Rock the Casbah
Spent the snowy day watching the Criterion Collection's edition of Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers. The film has been described as the most important political movie of our time; Criterion calls it One of the most influential political films in history, and as I watched it (over coffee on Sunday morning) I was taken back by how relevant the film is to us, in 2007. And how yes! This film is quite possibly the most urgent thing I have seen in a long, long time. I guess Resistance is the same no matter what time or place. And Imperial Power will always be a Vampire...
The film is about the Algerian Revolution Movement which led to the end of 130 years of French occupation. The Struggle culminated in bombs, violence, and a justified rebellion against all things French. The Revolution's flag was later adopted for the Algerian Flag.
Criterion has created a 3 DVD set, which, among other things, includes Edward Said narrating a 37 minute documentary on the film and the situation in Algiers. Said, at one point asks, "can an Imperial power ever be defeated?" And I think that is an appropriate question considering today's struggle in Iraq. The situation in Algiers was much different than what we face with our colonization of Iraq, but the struggle and chaos of French force fighting non-linear, guerilla tactics of the Algerians is impossible to ignore. In the end the Algerian people organized, went on strike, and defeated the French Army through their conviction of resistance.
Pontecorvo eventually made commercials, and that is wierd considering how important this film is/was. The critics on the additional Discs are almost angry with Pontecorvo's lack of work after The Battle of Algiers. Doesn't matter. The film exists, and it presents a very relevant story of a collective and social movement against a Colonial force unwanted and over fed on itself and its power.
The film is about the Algerian Revolution Movement which led to the end of 130 years of French occupation. The Struggle culminated in bombs, violence, and a justified rebellion against all things French. The Revolution's flag was later adopted for the Algerian Flag.
Criterion has created a 3 DVD set, which, among other things, includes Edward Said narrating a 37 minute documentary on the film and the situation in Algiers. Said, at one point asks, "can an Imperial power ever be defeated?" And I think that is an appropriate question considering today's struggle in Iraq. The situation in Algiers was much different than what we face with our colonization of Iraq, but the struggle and chaos of French force fighting non-linear, guerilla tactics of the Algerians is impossible to ignore. In the end the Algerian people organized, went on strike, and defeated the French Army through their conviction of resistance.
Pontecorvo eventually made commercials, and that is wierd considering how important this film is/was. The critics on the additional Discs are almost angry with Pontecorvo's lack of work after The Battle of Algiers. Doesn't matter. The film exists, and it presents a very relevant story of a collective and social movement against a Colonial force unwanted and over fed on itself and its power.
2 Comments:
suqin 2677? hmmm, sounds like...
darci, drunks have no place in a revolution, so roll em!
although he could have hit one or two of them on his way down. drunks can have revolutions of their own, you know.
and, if i were smarter, i would learn how to write a bit of code and make my own blog...to keep suqin out. but im not that smart. so suqin wins. i lose.
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