Z [1969]

 The most fascinating thing about Z is how Costa-Gavras effortlessly counterpoised heft with panache. Being based on the 1963 assassination of pacifist left-wing Greek leader Grigoris Lambrakis by reactionary state forces, and the advent of military dictatorship in the country, it was radical cinema at its purest – unambiguously anti-fascist; scathing in its uncovering of the military and police’s rotten mindsets and their underhanded use of far-right factions and lumpen-proletariat for their dirty deeds; crafting it with a left-wing cast and crew comprising of celebrated French actor Yves Montand, renowned Spanish writer Jorge Semprún, legendary Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, etc.; and filming it mostly in Algiers, which was then a haven for international left-wing fugitives. Despite its incendiary fury, it was also stunningly hip, cool and thrilling, being filled with riveting set-pieces, kinetic sequences, glorious colour photography by Raoul Coutard, a pulsating score defiantly lent by Theodorakis (who was in house arrest at that time), and counterpointing of Kafkaesque undercurrents and solemn moments with gripping genre elements, subversive humour and pulpy depictions. No wonder, it remains such an extraordinary political thriller that marvellously captured the 1960s zeitgeist while transcending both place and time in its frightening relevance. Adapted from Vassilis Vassilikos’s book, it chronicled the public murder of a prominent politician (Montand) – while on a visit to give a speech advocating nuclear disarmament – by two sleazy henchmen (Marcel Bozzuffi and Renato Salvatori) and engineered by the virulently anti-communist military; and, thereafter, the investigation into it by an unflappable magistrate (Jean-Louis Trintignant), with assistance from a relentless photojournalist (Jacques Perrin). The complex sifting of objective truth from contradictory accounts, precipitated by subterfuge and witness manipulations, imbued it with compelling procedural elements.

p.s. My earlier review of this film can be found here.

Director: Costa-Gavras

Genre: Thriller/Political Thriller/Film a Clef

Language: French

Country: France/Algeria

The Battle of Algiers [1966]

Made at the behest of the newly formed Algerian government soon after securing independence, based on the memoirs of an FLN commander, and promptly banned by France upon its release, The Battle of Algiers remains as one of the most incredible, authentic, polarizing and devastatingly brilliant portrayals of violent revolutionary struggle, and a cornerstone for political and agitprop filmmaking. Made in cinéma vérité style and imbued with a remarkable here-and-now feel, the film’s ferocious intensity and explosive anti-imperialist statement needs to be seen to be believed, and its content is as disturbingly relevant today as it was back then. The loosely structured storyline gives us an account of the formation of the National Liberation Front (FLN), its violent collision with the French forces over a period of 3 years, and the eventual iron-fisted crackdown by the army. Notably, despite its partisan stance, the film on the whole felt surprisingly neutral in spirit and tone – the mayhem and massacre caused by both the sides were shown in unflinching detail, and the French Colonel leading the charge against FLN, contrary to what one might expect, was depicted in sympathetic light and as a three-dimensional character. The grainy, high contrast black-and-white photography, on-location shooting, awkward camera angles, and jarring, hand-held camera movements, gave the film such documentary realism that it was difficult to believe that no newsreel footage was used in it. The pulsating soundtrack and the use of non-professional actors further emphasized its neo-realist aspects. In summation, this film stands as the cinematic equivalent of Che Guevara’s Guerrilla Warfare, viz. a revolutionary anthem for the oppressed class.

Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
Genre: Drama/Political Drama/Historical Drama/Docu-Fiction/War
Language: Arabic/French
Country: Algeria

Z [1969]

The movie Z, which begins with the cheeky faux-disclaimer from its director Costa-Gavras that the events depicted in it aren’t coincidental or accidental, but intentional, remains as one of the most overtly and unapologetically political films made in recent memory. Though he used fictitious names for the characters and didn’t provide a name for the place, Costa-Gravas was in essence recreating the events surrounding the assassination of charismatic Leftist Greek leader Gregoris Lambrakis (Yves Montand) by the right-wing junta. The government complicity, and the unraveling of the state-sponsored conspiracy by an implacable mid-ranking magistrate (played with stoic fierceness by Jean-Louis Trintignant) and a seemingly opportunist photojournalist (Jacques Perrin), formed the crux of the storyline. The brilliantly composed, hyper-kinetic thriller, with the narrative moving at a pulsating pace and comprising of a number of brilliantly executed sequences (including an exciting chase scene), would provide for visceral and a thoroughly captivating watch even for viewers who aren’t politically inclined or aware of the events on which it was based, thanks to the excellent pacing, editing and suspense buildup; but the theme, which was one of political intrigue, paranoia and persecution against freedoms of speech and expression, made for a deeply cautionary tale against Orwellian States, and hence would appeal strongly to the discerning viewers, more so given the era of its release when mistrust towards governments was at its peak. The epilogue, narrated matter-of-factly, was both satirical and disturbing.

p.s. My latest review of this film can be found here.




 

Director: Costa-Gavras
Genre: Thriller/Political Thriller
Language: French
Country: France/Algeria