Who's That Knocking at My Door?

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary debut of America's greatest living director
Review: "Who's that knocking at my Door", Martin Scorsese's debut film is almost plotless. J.R. (played by Harvey Keitel, brilliant by the way) is a young Italian American living in Little Italy, who after wooing a WASPish girl (Zina Bethune) with his love of John Wayne westerns, is disgusted by her well intentioned admission that she's not a virgin and consequently their relationship ends...

"Who's that knocking..." has all the excesses of a first feature. It's uneven and episodic, sometimes terribly naïve with some overt religious symbolism. These are minor complaints however as the young Scorsese has created a movie that resonates a manic energy, extraordinary style and a rare sense of eroticism. Very important in the Scorsese cannon, the film looks forward to later films ( "Mean Streets", "Raging Bull" and "Goodfellas") with its anthropological feel for the males codes his later characters would explore.

Equally important, the film shows how American cinema became colonised by the European ethic of film-making. Heavily influenced by the French New Wave, more specifically Jean-Luc Godard, the film also revels in Scorsese's love for American movies. There are references to Howard Hawks, the intense cinema of John Cassavetes (recalling his milestone "Shadows") and the explosive soundtrack reminds one of Kenneth Anger's underground epic "Scorpio Rising". As impressive a debut as you are likely to see...

Rating:
Summary: More personal than even Mean Streets
Review: I've been a fan of Scorsese's work for sometime now, and I never thought I would be as taken off guard by a film as I was when I first saw Mean Streets. Who's That Knocking At My Door? blew me away. It is similar in many ways to Mean Streets in both plot and content, but the style and sponataneity are unmatched here. If you thought Johnny Boy was an incredible character, check out Sally Gaga. Harvey Keitel stars, and seems like an entirely different actor, very innocent and affectionate at times, much more so than in his role as Charlie. Easily one of the most personal and heartfelt films ever made. Buy this if you've admired Scorsese's other work.

Rating:
Summary: Keitel "The Eternal Consumate Actor"
Review: If You Like Harvey Keitel; Your'll Love His Unchanging Talent In "This Historical Masterpiece Of New York City Life."
As Martin Scorsese's Debut Film In 1968; Scorsese captures Italian Gang Life...Like No Other Director!
I Grew Up In New York City And Can Tell You "This Is Real Film Making."