The Return of the Prodigal Son (1978)

Directed by Youssef Chahine · Cinematography by Abdel Aziz Fahmy

120 min62 frames

DramaMusic

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Stills, screencaps & shots from The Return of the Prodigal Son

16 of 62 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

The Return of the Prodigal Son (1978) — © Office National pour le Commerce et l'Industrie Cinématographique (ONCIC), MISR International Films

What is The Return of the Prodigal Son about?

Freed after spending years in prison, an activist's homecoming turns into a dark affair as his disillusion clashes with his family's expectations. Demonstrating Chahine’s eclecticism, this is an elegant melodrama, exuberant musical, layered allegory, and profound portrait of personal and political disillusionment.

Where can you watch The Return of the Prodigal Son?

US availability for The Return of the Prodigal Son (1978). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in The Return of the Prodigal Son?

Who made The Return of the Prodigal Son?

What does the cinematography of The Return of the Prodigal Son look like?

Across 62 sampled frames, The Return of the Prodigal Son builds its coverage from medium shots (52% of the sample), with close-ups (24%) carrying much of the rest. Cinematographer Abdel Aziz Fahmy keeps 44% of it in soft, low-key light. 47% of the frames play at night or in the failing light of dusk. Vintage glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in 61% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1970s.

What is the color palette of The Return of the Prodigal Son?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of The Return of the Prodigal Son (1978) are #302c2d, #0b090c, #48342f, #f2f2f2, #564f4c, #d3d0cc — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #302c2d
  • #0b090c
  • #48342f
  • #f2f2f2
  • #564f4c
  • #d3d0cc

See the full The Return of the Prodigal Son colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

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Techniques in this film

More films by Youssef Chahine

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