El Húsar De La Muerte

It’s almost a miracle that the oldest preserved Chilean silent feature (made the same year as POTEMKIN) has survived. Happily, following restorations we can now marvel at the deeds of Manuel Rodríguez, patriot and popular hero of Chile’s war of independence from Spain in the early 1800s. Although at times a bit ravaged, the film nevertheless demonstrates a clever mix of humor, brutality and historical daring, illuminated by artful editing. The film has been declared a National Historic Monument in its homeland.