Canoa: A Shameful Memory (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

"Canoa" (1976) is a powerful, very evocative Mexican film based upon a "reportedly real incident" that took place in 1968. Canoa was a town near the city of Puebla that was under the thrall of a venal and corrupt priest with his hand in every till. He stirred up the population about Communists and rebellious rabble rousers who he claimed would cause dire trouble for the town. It was a poor place with a largely Indian population that had hardscrabble farming conditions due to the effects of erosion. The land had been stripped of its forestation for wood and charcoal. A loudspeaker broadcast propaganda to the town and was used by the priest as a conduit (along with his sermons) for his hate-mongering. The priest, wearing sun glasses like a mobster boss, ran every aspect of the town, but his supporters said that he was the one who had brought the telephone, electricity, the highway and water to the town fountain. He charged for those who used the fountain as a water supply. The movie is told almost as a documentary with characters speaking before the camera. It has captions depicting the time and date. Five engaging, carefree young male employees of the University of Puebla were making a mountain climbing trip. Their bus lets them off in Canoa where their expedition is interrupted by a severe rain storm. They seek overnight shelter in the town. Word spread that these five are student agitators similar to the leftist university dissidents who caused trouble in some of Mexico's large cities. The mob scenes in which the large crowds are surging through the streets hunting down the "troublemakers" carrying pitchforks. torches and tool-weapons are not done as cleverly as they could have been because they are too reminiscent of the Transylvania mobs pursuing Frankenstein's monster. While the climbers took refuge in a peasant house, a mob forms with a lynching psychology. The way mob psychology is created and proliferated is handled very well in the film. Suspense builds as the crowd swells and grows more agitated. The rioters set upon and viciously attack the outsiders, and several of the innocents are killed The priest is shown in a sermon rationalizing what has happened and in a scene (in civies) in which he is talking to the camera. He does not tell how he has manipulated the townspeople and imposed his will upon them by creating scapegoats and imaginary "enemies." There is a beautiful, "life goes on" scene at the end where the townspeople are having a folkloric celebration and ritualistic dance in colorful costumes which recall their Indian past. It's a movie that deserves a wider following because of its significance and also because of the way the story is developed and filmed. A fine production.

An authentic Mexican film epic that's based on the true story of a corrupt Catholic priest who manipulates his flock to murder a group of students who he thinks are communist revolutionaries (The 1968 San Miguel Canoa Massacre). The film explores religious fanaticism, mob mentality, ideological manipulation, and the horrors of the virulent and grisly violence that has plagued Mexico since the country's founding. Yeah, def not for the kiddos...

I always find Creterion collection of films format focus on background information of all its subjects titles re-screening too be a hallmark of their entire library of films. Canoa, is no different as it describes how a religion has reshape the cultural fabric of an entire population or grouping of people the protagonist, a religious figures hold on the psyche of those he's supposedly to be administering charitable ideas of faith and good conscious to his flock. Turns, in his hands into means of only dark dangerous division and disingenuous derision.

Wonderfully restored great movie and delivery was excellent. Thank you

A great film, I can't wait until it gets the full treatment one day though.

Un transfer impecable de una película perfecta.

A VERY MASTER WORK, NO WONDER IS ONE OF THE BEST MEXICAN FILMS. VERY IMPRESSIVE AND REALISTIC!

This move is in part a scripted documentary (but fictional as far as the filming) and part awesome images of the total chaos created by brainwashed masses who attentively go to mass. An important film for Mexican Cinema, it has startingly images of hate, there is little rhetoric mentioned in the film, we see people acting on what their hearts feel is right. What I do find great about the film is that you actually get to see the mind set of many people going through the first stages of Industrailzation by way of the first steps of Globalization. Although lynch mobs are not as common in Mexico as might have been, this TRUE STORY reflects the living mind set of belittled small town life in Mexico, well at least a side of it that people should know about. Quite humorous at times, it in no way sways away from its truths, the last 20 minutes of the film are powerful. The transfer is great considering it is a film rearly mentioned in popular media (especially in Mexico), the negative was in a good enough condition for viewing, although you do see an occasional vertical line here and there, but barely noticable. The sound is good, but I really did not expect permier sound for such a film (1975). Made in a time where B movies ruled in Mexico, this gem of a film shines out of a list of other great films released by Desert Mountain Media. In letterbox presentation, stereo 2.0 in Spanish with removable English subtitles. Cast Biographies, interactive menus and chapter selections. For one thing I must appreciate the resurecction of the film, another is the decent quality. This film is heavily awared in Mexico, quite popular world wide, it acutally won Best Picture at the Berlin International Film Fesitval. Not for the light hearted, striking images of corruption, innocence and hate.

Buena película.

Calificando el Producto y no el filme (que es por si solo extraordinario). Al ser una version criterion te esperar una mejor presentacion, el diseño de cubierta es bueno, pero solo viene en una caja plastica de DVD convencional. Esperaba una tapa o envoltura de carton como las ediciones especiales. Le dejo 5 estrellas por que el contenido del DVD es muy bueno, asi como la restauracion del filme a una calidad excelente.

Casi a manera de documental, la película narra la tragedia ocurrida en San Miguel Canoa en septiembre del 68. Criterion no decepciona, la calidad de audio y video son una chulada, todo nítido y con audio claro en todo momento, cosa que suele ser un problema grave con las películas mexicanas. Al ser Criterion, todo el material extra, incluído el ensayo de Fernanda Solórzano, vienen en inglés, un detalle a tomar en cuenta para los que no hablan el idioma.

CRITERION lo vuelve hacer, una versión digna que se merece esta joya del Cine Mexicano, la ultima vez que la ví era en VHS y quedé maravillado con el resultado, se ve mucho mejor que varias películas de años recientes.

Obra maestra del cine.