I don't have a point of comparison for this movie. I haven't seen than many films from the 60s, barely any foreign films from the 60s, and certainly none that tried anything like this. The idea is to shoot the film like newsreel footage. Kind of like the found footage style 30 years before The Blair Witch Project popularized it. It used mostly non-actors. And, in the greatest stroke of brilliance, it didn't align itself with either the French or Algerian side. Both the French and Algerians spill blood.
I mostly watched this movie impressed by what it was doing more than being sucked in by any specific plot point. I'm always amazed watching crowd scenes from before the era of computers. Dozens or hundreds of extras had to be hired for different scenes of complete mayhem. I'm talking about explosives and riot gear being used. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "OK, these can't all be paid extras. Some of these people must've been legitimately confused and terrorized by this production." I love how often my sympathies were swayed. Naturally, I wanted to side with the Algerians, who just want their freedom. Then, they coordinate bombing strikes, which I can't condone. After that, the French rule starts getting oppressive again, and I start getting pro-Algeria again. Then there's a press conference in which the leader of the French army in Algeria delivers an eloquent defense of what the French are doing there. That sways me back to the French again. I'm not even sure where I landed by the end.
The downside to the newsreel style is that I did have trouble connecting with the characters and the plot was pretty loose. I watched this as an experimental film, that I appreciated for individual aspects rather than a traditional film. That capped my outright enjoyment. As a piece of film history, it's vital. As entertainment, it's only above-average.
Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend
No comments:
Post a Comment