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Synopsis

In Liliana Cavani’s scintillating drama, a concentration camp survivor (Charlotte Rampling) discovers her ex-torturer/lover (Dirk Bogarde) working as a night porter at a hotel in postwar Vienna. When the couple attempt to re-create their sadomasochistic relationship, his former SS comrades begin to stalk them. Operatic and disturbing, The Night Porter deftly examines the cruelty and decadence of Nazi culture.
—The Criterion Collection

Director

Original

Liliana Cavani

Born to a working-class family, she graduated in Classics at Bologna University. In 1960 she enrolled at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (Experimental Cinematography Centre) where she obtained her diploma with the short films “Incontro notturno” (1961) and “L’evento” (1962). On winning a competition with Rai, she directed various interesting documentaries for the Italian TV service, from “Storia del III Reich” (1962-63) to “La donna nella Resistenza” (1965). She made her debut in full-length feature films in 1966 with “Francis of Assisi (Francesco d’Assisi)”, produced by the TV and magnificently interpreted by Lou Castel; made in a period of political unrest, it was to become a kind of manifesto of dissenting Catholicism.
Her next film, “Galileo” (1968), tackled the difficult relationship between intellectuals and power, while the intense “The Cannibals (I cannibali)” (1969) proposes a reflection on the crimes committed by the authorities, taking its inspiration from Sophocles… read more

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sergey babkin

19May12

The final is so stupidly sincere I totally loved it.

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zondabez

20Mar12

O amor pode nascer da crueldade. Essa é uma possível explicação para a relação entre um algoz e sua vítima em "O porteiro da noite". Ao unir a beleza de Rampling com a frieza de Bogarde, atores em duas ótimas interpretações, Liliana Cavani constrói um filme obscuro e sem saídas aparentes para o espectador que, aos poucos, mergulha junto com a dupla na loucura de uma relação que tem tudo pra não dar certo. Imperdível.

barbudean likes this

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valolopez

18Mar12

Has both, strengths and weaknesses but I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad movie...

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T. J. Harman

24Feb12

I know a lot of people don't like this film for various reasons I can't argue with but I love it more everytime I see it. Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling are 2 of my favorite actors and they do some of their best work here.

barbudean likes this

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ETRANGE 2011: THE NIGHT PORTER (1974) review

By Twitchfilm.com on December 16, 2011
(Another retro screening from L’Etrange 2011. I’m aware some don’t care for the film, think it’s tasteless or lacks any real depth; I was absolutely blown away, so here’s a review. Feel free to laugh at
read on Twitchfilm.com

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