Recent DVD Releases: THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS

[Crankie Avalon]

I was fortunate enough to pick up the recently released DVD of Gillo Pontecorvo's "The Battle of Algiers" last Friday and watched it this weekend.

This is a touchstone of left/revolutionary filmmaking so I probably don't need to say too much about it, here. If you are not familiar with the film, though, it ranks with "The Battleship Potemkin" as a masterpiece of political film. Made in the mid-sixties, it was deliberately shot in high contrast black and white with non-actors (with one exception, and even he is not a well-known face), including Yaacef Saadi, the real-life military commander of the FLN in Algiers during the historical battle. The black and white images and unfamiliar faces give the film a newsreel feel that makes quite an impact, along with the incredible music by Ennio Morricone. It details the battle in Algiers between the Algerian FLN and French paratroopers during January through September, 1957, and how one side may have unwittingly sacrificed winning the war in favor of winning the battle.

At nearly $50, this can seem like a pricey addition to your collection. However, it is a THREE-DISC DVD and, all in all, it's a great value. Disc one contains the film itself (a very good transfer and also good sound) and theatrical trailers (both the original and the one created for the re-release earlier this year). Disc two contains about 2 hours worth of informative documentaries about the film as a work of art, with the seventeen minute "Five Filmmakers" being the ONLY dog in the batch. Disc three contains three hours worth of material on the film as a work of history, and includes a panel interview with both Richard Clarke and a man who was the counter terrorism chief for the State Department that is not to be missed by any American. Even better, though, is the documentary of Gillo Pontecorvo's return to Algeria in 1992. All that, and the DVD also comes with a 55 page booklet.

A monumental film with fantastic extras makes for a must buy DVD (well, in my opinion, anyway). If you happen to pick this one up, I hope you will be as pleased with it as I am.

More info: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002JP2OI/102-6284735-1776146?v=glance

[knowbody0]

1. definitely a must see

i'd seen it befor we invaded iraq. france's choice to not join our "coalition" was not difficult to understand.

[Crankie Avalon]

4. And seeing that the French reliance on torture...

...was such a big factor in delegitimizing themselves in the eyes of ordinary Algerians, who only then went on to take the side of the FLN (who had only been a radical fringe) over the French, makes what we are doing in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo even more disturbing--immoral and short-sighted.

[On the Road]

2. You Can Get it For $31-35 + S&H on Yahoo Shopping

and there's a $12.95 VHS advertised on eBay and Half.com (not completely sure it's the same version).

[Crankie Avalon]

5. Good deal...

...I bought mine in person at my local store.

[Dzimbowicz]

3. Bought it two weeks ago

Outstanding film!!! BTW, you wrote an excellent review.

[Crankie Avalon]

6. Thanks...

...and that third disc is amazing, huh? A great film and great extras!!!