Retro Cut!! THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957) - Ingmar Bergman

Released in 1957, The Seventh Seal is director Ingmar Bergman's most famous and iconic film. Set medieval Sweden, during the time of the Crusades, the film is an allegory on the human condition, and calls into question the existence of God, a question that was very personal for the director. The film centres around a night and his squire returning home from the Crusades. The knight, Antonius Block is confronted on a beach with Death, who has come to claim him. Block challenges Death to a game of chess, with Block's soul being the prize. As the game plays out, Block travels the countryside, witnessing the ravages of the Plague, which is claiming a vast proportion of the people. Along the way, Block and his squire, Jons, encounter a troupe of actors, a blacksmith and his cheating wife, who join their journey, and a witch who is to be burned at the stake after being accused of brining about the plague.



The Seventh Seal is the first of Ingmar Bergman's films I've seen. I thought I'd start with the most famous of his films, and it has been a rewarding experience. From the get go, it's clear this film is going to be abstract. How often in films does the central character decide to play a game against something as intangible as Death?! It's clear from the script that the nature of the existence of God is a big issue for Bergman. The central character of Block is looking for signs of God's existence everywhere he travels. He has seen quite a bit in his travels and has become disillusioned with the purpose of the holy crusade, and it causes him to question his faith. There is little evidence for the existence of God in his travels within the film, and this causes him great sadness. Block is brilliantly portrayed by Max Von Sydow, who you'll recognize as the title character in The Exorcist. The rest of the cast are equally excellent, particularly Gunnar Björnstrand as Block's squire.



Bergman's direction is fantastic. The cinematography is stark and the shots excellently crafted, while the film is heavily symbolic. Scenes swing from very dramatic to comedic, as the themes are played out through the cast of characters. The question of the existence of God is never quite answered fully. While there are fragments of universal truths peppered throughout the film, you get the impression that Bergman never fully answered his own question in the film. However, the journey is the attraction here, and while some may find the religious aspect of the film a little much, the cinematography and craftsmanship of the film are just as much an attraction as the themes themselves.

9/10

Retro Cut!! DR. STRANGELOVE or: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964) - Stanley Kubrick

The early 1960s proved to be turbulent times for the world. The threat of a third world war, indeed, a nuclear war was all too real and a stalemate between the east and west existed. Stanley Kubrick, having just completed Lolita became somewhat obsessed with the subject of nuclear deterrents, and set about approaching the subject for his next film. Kubrick obtained the rights to Peter George's novel 'Red Alert' and set about creating a serious, dark, prophetic thriller about the threat of nuclear war. However, Kubrick realized that all elements of the subject could not be covered in a serious drama, so he set about creating a darkly comic satire of the idea of a nuclear third world war. Out of this idea came Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, one of the finest comedies of the twentieth century.

Set in three locations, the Presidential War Room, the cramped interior of a B-52 Bomber, and the office of US Air Force Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper, Strangelove opens with Ripper ordering an all out nuclear strike on the Soviet Union. Ripper, played by Sterling Hayden is obsessed with the communist threat, and feels the only way to best the Russians is to supersede the politicians in Washington and order the attack himself. Arriving too late to stop Ripper is Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers), a British officer who must witness first hand, Ripper's lunacy and mad theories.
Meanwhile, in the US Government War Room, President Merkin Muffley (Sellers again) must try to diffuse the situation with the Russians, gain control of his own military, fend off gung-ho General Turgidson (George C. Scott) and deal with mad-cap ex Nazi Dr. Strangelove (Sellers yet again), who's ideas sound like they've been presented to another leader from history, all be it a more sinister leader.
And on a sole B-52 bomber, Major T.J. 'King' Kong (Slim Pickens) is determined to deliver his payload to the 'Ruskies' at any cost.

Kubrick's comedy is first and foremost a satire, a comedic warning of the folly of attacking an enemy without provocation and the consequences of such drastic decisions. The film is such a well written and precise piece of work that it still holds up today as an anti-war film. But along with the message comes some of the finest performances from the ensemble cast. Peter Sellers is at his career best playing three distinct roles. Group Captain Mandrake is the typical British officer, struggling to retain his stiff upper lip as he deals with the insane Brigadier General Ripper. President Muffley is a meek individual, but the only sane man in a room full of lunatics, the epitome being Dr. Strangelove himself. Sellers improvised most of his performances, to such a hilarious degree that you can still spot some individuals struggling to keep a straight face as Strangelove battles with his former Nazi personality that is bursting to take over his body.
Yet this is not a one man show. George C. Scott plays against type in his first comedic role. His General Turgidson is a young boy in a man's body, unbelievably excited at the prospect of attacking the Russians while sulking when scolded by the President. And it is Slim Pickens who provides the classic image from the film. His Major Kong is the Texan pilot whooping and hollering as he rides the nuclear bomb to it's destiny.

Dr. Strangelove comes as close as a film comes to being a perfect comedy. The script, written by Kubrick and Terry Southern is laugh out loud hilarious while still retaining a caustic edge as a response to the nuclear fears of the sixties. Each performance stands out on it's own, with the limelight somewhat stolen by Sellers, who is on top form. Kubrick's direction is as perfect as it ever was, handling a subject that is serious but comedic at the same time. When it comes to classic movies, they don't come more brilliant than this. And as war films go, Dr. Strangelove is one of the greatest anti-war films ever made.

Retro Cut!! SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) - Billy Wilder

In 1950, Paramount Pictures released Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder's savage indictment of the studio system. Fifty seven years later, Sunset Boulevard still packs a punch, and remains one of the most important films ever to be released about the film industry.
The film opens with the discovery of a dead body in a swimming pool on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard. As the police stare at the corpse and camera bulbs flash, the corpse's voice over takes us back to how he, Joe Gillis came to his watery end. Gillis is a Hollywood screenwriter, once a golden boy, now struggling to make ends meet. On the run from the repo men, intent on recovering his car, Gillis pulls into a dilapidated mansion on Sunset Boulevard. There, he meets Norma Desmond, once a famous silent era movie star, but having faded into obscurity with the arrival of the talkies. Norma has a grand plan and a weak screenplay to get back into the movies and she ropes Gillis into writing the screenplay. She becomes more and more dependent on Gillis to be her friend and more and more obsessed with regaining her former glory.



For the roles of Gillis and Desmond, Billy Wilder sought out William Holden and Gloria Swanson. Both actors had careers which in some way mirrored their characters. Holden had arrived on the Hollywood scene with some recognition in Golden Boy in 1939, but his reputation had suffered due to his problem with alcohol. Swanson, once a famous silent era star, had herself been forgotten by audiences of the late forties. Both actors were perfect for their roles. Their acting styles were quite different, Holden showing some restraint, but still able to pull off the tough-guy lines. Swanson, on the other hand, is wonderfully dramatic. She is over the top, but not in a manner that doesn't suit the film. Her character is embittered due modern films focusing on the voice and not the performance, and she reacts in a way that suits this way of thinking. As the film progresses, she becomes more and more deranged, finally reaching her zenith with the famous line 'All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.'

Paramount must have had some confidence in Wilder and (co-writer) Charles Brackett's screenplay. The film wickedly satirizes the film industry and star system of the time, while at the same time depicts the impotence of the job of the film writer in the industry. As Gillis works for Desmond, he becomes more and more emasculated, almost becoming her play-thing. In a sub-plot, Gillis and his best friend's fiancee, Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olsen) struggle to co-write a screenplay that may never be made.
The cinematography and direction are one of the fine examples of noir filmmaking. The close ups on Swanson's manic face are quite creepy, yet at the same time, Wilder is able to give her a vulnerability which makes it easy to engage with the character. But what's really great about the film is that it's quite funny. After, all it is a dark comedy. You wouldn't expect a film of it's age to retain a sense of humor that would appeal today, but the one liners and that run through the film remain very amusing. One of the best movies I've seen from the era, and probably the best film you're likely to see that deals with the film industry.

Retro Cut!! COME AND SEE (1985) - Elem Klimov

The Second World War is one of those subjects that provides filmmakers with an almost endless supply of stories. Hollywood has produced hundreds of films on the subject, but Come and See, produced by Russian filmmaker Elem Klimov in 1985 is as far removed from these types of films as possible.
Set in Byelorussia in 1943, the film's 'hero' is Florya, a teenager from a small, poor village. The film opens with Florya digging a rifle out of a grave in preparation for joining the local resistance forces. Much to the consternation of his mother, Florya leaves home and is brought to the partisan stronghold in a local forest, as they prepare to mount an attack on the invading German army. But seeing Florya's youth and inexperience, the partisans leave Florya behind. Rejected and disappointed, Florya wanders into the forest, where he meets a teenage girl. The two frolic and play in the forest until they are interrupted by a barrage of artillery and incoming German paratroopers. They escape back to Florya's village where they find everybody slaughtered. They meet with a group of refugees, and Florya and a small group of men go off to find food for the survivors. Florya ends up at another village where he witnesses the extermination of the villagers at the hands of the sadistic German soldiers first hand.

Come and See is an assault on the senses. It's more a coming of age story than a war movie. It's a harrowing experience, but is crafted so well that the experience is worth the discomfort. The images and sounds are created in a way that makes you feel like you're stumbling through some surreal nightmare. It's reminiscent of the Do Lung bridge sequence in Apocalypse Now as the insanity of what's going on is portrayed through the cinematography and set pieces. There is a sense of dread that hangs over the film, and while very little fighting or killing is seen for two thirds of the film, you know that there is something coming, and it's not going to be pleasant.
The acting, from all involved, is outstanding. Aleksei Kravchenko, who plays Florya physically ages throughout the film, transforming from a wide-eyed innocent teenager to almost an old man by the end of the film. And after experiencing Florya's journey, you can completely empathize with his transformation.
Come and See is essential viewing. No other film I've ever seen portrays the true horrors of war in a more accurate fashion. The film may prove too much for some viewers, but those brave enough to sit through the whole thing will be rewarded with one of the most engrossing studies of war they're ever likely to come across. Absolutely essential viewing, but a film few people have heard of.

Come and See @ IMDB

Come and See is available from all the usual online DVD shops. You know the ones I'm talking about!