Ok. I tried to change the name of my blog, but was only partially successful. So, if you can change it, fine. If not, then I'll just have to live with superfly94. I'll need a scorecard, though to remember all you knuckleheads. For those of you procrastinating, please try to name your blog after yourself. Save your creativity for the actual posting.
The battle scene you watched today is one of the great achievements of early cinema. When this film came out in 1930, audiences were amazed at the realism of that battle scene. It is worth watching several times, (but we won't do that) simply to see all the clever strategies the director used to achieve his aim. Don't be fooled by the seeming chaos. Each and every action was carefully choreographed. As the camera moves over the trench, the actors have to know exactly what to do and when. Every imaginable act of trench violence is displayed, as soldiers are killed with rifles, revolvers, machine guns, bayonets, clubs, daggers, feet, etc. And remember also, those explosions are real. They are simulations only in that there is no shrapnel emanating from them. But, the "extras" who are running through that obstacle course are in grave danger of being blinded by flying debris, deafened by the explosions, slipping on mud, etc. Each man needs to know exactly where the explosives are planted and when they will detonate. They need eye and ear protection. One point to remember. In actual combat, explosions are also happening in the air above soldiers. Time fuzes were very sophisticated and could be set to detonate a shell in the air over the heads of its victim.
The sheer exhaustion of battle is one aspect that we rarely consider. Soldiers sleep very little at the front, and combat is very stressful to both mind and body. The director takes a moment at one point to linger over the men, showing them gasping for breath as they await the next onslaught.
I have seen this battle scene 50 times and it never fails to impress me for its creativity, attention to detail, and sheer unrelenting horror.
IF the goal was to horrify then this scene passes with flying colors. It may not be that it was so graphic or scary but the fact that I am seeing it from an analytical point of view, you see things for what they are. The raw realism that this is what actually happened. That a person who you see in front of you can die at any moment. A person will cease to exist right in front of your eyes and realizing the same fate awaits you is horrifying. And just thinking about how death stops life in its tracks, all the things you will aspire to, the things that you will achieve and the experiences you are going to have, no longer exist and no longer matter.
ReplyDeleteThis scene is far more realistic than any battle scene I've seen so far; the shots create a manic, bloodthirsty mood as the soldiers cross the no-man's land into the trenches. At first, we see it from one of the soldiers' perspective as the machine gun bullets go flying, and then when they've infiltrated the other side, we see lots of quick shots. Nowadays, more movies rely on CGI than before, but I like this method better; it is more visceral, more realistic. They can die at any moment yet they still keep on fighting. As a matter of fact, you only see one of the soldiers' hands clinging onto the barbed wire after the rest of him has been blown away. We're nothing but meat to be used and thrown away when we go bad.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the way the scene was filmed was amazing far ahead of its time. In addition, I think that the movie being filmed in black and white adds to the dreary mood, and it adds to the realism of the battle scene. This was by far the best battle scene i've ever scene, and so far the movie is looking good.
ReplyDeleteThis battle is another example of the movie's existential message. During the battle, you see from a lower viewpoint, people dying and reaching out there hands. You can see the viewpoint of someone actually dying on the field. At the same time, soldiers are marching through, stepping over and ignoring the people on the ground. People don't care about what the others are trying to say or do. They just march forward, like mindless drones.
ReplyDeleteI liked this battle scene very much and am glad to hear that it was an accurate representation of war combat during the 1830's. the techniques used to depict the battle in this scene were so conmplex they semed to flow together and werent I didnt notice them the first time around until they were pointed out to me. this film has so far been much to my likeing and very enteratining as well as filled with multiple interpretations and themes depicted in the war.
ReplyDeleteThe battle scene was amazing to watch. The distinction between the enemy's machine guns and the German's was a cool effect. It was a very realistic scene and the moments of exhaustion on the soldier's faces really added to the war scene. The shots from the floor at the boots of people stepping over the dead as if they didnt even exist was a really good example of dehumanization. They no longer matter to anyone. Their death is of no importance. No one cares anymore.
ReplyDeleteI thought the battle scene today was a good example of the "dehumanization" of the soldiers. As the camera shows the sheer numbers of people that are killed, they begin to seem more than objects and less like individuals.I thought it was interesting that the director included a scene in which both the German and French/British armies were being slaughtered.
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ReplyDeleteSo far I have enjoyed the movie and learning about the numerous techniques directors use to portray the meaning of the film. The scene where they first come under fire reveals a lot about the characters and how the movie will progress. We see how each of the men reacts to their new environment. The directors provide a bit of foreshadowing in this scene and we also get our first view of the madness and chaos of war. The topic of "dehumanization" is constant throughout the film as the director shows the men referred to using numbers instead of names and corpses referred to as "it" not "who". Still wondering what the symbolism behind the doors and windows is. I fell that it is showing how the men are passing from one stage of war to another as the conditions worsen. I'll be watching to see if other scenes continue this trend....
ReplyDeleteI have found this battle scene to be truly amazing as technology was not as it is today but the director managed to convey his message better than many films today can. You can get the feeling of what it is like to be out there at war tired, exhausted, and scared. It's amazing how everything went together so well seeing as everyone had to remember exactly what to do and when in order not to make any mistakes or even get injured by the real explosions. I also admire the way the director was able to convey the emotions of the soldiers amid all the chaos. This is a great film so far.
ReplyDeletei was amazed at how perfect the battle scene was displayed. Thinking that it was made in the year 1930 adds to how genious the cast of All Quiet on the Western front is. Like David i agree that the black and white adds to the scene in the fact that this battle is of historical significance. With Mr. Bennett pointing out all the techniques made me realize how complicated it is to create such a successful scene.
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