{"id":96285,"date":"2024-05-04T21:07:58","date_gmt":"2024-05-05T04:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96285"},"modified":"2024-05-04T21:12:50","modified_gmt":"2024-05-05T04:12:50","slug":"battle-of-algiers-the-1966","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96285","title":{"rendered":"Battle of Algiers, The (1966)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to start a revolution &#8212; even harder to continue it. And hardest of all to win it.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster-197x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-96286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster-197x300.png 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster-177x270.png 177w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Poster.png 614w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA petty criminal (Brahim Hadjadj) is recruited by a revolutionary leader (Saadi Yacef) to fight with the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/National_Liberation_Front_(Algeria)\">FLN (National Liberation Front)<\/a> in the Algerian War of Independence, and is soon among a handful of individuals sought out by French paratroop commander Colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin) and his men.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Revolutionaries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary writes, this &#8220;extraordinary revolutionary film by Gillo Pontecorvo&#8221; &#8212; who &#8220;directed and wrote the script with Franco Solinas&#8221; &#8212; covers &#8220;the pivotal years, 1954 to 1957, in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Algiers_(1956%E2%80%931957)\">the Algerian struggle for independence from France<\/a>.&#8221; While the &#8220;entire film looks like a <em>cin\u00e9ma v\u00e9rit\u00e9<\/em> documentary&#8221; &#8212; especially given cinematographer Marcello Gatti&#8217;s use of &#8220;grainy stock,&#8221; and the intentional hiring of non-actors for all but one key role &#8212; this is actually &#8220;a fictionalized account of real and representative events that took place during the National Liberation Front&#8217;s guerrilla war against the French.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-1024x548.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"343\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-1024x548.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still-504x270.png 504w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Still.png 1292w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin-496x270.png 496w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Martin.png 1287w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It &#8220;not only shows how to conduct an urban guerrilla war (the reason it was studied by America&#8217;s Black Panthers) but also the necessity of violence in revolution&#8221; &#8212; and &#8220;equally important, it shows how oppressors &#8212; the French, in this case &#8212; conduct a counterrevolution.&#8221; As Peary argues, &#8220;you won&#8217;t believe that the shots of women planting bombs&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-1024x551.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-1024x551.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-768x413.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar-502x270.png 502w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Woman-Bar.png 1298w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;and those of innocent people being killed aren&#8217;t real,&#8221; and &#8220;you&#8217;ll also feel you&#8217;re watching history when the French close in on some holed-up Algerian leaders.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-1024x549.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"343\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96290\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-1024x549.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-768x412.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant-504x270.png 504w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Commandant.png 1298w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-1024x558.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96289\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-1024x558.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up-496x270.png 496w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Holed-Up.png 1296w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I should point out that Peary&#8217;s analysis of this &#8220;fascinating, thrilling&#8221; film is just one of many that have emerged since its highly contested release (it wasn&#8217;t shown in France for five years), with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.criterion.com\/films\/248-the-battle-of-algiers\">Criterion&#8217;s DVD release<\/a> including numerous extras for those who would like to dive even deeper. Just part of this movie&#8217;s own storied history is that it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0058946\/trivia\/?item=tr0694050&#038;ref_=ext_shr_lnk\">was screened by the Pentagon in 2003 &#8220;for officers and civilian experts who were discussing the challenges faced by the US military forces in Iraq&#8221;<\/a> (and as of the exact day I&#8217;m writing this, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Israeli_invasion_of_the_Gaza_Strip_(2023%E2%80%93present)\">it remains enormously relevant<\/a> for different but related reasons). <\/p>\n<p>Indeed, as &#8220;fascinating&#8221; and &#8220;thrilling&#8221; as this film may be (and it is expertly crafted), it&#8217;s also deeply disturbing and hard to watch, precisely because of its authenticity. To that end, the filmmakers don&#8217;t shy away from depicting horrors and challenges on both sides &#8212; including, for instance, children mercilessly harassing a drunk man on the street after the FLN prohibited &#8220;the sale and use of all drugs and alcoholic drink.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-1024x556.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-1024x556.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Kids.png 1294w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>(We also see explicit scenes of torture, which were excluded from earlier versions of the film). Regardless of its challenging content, however, this remains a masterful depiction of revolutionary (and counter-revolutionary) tactics, and holds a deserved role in global cinematic history. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> For those seeking more precise historical context on the era, I recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PfNIB2b90WY\">this video<\/a> on The Cold War channel. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marcello Gatti\u2019s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-1024x550.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-1024x550.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-768x413.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5-503x270.png 503w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Location5.png 1292w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-1024x539.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"337\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-96300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-1024x539.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-768x404.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes-513x270.png 513w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Battle-of-Algiers-Eyes.png 1283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ennio Morricone&#8217;s score <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an enduring cinematic classic. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foreign Gem<\/li>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0058946\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1395batt.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/moviediva.com\/reviewpages\/mdbattleofalgiers\/\">Movie Diva Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsws.org\/en\/articles\/2004\/05\/boal-m29.html\">WSWS Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.criterion.com\/current\/posts\/342-the-battle-of-algiers-bombs-and-boomerangs\">Criterion Essay <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to start a revolution &#8212; even harder to continue it. And hardest of all to win it.&#8221; Synopsis: A petty criminal (Brahim Hadjadj) is recruited by a revolutionary leader (Saadi Yacef) to fight with the FLN (National Liberation Front) in the Algerian War of Independence, and is soon among a handful of individuals sought out by French paratroop commander Colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin) and his men. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Flashback Films Historical Drama Revolutionaries Response to&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=96285\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=96285"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96320,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96285\/revisions\/96320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=96285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=96285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=96285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}