Who's That Knocking at My Door: Difference between revisions
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| distributor = Joseph Brenner Associates |
| distributor = Joseph Brenner Associates |
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| released = {{Film date|1967|11|15|[[Chicago International Film Festival|Chicago]]|1968|9|13|United States}} |
| released = {{Film date|1967|11|15|[[Chicago International Film Festival|Chicago]]|1968|9|13|United States}} |
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| runtime = |
| runtime = 86 minutes |
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| country = United States |
| country = United States |
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| language = English |
| language = English |
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| gross = $16,085<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0063803/|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door (1969)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> |
| gross = $16,085<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0063803/|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door (1969)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> |
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'''''Who's That Knocking at My Door''''', originally titled '''''I Call First''''', is a 1967 American [[Independent film|independent]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written and directed by [[Martin Scorsese]] and starring [[Harvey Keitel]] and [[Zina Bethune]]. It was Scorsese's [[feature film]] [[directorial debut]] and Keitel's debut as an actor.<ref name="Canby">{{Cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|author-link=Vincent Canby|date=September 9, 1969|title=A First Feature: Scorsese's 'Who's That Knocking at My Door'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/09/archives/screen-a-first-featurescorseses-whos-that-knocking-at-my-door.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927010540/https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/09/archives/screen-a-first-featurescorseses-whos-that-knocking-at-my-door.html|archive-date=2020-09-27}}</ref> |
'''''Who's That Knocking at My Door''''', originally titled '''''I Call First''''', is a 1967 American [[Independent film|independent]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written and directed by [[Martin Scorsese]], and starring [[Harvey Keitel]] and [[Zina Bethune]]. It was Scorsese's [[feature film]] [[directorial debut]] and Keitel's debut as an actor.<ref name="Canby">{{Cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|author-link=Vincent Canby|date=September 9, 1969|title=A First Feature: Scorsese's 'Who's That Knocking at My Door'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/09/archives/screen-a-first-featurescorseses-whos-that-knocking-at-my-door.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927010540/https://www.nytimes.com/1969/09/09/archives/screen-a-first-featurescorseses-whos-that-knocking-at-my-door.html|archive-date=2020-09-27}}</ref> The story follows [[Italian-American]] J.R. (Keitel) as he struggles to accept the secret hidden by his independent and free-spirited girlfriend (Bethune). |
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This film was a nominee at the [[1967 in film|1967]] [[Chicago International Film Festival|Chicago Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago International Film Festival (1967) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000165/1967 |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> |
This film was a nominee at the [[1967 in film|1967]] [[Chicago International Film Festival|Chicago Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago International Film Festival (1967) |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000165/1967 |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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J.R. is a typical [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Italian-American]] young man on the streets of [[New York City]]. Even as an adult, he stays close to home with a core group of friends with whom he drinks and |
J.R. is a typical [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Italian-American]] young man on the streets of [[New York City]]. Even as an adult, he stays close to home with a core group of friends with whom he drinks and parties. He gets involved with a local girl he meets on the [[Staten Island Ferry]], and decides he wants to get married and settle down. As their relationship deepens, he declines her offer to have sex because he thinks she is a [[Virginity|virgin]] and he wants to wait rather than "spoil" her.<ref name=Canby /> |
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One day, his girlfriend tells him that she was once [[raped]] by a former boyfriend. This crushes J.R., and he rejects her and attempts to return to his old life of drinking with his friends. However, after a particularly wild party with friends, he realizes he still loves her and returns to her apartment one early morning. He awkwardly tells her that he forgives her and says that he will "marry her anyway."<ref name=Canby /> Upon hearing this, the girl tells him marriage would never work if her past weighs on him so much. J.R. becomes enraged and calls her a [[whore]],<ref name=Canby /> but quickly recants and says he is confused by the whole situation. She tells him to go home, and he returns to the Catholic church, but finds no solace. |
One day, his girlfriend tells him that she was once [[raped]] by a former boyfriend. This crushes J.R., and he rejects her and attempts to return to his old life of drinking with his friends. However, after a particularly wild party with friends, he realizes he still loves her and returns to her apartment one early morning. He awkwardly tells her that he forgives her and says that he will "marry her anyway."<ref name=Canby /> Upon hearing this, the girl tells him marriage would never work if her past weighs on him so much. J.R. becomes enraged and calls her a [[whore]],<ref name=Canby /> but quickly recants and says he is confused by the whole situation. She tells him to go home, and he returns to the Catholic church, but finds no solace. |
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* [[Zina Bethune]] as Girl |
* [[Zina Bethune]] as Girl |
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* [[Harvey Keitel]] as J.R. |
* [[Harvey Keitel]] as J.R. |
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* Ann Collette as Girl |
* Ann Collette as Girl in Dream |
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* Lennard Kuras as Joey |
* Lennard Kuras as Joey |
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* Michael Scala as Sally Gaga |
* Michael Scala as Sally Gaga |
||
* [[Harry Northup]] as Harry |
* [[Harry Northup]] as Harry |
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* Tuai Yu-Lan as Girl |
* Tuai Yu-Lan as Girl in Dream |
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* Saskia Holleman as Girl |
* [[Saskia Holleman]] as Girl in Dream |
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* [[Bill Minkin]] as Iggy |
* [[Bill Minkin]] as Iggy at Party |
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* Philip Carlson as Boy |
* Philip Carlson as Boy in Copake |
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* Wendy Russell as Gaga's Girl |
* Wendy Russell as Gaga's Girl |
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* Robert Uricola as Boy |
* Robert Uricola as Boy with Gun |
||
* Susan Wood as Girl |
* Susan Wood as Girl at Party |
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* Marisa Joffrey as Girl |
* Marisa Joffrey as Girl at Party |
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* [[Catherine Scorsese]] as Mother |
* [[Catherine Scorsese]] as Mother |
||
* |
* Paul DeBonde as Boy in Fight |
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* |
* Victor Mangotta as Boy in Fight |
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⚫ | |||
==Production== |
==Production== |
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''Who's That Knocking at My Door'' was filmed in [[New York City]] over the course of two years, undergoing many changes, new directions and different names along the way. The film began in 1965 by Scorsese as a student short film about J.R. and his do-nothing friends |
The first draft of the film was under the title ''Bring on the Dancing Girls''. Scorsese shot footage in Little Italy of J.R. and his friends participating in "fights, drinking sessions, orgies", but Scorsese stated that it was "a disaster and everybody hated it". [[Haig P. Manoogian]], his former professor, told him to write new scenes featuring the girl and expand upon J.R. inner conflict.{{sfn|Wilson|2011|p=29}} ''Who's That Knocking at My Door'' was filmed in [[New York City]] over the course of two years, undergoing many changes, new directions and different names along the way. The film began in 1965 by Scorsese as a student short film about J.R. and his do-nothing friends. In 1967, the romance plot with [[Zina Bethune]] was introduced and spliced together with the earlier film, and the title was changed to ''I Call First''. Manoogian provided $5,000 (about $49,000 in 2024) in seed money before raising an additional $65,000 (about $634,000 in 2024) from independent investors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/21659|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door |website=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]}}</ref> |
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The film was shot with a combination of [[35mm movie film|35 mm]] and [[16 mm]] cameras. Scorsese shot most of the 35 mm footage with a Mitchell BNC camera, a very cumbersome camera that impeded mobility. He opted to shoot several scenes with the 16 mm [[Eclair (camera)|Eclair NPR]] camera in order to introduce greater mobility, then blow up the footage to 35 mm.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
The film was shot with a combination of [[35mm movie film|35 mm]] and [[16 mm]] cameras. Scorsese shot most of the 35 mm footage with a Mitchell BNC camera, a very cumbersome camera that impeded mobility. He opted to shoot several scenes with the 16 mm [[Eclair (camera)|Eclair NPR]] camera in order to introduce greater mobility, then blow up the footage to 35 mm.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} Much of the film editing work was done by [[Robert J. Groden|Robert Groden]], who also was the first person to show the [[Zapruder film|Zapruder Film]] on National Television in 1975. |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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The film received its world premiere at the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] in November 1967.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} |
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The film received its world premiere at the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] in November 1967. A year later, in 1968, exploitation distributor Joseph Brenner offered to purchase the film and distribute it on the condition that a sex scene be added so they can market the film as a sex exploitation.<ref name=Canby /> Scorsese shot and edited a technically beautiful but largely gratuitous montage of J.R. fantasizing about bedding a series of prostitutes (shot in [[Amsterdam]], the [[Netherlands]] with a visibly older Keitel). The film was re-titled ''Who's That Knocking at My Door'' (named for the 1959 song by The Genies which closes the film).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/whosthatknocking.php|title= DVD Verdict Review: "Who's That Knocking at My Door"|access-date=2007-11-01|website=DVD Verdict}}</ref> |
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Scorsese was unable to find a distributor for the film and moved to [[Amsterdam]], where he directed commercials with Richard Coll. Manoogian told Scorsese that Joseph Brenner, a exploitation distributor, wanted to distribute the film as a way to enter the mainstream industry. Brenner requested that a nude scene be added and Scorsese filmed one over the course of two days in Amsterdam with Keitel and Anne Collette. Max Fisher was the cinematographer for this scene as Coll was sick.{{sfn|Wilson|2011|pp=29; 31}} |
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The film was re-issued in February 1970 by Medford Film Distribution under the title ''J.R.''.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=February 11, 1970|page=2|title='Door' Retitled 'J.R.'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/26/Martin-Scorsese.html|title=Martin Scorsese Biography (1942-)|access-date= 2007-11-01|website=Film Reference}}</ref> However, all subsequent releases have been published under the 1968 title. |
The film was re-issued in February 1970 by Medford Film Distribution under the title ''J.R.''.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=February 11, 1970|page=2|title='Door' Retitled 'J.R.'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/26/Martin-Scorsese.html|title=Martin Scorsese Biography (1942-)|access-date= 2007-11-01|website=Film Reference}}</ref> However, all subsequent releases have been published under the 1968 title. |
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American critic [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film an extremely positive review after its world premiere at the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] in November 1967 (when it still went by the name ''I Call First''). He called the film "a work that is absolutely genuine, artistically satisfying and technically comparable to the best films being made anywhere. I have no reservations in describing it as a great moment in American movies."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who's That Knocking at My Door? Movie Review (1967) |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/i-call-first--whos-that-knocking-at-my-door-1967 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |via=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=July 27, 2015 |date=November 17, 1967 |first=Roger |last=Ebert}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described the film as "more of a class exercise than a commercially sound film". The review later stated, "Scorsese occasionally brings the film to life, as in a weekend drive by J.R. and two buddies to an upstate village where the camera shows up their 'big city' shallowness in comparison to the townspeople. Generally, however, his script and direction lack any dramatic value and give far too much exposure to sexual fantasies on the part of the boy."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/1967/film/reviews/who-s-that-knocking-at-my-door-1200421457/ |title=Film Reviews: Who's That Knocking at My Door |magazine=Variety |date=September 11, 1968 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> |
American critic [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film an extremely positive review after its world premiere at the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] in November 1967 (when it still went by the name ''I Call First''). He called the film "a work that is absolutely genuine, artistically satisfying and technically comparable to the best films being made anywhere. I have no reservations in describing it as a great moment in American movies."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who's That Knocking at My Door? Movie Review (1967) |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/i-call-first--whos-that-knocking-at-my-door-1967 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |via=[[RogerEbert.com]] |access-date=July 27, 2015 |date=November 17, 1967 |first=Roger |last=Ebert}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described the film as "more of a class exercise than a commercially sound film". The review later stated, "Scorsese occasionally brings the film to life, as in a weekend drive by J.R. and two buddies to an upstate village where the camera shows up their 'big city' shallowness in comparison to the townspeople. Generally, however, his script and direction lack any dramatic value and give far too much exposure to sexual fantasies on the part of the boy."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/1967/film/reviews/who-s-that-knocking-at-my-door-1200421457/ |title=Film Reviews: Who's That Knocking at My Door |magazine=Variety |date=September 11, 1968 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> |
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When the film received its theatrical release |
When the film received its theatrical release more than a year later, Ebert admitted that he had been perhaps too eager with his first review, admitting that "Scorsese was occasionally too obvious, and the film has serious structural flaws." However, he was still highly positive towards the film, and suggested that "It is possible that with more experience and maturity Scorsese will direct more polished, finished films."<ref>{{Cite web |title=I Call First / Who's That Knocking at My Door? Movie Review (1967) |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/whos-that-knocking-at-my-door-1969 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |via=RogerEbert.com |access-date=April 6, 2022 |date=March 17, 1969 |first=Roger |last=Ebert}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' acknowledged that Scorsese has "composed a fluid, technically proficient movie, more intense and sincere than most commercial releases." However, he felt Scorsese hadn't "succeeded in making a drama that is really much more aware than the characters themselves. The result is a movie that is as precise—and as small—as a contact print."<ref name="Canby" /> |
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On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film holds an approval rating of |
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film holds an approval rating of 71% based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1967)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/whos_that_knocking_at_my_door|access-date=August 14, 2024|website=Rotten Tomatoes|language=en}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 based on nine critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|title= Who's That Knocking at My Door? Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/whos-that-knocking-at-my-door?ftag=MCD-06-10aaa1c|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> |
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==Notable appearances and cameos== |
==Notable appearances and cameos== |
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Martin Scorsese's mother, [[Catherine Scorsese|Catherine]], appears briefly as J.R.'s mother cooking at the beginning of the film and serving food near the end. Mrs. Scorsese would continue to appear in many of her son's films until her death in 1997. Scorsese himself appears uncredited as one of the gangsters. To this day, he still makes [[cameo appearances]] in many of his films. |
Martin Scorsese's mother, [[Catherine Scorsese|Catherine]], appears briefly as J.R.'s mother cooking at the beginning of the film and serving food near the end. Mrs. Scorsese would continue to appear in many of her son's films until her death in 1997. Scorsese himself appears uncredited as one of the gangsters. To this day, he still makes [[cameo appearances]] in many of his films. |
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The role of Sally Gaga is played by Michael Scala, the father of [[Eric Ulrich# |
The role of Sally Gaga is played by Michael Scala, the father of [[Eric Ulrich#Electoral history|NYC Council District 32 2017 candidate]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hallum |first1=Mark |title=Ulrich video blasts Scala for rap career as youth |url=https://qns.com/2017/10/ulrich-video-blasts-scala-for-rap-career-as-youth/ |access-date=15 February 2022 |website=QNS.com}}</ref> and former rapper<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike "Pizon" Scala {{!}} Hip Hop from Rosedale, NY |url=https://www.reverbnation.com/pizon |website=ReverbNation |access-date=15 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Michael "Pizon" Scala.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}} |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[List of American films of 1967]] |
*[[List of American films of 1967]] |
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*[[List of hood films]] |
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== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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==Works cited== |
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* {{cite book|last=Wilson |first=Michael |title=Scorsese On Scorsese |publisher=[[Cahiers du Cinéma]] |date=2011 |isbn=9782866427023}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{IMDb title|id=0063803|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
* {{IMDb title|id=0063803|title=Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
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* {{AllMovie title|54420|Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
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* {{Rotten Tomatoes|whos_that_knocking_at_my_door|Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|whos_that_knocking_at_my_door|Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
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* {{TCMDb title|95751|Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
* {{TCMDb title|95751|Who's That Knocking at My Door?}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Who's That Knocking At My Door}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Who's That Knocking At My Door}} |
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[[Category:1967 films]] |
[[Category:1967 films]] |
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[[Category:1967 drama films]] |
[[Category:1967 drama films]] |
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[[Category:1960s American films]] |
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[[Category:1960s English-language films]] |
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[[Category:American black-and-white films]] |
[[Category:American black-and-white films]] |
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[[Category:American drama films]] |
[[Category:American drama films]] |
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[[Category:American independent films]] |
[[Category:American independent films]] |
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[[Category:Films about Catholicism]] |
[[Category:Films about Catholicism]] |
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[[Category:Films about Italian-American culture]] |
[[Category:Films about Italian-American culture]] |
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[[Category:Films about rape]] |
[[Category:Films about rape in the United States]] |
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[[Category:Films directed by Martin Scorsese]] |
[[Category:Films directed by Martin Scorsese]] |
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[[Category:Films with screenplays by Martin Scorsese]] |
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[[Category:Films set in 1967]] |
[[Category:Films set in 1967]] |
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[[Category:Films set in New York City]] |
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[[Category:Films shot in New York City]] |
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]] |
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[[Category:Films shot in the Netherlands]] |
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[[Category:English-language drama films]] |
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[[Category:English-language independent films]] |
Latest revision as of 14:24, 22 December 2024
Who's That Knocking at My Door | |
---|---|
Directed by | Martin Scorsese |
Written by | Martin Scorsese |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography |
|
Edited by | Thelma Schoonmaker |
Production company | Trimod Films |
Distributed by | Joseph Brenner Associates |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $70,000 |
Box office | $16,085[1] |
Who's That Knocking at My Door, originally titled I Call First, is a 1967 American independent drama film written and directed by Martin Scorsese, and starring Harvey Keitel and Zina Bethune. It was Scorsese's feature film directorial debut and Keitel's debut as an actor.[2] The story follows Italian-American J.R. (Keitel) as he struggles to accept the secret hidden by his independent and free-spirited girlfriend (Bethune).
This film was a nominee at the 1967 Chicago Film Festival.[3]
Plot
[edit]J.R. is a typical Catholic Italian-American young man on the streets of New York City. Even as an adult, he stays close to home with a core group of friends with whom he drinks and parties. He gets involved with a local girl he meets on the Staten Island Ferry, and decides he wants to get married and settle down. As their relationship deepens, he declines her offer to have sex because he thinks she is a virgin and he wants to wait rather than "spoil" her.[2]
One day, his girlfriend tells him that she was once raped by a former boyfriend. This crushes J.R., and he rejects her and attempts to return to his old life of drinking with his friends. However, after a particularly wild party with friends, he realizes he still loves her and returns to her apartment one early morning. He awkwardly tells her that he forgives her and says that he will "marry her anyway."[2] Upon hearing this, the girl tells him marriage would never work if her past weighs on him so much. J.R. becomes enraged and calls her a whore,[2] but quickly recants and says he is confused by the whole situation. She tells him to go home, and he returns to the Catholic church, but finds no solace.
Cast
[edit]- Zina Bethune as Girl
- Harvey Keitel as J.R.
- Ann Collette as Girl in Dream
- Lennard Kuras as Joey
- Michael Scala as Sally Gaga
- Harry Northup as Harry
- Tuai Yu-Lan as Girl in Dream
- Saskia Holleman as Girl in Dream
- Bill Minkin as Iggy at Party
- Philip Carlson as Boy in Copake
- Wendy Russell as Gaga's Girl
- Robert Uricola as Boy with Gun
- Susan Wood as Girl at Party
- Marisa Joffrey as Girl at Party
- Catherine Scorsese as Mother
- Paul DeBonde as Boy in Fight
- Victor Mangotta as Boy in Fight
- Martin Scorsese appears in an uncredited role as a gangster
Production
[edit]The first draft of the film was under the title Bring on the Dancing Girls. Scorsese shot footage in Little Italy of J.R. and his friends participating in "fights, drinking sessions, orgies", but Scorsese stated that it was "a disaster and everybody hated it". Haig P. Manoogian, his former professor, told him to write new scenes featuring the girl and expand upon J.R. inner conflict.[4] Who's That Knocking at My Door was filmed in New York City over the course of two years, undergoing many changes, new directions and different names along the way. The film began in 1965 by Scorsese as a student short film about J.R. and his do-nothing friends. In 1967, the romance plot with Zina Bethune was introduced and spliced together with the earlier film, and the title was changed to I Call First. Manoogian provided $5,000 (about $49,000 in 2024) in seed money before raising an additional $65,000 (about $634,000 in 2024) from independent investors.[5]
The film was shot with a combination of 35 mm and 16 mm cameras. Scorsese shot most of the 35 mm footage with a Mitchell BNC camera, a very cumbersome camera that impeded mobility. He opted to shoot several scenes with the 16 mm Eclair NPR camera in order to introduce greater mobility, then blow up the footage to 35 mm.[citation needed] Much of the film editing work was done by Robert Groden, who also was the first person to show the Zapruder Film on National Television in 1975.
Release
[edit]The film received its world premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival in November 1967.[citation needed]
Scorsese was unable to find a distributor for the film and moved to Amsterdam, where he directed commercials with Richard Coll. Manoogian told Scorsese that Joseph Brenner, a exploitation distributor, wanted to distribute the film as a way to enter the mainstream industry. Brenner requested that a nude scene be added and Scorsese filmed one over the course of two days in Amsterdam with Keitel and Anne Collette. Max Fisher was the cinematographer for this scene as Coll was sick.[6]
The film was re-issued in February 1970 by Medford Film Distribution under the title J.R..[7][8] However, all subsequent releases have been published under the 1968 title.
Reception
[edit]American critic Roger Ebert gave the film an extremely positive review after its world premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival in November 1967 (when it still went by the name I Call First). He called the film "a work that is absolutely genuine, artistically satisfying and technically comparable to the best films being made anywhere. I have no reservations in describing it as a great moment in American movies."[9] Variety described the film as "more of a class exercise than a commercially sound film". The review later stated, "Scorsese occasionally brings the film to life, as in a weekend drive by J.R. and two buddies to an upstate village where the camera shows up their 'big city' shallowness in comparison to the townspeople. Generally, however, his script and direction lack any dramatic value and give far too much exposure to sexual fantasies on the part of the boy."[10]
When the film received its theatrical release more than a year later, Ebert admitted that he had been perhaps too eager with his first review, admitting that "Scorsese was occasionally too obvious, and the film has serious structural flaws." However, he was still highly positive towards the film, and suggested that "It is possible that with more experience and maturity Scorsese will direct more polished, finished films."[11] Vincent Canby of The New York Times acknowledged that Scorsese has "composed a fluid, technically proficient movie, more intense and sincere than most commercial releases." However, he felt Scorsese hadn't "succeeded in making a drama that is really much more aware than the characters themselves. The result is a movie that is as precise—and as small—as a contact print."[2]
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 71% based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10.[12] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 based on nine critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[13]
Notable appearances and cameos
[edit]Martin Scorsese's mother, Catherine, appears briefly as J.R.'s mother cooking at the beginning of the film and serving food near the end. Mrs. Scorsese would continue to appear in many of her son's films until her death in 1997. Scorsese himself appears uncredited as one of the gangsters. To this day, he still makes cameo appearances in many of his films.
The role of Sally Gaga is played by Michael Scala, the father of NYC Council District 32 2017 candidate[14] and former rapper[15] Michael "Pizon" Scala.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Who's That Knocking at My Door (1969)". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ a b c d e Canby, Vincent (September 9, 1969). "A First Feature: Scorsese's 'Who's That Knocking at My Door'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago International Film Festival (1967)". IMDb. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Wilson 2011, p. 29.
- ^ "Who's That Knocking at My Door". AFI Catalog of Feature Films.
- ^ Wilson 2011, pp. 29, 31.
- ^ "'Door' Retitled 'J.R.'". Daily Variety. February 11, 1970. p. 2.
- ^ "Martin Scorsese Biography (1942-)". Film Reference. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (November 17, 1967). "Who's That Knocking at My Door? Movie Review (1967)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 27, 2015 – via RogerEbert.com.
- ^ "Film Reviews: Who's That Knocking at My Door". Variety. September 11, 1968. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (March 17, 1969). "I Call First / Who's That Knocking at My Door? Movie Review (1967)". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via RogerEbert.com.
- ^ "Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1967)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Who's That Knocking at My Door? Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ Hallum, Mark. "Ulrich video blasts Scala for rap career as youth". QNS.com. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Mike "Pizon" Scala | Hip Hop from Rosedale, NY". ReverbNation. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
Works cited
[edit]- Wilson, Michael (2011). Scorsese On Scorsese. Cahiers du Cinéma. ISBN 9782866427023.
External links
[edit]- 1967 films
- 1967 directorial debut films
- 1967 drama films
- 1967 independent films
- 1960s American films
- 1960s English-language films
- American black-and-white films
- American drama films
- American independent films
- Films about Catholicism
- Films about Italian-American culture
- Films about rape in the United States
- Films directed by Martin Scorsese
- Films with screenplays by Martin Scorsese
- Films set in 1967
- Films set in New York City
- Films shot in Amsterdam
- Films shot in New York City
- Films shot in the Netherlands
- English-language drama films
- English-language independent films