‘It’s hard to start a revolution…’
Unlike possibly any other medium, cinema has the power to bring history to life. Would our collective understanding of the horrors of World War Two be as refined without Schindler’s List or Saving Private Ryan? Same goes for the American Civil War and Denzel Washington’s Glory. The Battle of Algiers covers a period of history that I had absolutely no knowledge of, and I imagine countless others went into this film feeling the same. I wasn’t aware of France’s occupation of Algeria in the 1950s, or of the attempts of the National Liberation Front to gain independence. Gillo Pontecorvo’s Oscar nominated classic The Battle of Algiers presents us with this story from both sides, and it is clear to see why it has become so influential…
Fear and violence escalates on the streets of Algeria whilst the steely French colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin) attempts to break the spirit of the rebels. Pontecorvo takes us into the streets of Algeria and makes no attempt to shy away from the violence and mayhem perpetuated by both sides of the conflict.
For anyone thinking of watching The Battle of Algiers, it isn’t in the IMDB top #250 for nothing. Imaginatively shot in a documentary, almost cinema verite style, Pontecorvo’s classic film is absolutely unlike anything that was coming out around the same time. To say this film was released in 1966, it remains remarkably fresh despite being filmed in stark black and white and featuring a cast of mostly unknown actors – many of which had been involved with the actual rebellion. This makes for a film that is incredibly powerful and impossible to ignore (despite the fact the opening 20 minutes are a little hard going).
It is rare in cinema to find a film that is utterly unique, but in that regard, The Battle of Algiers really is unlike anything released before or since. A triumph for the power of cinema.