The Battle of Algiers (1966)
Resisting la révolution!
Presentation:
One of the most notable political films, it earns its trophy of controversy by being banned in France of all countries. The film is about Algeria’s fight for independence through guerilla warfare. Even if you don’t know much about French history, the back and forth fighting gives you reason to care about it very quickly. It’s very immersive urban warfare, tit for tat with a nuanced political stance for both sides. I would say it’s maybe 70-30 in favor of the Algerians and I appreciate that France was decently portrayed in their colonialism. Some of the propaganda with children felt a little distasteful and ultimately manipulative but it was overall convincing. It’s mostly shot on long zoom lenses right in the middle of things in tight corners on the streets. I doubt films like this could be made today.
Conclusion:
This war film has a realistic tone that there are moments you question whether some scenes were real. But of course it’s shot too deliberately to be a documentary. It’s depicted more like old news footage instead and succeeds in making you care about the conflict. Moreover, it helps you understand a bit more about France and their politics today.
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