(Istighatha Min Al-Alam Il-Akhr) or (A Call for Help from The Afterworld) is about a journalist, played by (Poussi), who has some kind of six sense. She sees dreadful nightmares about a man, played by (Badr Nofal), who tells her some message that she can't understand. Later, she discovers that this man is a murdered doctor who contacts with her, demanding to unmask the ones who killed him. She teams up with her lawyer / fiancé, played by (Farouk Al-Fishawy), to find the killers, and stop them from getting away with it.
After the first meeting of writer (Ahmad Abd Al Rahman) and director (Muhammad Hasib) in (El-Kaff) or (The Palm Of The Hand) (1985), they reunited again in the same year to make (Istighatha..). It is the second movie written by (Abd Al Rahman) who obviously wanted to present quite a different taste for the Egyptian thriller movie. It is also the third movie of (Hasib) as a director. And (Farouk Al-Fishawy), the young star at the time, produced it. So the desire to make something fresh was mutual from everybody.
Although receiving messages from dear late ones in dreams is such an old common belief in the Arabic folk culture, but this is a very rare time to bring it up cinematically, and as a parapsychology's serious presumption also, putting in mind that the dead character here is calling someone he hardly knew, and the nature of the message as a call for help to find his murders.
It has clever electronic music done by (Mohamed Helall), solid editing by the great editor (Said ElShikh), and the talented image of director of photography (Saeed Shimi). (Shimi) was so famous back then, due to his distinct efforts in realistic films, especially with directors like (Atef E-Taieb) and (Mohamed Khan). But here he could pull off the opposite, for instance the nightmares' scenes were powerful, and really creepy (by the lens, the colors,.. etc). There are strong sequences; like the intro, and of course the climax at (Empapa) bridge between (Cairo) and (Giza).
The thing is the supernatural line didn't last for long, and that was the movie's main problem I suppose. Actually, the telepathy's line disappeared after the start. The rest is another thriller; hot and decent yes, but far from the fantastic factor.
At any rate, it's totally uncommon thriller in the history of the Egyptian cinema. And compared to the previous collaboration of the writer and the director, it is more ambitious, attractive and enjoyable. Although (Ahmad Abd Al Rahman) and (Muhammad Hasib) made afterwards a number of movies, together or with others, but they have never returned to this magical area of supernaturalism to date. Alas, since we - as the Egyptian viewers - scream a "call for help" to any fantasy, or sci-fi, movie in our cinema nowadays, to find mostly none!
After the first meeting of writer (Ahmad Abd Al Rahman) and director (Muhammad Hasib) in (El-Kaff) or (The Palm Of The Hand) (1985), they reunited again in the same year to make (Istighatha..). It is the second movie written by (Abd Al Rahman) who obviously wanted to present quite a different taste for the Egyptian thriller movie. It is also the third movie of (Hasib) as a director. And (Farouk Al-Fishawy), the young star at the time, produced it. So the desire to make something fresh was mutual from everybody.
Although receiving messages from dear late ones in dreams is such an old common belief in the Arabic folk culture, but this is a very rare time to bring it up cinematically, and as a parapsychology's serious presumption also, putting in mind that the dead character here is calling someone he hardly knew, and the nature of the message as a call for help to find his murders.
It has clever electronic music done by (Mohamed Helall), solid editing by the great editor (Said ElShikh), and the talented image of director of photography (Saeed Shimi). (Shimi) was so famous back then, due to his distinct efforts in realistic films, especially with directors like (Atef E-Taieb) and (Mohamed Khan). But here he could pull off the opposite, for instance the nightmares' scenes were powerful, and really creepy (by the lens, the colors,.. etc). There are strong sequences; like the intro, and of course the climax at (Empapa) bridge between (Cairo) and (Giza).
The thing is the supernatural line didn't last for long, and that was the movie's main problem I suppose. Actually, the telepathy's line disappeared after the start. The rest is another thriller; hot and decent yes, but far from the fantastic factor.
At any rate, it's totally uncommon thriller in the history of the Egyptian cinema. And compared to the previous collaboration of the writer and the director, it is more ambitious, attractive and enjoyable. Although (Ahmad Abd Al Rahman) and (Muhammad Hasib) made afterwards a number of movies, together or with others, but they have never returned to this magical area of supernaturalism to date. Alas, since we - as the Egyptian viewers - scream a "call for help" to any fantasy, or sci-fi, movie in our cinema nowadays, to find mostly none!
