Just when I think everything's been done in cinema and I think I've seen it all, there's always another film around the corner, whether new or a classic, that get's me fired up and think "damn, I need to step up my game." This time, it's a classic. This time, it's Battle of Algiers.I had heard about this movie intermittently in recent years, mostly as inspiration for modern day lauded war films, like Children of Men and Dunkirk. What interested me the most, personally, was how influential and controversial this film was at the time. and even now. To this day, it's shown to insurgency and counterinsurgency groups, from the IRA to the Pentagon, as a prime showcase on how guerilla war is conducted and the response to it. So I was curious to check this movie out sooner rather than later, but even still, I was blown away. Pun not intended.The reason this film is lauded by critics and soldiers alike is it's intense realism, but that's not just in attention to detail or presenting a good timeline of events, but in it's presentation. This is the first film I've seen that's a relative of the Italian Neorealism movement/style, and it's a revelation seeing how effective it is. Several times throughout the film I thought "well, THIS is documentary footage, or THIS is from an actual newsreel." But to my great surprise, not a single frame is taken from an actual news report of the time. It's all recreated so matter of fact that it just might be the closest a film has ever gotten to emulate reality, a feat that only the best of it's kind can achieve.Just as surprising was learning that almost all of the actors were non-professionals, just regular people plucked from the street who looked the part. Hell, one of the actual leaders of the Algerian Liberation Front plays himself in the movie! Even without knowing these little factoids I was thoroughly impressed by all the characters in this movie, achieving a naturalism that is hard to emulate. The only major exception is the French colonel, who IS played by a working actor, but in this case it's a great choice. The stern, calculating, but also dignified and respectful colonel is a good match for this working actor's talent, and a great contrast to the boots on the ground, always on the move, guerilla soldiers.Sound is the final piece of craft that ties it all together, both in it's music and it's mixing. The score is Ennio Morricone, so of course it's an excellent score, but special mention has to be reserved for the traditional drumming track that plays during the most intense scenes. It's a simple but effective use of music that puts you in the perfect mood. And on the sound design (this is once again something I only found out after the fact) the use of machine sounds to represent the French military and the use of explosives and chants to represent the Algerian guerillas was an ingenious use of sound design that doesn't make itself obvious. The more I learn about and study this film's craft the more I fall in love with it. But even more importantly, it transcends film itself to make a commentary and impact on the real world, most notably in how it depicts the guerilla war and the people who participated in it. There's no sugarcoating it, both sides committed atrocities to achieve their goals. Justified or not, heroes or villains, they were willing to do anything and everything to get what they wanted. The film asks us, do the ends justify the means? Is the response an appropriate one considering the circumstances? Even if your side does horrible deeds, are they justified and even necessary for the sake of an overarching goal? Like the bystanders in the film, we're not allowed to passively watch from afar, to turn a blind eye to what we're shown. We have no choice but to choose a side, but either way, it will be a long and torturous road.Battle of Algiers reaches a level of excellence that very few movies can match, ESPECIALLY when it comes to recreating the true life events. In a sense it's greatest strength is it's greatest weakness: the film is SO realistic that it's difficult to watch at points and even harder to rewatch. But there's no denying it: any way you slice it, from it's filmmaking craft to it's historical and political impact, The Battle of Algiers is one of the most important, and very best, films ever made. via /r/movies https://ift.tt/2TURN6g
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