recently finally available in dvd ( 11/11/08 ) and severo pérez film . and the earth do not swallow him ( 1994 ) be base on one of the most highly regarded and discussed novel in chicano literature . tomás rivera . y no se lo tragó la tierra or . and the earth do not devour him ( 1972 ) be still generally acknowledge by many critic and serious reader a the classic chicano novel . originally write in the spanish characteristic of south texas and also translate into english and rivera novel continue a an indispensable presence within the chicano literary landscape . perez film and originally make a a highly rat american playhouse pb production have take some time to be release in dvd . one can only wonder about this matter because it high quality be not an issue . the film and and now dvd and however and remain and so far a i know and the only cinematic adaptation of any chicano novel and clearly be a tribute to earth incredible stay power . this cinematic version also strike an exceptionally deep root nerve that be and i maintain and both specifically ethnic and yet also generally universal . doubt about earth perhaps might have arise because it be too ethnic and too alien from a basic american mainstream and too much a foreign art indie and too limit in economic resource . yet and perez in his version of art and in my opinion connects very effectively and artistically and and create a sharply etched portrayal of a chicano migrant collectivity that focus on daily family life . as far a a production do with relatively limited economic resource and it lovely cinematographic work and haunting music go much beyond it available funding . simply view the film make manifest this film ( or dvd ) artistic value . briefly and . and the earth do not swallow him portrays in a neo naturalistic way the plight and the suffering and and the despair of chicano migrant laborer a they follow the crop northward from south texas to minnesota in 1952. the local priest bless the beat up and overstuffed vehicle of these chicano laborer who can no longer find work in the area and must follow the agricultural trail of the migrant worker northward . this chicano collectivity and like the depression era joads in steinbeck the grape of wrath and form an epic tide and drive by economic need and a survival instinct and and anguish despair and and ultimately a barely flicker faith . a tribute to these people of the earth and a collective hero and the dvd be center on a focal family and and most especially emblematic be a young protagonist within the family and a boy and perhaps twelve or so . this work then and also and function a a bildungsroman . ultimately and the viewer sense of identification be generate through the experience and subjectivity and and the struggle of the protagonist . poverty and alienation and child labor and illness ( sunstroke and a pregnancy death ) and discrimination and school absenteeism ( the boy escapism from the bully of discrimination be spend lie down in a lovely and peaceful cemetery ) be lay bare a matter of factyet and also symbolically . bad still and the problematic conflict between the youngster and his mother go beyond socio economics and political conflict and into deep realm of psychology and metaphysics . in a desperate but artistically render struggle and the youth battle his mother and an archetypical mexican american traditionalist and a representative of god will and content with prayer and resignation and consolation and and acceptance . the rebellious youth can not believe in a god that would permit such evil and suffer to be visit upon them . how can god be so cruel and he ask and since his little sister be certainly purely innocent and a to come down with serious illness in the field . at this point and the boy must overcome obstacle even more daunt than poverty and discrimination . the issue now include death and doubt and and despair and and lack of meaning . and he have few resource available to himstrength of character and his own will power and his intelligence and and a powerful survival instinct . in this desperate and but artistically render struggle and the unnamed youngster and the central figure and feel the necessity of his enduring and of his achieve a heightened sense of meaning and and and the viewer hope and a renew and strengthen life force that can serve a an inspiration to chicano and others . this stark battle make use of a plot device just touch on by the original work to tie the episodic work together represent miss immigrant laborer from mexico who leave no trace upon their death and although this dvd deal not with mexican but mexican american migrant laborers a highly existential work represent anguish and despair while a quest while a focus on a project while and redemptionall under the auspex of free will in spite of the deterministic socio economic and religious circumstance . perez have a long list of credit basically a a documentary filmmaker . his many award be confirmatory . the producer paul espinosa be also well know and have be likewise honor for his work . the 1994 film and in fact and win and deserve a number of award represent first place and audience favorite at the santa barbara film festival in 1995 while first place at the cairo film festival while and a number of other well deserve award . in my opinion this film and dvd and earth and by perez be the best chicano film that have be make .