Podcast

The hosts of the podcast Campfire Films discuss Emanuel Criseli's film "The Golden Door" which explores Italian migration and the journey through Ellis Island. They provide background information on Italian immigration and the reasons behind it, such as poverty and hardship. They also discuss the significance of Ellis Island as an immigration center and the stakes involved in the immigration process. The hosts then debate whether Criseli accurately depicted Ellis Island in the film, with one host expressing unfavorable views due to the use of fog that leaves the view of the New World unclear. Hello, hello to all our listeners out there. I hope you're having a wonderful day so far. Speaking is one of the hosts of this wonderful podcast, Campfire Films. My name is Jack Cossack, and I will be here to walk you through our interpretation of Emanuel Criseli's take on the Italian Great Migration, alongside a great buddy of mine. Hey y'all, Sage here. Really excited about today's episode. We've gathered a bunch of great information to dive into this really fascinating movie that breaks down and explores the concept of immigration. I hope you all enjoy it, and stay tuned for a special surprise at the end. The Golden Door, a film directed by Emanuel Criseli, which premiered in 2006. In this film, a concept of Italian migration is explored and examined, the decision of one Sicilian family to leave their home country in hopes of living a better life in America. Hmm, that's really interesting. But why are we analyzing this film today? Well, let me tell you, Sage. We're analyzing this film because it depicts an interesting portrayal of the immigration process and the journey undergone by many immigrants in order to pass through Ellis Island, which has left many viewers and critics alike to debate the overall accuracy employed throughout this film. Since this film is so heavily debated, we want to make sure you, our viewers, have all the base information needed to come to your own conclusion. Since this film explores the immigration journey of an Italian family, it's important to discuss what the Italian immigration really was. The Great Immigration occurred between the years of 1880 and 1920, in which four and a half million Italians left their home country, majority residents of the southern part of the country, and traveled towards America in hopes of reaping the benefits of the New World. Thanks for that insight, Sage. But I got one question. Why were so many immigrants leaving Italy? Well, Jack, the main reason for this mass immigration was the dire poverty, with many peasants being plagued with hardship, exploitation, violence, and even famine. I see, I see. But upon arrival to this New World, where was their initial destination? Ellis Island. And why this place had so much relevance is due to the fact that Ellis Island was an immigration center capable of processing thousands of immigrants each and every day, with tests that could range from a couple hours to several days if the individual was unlucky. This held enormous stakes as a rejection or approval into the New World relied on the immigration officer's decision as to whether an individual was good enough or not in their eyes. Wow. Thanks so much again, Sage, for getting us all up to date. Coming up next, we will explore if Emmanuel was able to detail an accurate depiction of Ellis Island, or if his efforts fell short, and why this matters and the relevancy behind analyzing Ellis Island is due to the fact that this was a journey that many people really had to go through, and it would only be justified if it was depicted in an accurate manner. Hey, Jack, Emmanuel's depiction of Ellis Island, favorable or unfavorable? What a great question, Sage. You know what? I'm going to let you take the floor on this one. Well, I can definitely express that I'm unfavorable with this portrayal, and this is for a couple of reasons. It's important to note that the viewer first gets to see Ellis Island. There is no clear shot of the New World because the fog has blocked the entire view. This is a fantastic way to begin the analysis of Ellis Island, because this fog creates a suspicion and leaves a lot up for interpretation. Okay, so you're saying there's fog blocking this view. And what is that supposed to mean? This could mean a variety of things. It could have just been a bad weather day.