The Battle of Algiers aka La battaglia di Algeri (1966)

[Angel Eyes]

Battle of Algiers, Film Four tonight at midnight in UK.
Italian director Pontecorvo and a great Morricone score.
You've probably all seen it anyway...

[shorty larsen]

"Great Morricone score".

I agree!

[The Hunchback]

Many of you probably already know, but for those that don't, THE BATTLE OF ALGIER was co-written by the co-writer of BULLET FOR A GENRAL.

This is interesting to note since BULLET FOR A GENERAL was one of the more political spaghetti westerns.

[shorty larsen]

Yes, Pontecorvo's movies are very political in general.

I remember "Queimada" with Marlon Brando and a haunting socre by Morricone.

In the movie, Pontecorvo is extremely agressive with the United Kingdom and its policy in Latin America in the XIXth century.

[General Sibley]

Battle of Algiers was just re-released.

Very controversial film when it was originally released (in 1966 I believe).  About the Algerian revolt against French colonial rule in the late '50s.  Very cool movie, takes two points of view - from the rebels, and from the rulers.  Becomes a "how to" primer on how to organize a revolt, and how to crush it.

Gillo Pontecorvo directs, done in a pseudo-documentary style.  Mostly amateur actors, so you have to get past that.  Excellent Morricone score, although not nearly as polished as his Leone work.  Heavy Bach influence, very mournful - done in C- minor, the saddest of all keys  

After seeing this and Queimada/Burn, I'd have to say that the director/composer relationship for Pontecorvo/Morricone is almost (emphasis ALMOST - don't get your panties in a bunch) as powerful as the Leone/Morricone.   Burn was made after this movie,  that score and that film are as one - you can tell that after Morricone works with a director a couple times he starts to get right into rhythm with him.

[cigar joe]

after Morricone works with a director a couple times he starts to get right into rhythm with him.  
 

 

I agree, I saw BoA about a month ago but on another old VHS Tape will have to view it again.

[John Baldwin]

Althought the movie has been shot in 1965, he arrives on our screen (french cinema or television...) in......2004; in fact, our government didn't want it to be projected in cinema. The movie passed nearly in 2000 on the private television, and for the first time on the public television in 2004, nearly one month ago.
My god...it's very stupid!!!

[Nobody]

I am tempted by Criterion's package, but I don't have the money for it right now. Looks like an extraordinary release.

[General Sibley]

Althought the movie has been shot in 1965, he arrives on our screen (french cinema or television...) in......2004; in fact, our government didn't want it to be projected in cinema. The movie passed nearly in 2000 on the private television, and for the first time on the public television in 2004, nearly one month ago.
My god...it's very stupid!!!

I can see why they'd ban it in France, the torture scenes aren't very flattering.  But I thought it was still pretty balanced, Colonel Mathieu is actually a sympathetic character.

[John Baldwin]

Yeah, it is the "censure", but I d'ont understand why it is not exit (? ) before, because the end of the Algerian war was in 1962, the 19th March. So why did they wait for a long time???

[noodles_leone]

this war has been "taboo" for a long time in france... we began to talk about the tortures only a few years ago...

[John Baldwin]

Yeah I know, but... For me, the probleme is that we knew what's happened...so...

[General Sibley]

They wouldn't show "Manchurian Candidate" in the U.S. for 30 years after the Kennedy assassination.  There was never an official governmental censure - it was withheld from distribution by the production company.  They thought it would be in bad taste to show it.

But, the Abu Gharib photos were very tasteful and were widely shown here - but they won't show any flag-covered coffins of dead US soldiers.  Us Yanks like torture

[KERMIT]

They wouldn't show "Manchurian Candidate" in the U.S. for 30 years after the Kennedy assassination.  There was never an official governmental censure - it was withheld from distribution by the production company.  They thought it would be in bad taste to show it.

But, the Abu Gharib photos were very tasteful and were widely shown here - but they won't show any flag-covered coffins of dead US soldiers.  Us Yanks like torture

it's a great thriller. larence harvey was born for the role .  frank sinatra was also in it. frank once played a marine psyco bent on assassinating the president in "suddenly".  sinatra was in paris recording an album when kenedy was shot.

[John Baldwin]

Today, at the university, I've studied the "censure" in America...Very interesting