Paul Thomas AnderÂsonÂ’s latÂest film, the loose Thomas PynÂchon adapÂtaÂtion One BatÂtle After AnothÂer, serves up many a memÂoÂrable scene. But for a cerÂtain kind of cinephile, nothÂing — not the terÂrorÂist attacks, not the chasÂes, not the swerves into askew comÂeÂdy — sticks in the mind quite so much as the moment in which LeonarÂdo diCapriÂo’s stoned proÂtagÂoÂnist tunes in to a broadÂcast of Gillo PonÂtecorÂvo’s The BatÂtle of Algiers. First released in 1966 (and curÂrentÂly free to watch on YouTube in cerÂtain regions), that picÂture has now been a mainÂstay of film-studÂies sylÂlabi long enough that one forÂgets just how much it would have starÂtled its earÂliÂest viewÂers, more than a few of whom had no idea whether they were watchÂing a war movie or genÂuine AlgerÂian War newsÂreel footage.
Some of those viewÂers includÂed major filmÂmakÂers, not least StanÂley Kubrick, who latÂer described all films as “false docÂuÂmenÂtaries,” and PonÂtecorÂvo’s work as an espeÂcialÂly impresÂsive examÂple thereÂof. AnthoÂny Frewin, who worked as KubrickÂ’s perÂsonÂal assisÂtant, rememÂbers the direcÂtor telling him that “I couldÂn’t realÂly underÂstand what cinÂeÂma was capaÂble of withÂout seeÂing The BatÂtle of Algiers. He was still enthusÂing about it priÂor to his death.”
The new StuÂdioBinder video at the top of the post also includes tesÂtiÂmoÂniÂals from a host of othÂer auteurs includÂing WernÂer HerÂzog, Steven SoderÂbergh, OlivÂer Stone, AlfonÂso CuarĂłn, Spike Lee, Mira Nair, and ChristoÂpher Nolan.
Kathryn Bigelow — who, as the direcÂtor of picÂtures like The Hurt LockÂer and Zero Dark ThirÂty, knows someÂthing about spinÂning recent milÂiÂtary conÂflicts into comÂpelling, realÂisÂtic thrillers — pulled The BatÂtle of Algiers from the shelves on her visÂit to the CriÂteÂriÂon ColÂlecÂtion’s closÂet. She calls it “probÂaÂbly my favorite movie of all time,” adding that “the metronome of tenÂsion is almost insufÂferÂable, but I say that as a comÂpliÂment.” A young Roger Ebert, in his conÂtemÂpoÂrary review of the film, warned that it “may be a deepÂer film expeÂriÂence than many audiÂences can withÂstand: too cynÂiÂcal, too true, too cruÂel and too heartÂbreakÂing. It is about the AlgerÂian war, but those not interÂestÂed in AlgeÂria may subÂstiÂtute anothÂer war.”
Such a “uniÂverÂsal frame of refÂerÂence” is also comÂmon to the othÂer highÂlights of the ItalÂian neoÂreÂalÂist moveÂment, which also include RoberÂto Rossellini’s Rome, Open City, VitÂtoÂrio De Sica’s BicyÂcle Thieves, and LuchiÂno VisÂconÂti’s The Earth TremÂbles, with their stark black-and-white cinÂeÂmatogÂraÂphy, their real, often still war-torn locaÂtions, and their mostÂly non-proÂfesÂsionÂal actors. Despite their venÂerÂaÂbilÂiÂty, these films can remind even us twenÂty-first-cenÂtuÂry viewÂers who feel as if we’ve seen it all just how much cinÂeÂmatÂic potenÂtial remains untapped. As Paul Thomas AnderÂson puts it, “It’s always a good idea to watch The BatÂtle of Algiers again, just as a cinÂeÂmatÂic exerÂcise to get you excitÂed” — no alterÂation of conÂsciousÂness required beforeÂhand.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
StanÂley Kubrick’s List of Top 10 Films: The First and Only List He Ever CreÂatÂed
Fear and Desire: StanÂley Kubrick’s First and Least-Seen FeaÂture Film (1953)
How PostÂwar ItalÂian CinÂeÂma CreÂatÂed La Dolce Vita and Then the Paparazzi
AniÂmatÂed IntroÂducÂtions to Edward Said’s GroundÂbreakÂing Book OriÂenÂtalÂism
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities and the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles. FolÂlow him on the social netÂwork forÂmerÂly known as TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.
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