Product Details

• Actors: Leila Hatami, Nezam Manouchehri, Mehran Rajabi, Mahmoud Pak Neeyat
• Directors: Alireza Raisian
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Persian (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
• DVD Release Date: December 13, 2005
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BKVROC
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #86,337 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Deserted Station" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Review

For filmgoers who like dramas that are spare yet evocative, that focus on the subtleties of relationships, and that feature foreign settings completely off the beaten path, DESERTED STATION will be a masterpiece. --San Francisco Chronicle

Product Description

DESERTED STATION is the story of a photographer (Nezam Manouchehri) and his wife (Leila Hatami), a former schoolteacher, who are driving on pilgrimage to Mashad from Tehran. When their car breaks down and they find themselves stranded in an ancient, crumbling village, the husband encounters the village's sole adult male and self-appointed guardian, who also teaches the village children. As the husband accompanies the village guardian to another town to get a part for the car, his wife takes over as teacher. Although a quiet and reserved woman, she quickly develops a close bond with the women and children of the village, who instinctively notice she is suffering from a personal loss.

Kiarostami's story returns to many of his trademark themes: the clash of urban and rural cultures, the folly of dependence on technology, and the significance of women and education to the future of Iran. Director Alireza Raisian, who also made THE JOURNEY, based on a screenplay by Abbas Kiarostami, brings a sensitivity and humor that gives these themes a sense of humanism. Shot beautifully by cinematographer Mohammad Aladpoush, DESERTED STATION's desolate environs are visually stunning and offer the perfect frame for the subtle magic and mystery of this story. Leila Hatami's sensitive portrayal wins the Best Actress award in the 2002 Montreal International Film Festival.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Lost, May 26, 2009

By	Habib (California, USA) - See all my reviews

While it is true that the average [American] viewer will not appreciate this film, the reason is not because there isn't much to think about (as one reviewer complains). On the contrary, this film doesn't provide cheap entertainment but rather tasks the viewer with having to think more than the usual mindless cinema that Westerners are accustomed to; the real problem is that this film doesn't entertain Americans in the way that they expect to be entertained by films: by easy, mindless, and gratuitous themes such as sex, violence, melodrama, comedy, etc.

Contrary to what one reviewer has said about the film having no emotional scenes, this film has some of the most emotionally intense and poignant scenes I've ever witnessed in a film, and like a majestic lake whose surface is placid, there exists beneath the surface of this film depths far greater than what the senses can penetrate. There is more to this story than what the film depicts, and that helplessness that you feel as a viewer also helps you to relate to the emotions of the main character, which are the highlight of this film.

Anyone who can't appreciate this film needs to come to terms with their own humanity. Humanity is the only thing that makes this film worth watching, and if this film doesn't show anything that you can relate to, turn off the computer, turn off your cell phone, step outside, and go for a walk. Get lost somewhere and find yourself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and mysterious, January 11, 2009

By	Elish (NY) - See all my reviews

A haunting and mysterious film that begs to be watched more than once. The movie deals with a childless couple on a pilgrimage to a saint's shrine, who spend some time in a remote village devoid of adult males after their car breaks down. The woman ends up taking over the village's one room school while the teacher ( the only resident adult male in the village )goes off to help her husband repair the car, and the interaction between her and the children is priceless.

The first time I watched this, I would have rated it 3 stars like the other reviewer. But every time I watch it I like it more. ( It has the same subtle power as The Band's Visit). The location is almost otherworldly, and the events hover between the real and the absurd in a way very specific to Iranian cinema (Blackboards, Secret Ballot, Marooned in Iraq, Turtles Can Fly, Iron Island et al.)

In the end, I find the film magical and compelling. I lent it to several friends, all of whom watched it more than once for the same reasons...

2.0 out of 5 stars Not much going on here! Nothing to grab hold of, April 11, 2009

By	Rizzo (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

My gut feeling is that the average viewer will not appreciate this film, mainly because it doesn't require much to think about. There isn't heavy drama, no emotional scenes, nothing beneath the surface to ponder, just plain not much here. The scenery is quite a visual for the big screen with its giant rocks and sand.

It may be a struggle to read the subtitles, as the words are light in color often against the color of sand/rocks. This proves to be a challenging read. The Special Features includes a director's statement and biographies, but no commentary. The film runs about 90 minutes.

A photographer and his wife, are stranded in the Iranian desert because the vehicle has broke down. The woman is childless and arrives at a limited school for children whose father's work a great distance. The surrogate/father to the children is also the mechanic who repairs the broken down vehicle. The woman soon replaces the mechanic/teacher. The children become attached. Pass this one.

Try a humorous Iranian film about getting the vote out Secret Ballot.....Rizzo