DVD Corner

Cairo Station Criterion Blu-ray Review

“Cairo Station” was ahead of its time. 

Written by Abdel Hai Adib with dialogue by Mohammed Abu Youssef, 1958’s “Cairo Station” is an Egyptian crime-drama/noir/melodrama. The story revolves around Kenawi- a disabled man who was granted a job by a kindly newsstand owner (Madbouli) at the titular train station. Kenawi is generally a quiet man who lives in a shed, but his behavior becomes increasingly more unsettling. Not only does he stalk and stare at people, but he creeps on a wild and attractive soda seller (Hanuma) who is engaged to the bossy Abu Serih (who is trying to start a Union). Kenawi becomes so enraged by jealousy that he plots revenge against both Hanuma and Abu Serih. 

“Cairo Station” was a challenging movie for the time period. At a time when Egyptian cinema was full of melodramas, this controversial Youssef Chahine directed film went against the norm with its dark subject matter about repression, jealousy, the class system, and desire. In many ways, it’s a proto “Psycho” as Kenawi shares more than a few traits with Norman Bites. Kenawi is unhinged, delusional, and driven out of his mind by his yearning for Hanuma (played by the renowned movie idol Hind Rostom) to the point where he begins to act violently. The film never fully villainizes Kenawi though as there is a bit of empathy for the poor soul. He may be deeply flawed and deranged, but his arc is also a tragic one. He’s not a monster, he’s just a human being who made some very poor choices that led him down a dark path. Now, could the story have delved a bit more into Kenawi’s past and character? Sure. It would have been beneficial to see more layers to the character (which was effectively played by director Youssef Chahine himself). Still, Kenawi is nothing if not a fascinating character.

You can’t talk about “Cairo Station” without talking about the train station itself. It’s basically a character in the movie. It’s more than just a setting as the characters’ livelihoods are dependent on the passengers that come and go and spend money on everything from food to newspapers. Youssef Chahine does a commendable job in putting the viewers directly into this frantic and active world at the train station. It’s world building at its finest. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.37:1 1080p. How does it look? The 4K digital restoration gives this B&W classic a deeply impressive transfer. The image clarity is so much clearer. Fans will undoubtedly be pleased by the results.

Audio Track: Arabic Uncompressed Mono. How does it sound? Expect a nice clean Mono track. 

Extras:
* A booklet featuring credits and an essay by film critic/film scholar/programmer Joseph Fahim.
* A newly recorded 27 ½ minute interview with Joseph Fahim who talks about Youssef Chahine’s career, politics, Egypt, the importance of “Cairo Station” in Egyptian cinema, and more.
* “Chahine…Why?”- A 2009 25 minute documentary about Youssef Chahine and “Cairo Station” featuring cast and crew interviews.
* “Cairo As Seen By Chahine”- A 23 minute 1991 short film about Cairo by Youssef Chahine. An intro by Chahine is also included.
* An 11 minute excerpt of a Youssef Chahine Q&A at the 1998’s Midnight Sun Festival.

August 16, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Cairo Station Criterion Blu-ray Review, Criterion Collection, Egyptian Cinema, Hind Rostom, Youssef Chahine