Rowan Sullivan

411

The Devil’s Backbone (Spain)

The Devil’s Backbone Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Click on the Poster to Watch!

If you liked Pan’s Labyrinth you’ll love The Devil’s Backbone. It’s another great film from Guillermo del Toro set during the Spanish Civil War. The Devil’s Backbone is a horror film with depth, unlike a bunch of the horror films around today. So go ahead, watch this and let your imagination loose!

Why Watch the Devil’s Backbone?
  • It’s one of Guillermo Del Toro’s first and best films (he’s famous for Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellyboy, and Blade)
  • You want a horror film with a bit more depth than your classic slasher or psychological thriller
  • It’s another great movie about which plays out during the Spanish Civil War (also check out Lengua de las Mariposas and Pan’s Labyrinth)
  • There’s also the classic Guillermo Del Toro creations and style
The Breakdown

“What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? An instant of pain, perhaps. Something dead which still seems to be alive. An emotion suspended in time. Like a blurred photograph. Like an insect trapped in amber”

As the opening lines above are read, a plane flying across the night sky opens it’s bomb doors to drop bombs on a village below. One of the bombs falls into the ground, brutally injuring a young boy.

The boy was a member of a small walled sanctuary in the middle of the Spanish desert. The sanctuary is full of young boys left by men and women fighting in the Spanish Civil War. The place is run by an old woman with a wooden leg and an old man who has a love for books and curiosities (typical del Toro style). The location is like the wild west and is ripe for the spookiness that unfolds.

Del Toro perfectly stages the horror scenes. Each one follows the rhythm written by the many horror films that preceded it. There’s the first ominous sighting early on in the film which goes unnoticed by all of the characters. This reveals the ghost to us. Next, the protagonist sees the ghost and the rest of the character’s usually don’t believe him. This identifies the audience with the protagonist (we’re the only one’s who know of the ghost). Then finally, in the climax, the ghost is revealed to all.

The Conclusion

The Devil’s Backbone is one of Guillermo del Toro’s best. Just like Pan’s Labyrinth it contains a young kid living during the Spanish Civil War. However, this film is a more classic horror. Even though Pan’s Labyrinth borrows from the horror genre, The Devil’s Backbone will give you more spooks. What’s the best thing to do? Watch both!

 

412

Fragment 53 (Liberia)

Fragment 53 Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

However, you can learn a lot from this documentary about the Liberian Civil War. It features interviews with the people responsible for killing hundreds if not thousands of people. You’ll also get to hear from all sides in the conflict and what they did in the role and what they think of the murders they committed now that the conflict is over. If you can’t imagine a time in which eating a heart is normal, I recommend you check out this film to find out.

Why Watch Fragment 53?
  • You don’t know anything about the Liberian Civil War, or anything about Liberia for that matter
  • Learn about the nature of war from the warlords, generals, and soldiers that fought in the Liberian conflict
  • Hear from General “Butt naked”
  • It’s a perfect compliment to Indonesia’s The Look of Silence and The Act of Killing
The Breakdown

Fragment 53 starts with the sound of a trumpet, a sound connected to war memorial services. The sound of the trumpet sets the tone of this war documentary, a tone that both recognises those lost, but also questions the nature of war. Alongside the trumpet we are shown a montage of statues and statuettes. Each one of them is a deity of war from various human cultures. War has been around for millennia. Is it a part of humanity or something we can stop?

Before, and also between the interviews of the war generals, the film hints at the surreal. We are shown shots of people working at roadside stalls, a cloud of fruit bats stripping the leaves off of a tree, and hills covered in rain forest and mist. Why are these images included? They are included as they show time passing. These mundane images are just as natural as war is to mankind. Bats will always strip the leaves off of trees, mist will always collect in the hills, and people will always be making a living. These things, just like war, will also continue into the foreseeable future.

The director’s also manipulate the interviews with the warlords and generals. Each interviewee is given the same introduction text and are all shot in close-up. But look out for how the director leaves them after the interview is complete. The first interviewee is rather vague about his opinion of war so his interview finishes with a blurred and dark image of him getting up to leave. The second interviewee is consistent in his views of war and his role and therefore the director ends his interview with a clear head shot. This is just one of the ways a director can influence our perception of interviewees in documentaries!

Conclusion

Fragment 53 is an intriguing look into the nature of war. Is it something that is a part of humanity or can it be eliminated? Hear from seven warlords/generals from Liberia. Their answers offer an insight into both the Liberian war and humanity as a whole.

For more documentaries on the nature of war, check out The Look of Silence and also Little Dieter Needs to Fly.

 

413

Now For Something Completely Different (U.K.)

For a great introduction to British humour, you can buy this film for only £2 (click on pic above)

Now for Something Completely Different Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Are you feeling very silly? Are you up for a silly laugh? Well you have come to the right place. This is Monty Python. These are the people that inspired all the candid camera pranks and comedy sketch shows of today! One of the sketches in this film is bound to crack a smile across your face. Also, the short sketch format means you can dip in and out in your lunch break, before bed, or in the morning while you’re eating breakfast!

Why Watch this Now For Something Completely Different?
  • You haven’t seen anything by the famous Monty Python comedy troupe
  • To see how ‘silly’ British humour really is!
  • So you don’t miss the classic ‘Twit of the Year’ race
  • Hear the funniest joke in the world!
The Breakdown

Now for Something Completely Different starts with a short sketch set in a field. The narrator is showing us how not to be seen. Instead of trying to explain the first sketch, here it is…

As you can see, Monty Python’s humour is pretty different to anything you’d find in America or elsewhere, which may make it pretty hard to translate. Please let me know if you are a massive Monty Python fan from outside the U.K and how it translates!

What else makes a Monty Python film? It’s silliness! The sketches get even more silly as the film progresses until one of the narrators interrupts dressed in an army suit: “Stop it now, this has just got silly! It started out as a nice story about grannies attacking young men, but now it’s just got silly.” Ah the scene is Monty Python in a nutshell.

Conclusion

Anyway enough blabbering on. If you’re up for a laugh and you haven’t got much time, check out some Monty Python sketches on YouTube. If you’re up for a feature length Monthy Python film I’d recommend checking out The Life of Brian or Monty Python and the Holy Grail! Go indulge yourself in the silliness!

Looking for more classic comedy with moments of silliness? Check out the Oscar nominated German film Toni Erdmann!

414

The Great Warrior Skanderbeg (Albania)

The Great Warrior Skanderbeg Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Ever wanted to see an epic film from Albania? Image result for great warrior skanderbegHere’s your chance. In the spirit of the epic Soviet films from Sergei Eisenstein, The Great Warrior Skanderbeg does not disappoint. Yes, there are heavily stereotyped characters and a lot of nationalism, but there is also epic battles and even arm wrestling. If you’re up for watching something epic with an epic action movie character (think Conan the Barbarian) this one is for you. You can even watch it here on YouTube!

Why Watch Skanderbeg?
  • To see the most Albanian film not made by an Albanian
  • Learn about Albania’s most famous historical character (perhaps the first Albanian?)
  • You just finished Ben Hur and want to see something equally epic
  • For all the rivalries – watch the Skanderbeg face off against the Turks, the Venetians, and the Serbians!
The Breakdown

‘The Greatest Warrior of Albania’ flashes across the screen as some doors open to reveal an incredible view of a mountain valley. This film is about the myth of Skanderbeg, a myth which has constructed Skanderbeg as a national hero of Albania. As a result there is a lot of nationalist ‘propaganda’ which is not surprising considering that this is a co-production between the Soviet Union and Albania from the 1950s.

So how is it nationalist? It’s nationalist because Skanderbeg is depicted as a figure who united all the rival groups living under the Turks and Venetians as ‘Albanians.’ It’s nationalist because Albanian culture is shown throughout; there’s an Albanian wedding, Albanian Christianity, and Albanian costume.

What’s more is that the early story structure is almost identical to the story of Moses. Both Skanderbeg and Moses are princes of their future rivals, Skanderbeg serves the Turks while Moses serves Egypt. Secondly, they both receive a ‘call to action’ which leads Skanderbeg to betray the Turks and Moses to betray Egypt in favour of their people. They both become national leaders and demand liberty from the powers they formerly served. Skanderbeg becomes a leader of Albania, whilst Moses led the Israelites. Of course they both end up in epic climactic battles!

Conclusion

The Great Warrior Skanderbeg won prizes at Cannes after it’s release in the 1950s. Despite the unapologetic nationalism, it is an epic film. It has some epic battles with huge casts which are reminiscent of the master of epic film, Sergei Eisenstein (see Alexander Nevsky or Battleship Potemkin). You’ll also learn a fair bit about Albanian history and it’s relationships with the Italian Kingdoms, the Turks, and Serbians. Just ignore the overly stereotyped characters!

 

415

The Colours of the Mountain (Colombia)

The Colors of the Mountain Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Buy by clicking on the poster or find it elsewhere!

Watch The Colors of the Mountain to see the beauty and ugliness of Colombia side by side. See beauty in the lush vegetation, innocent school children, and peaceful life in the countryside. And see ugliness in the spreading war between the local guerillas and paramilitaries. Luckily for tourists, the ugliness of the war has subsided. And luckily for film viewers, Colombia is still producing great films, just go and watch Embrace of the Serpent after this one.

Why Watch The Colors of the Mountain?
  • For a great coming-of-age film (for more coming-of-age films check out Kids Return, The Wounded Angel)
  • See the beautiful Colombian countryside and the people that live in it
  • Witness how the war between the guerillas and the paramilitary groups affected life in Colombia (for something similar, see Silvered Water which follows a young kid living in the Syrian war zone)
  • See how arepas are made!
The Breakdown

The Colors of the Mountain starts with a shot of a small house in the lush Colombian countryside. A boy with a football in his arms runs down the drive and into the rolling fields across from his house. The countryside is full of sounds of insects, birds, and frogs, and you can almost feel the heat. The boy runs to his friend’s house and persuades him to come and play football.

This is their simple, peaceful life. They wake up, eat, and either go to school or play football. 9-year old Manuel’s parents are always around the house, tending to their two cows, fixing the house, or cooking. Life is good.

However, the signs of trouble become more and more obvious. The first sign of danger is the graffitti written across the wall of the school in red: ‘el pueblo con las armas, vencer o morir’. This roughly translates to ‘the town with weapons, conquer or die’. Secondly, the potential danger is confirmed in Manuel’s Dad. When Manuel and his Dad are milking their cow, his Dad spots four men in ponchos walking up to their house. You can just make out the butt of a machine gun on one of them, protruding from their clothes. Manuel’s Dad urgently grabs Manuel and runs him into their house to hide. His reaction confirms the threat of the men in ponchos, and the danger they live with which is largely unnoticed by Manuel and his friends.

Conclusion

The Colors of the Mountain shows us the danger posed by both the Guerillas and the Paramilitaries in rural Colombia. It also shows us how normal life can temporarily appear in a war zone. For those that want to see Colombia in all it’s beauty and ugliness, this one is for you.