soldiers in a village. They kill one but another gets away because Lieutenant Craig hesitates when he has a chance to kill the soldier.

Later, Craig discovers the resistance leader with whom they were supposed to rendezvous, Miguel, has been tortured and killed by the new resistance leader Paco (Conrad Maga) who doesn't like the Americans. When U.S. troops left the Philippines during the first Japanese invasion, Paco lost his wife and child, and he hasn't recovered from the loss. He dictates what the Americans must do as long as he remains in charge. No sooner have they settled in with the resistance than they learn that the Japanese know about them. Remember, one Japanese soldier got away. The Japanese notify the resistance that they start executing a child an hour until the Americans are delivered to them. Paco and the Americans stage a raid, kill most of the Japanese after them, capture the leader, and lead the children to safety. Paco and the Americans run into a bandit Ramundo (Johnny Monteiro of "Lost Battalion") who has a lot of information about Japanese troop movements. He demands their radio and Craig is willing to give the radio to Ramundo as soon as they contact MacArthur. Ramundo does not get the radio quickly enough so he shoots holes in it and flees.

Meanwhile, our heroes have found that Ramundo is a credible source of information, but they have no way now of transmitting the information. Craig suggests that Paco lead them to a nearby Japanese radio outpost and Burnett send a message on the enemy radio. During the transmission, Burnett catches a hail of bullets and dies. Craig and Jersey make it out alive, but Paco dies, too. "Ride in the Whirlwind" director Monte Hellman maintains the action in this 70 minute epic and nobody gets a break in the screenplay by Richard A. Guttman and John Hackett. Indeed, some of the dialogue is philosophical. This low-budget World War II thriller, like many of them co-produced by an American and a Filipino company is nothing substantial but Hellman manages to inject a modicum of suspense. One-time only actor Conrad Maga is good as the resistance leader who has no love lost for Americans. Officers are respected for their rank and nobody tries to kill the lieutenant here or take over command from him. The Japanese are depicted as a ruthless enemy, prepared to kill children to accomplish their goal, but Hellman and company do not make their appear sympathetic.

Three American soldiers in the Philippines.

[michaelRokeefe · 5/10 · 4 September 2007]

Average WWII drama set in the Philippines. Three soldiers are assigned to gather needed information about Japanese occupation, as the American forces are planning a major attack. Jimmie Rodgers, Jack Nicholson and John Hackett lose their radio transmitter during their arduous trek through the jungle; and now need the help of Filipino resistors to make use of the radio in a key Japanese communications post. Probably needs more action, but an interesting Black & White film shot in and near Bicol, Luzon, Philippines. Rodgers is the moderately successful singer of the late 50s, who's biggest hit was "Honeycomb" in 1957. And the young Nicholson is honing his wise-cracking. Also in the cast: Conrad Maga, Johnny Monteiro, Annabelle Huggins and Joe Sison.

Competent Shoestring War Movie

[richardchatten · 5/10 · 2 September 2018]

This was one of a number of economy-sized war movies filmed in the Philippines in the early 60's recreating the war in the Pacific twenty years earlier with the help of authentic locations and generous helpings of wartime stock footage. You've seen it all before, but in the hands of a young Monte Hellman and cameraman Mars Rasca it looks remarkably good, has an anachronistic but atmospheric jazz score by Mike Velarde - and of course it has Jack Nicholson, who plays the unit member who speaks Japanese, in which we hear him at one point questioning a captured Japanese soldier.

A trio of soldiers learn that playing by the rules isn't always possible.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 12 September 2013]

A trio of American soldiers sneak into the Japanese-held Philippines to scout it out for the forthcoming invasion. However, once they meet up with the local partisans, they come to realize that the war these locals have been waging isn't a 'nice' war but a war without rules and a war without pity. At first, the soldiers balk at this--murdering and torturing prisoners ISN'T what they were trained to do! However, they must forge some alliance with these Filipinos and work behind enemy lines without being detected...and this might just mean adopting the same tactics as their new allies.

While the very low budget in this film is rather apparent (with the use of non-stars, at least at that time, as well as a HUGE chunk of stock footage near the end), it's a good but certainly not great film. I appreciated how the film presented a side of war not seen in WWII films made during the war--that sometimes soldiers need to be vicious and not exactly noble creatures! Plus, it gives you a chance to see Jack Nicholson in the sort of film in which you might never expect him to act. Mildly interesting.

war makes people do the most unpleasant things

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 30 October 2018]

World War II has probably been the most focused-on topic in cinema. Practically every genre has depicted the six-year global conflict. There's no shortage of famous movies about it - I recently saw "A Bridge Too Far" - but there are also the lesser known movies. Monte Hellman's "Back Door to Hell" is an example. It depicts some US troops (one of them played by a young Jack Nicholson) scoping out the Japanese-occupied Philippines to prepare for a US invasion. Joining up with some locals who are waging a guerrilla war against the occupiers, the US troops soon find out that this is no time to play fair.

It's no masterpiece, but still a good focus on how it's hard to be the "good guy" in a desperate situation. I understand that all sides flouted the Geneva Conventions during WWII. And it turned out to not even be the last war ever fought.

Anyway, interesting movie.

In wartime, you can always find justification to kill.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 25 May 2020]

The war programmers of the 1950's and 1960's were mostly majorly flawed due to lack of motivation and character development, utilizing cliched characters, stock footage and stories that lacked impact. This one sets up conflict and motive from the very start, showing soldier Jimmie Rogers in the Philippines in 1944 trying to get out of the jungle to get to a beach where the Japanese have set up camp. He is on a mission to meet a guerrilla soldier who has been executed on suspicions of being a traitor, and Paco, his replacement, is a no-nonsense, seemingly cold man, in no mood to help Americans, only willing to go so far as long as his own troop is unharmed. It's a mixing of cultures in setting up several points of interest with Paco needing to be convinced that his efforts in aiding the Yanks are worth it, having lost his wife and child in a battle with the Japanese.

There's also a young Jack Nicholson here as Rogers' pal who provides moral support, knows how to speak Japanese for encounters with the enemy, and also points out facts to Rogers about himself that he doesn't necessarily want to hear but can't avoid as he fights his own inner battles. Nobody at the time thought that "B" actor Nicholson had the potential to move out of low budget horror and action films, and certainly his participation in "Hell's Angels" didn't show the potential that was later revealed in "Five Easy Pieces" and confirmed with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". While Rogers is decent, it is Conrad Maga as Paco who really stands out, showing anger and frustration and love and passion, all wrapped up with a neat bow of determination to do the right thing even though he is surrounded by elements of incivility that he can't escape from.

The Japanese once again are a brutal enemy, demanding that one child be executed for every hour that Rogers and his troop remain at large. But the Yanks, with the aide of Paco and his troop, are able to outsmart them, even though cultural differences become obvious when Paco and his men use torture to get information out of the captured Japanese, something that Rogers insists is against the Geneva Convention. Paco makes it clear that he doesn't follow the Geneva Convention, and gleefully sets up the execution of the enemy, something that brings out further differences between the quite different cultures. Rogers becomes the target of affections by one of Paco's female followers (Annabelle Huggins) who explains the background of their troop to Rogers, helping him understand them and respect them in spite of their differences.

Usually, I find these low budget action films to be tedious because they lack real heart and just focus on action. This one is different. Each of the major characters has their flaws, but they are quite understandable in the context of the above average script. This has great action in addition to great drama, particularly showing how the group gets over a rushing river, makes it through the jungle, and moves towards completing their mission. This is one of the few films I've seen set in the Philippines during the war that shows the influence of the Spanish culture on the country with many obvious Hispanic actors playing major supporting parts. The characters are crass and somewhat stereotypical, but it is important to remember that they are mostly guerrilla's, independent soldiers of freedom living in the mountains who haven't been trained in the civilized methods of a twentieth century world. The film ends up rather abruptly without a thorough conclusion, but as happens during wartime, the battle rages on.

A Solid World War II Film

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 5 November 2016]

This movie begins with three American soldiers by the names of "Lieutenant Craig" (Jimmie Rodgers), a sergeant by the name of "Jersey" (John Hackett) and a soldier with the last name of "Burnett" (Jack Nicholson) wading ashore on the island of Luzon in 1944. Their mission is to scout out the area in preparation of an American landing. To accomplish their mission they need to rely on a Filipino guerrilla leader by the name of "Paco" (Conrad Maga) who harbors a deep resentment for the Americans--but he hates the Japanese even more and so reluctantly agrees to assist them--but everything must be on his terms. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a solid World War II film which is probably most notable for featuring Jack Nicholson at a young age in a supporting role. Although the film was certainly watchable I personally thought that the plot was rather basic and could have used a bit more added drama here or there. But that's just my opinion. All in all then, I rate the movie as about average and recommend it to those who might be interested in a film of this type.

I think it was quite good!

[joebradley-1 · 8/10 · 16 March 2006]

I'm 62 yrs old and had thought I'd seen every b&w WWII film made in the USA. I saw this film today for the fist time. I was completely surprised by the performance of Jimmie Rogers and several of the Filipino actors. Not enough attention has been paid to the sacrifices made by the Filipine people during WWII. I think this film had a certain raw elegance that rises above the sometimes stilted dialog and,thus,deserves more air-time.

I remember Jimmie Rogers as a singer in the 1950's. I was surprised and impressed with his acting in this film. He played the young soldier thrust into a position of leadership by world events and, like so many other young men (me among them), tried his best. He was thoughtful and serious, but not ponderous as he tried to lead other young men through the moral/ethical mine field that war represents. Also,this film is worth your time just for the opportunity to see a very young Jack Nicholson at work. I must also add here that I am definitely a sucker for black & white films. I think Ted Turner should be drawn and quartered. for colorizing the classics!

Finally, all of the Filipine actors had decent, meaningful dialog and were shown to be the resourceful, dedicated and very effective fighters that they,in fact, were. Joe Bradley Virginia Beach, VA

Ride in the Warwind

[TheFearmakers · 6/10 · 13 May 2023]

Following existential Westerns THE SHOOTING and RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND, Monte Hellman had initially directed Jack Nicholson in BACK DOOR TO HELL, a low-budget war programmer, actually starring real life crooner Jimmie Rodgers as one of three soldiers, including Nicholson's radio operator Burnett...

Who, during one conversation with the square-jawed, old school militaristic type, Jersey, played by co-writer John Hackett (he'd sporadically work with Nicholson until 1996), they discusses Rodger's character, Lt. Craig...

He's the man in charge of a strategic venture into the Philippines via WWII... and how he hesitated before firing his gun, which could jeopardize this important and dangerous secret mission...

One of two overseas projects directed by Monte Hellman and co-starring Nicholson including FLIGHT TO FURY followed by, back in the States, the aforementioned 1966 Western double-feature, proving their eclectic collaborative worth...

In 1964's BACK DOOR TO HELL, the creative auteur builds tension with the camera quick-shifting to the right or left, a sort of horizontal push-zoom gaining popularity during the latter '60s and throughout the Renaissance '70s, when Hellman remained a subliminal influence while his once struggling-actor partner Nicholson, as everyone knows, became a top-billed superstar thereafter...

Despite Jack's intrepid gun-toting image headlining the film's artwork post-EASY RIDER, he's really the philosophizing brains of the trio, remaining a moral compass while preparing to intercept a radio transmission as Rodgers, working with scene-stealing Guerilla leader Paco (Conrad Maga), continues to move forward behind enemy lines while a gallant war score plays, peppered with frantic bongos...

Which is a distinct hybrid of 1940s to 1960s soundtracks underlined by anti-war sentiment that's never too preachy and, as local Paco gives Lt. Craig motivation, the passive American becomes tougher and braver on the field: concluding with an explosive stock reel of archive footage to ultimately seal the deal...

And because of the obvious attempt to be a legitimate war picture instead of a passion project indie... not bombastic enough to be genuine or artistic enough for a cult following... this HELL remains an obscure, mostly forgotten curio that's pretty worth watching for the cast and direction.

Early Jack in a concise, rather realistic war flick.

[Poseidon-3 · 17 March 2006]

There's a certain grim, stark quality to this low-budget war film that makes it seem almost documentaty-like at times. Rodgers, Nicholson and Hackett play three U.S. soldiers during WWII who've just landed in The Philippines with orders to take down a Japanese communications site. They must rely on Maga, a tough, Filipino guerrilla who is only slightly more fond of the Americans than he is of his Japanese oppressors. He distrusts practically everyone and with good reason, considering the state of his homeland. Huggins appears as his female sidekick. The ragtag band makes its way across some rugged terrain, eventually sacrificing several of their members in order to carry out the mission. Filmed almost simultaneously with the director's "Flight to Fury", this is a fairly simple and straightforward film, but one containing a fair amount of grit. Rodgers, a pretty famous 1950's singer, is attractive enough and amiable, but lacks charisma and vocal strength. His flat delivery, while not as good as a skilled actor would provide, does help make the film seem more realistic. He comes off as an average Joe. Nicholson doesn't begin to hint at the fact that he would one day become a renowned A-list film star, but he does imbue his character with a quirky charm. Hackett does a decent job as the third, and most seasoned, member of the triad. Maga gives a fairly arresting performance, his character blurring the lines of what was acceptable methodology for the treatment of captured enemies. Torture isn't beyond his scope. Huggins (in her only screen credit) gives her character a weary, resigned quality that is mostly free from any standard Hollywood-style trappings. (She does, at one point, appear in a floral dress and a little makeup, but generally she's authentic.) There's a bit of suspense concerning the fate of some very cute Filipino children. This sequence ranks as one of the best in the film along with a treacherous river crossing. It's by no means an epic war film. It's a more intimate story, accented by the presence of a young Nicholson (who, by the way, looked after Hackett later on in life, making him his stand-in for several movies.)

Well take him down by the river.. It doesn't matter to him he doesn't know where he is anyway.

[kapelusznik18 · 6/10 · 16 September 2015]

****SPOILERS**** Tragic & gripping war drama involving three American GI's sent to scout out Japanese troops & gun positions on the Philippine island of Luzon to make way for a major invasion by the US military. Needing help from the local gorilla units the men run into difficulty with gorilla leader Paco, Conrad Maca, who doesn't trust them since both his wife and son was killed not by the Japanese but a US air strike on his village.

Slowly gaining important information on Japanese gun positions and troop movements the GI's Lt. Craig radio man Brunett & Sgt. Jearsy, Jimmie Rodgers Jack Nicholson & John Hackett, are confronted by a gang of crooks and desperadoes lead by the grinning and stuffing himself with bananas and pork chops Ramundo, Johnny Monteiro. It's Ramundo who demands that they hand over their radio so he can listen to American band and swing music while he munching down his food!

With the GI's not willing to give Ramundo their radio he in a fit of anger ends up destroying it and disappears into the jungle with his band of crooks leaving the Americans out in the cold and with no means of contacting their fellow GI's out at sea waiting to hear from them via radio. It's then when all hell breaks loose with Paco and his men together with the three GI's attack a local village where the Japanese are holding the children hostages to grab their radio and send out a message to the US invasion force about the critical information that they need.

****SPOILERS**** With almost all the GI's- except Sgt. Jersey- and Paco and his men killed in the fighting the message was indeed sent out by Brunett making the invasion of Luzon a smashing success. We see at the end of the movie stock footage of fighting all across the South Pacific that in most if not all cases had nothing to do with the story were seeing on the screen. But it does it's job in showing us the horrors of war in the modern world. We also get to see that the sacrifices that the American & gorillas made weren't in vain either.

Surprisingly pretty good

[angelsunchained · 7/10 · 26 November 2020]

This low budget, black and white film which was made on a shoe string budget is surprisingly good. Realistic with little Hollywood heroics and fairly well acted. If you are looking for a rainy night film to be entertained by, this World War II flick is it.

smart low-budget WW2 film

[RanchoTuVu · 8/10 · 1 July 2009]

Three US soldiers come ashore on a Philippine island to do intelligence work in preparation for the big US invasion to retake the islands from the Japanese. Led by Jimmie Rogers as sensitive Lieutenant Craig with pacifist leanings, with Jack Nicholson playing a communications expert with a lot of philosophical observations, and John Hackett as Jersey the tough realist among them, they meet up with the local resistance led by Paco (Conrad Maga), who have been fighting the Japanese for the last few years and have grown cynical about the Americans ever coming back. This film is a direct contrast to the John Wayne movie Back To Bataan in which the Americans were seemingly idolized as they were led by the Duke himself. Maga tells Rogers that he (Maga) is in charge if they are to work together. Rogers, Nicholson, and Hackett have to find out where the Japanese defenses are as the invasion is about to happen, and the film hikes us through the jungles and highlands in pretty sharp black and white, with some authentic flourishes about interrogation of captured Japanese soldiers and another ragtag guerrilla band that is looking to make a profit out of the war. The details are what make this well worth checking out, as the film dodges any of the obvious heroics it could have exploited. Get through the opening credits and you see that it was directed by Monte Hellman (Two Lane Blacktop) and he delivers a war film with enough action as well as some semblance of authenticity giving us a multi-faceted story.

A solid and satisfying little World War II action potboiler

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 13 June 2006]

Three American GIs stationed in the Philippines -- conflicted, reluctant lieutenant Craig (amiable Jimmie Rogers), sardonic wiseguy radioman Burnett (a pleasingly lively and quirky performance by a then unknown, pre-stardom Jack Nicholson), and gruff cynic Jersey (an appealingly rugged John Hackett, who also co-wrote the concise script) -- embark on a perilous recon mission against the Japanese. The GIs enlist the aid of a ragged guerrilla army led by the bitter Paco (superbly played by Conrad Maga) to assist them on their desperate mission. Complications ensue when their radio gets busted. Monte ("Two-Lane Blacktop," "Cockfighter") Hellman's tight, no-frills, straightforward direction maintains a snappy, steady pace throughout, creates an appropriately bleak and despairing tone, stages the sporadic stirring action sequences with considerable brio, and elicits sound acting from the entire cast. Kudos are also in order for Mike Velarde's moody score and Mars Rasca's crisp black and white photography. Nice downbeat ending, too. Shot on a shoestring budget along with the equally good and unjustly overlooked "Flight to Fury," this perfectly satisfying little World War II potboiler is well worth checking out.

Considering the budget it's a good film

[searchanddestroy-1 · 17 November 2023]

I am not a great fan of Monte Hellman's films, but they were a witness of the seventies period. This small budget war flick is worth seeing for the directing skills, and the early perfomance of Jack Nicholson. For the rest, it's just another war film, taking place in the Philippines during WW2. Predictable, with no real unforgettable scenes, the short length provides more intensity in this plot which is not that surprising. The result is a sharp and tense story, with enough action scenes to entertain. And Monte Hellman, no matter my taste, is an iconic film maker from the seventies, this movie not his most famous though, but still worth viewing.