Tag Archives: war

3 things about Gillo Pontecorvo’s BURN!

Burn! [1969] 1. A group of children help carry the headless corpse to the wagon. 2. The soldiers set the field of sugar cane on fire, and shoot the rebels as they emerge from the flames. 3. Jodhpurs. A straw … Continue reading

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3 things about Roberto Rossellini’s ROME, OPEN CITY

Rome, Open City [1945] 1. There are two small statues on the table in front of the priest: a nude woman and a saint. They face each other. He pivots the nude woman so that it’s not facing the saint. … Continue reading

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3 things about Cavalcanti’s WENT THE DAY WELL?

Went the Day Well? [1942] 1. The old woman pretends to fiddle with the lid of the pepper mill, then blows the contents into the face of the German soldier. She makes quick use of her hatchet. 2. Leslie Banks … Continue reading

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3 things about William Wyler’s THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES

The Best Years of Our Lives [1946] 1. She points to the smoky smudges in the aerial photograph and asks, “What are those?” He smiles and replies, “Little black flowers that grow in the sky.” 3. Using the tines of … Continue reading

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3 things about Darryl F. Zanuck’s THE LONGEST DAY

The Longest Day [1962] 1. “Wounds my heart with a monotonous languor.” 2. Click-click of the rifle. 3. The end credits take great care to let us know that everything is “alphabetically listed.” Bonus: the presence of two Bond villains … Continue reading

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3 things about Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger’s THE SMALL BACK ROOM

The Small Back Room [1949] 1. Jazz screams all around him. He sits alone in a tight little corner. 2. The empty picture frame displays a reflection of his own face. 3. He thinks it’s Wednesday. She tells him it’s … Continue reading

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3 things about Julian Schnabel’s MIRAL

Miral [2010] 1.“Miral is a red flower. It grows on the side of the road. You’ve probably seen millions of them.” 2. Vibrating bedrail. Vibrating navel. 3. She thinks she’s found a good place to hide the incendiary books and … Continue reading

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3 things about Oliver Stone’s PLATOON

Platoon [1986] 1. “White Rabbit” sunset. 2. “What happened today is just the beginning.” 3. A staff topped with a coil of barbed wire.

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3 things about Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOUROUS BASTERDS

Inglourious Basterds [2009] 1. Three glasses. 2. “Not me. I prefer smoking, drinking, and ordering at restaurants. But I see your point.” 3. Ghost projected on smoke.

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3 things about Claude Lanzmann’s SHOAH (PART II)

Shoah (Part II) [1985] 1. He cannot speak. He continues cutting hair. 2. “It was pointless to tell the truth to anyone who had crossed the threshold of the crematorium.” 3. He told himself, “I’m the last Jew on earth. … Continue reading

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