The Red and the White
1967
Directed by Miklos Jancso
I am recovering from surgery so I should probably be sleeping right now since it is 11:27. However, I am determined to get caught up on this blog before I go to bed. Actually, it is quite easy to stay awake when it feels like someone is squeezing your ankle ridiculously hard. Who would have thought?
This movie follows the 1919 battle between in the Communists and the Czarists in Russia. The plot is extremely hard to understand. Usually when I have no idea what is going on in a film, it is because I completely zone out, which is something I always own. I am happy to say, however, my lack of understanding with this film wasn't my fault. Lots of shots are done at a distance so you cannot see what is going on. I really couldn't even tell you who the main characters are or what happened.
Surprisingly, I didn't hate it. I usually need a good story, which this film certainly did not have. However, I wasn't really watching the clock at all and believe me, I get bored easily. Maybe I was so relieved that it wasn't the same old war film that I have seen a thousand times. Possibly I liked it because I have always been interested in that time period in Russia. Or maybe the cinematography was so beautiful that it distracted me enough so I wasn't bored.
In any case, it was worth a watch and I am excited to hear everyone's thoughts on it.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Banned in Russia.
Well, I had no idea what was going on either.. but I'm afraid i was bored..
ReplyDeleteMy loss I'm sure, but I will just move on thanks..
Boring definitely. I feel like that is such a frequent complaint of mine that I have to dig a little deeper, much to my annoyance.
DeleteI actually agree with you. This was strangely fascinating. The deliberate disconnect with any specific characters was at first frustrating, but once I got over that I really enjoyed this movie.
ReplyDeleteHaha I love how surprised you are whenever you agree with me.
DeleteI spent the day with some Russian families, then I came home and spent the evening watching a (Hungarian and) Russian movie.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was excellent. The endless cycle of one side shooting prisoners before being overrun and shot themselves and so on was almost like the structure of a comedy sketch. Which, as the point was to highlight the absurdity of war, is probably about right.
It should nonetheless have run out of steam long before it did. To it's credit, as a couple of you say, that it maintains its fascination.
If I awarded stars, maybe I'd have to go no further than three, just because within its own self-imposed set of limitations, there's only so much you can do. But what it could do, it did do very well.