Wednesday, November 21, 2018

The Battle of Algiers (1966)_Film Review

November 21, 2018
The Battle of Algiers is an Italian-Algerian historical war film co-written and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo in 1966. The film is starred by Jean martin, Sadi Yacef and many others. It is based on the events by rebels during the Algerian war from 1954 to 1962 against the French government in North Africa. It was shot on location of Algeria. Music was composed by Ennio Morricone. It was shot in a Roberto Rossellini inspired reel style in black and white and in documentary type style to add to its sense of historical authenticity. It is associated with Italian neo-realism cinema. Story: The story of the film is taken from the book ‘Souvenirs de la Bataille d`Alger’ written by Sadi Yacef. Sadi Yacef was also co-producer of the film and acted in this film as FLN (National Liberation Front) commander. The film is about Algerian liberation war against the French government. Plot: The film reconstructs the revolutionary events that occurred in the capital city of French Algeria between November 1954 and December 1957, during the Algerian war of Independence. The story starts with the organization of revolutionary cells in the Casbah. Director Pontecorvo and co-writer of the screenplay Franco Solinas created several protagonists in their screenplay, who are based on historical war figures. For example; FLN commander EL-Hadi Jafar, role played by Sadi Yacef who was a veteran FLN commander. Lieutenant Colonel Mathieu the paratroop commander is the principal French character. Other characters are the boy Petit Omar, a Street Urchin who is an FLN messenger, Larbi Ben M’hidi, a top FLN leader who provides the political rationale for the insurgency and Djamila, Zohra, Hassiba the FLN women urban guerrillas who carry out a terrorist attack. “How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas; Children shoot soldiers at point blank range. Women plant bombs in cafes; soon the entire Arab population builds to a mad fervor. Sound familiar? The French have a plan. It succeeds tactically but fails strategically. To understand why, come to a rare showing of this film.” Cinematography: Pontecorvo’s one of the best friends Marcello Gatti was the cinematographer of the film. Shooting location was in Casbah, Algeria. Cinematographer filmed in black and white and experimented with various techniques to give the film the look of newreel and documentary film. To know about cinematography style of the film, we have to describe its shot variations, mise-en-scene and lighting. Shot: Several times handheld camera has been used in this film. There is variation in shot divisions. For example; wide angle shot, long shot, medium shot, close up shot and extreme close up shot have been used in this film. Mise-en-scene: Most of the times of the film duration, it is noticed that most of the scenes are taken in outdoor. The arrangement of the scenes and props are made in a very artistic way but it looks very natural. As it is a documentary type film, the arrangement of the props is seemed like the situation or condition of the props is very natural or seems realistic. Good framing, shot divisions and scenes arrangement are realistic and natural in this film. Lighting: The film is shot based on Italian neo-realism style. It is captured totally in outdoor shooting. But artificial light is also used in this film. Most of the scenes of the film natural light has been used in this film. But for the indoor shooting artificial lighting has been used precisely. Acting: It is a documentary style film directed in 1966. According to the cinematography acting is very natural in this film. For example; acting of Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Brahim Haggiag, Tommaso Neri and some others is very natural and seems it is realistic. It is like documentary style film to all. Sound and Music: Sound and music is composed by both Ennio Morricone and Gillo Pontecorvo. For example; latter the background music of rifles, bombs and pistols has been composed according to the scenes. Editing: Editing style is marvelous in this film. Before, I have described that it’s a documentary style film. The audiences generally like this kind of editing style. I mean shot variations are inevitable. Besides different kinds of angles and emerging the scenes are also important. The film is edited by both Mario Morra and Mario Serandrei. It is artistic editing style. Their editing style or techniques are very important in this film.
A still from the movie The Battle of Algiers (1966)


The Battle of Algiers is an Italian-Algerian historical war film co-written and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo in 1966. The film is starred by Jean martin, Sadi Yacef and many others. It is based on the events by rebels during the Algerian war from 1954 to 1962 against the French government in North Africa. It was shot on location of Algeria. Music was composed by Ennio Morricone. It was shot in a Roberto Rossellini inspired reel style in black and white and in documentary type style to add to its sense of historical authenticity. It is associated with Italian neo-realism cinema.

Story:
The story of the film is taken from the book ‘Souvenirs de la Bataille d`Alger’ written by Sadi Yacef. Sadi Yacef  was  also co-producer of the film and acted in this film as FLN (National Liberation Front) commander.  The film is about Algerian liberation war against the French government.

Plot:
The film reconstructs the revolutionary events that occurred in the capital city of French Algeria between November 1954 and December 1957, during the Algerian war of Independence. The story starts with the organization of revolutionary cells in the Casbah. Director Pontecorvo and co-writer of the screenplay Franco Solinas created several protagonists in their screenplay, who are based on historical war figures. For example; FLN commander EL-Hadi Jafar, role played by Sadi Yacef who was a veteran FLN commander. Lieutenant Colonel Mathieu the paratroop commander is the principal French character. Other characters are the boy Petit Omar, a Street Urchin who is an FLN messenger, Larbi Ben M’hidi, a top FLN leader who provides the political rationale for the insurgency and Djamila, Zohra, Hassiba the FLN women urban guerrillas who carry out a terrorist attack. “How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas; Children shoot soldiers at point blank range. Women plant bombs in cafes; soon the entire Arab population builds to a mad fervor. Sound familiar? The French have a plan. It succeeds tactically but fails strategically. To understand why, come to a rare showing of this film.”

Cinematography:
Pontecorvo’s one of the best friends Marcello Gatti was the cinematographer of the film. Shooting location was in Casbah, Algeria. Cinematographer filmed in black and white and experimented with various techniques to give the film the look of newreel and documentary film. To know about cinematography style of the film, we have to describe its shot variations, mise-en-scene and lighting.

Shot:
Several times handheld camera has been used in this film. There is variation in shot divisions. For example; wide angle shot, long shot, medium shot, close up shot and extreme close up shot have been used in this film.

Mise-en-scene:
Most of the times of the film duration, it is noticed that most of the scenes are taken in outdoor. The arrangement of the scenes and props are made in a very artistic way but it looks very natural. As it is a documentary type film, the arrangement of the props is seemed like the situation or condition of the props is very natural or seems realistic. Good framing, shot divisions and scenes arrangement are realistic and natural in this film.

Lighting:
The film is shot based on Italian neo-realism style. It is captured totally in outdoor shooting. But artificial light is also used in this film. Most of the scenes of the film natural light has been used in this film. But for the indoor shooting artificial lighting has been used precisely.

Acting:
It is a documentary style film directed in 1966. According to the cinematography acting is very natural in this film. For example; acting of Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Brahim Haggiag, Tommaso Neri and some others is very natural and seems it is realistic. It is like documentary style film to all.

The Battle of Algiers is an Italian-Algerian historical war film co-written and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo in 1966. The film is starred by Jean martin, Sadi Yacef and many others. It is based on the events by rebels during the Algerian war from 1954 to 1962 against the French government in North Africa. It was shot on location of Algeria. Music was composed by Ennio Morricone. It was shot in a Roberto Rossellini inspired reel style in black and white and in documentary type style to add to its sense of historical authenticity. It is associated with Italian neo-realism cinema. Story: The story of the film is taken from the book ‘Souvenirs de la Bataille d`Alger’ written by Sadi Yacef. Sadi Yacef was also co-producer of the film and acted in this film as FLN (National Liberation Front) commander. The film is about Algerian liberation war against the French government. Plot: The film reconstructs the revolutionary events that occurred in the capital city of French Algeria between November 1954 and December 1957, during the Algerian war of Independence. The story starts with the organization of revolutionary cells in the Casbah. Director Pontecorvo and co-writer of the screenplay Franco Solinas created several protagonists in their screenplay, who are based on historical war figures. For example; FLN commander EL-Hadi Jafar, role played by Sadi Yacef who was a veteran FLN commander. Lieutenant Colonel Mathieu the paratroop commander is the principal French character. Other characters are the boy Petit Omar, a Street Urchin who is an FLN messenger, Larbi Ben M’hidi, a top FLN leader who provides the political rationale for the insurgency and Djamila, Zohra, Hassiba the FLN women urban guerrillas who carry out a terrorist attack. “How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas; Children shoot soldiers at point blank range. Women plant bombs in cafes; soon the entire Arab population builds to a mad fervor. Sound familiar? The French have a plan. It succeeds tactically but fails strategically. To understand why, come to a rare showing of this film.” Cinematography: Pontecorvo’s one of the best friends Marcello Gatti was the cinematographer of the film. Shooting location was in Casbah, Algeria. Cinematographer filmed in black and white and experimented with various techniques to give the film the look of newreel and documentary film. To know about cinematography style of the film, we have to describe its shot variations, mise-en-scene and lighting. Shot: Several times handheld camera has been used in this film. There is variation in shot divisions. For example; wide angle shot, long shot, medium shot, close up shot and extreme close up shot have been used in this film. Mise-en-scene: Most of the times of the film duration, it is noticed that most of the scenes are taken in outdoor. The arrangement of the scenes and props are made in a very artistic way but it looks very natural. As it is a documentary type film, the arrangement of the props is seemed like the situation or condition of the props is very natural or seems realistic. Good framing, shot divisions and scenes arrangement are realistic and natural in this film. Lighting: The film is shot based on Italian neo-realism style. It is captured totally in outdoor shooting. But artificial light is also used in this film. Most of the scenes of the film natural light has been used in this film. But for the indoor shooting artificial lighting has been used precisely. Acting: It is a documentary style film directed in 1966. According to the cinematography acting is very natural in this film. For example; acting of Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Brahim Haggiag, Tommaso Neri and some others is very natural and seems it is realistic. It is like documentary style film to all. Sound and Music: Sound and music is composed by both Ennio Morricone and Gillo Pontecorvo. For example; latter the background music of rifles, bombs and pistols has been composed according to the scenes. Editing: Editing style is marvelous in this film. Before, I have described that it’s a documentary style film. The audiences generally like this kind of editing style. I mean shot variations are inevitable. Besides different kinds of angles and emerging the scenes are also important. The film is edited by both Mario Morra and Mario Serandrei. It is artistic editing style. Their editing style or techniques are very important in this film.
A still from the movie The Battle of Algiers (1966)

Sound and Music:
Sound and music is composed by both Ennio Morricone and Gillo Pontecorvo. For example; latter the background music of rifles, bombs and pistols has been composed according to the scenes.

Editing:
Editing style is marvelous in this film. Before, I have described that it’s a documentary style film. The audiences generally like this kind of editing style. I mean shot variations are inevitable. Besides different kinds of angles and emerging the scenes are also important. The film is edited by both Mario Morra and Mario Serandrei. It is artistic editing style. Their editing style or techniques are very important in this film.


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