The Exiles - 2 disc DVD
USA/Black & White/1961/Directed by Kent Mackenzie
The only American film on this our first batch of must see films. Kent Mackenzie was born in Hampstead North London joined the RAF and ended up in California- nice.
This is his second drama-documentary film and its set one Friday night in the Bunkerhill area of downtown LA in the late 1950's.
Kent took sometime to get to know the displaced Arizona Native American twenty year olds- none of which were actors. Taking over 3 years to make with the cast receiving food & booze in lieu of pay. Half of the actors appearing in the opening scene were put in jail and so don't appear in further scenes. Mackenzie also lost two of his camermen to the military draft.
There is a hedonistic trek through the Indian and Latino bars of Main Street a wild drunken car ride, fist fights, dance, drink and a climatic homesick scene of chanting and drumming at the top of of Chavez Ravine. With stunning views of their soon to be demolished Bunker Hill neighbourhood to make way for the dodger stadium.
Beautifully shot with some killer wardrobe styles from this proto-beatnik brotherhood set to the music of the Revels.
Special Features
•English subtitles
-4 shorts by Kent Mackenzie: Bunker Hill 1956 (1956) his first film, A skill for Molina (1964), The story of a rodeo cowboy (1962), Ivan and his farther (1970)
-Los Angeles plays itself (2003): extracts from Thom Andersons film
- Last days of Angels Flight (1969): a short film by Robert Kristie
-Bunker Hill: A tale of Urban Removal (2009) a short film by Greg Kimble
-White Fawn's devotion (1910): a short film by James Youngdeer, thought to be the first directed by an American Indian
