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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 37913
Released: August 17, 2004 |
| Our Price: $1.95 |
| Used Price: $0.02 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 08/17/2004 Run time: 90 minutes Rating: Nr
Description of Who's That Knocking at My Door?:
Martin Scorsese's debut feature, Who's That Knocking at My Door? contains many of the autobiographical elements that would inform Scorsese's work as became a director of world-class importance. This was Harvey Keitel's debut as well, and he plays a young New Yorker named J.R. (the name also served as the film's alternate title) as a tortured vehicle for Scorsese's own inner conflict between rigid Catholic tradition and initial forays into liberating sexual experience. Produced over a lengthy on-and-off schedule while Scorsese was a struggling New York University film student, and shot in the Little Italy neighborhoods where Scorsese was raised, the film (with a final budget of $75,000) is a boldly stylized, stream-of-consciousness experience, establishing Scorsese's passion for well-chosen rock & roll soundtrack songs while plumbing the depths of J.R.'s soul as he begins a tenuous relationship with an independent, sexually experienced young woman (Zina Bethune) who's at odds with J.R.'s seething repression. Incorporating fantasy sequences to further convey the young man's turbulent thoughts and emotions, Who's That Knocking at My Door earned favorable reviews, announcing the arrival of a bracing new talent and setting the stage, five years later, for the breakout triumph of Mean Streets. --Jeff Shannon
Who's That Knocking at My Door? Reviews:
It's a collection of movies... 
2009-08-20 - ... By Martin Scorsese.
Worth it for After Hours by itself.
About those who don't follow the 9 to 5 company man routine 
2009-05-30 - Who's That Knocking at My Door ( 1969 ) attracts viewers
from the 2 punch combination, of being a Martin Scorcese
picture and of headlining Harvey Keitel.
This film demonstrated and set the standard for world-class
work that both individuals would continue accomplishing
time and again, onwards.
In this particular movie, there's various components, the
main one being an attempt to bridge the gap between making
a professional movie, and what is interesting for the
average man in the street, early to mid 20's, who finished
school or college, but who at present isn't following the
set pattern of the 9 to 5 company man routine.
As such, a large part of the 90 mins shows Keitel and Zina
Bethune establishing a rapport, building a relationship,
gaining intimacy, and finally, addressing spiritual core
issues of morality in terms of how much their relationship
should or would need to evolve and grow, legitimately.
In reality, Keitel and 2 pals all struggle to find meaning
in their lives, (although they may not realize it) not
having a set objective overall of what they want to do with
it, preferring instead to perpetuate an adolescent
(frat-house) lifestyle, of driving in a car, hosting
parties with hired women as entertainment, drinking,
gambling and playing cards, when not managing a snack bar
one of them is managing.
At the same time, Keitel's character is perplexed in
reconciling his libido (which he amply satisfies with a
number of hired women in his flat, throwing cash at them),
with his upper-class, mature Italian family upbringing or
with traditions also inculcated from early on. He
makes a distinction between the fun he has with those fast
women, as compared with the serious relationship he desired
with a girlfriend he's planning on spending his life with,
originally drawing an impervious line between the two.
The filming is wide-screen, black and white, with crystal
clear images; the only bizarre moments being the lack of
audio in some scenes showing people talking, or the out of
place audio as compared to what is visually shown, or
simply random noises in the background.
A number of popular mainstream American numbers are
selected, such as "The Closer You Are" doo-wop, and others,
allowing youth to (again) better relate to the action as
compared to movies from earlier generations.
Keitel's talent is clear, as he visually expresses with
subtlety, feelings that are simmering below the surface,
bringing a natural presence, or personality, to the
picture, more real to viewers.
The director decided to film all the actors wearing a
sports suit and tie, as a kind of standard uniform, for
stylish reasons.
The technology of the era is somewhat demonstrated, with
multiple floor automobile parking, air conditioning and
electric windows in vehicles, etc.
This suggests the protagonist is set in his ways, and can't
reform or correct his character, and suggests also perhaps,
that's what every American is going through in this day and
age (late 1960's.)
The work is time well spent, as the editing is spotless,
and Zina Bethune's soft-spoken, candid, realistic acting is
a match for Harvey Keitel.
A film about those who don't follow the 9 to 5 company man routine
2009-05-30 - Who's That Knocking at My Door ( 1969 ) attracts viewers
from the 2 punch combination, of being a Martin Scorcese
picture and of headlining Harvey Keitel.
This film demonstrated and set the standard for world-class
work that both individuals would continue accomplishing
time and again, onwards.
In this particular movie, there's various components, the
main one being an attempt to bridge the gap between making
a professional movie, and what is interesting for the
average man in the street, early to mid 20's, who finished
school or college, but who at present isn't following the
set pattern of the 9 to 5 company man routine.
As such, a large part of the 90 mins shows Keitel and Zina
Bethune establishing a rapport, building a relationship,
gaining intimacy, and finally, addressing spiritual core
issues of morality in terms of how much their relationship
should or would need to evolve and grow, legitimately.
In reality, Keitel and 2 pals all struggle to find meaning
in their lives, (although they may not realize it) not
having a set objective overall of what they want to do with
it, preferring instead to perpetuate an adolescent
(frat-house) lifestyle, of driving in a car, hosting
parties with hired women as entertainment, drinking,
gambling and playing cards, when not managing a snack bar
one of them is managing.
At the same time, Keitel's character is perplexed in
reconciling his libido (which he amply satisfies with a
number of hired women in his flat, throwing cash at them),
with his upper-class, mature Italian family upbringing or
with Catholic traditions also inculcated from early on. He
makes a distinction between the fun he has with those fast
women, as compared with the serious relationship he desired
with a girlfriend he's planning on spending his life with,
originally drawing an impervious line between the two.
The filming is wide-screen, black and white, with crystal
clear images; the only bizarre moments being the lack of
audio in some scenes showing people talking, or the out of
place audio as compared to what is visually shown, or
simply random noises in the background.
A number of popular mainstream American numbers are
selected, such as "The Closer You Are" doo-wop, and others,
allowing youth to (again) better relate to the action as
compared to movies from earlier generations.
Keitel's talent is clear, as he visually expresses with
subtlety, feelings that are simmering below the surface,
bringing a natural presence, or personality, to the
picture, more real to viewers.
The director decided to film all the actors wearing a
sports suit and tie, as a kind of standard uniform, for
stylish reasons.
The technology of the era is somewhat demonstrated, with
multiple floor automobile parking, air conditioning and
electric windows in vehicles, etc.
A questionable decision, are the final moments of the work,
which is the juxtaposition of pop music and sacred
religious objects, not long after Keitel's character is
shown repenting and confessing his sins.
This suggests the protagonist is set in his ways, and can't
reform or correct his character, and suggests also perhaps,
that's what every American is going through in this day and
age (late 1960's.)
The work is time well spent, as the editing is spotless,
and Zina Bethune's soft-spoken, candid, realistic acting is
a match for Harvey Keitel.
My review.
2009-01-13 - This product represents Martin Scorsese's signature works which in my opinion stand the test of time and demonstrate his genius as a story teller.
What A Bargain
2009-01-11 - Purchased this great colection at my local Walmart for $13.00. Unbelievable! "Goodfellas" alone is worth that price!
