Product Description

"This is a trademark Alexander Hammid production in which director Hebert Kline captures the ignorance and superstition that held sway over villagers in remote regions of Mexico in a touching manner. The film portrays the pathos and misery that were the order of the day in Santiago, through vivid reenactment of everyday events. The preference of local talent over a professional cast adds to the real-life quality of the film. One character that stands out in terms of performance is that of Pueblo, the son of a poor farmer. His enactment of joyful scenes as the family dines together and painful ones when he suffers from an ailment would make many professionals proud. Traditions and superstitions that were so much a part of life are depicted with sensitivity and insight that are characteristic of Hammid’s movies. The challenges faced by government agencies in educating and treating villagers are quite clearly emphasized. Juan’s long walk to the city for medical aid! seems to offer a glimmer of hope that someday more village folk would accept modern medical assistance. Witness this rare and fascinating movie, which will leave you enchanted by the lives of Mexican villagers in the early years of the 20th century."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #117443 in DVD
• Published on: 2005
• Released on: 2005-03-22
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Collector's Edition, Flash, Full length, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Restored, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 65 minutes

From the Studio
This mystery movie has John archer in the lead role as a young Assistant District Attorney whose job is at stake, unless he finds the criminals responsible for murder and running a prostitution racket. John Archer was the father of the 1990s actress Anne Archer

THE PLOT: When young girls from the city begin disappearing mysteriously, Captain McVeigh and Assistant DA James Horton know that something has to be done quickly. All indications point to King Peterson who runs an institute for training young actresses, but Peterson is a smart cookie who stops at nothing to elude arrest, using bribery, threats, murder and blackmail to good effect. He even frames Horton in a murder. Nora Thompson, a reporter with a local daily has a crush on Horton, and puts her life in jeopardy by posing as an aspiring actress to get proof of Peterson’s involvement in the murder.

About the Actor
A2ZCDS is the world's largest and fastest growing innovative multi-media library. Through its vast and unique distribution network, the company provides historical and educational CDs and DVDs covering thousands of topics to every corner of the globe. The ceaseless research and polling process at A2ZCDS constantly identifies and responds to existing and emergent areas of interests.

As a result of constant innovation, exemplary products and outstanding customer service, A2ZCDS is quickly becoming a household name. It numbers amongst the most trusted, efficient and user-friendly sources of educational and entertainment media on the market today.

Customer Reviews

Very Authentic
In this day and age of huge hollywood style blockbusters, everything you see on screen seems very scripted and predictible. Plus everyone is better looking than in real life and there are no surprises.

What we sometimes forget is that cinema doesn't have to be this way. In fact in much of the world movies are much more free form and tell a more honest story than the average Bruce Willis shoot em up.

The Forgotten Villiage is a film that reminds us how honest American movies can be. While the storyline about blackmail and murder is a very typical hollywood genere, the way the film was made is anything but.

The producers shot the film in Mexico and used real mexican non professional actors. Then they let them improvise many of the scenes to be more authentic and actually illustate what their daily lives are like.

This makes all the difference in the world - and brings us closer to a real universal global movie experience.

I found the actual drama in the film to be much more exciting than otherwiwse, simply because I felt more connected to the characters.

They seemed like real people, just like you and me.

I applaud films that dare to take a risk like this and I'm happy that this movie was preserved and not forgotten.

The Contrast Between Modernity And Tradition
What's better - living life the way your ancestors have for generations. Or, is it better to give up your traditions in favor of modern conveniences, even if they will destroy your way of life forever?

That's the subject of this fictionalized presentation of life in Mexico between the First and Second World Wars.

The deal is that a villiage is temporarily suffering and it's problems can be cured by modern medicine and technology. But, if left to their own devices the problems will resolve themselves - but will cause a lot of short term suffering.

So the villagers have to decide to accept help that will force them to become part of modern Mexican society or reject the help and keep to their traditions even if it will cause some of them to die.

It's very, very thought provoking.

... almost passed
When I was 7 years old my Father acquired a photogravure book titled "THE FORGOTTEN VILLAGE". As often as I was allowed I read and reread that book until I grew up and left home, never realizing that all the photographs were extracted from a motion picture.

In the early 1980's while looking through a movie catalog I came across a John Steinbeck VHS tape of a movie having the same title. Suspecting a connection I ordered the film and happily discovred they were the same.

In 2007 because of the tape's age and the frequency with which I viewed it, I began to search for the movie on DVD. I passed over this product for several months due to the erroneous Studio editorial review. The story has absolutely nothing to do with murder and prostitution. It isn't "BY" Burgess Meredith, he was the narrator for the story.

By the time it was restored the film's sound and exposure had greatly deteriorated but one should not bypass acquisition of it for that reason.

The story, cinematography, acting and narration in this film are all superb.

I have enjoyed the drama, family relationships and challenge to antiquated traditional social values in a rural environment in this story for more than 65 years. I strongly recommend it to all.