La cabina

When I was a child I played outside. I was happy. I did not know about life. I skipped school. I looked at the stars. I was innocent. I loved purely the girl I saw across the street. I was happy. I like films that move me. 'Soft' films like Field of dreams. I'm not a critic. I like happy endings. This is not a film I would have chosen to watch. I tuned in to this once by accident when I was young. It has never left me. I'm not happy I watched it. It changed me. It stole my childhood. I would not have missed it for the world. To this day I speak of it. No one I know has ever seen it. I always wondered if I imagined it. Having seen IMDb I now know it was real. Now I have worse fears. Was this really a film or a message sent to just a few to warn us. A warning. A WARNING. I would have missed it for the world. Oh God.

I share a similar experience to many of the other posters regarding this short movie.

Late at night, over twenty years ago, flipping channels. I'm not a big fan of foreign language films but sometimes a rare gem comes along that never leaves you.

Despite having no real dialogue, you understand everything that is happening and you can follow the story from it's innocent beginnings to it's dark ending.

I have largely forgotten many of the details of this film, but it is the overall effect that stays with you long after the movie has finished.

I think the phone box was originally in a plaza and I remember the lorry ride with the hapless man on display in the over-sized 'fish bowl' for all to see.

One of those gems that rarely gets shown again. Definitely a contender for BBC FOUR to broadcast. Especially given it's short running time and provoking nature.

I think I'll email them!

A day like any other. Men rushing to work, children heading off to school. A group of workmen install a glass telephone booth in the courtyard of a residential building complex. A man enters the booth, finds the phone inoperative, and realizes the door has closed and locked behind him. He struggles in vain to free himself, gradually drawing a crowd of jeering spectators. A number of good citizens enlist their aid in freeing the increasingly agitated man, but to no avail. The aforementioned workmen suddenly return, and effortlessly disengage the booth from its foundation, loading it(and the frantic captive) onto the bed of their truck. A long drive from the city to the outlands commences...the man tries desperately to signal passers-by for help, but his perdition is met with mocking indifference. He sees another truck hauling a similar booth, also with a man trapped inside...the two exchange glances, each wearing a face of helpless confusion. Upon arrival at the destination point, the man learns the grim reason for his quandary...it is a reason devoid of purpose...cruel, evil, and perpetuated by nothing more than its own pointless enterprise. Meanwhile, back in town, workmen are installing another phone booth.

One of the finest short horror films of the 70s, LA CABINA presents a classic ontological argument within a narrative as nihilistically comical as it is deeply despairing. Somewhat like a TWILIGHT ZONE episode subtly underscored with bitter notes of pointed political commentary, it remains as shocking and deliciously mordant as the day it was made.

8/10.

A man walks with his child and then he gets trapped at a phone booth while some outlookers attempt unsuccessfully to free him. After that , some operatives from the telephone company have in store for him by transporting on a truck throughout Madrid capital, along the way he is taunted and mocked by the people who observe him. Later on, the imprisoned person suffering puzzlement and horror as he arrives in a large facilty where he discovers extraordinary surprises until a creepy finale.

Splendid and succint Short with a great acting by Jose Luis Lopez Vazquez. This is an astonishing, shocking, and amazing film, almost surrealist, containing some weird images and eerie happenings. It is sad as well as poetic when some some clowns watching pitily the desperado protagonist. It packs interesting, twisted and bizarre script from the prestigious Jose Luis Garci and Mercero himself. There stands out the awesome acting from Jose Luis Lopez Vazquez who gives a terrific role. And including various brief appearances by notorious Spanish secondaries as Agustin Gonzalez, Goyo Lebrero, Maria Vico , Blaki and Tito Garcia.

It provides an evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Federico G Larraya, who photographed For a fustful of dollars by Sergio Leone. As well as frightening and thrilling musical score, addiing religious chores. Well produced by Jose Salcedo and nicely directed by recently deceased Antonio Mercero who made several TV Series as Cronicas de un pueblo, Ese señor de negro, Turno de Oficio, Manolito Gafotas and films as Las delicias de los verdes años, Don Juan mi querido fantasma, Esperame en el cielo, Planta 4, Hora de los valientes, El tesoro, Y tu quien eres, being his greatests hits , La guerra de papa, Toby and the Series Verano Azul with Antonio Ferrandis as the unforgettable Chanquete. Rating 8/10 above average.

There's little I can add to the other comments on the film. Like others, I saw it as a child and never got over it. I spent countless hours fruitlessly trawling google for a film called "man in a glass booth". Finally after a tip-off from the only other person I know who'd seen it, I found it on YouTube. It brought it all back in the short 30-odd wobbly minutes it lasts, and reminded me that this bizarre childhood experience is central to my love of film now.

I am convinced this was shown on more than one occasion by the BBC. The range of dates and ages given by other reviewers is too broad to be down to error (you *know* how old you were when you saw La Cabina). I saw it in the early 80s, but definitely later than 1980. Maybe it was a stock film the Beeb held in case they needed to fill in late night when the schedules ran awry.

OK it's dated a little, but not enough to detract from the effect. Which is profound.

But if you've read this far you've probably already seen it. If so *please log in and vote on this title*. The reviews have made me realise how valuable IMDb is. If you've any new views on interpretation, I think we'd all like to hear them. The mean score for La Cabina is so high it would rank in the top 100 on here if only it had enough votes. So give something back, create an account and vote on La Cabina and be part of the IMDb process. We might even finally get this "little dirty gem" the attention it deserves!