Product Description

Hailed as one of if not the most sophisticated film ever to come out of Cuba in the early days of Castro s revolution, Memories Of Underdevelopment (Memorias Del Subdesarollo) is visionary Cuban director Tomás Gutiérrez Alea s tour de force. Listed at number fifty-four on Derek Malcolm s 100 Greatest Movies, this cinematic masterpiece will receive its UK theatrical release on 11 July 2008. Memories Of Underdevelopment follows Sergio (Sergio Corrieri - Soy Cuba), through his life following the departure of his wife, parents and friends in the wake of the Bay of Pigs incident. Alone in a brave new world, Sergio observes the constant threat of foreign invasion while chasing young women all over Havana before finally meeting Elena (Daisy Granados), a young virgin girl he seeks to mould into the image of his ex-wife, but at what cost to himself? Even though director Tomás Gutiérrez Alea was a staunch and devoted supporter of the revolution, Memories of Underdevelopment makes a raw and uncompromising analysis of the newly formed system of government. Through a moving blend of narrative fiction, still photography and rare documentary footage, Alea catalogues the intricacies of the early days of the Castro regime; producing a stirring and enigmatic work that feeds from the culture of the very subject it is studying; Cuba.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9657 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-10-13
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: Spanish, English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 97 minutes

Review
Dazzling and highly accomplished --Time Out

Review
A landmark --The Guardian

Review
A fascinating achievement --New York Times

Customer Reviews

Sergio is a little cynical but maybe he is realistic also
Memories of Under Development is a movie about a man named Sergio who is recently divorced. It tells us his story but also the story of his country Cuba. It goes back and forth between these two, illuminating us on the story of how the people he knows in Cuba are "underdeveloped" and how the country itself, made up of such people, is in a way "underdeveloped" too. Even with that said it isn't a harsh critic of people but more of a mild one and perhaps a bit of self-criticism as well.

Sergio thinks most of the people he knows are underdeveloped. His ex-wife and parents have left Cuba to go to the United States, and he doesn't mind, in fact he nearly pities them and this movie shows us why. He is artistic and thinks of himself as Europeanized, thus more advanced than others on some level but he doesn't gloat about it or show off. Sergio is a little cynical but maybe he is realistic also. Best if all, at times he is very funny.

The film mixes video footage and still photography that tells us about Cuba and life there. It sheds light on how the country was influenced by Spain, the United States and the Soviet Union. One has to also give it some credit as the film doesn't create an entirely a rosy portrait of the Cuban government under Castro and shows how the wealthy had their property confiscated.

The way the story in Memories of Under Development blends personal history with the history of a country works well. If you enjoy art house films or have interest in learning about Cuba, I would say it is worth checking out Memories of Under Development.

Memories of underdevelopment
This film with its looming dark and somber mood was for me a masterpiece of early cinema and a brilliant cultural example of early fifties Cuba with its political overthrow casting a shadow over the unfolding tale of Sergio(played by Sergio Corrieri), whose life full of hardships and loss.
As the film goes on he meets the beautiful Elena and their torturous romance for me was a contrasting parallel of the cultural struggle happening around them at that time.
Cuba, its country torn in two by the revolution is the scene in which this passionate romance is set. The heavy feeling of loss lurks over the whole story like a fog, and the collapse of the country around them seeps into the story line and gives a fairly ominous feeling.
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea' amazing accomplishment is evident in this stunning example of world cinema at its best.