This Halloween the Institute will screen the cult film (The hitchhiker) The Hitch Hiker, directed by Ida Lupino in 1953 and starring Edmund O'Brien, William Talman, and Frank Lovejoy. The film tells the disturbing story of two friends who go out fishing and along the way decide to pick up a hitchhiker, a decision that they will soon regret and that will keep the audience in suspense until the last moment. The film offers a magnificent fusion of different genres such as thriller, road movie and film noir, being the first film of film noir directed by a woman. In 1998, it was declared of cultural and historical importance, entering the national film registry of the United States Library of Congress.
Ida Lupino (1918-1995) was a renowned actress who during the 40s shared the screen with some of the most popular stars of the time such as Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. Despite gaining prestige as a performer and increasingly lucrative offers, Ella Lupino began to feel disillusioned with the roles that Hollywood offered her. With great determination she forged a career as a director, being the only woman in such a position within the studio system of the 50s, and as a producer with the creation of her own independent company.
Our film curator, Sibley Labandeira, will give a brief introduction in English to contextualize the film, and, after the screening, there will be time for a brief discussion in English or Spanish.
Important information:
This Halloween the Institute will screen a classic of the 'film noir' genre, The Hitck-Hiker, directed in 1953 by Ida Lupino and starring Edmund O'Brien, William Talman, and Frank Lovejoy. The Hitch Hiker It was the first mainstream American film in the 'noir' genre directed by a woman. The movie is a fictional retelling of a murder spree that took place in the US in the early 1950s. In the movie, two friends set off on a fishing trip in southern California, only to be taken hostage by a hitch-hiker they pick up along the way. In 1998 the film entered the National Film Registry because it was declared to be culturally and historically significant.
Ida Lupino (1918-1995) was a renowned actress who shared the screen during the 1940s with some of the most popular stars of the time, such as Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. Despite gaining prestige as a performer and receiving increasingly lucrative offers, Lupino began to feel disillusioned with the roles Hollywood was offering her. With great determination she forged a career as a director, being the only woman in such a position within the studio system of the 50s, and as a producer with the creation of her own independent company.
our resident film historian, Sibley Labandeira, will give a brief introduction to the film in English to provide context before the screening. She will also be on hand to answer questions afterwards, in English or Spanish.
Important information: