The Battle Of Algiers authentically recreates the life-and-death struggle that took place in Algiers from 1954 to 1957, when the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) began a guerrilla war against the French, using terrorism. The French sent paratroopers, which led to a regrettable catalogue of atrocities being committed by .. Read more
| Starring | Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef |
|---|---|
| Director | Gillo Pontecorvo |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
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The Battle Of Algiers authentically recreates the life-and-death struggle that took place in Algiers from 1954 to 1957, when the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) began a guerrilla war against the French, using terrorism. The French sent paratroopers, which led to a regrettable catalogue of atrocities being committed by both sides. Unique, Award-winning, enthralling entertainment, The Battle Of Algiers is even more relevant in today's global political climate than ever before.
| Starring | Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef |
|---|---|
| Director | Gillo Pontecorvo |
| Studio | ARGENT FILMS LTD |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 56 mins Watch now: 1 hr 57 mins |
| Certificate | DVD: |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
| Language | Algerian, English |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 31 Aug 2009 Watch now: 27 Oct 2009 Production year: 1965 |
| Watch now | Subscribe and watch this as part of an unlimited package. |
| Format | DVD |
Although directed by Italian Gillo Pontecorvo, this stark and compelling drama about the rise of the Front de Libération Nationale was the first indigenous feature shot in Algeria. Beside the striking simplicity of the visuals, the film's great strength is its even-handedness: French and Algerian rhetoric is given an equal airing, their actions are neither condemned nor condoned and the combatants on each side are depicted as committed individuals caught in the great tide of history. Although it won the Golden Lion at Venice, the picture was banned in France and lengthy torture scenes were cut in Britain.
Politically oriented reconstruction of a bitter period of French colonial history, made better propaganda by its wealth of effective detail.
Talk about ahead of its time!!! This films was one of the first portray arabs as not shifty, lowlifes but as heroes.
I loved the grainy photography, the editing and the Morricone soundtrack is sparse and rhymic.
Anyone who loves non-Hollywood classic will be fascinated in this film.
Probably the first ever film to portray the horror and reality of the 'terrorist/freedom-fighter' war that has become such a fact of all our lives today. The use of black and white (whether a budgetary or artistic decision) brings a starkness which greatly enhances the atmosphere.
Palpable tension as the bombers go through police barricades and the views of ordinary lives in the cafes and shops just before they are torn apart is masterly. Although 40 years old the message and reality of this film remains as valid today.
When politicians talk about the battle for hearts and minds in a conflict situation, they are usually talking about winning over the support of the local citizens caught in the war zone, though it could also apply to their own constituents, whose tacit approval allows the fighting to continue. In the Vietnam War, the phrase was a favourite of Lyndon Johnson, who believed that by supplying the Vietnamese with electricity and hope for a better future, the US could undermine support for the... Read more