Paths of Glory is a 1957 war film about the fallibility of human judgment and questioning the value of a life. Stanley Kubrick directed the film, prompted by his vivid memories of reading the novel written by Humphrey Cobb for school. The film turned out to be a controversial affair, nationally, and on foreign shores. Coupled with the tale's moral itself, this cultural prejudice against the movie's depiction of war proved to be the greatest irony of all.
In an effort to please the politicians and civilians who grow tired of a lasting stalemate between French forces and invading German troops, The French General Staff devises a foolhardy idea. The normally reasonable general in charge of the forces the plan pertains to convinces himself that it is a plausible idea after the possibility of his promotion is mentioned. He relays this to the colonel overseeing the deadly World War I trench, and the colonel sees the sad truth surrounding the hopeless mission, without the ability to take action against it.
Many critics from the time and today esteem Paths of Glory among the most powerful stories of war told in film, driven by its extremely personal viewpoint on the characters and their internal struggles. As a director, Kubrick draws excellent performances from all of his actors, giving the audience insight into the subtle undertones beneath every character's actual lines. This is the key element that gives the movie its humanitarian pull and makes it almost terrifyingly relatable.
The plight of Colonel Dax to defend the lives, honor, and rights of his troops is among the most heroic ventures a character can take. When the attack fails, as the Colonel and every soldier involved predicts, the General points to the troops themselves as the cause for their acts of cowardice. With the random assignment of three soldiers to take the fall for the entire regiment, the main hook of the story begins, and a court hearing begins to decide their fate.
As with all black and white films from the time, use of lighting and color gradient (how dark an object appears when turned into gray instead of color) are the most important aspects to creating the visual experience. Even without the modern use of CGI effects, let alone color, good directing and cinematography can depict a range of emotion just as deep in black and white film as any other medium. Kubrick uses the dense blackness of the trench scene at night to instill fear, and the spotty lighting of Colonel Dax's bunker to present doubt when the General delivers the order.
What may stand out to today's audiences that may not have captured so much attention at the time is the physical motion and gesticulation the characters perform throughout the film. To create diversity in the way scenes were shot without a large budget, a single camera would often track the pacing of a character during thought or speech about the set. This pacing punctuates the mental process the actor is portraying, and keeps the audience moving with them, although the camera is set from a single point.
Because the movie's sentiments leaned toward the pointlessness and politics of war, it was considered controversial and even taboo in some European countries. It was the first of its kind to depict the antagonist of a war story as those in higher power from one's own side, rather than the advancing enemy forces. Though anti-war movies and cultural viewpoints did not become popular until after the war with Vietnam, the actors and crew involved with the film took an artistic risk and moral standpoint that will be remembered for all cinematic history.
Paths of Glory was highly critically acclaimed, though its box office profits were minimal. The moral behind the story lingers on with relevance as questions of human sacrifice for the sake of political war is more heavily disdained as generations pass. The movie is often used today as a critical thinking and discussion tool for English classes and Film classes alike, sharing the universal challenge of fate and orders for a long time to come.
In an effort to please the politicians and civilians who grow tired of a lasting stalemate between French forces and invading German troops, The French General Staff devises a foolhardy idea. The normally reasonable general in charge of the forces the plan pertains to convinces himself that it is a plausible idea after the possibility of his promotion is mentioned. He relays this to the colonel overseeing the deadly World War I trench, and the colonel sees the sad truth surrounding the hopeless mission, without the ability to take action against it.
Many critics from the time and today esteem Paths of Glory among the most powerful stories of war told in film, driven by its extremely personal viewpoint on the characters and their internal struggles. As a director, Kubrick draws excellent performances from all of his actors, giving the audience insight into the subtle undertones beneath every character's actual lines. This is the key element that gives the movie its humanitarian pull and makes it almost terrifyingly relatable.
The plight of Colonel Dax to defend the lives, honor, and rights of his troops is among the most heroic ventures a character can take. When the attack fails, as the Colonel and every soldier involved predicts, the General points to the troops themselves as the cause for their acts of cowardice. With the random assignment of three soldiers to take the fall for the entire regiment, the main hook of the story begins, and a court hearing begins to decide their fate.
As with all black and white films from the time, use of lighting and color gradient (how dark an object appears when turned into gray instead of color) are the most important aspects to creating the visual experience. Even without the modern use of CGI effects, let alone color, good directing and cinematography can depict a range of emotion just as deep in black and white film as any other medium. Kubrick uses the dense blackness of the trench scene at night to instill fear, and the spotty lighting of Colonel Dax's bunker to present doubt when the General delivers the order.
What may stand out to today's audiences that may not have captured so much attention at the time is the physical motion and gesticulation the characters perform throughout the film. To create diversity in the way scenes were shot without a large budget, a single camera would often track the pacing of a character during thought or speech about the set. This pacing punctuates the mental process the actor is portraying, and keeps the audience moving with them, although the camera is set from a single point.
Because the movie's sentiments leaned toward the pointlessness and politics of war, it was considered controversial and even taboo in some European countries. It was the first of its kind to depict the antagonist of a war story as those in higher power from one's own side, rather than the advancing enemy forces. Though anti-war movies and cultural viewpoints did not become popular until after the war with Vietnam, the actors and crew involved with the film took an artistic risk and moral standpoint that will be remembered for all cinematic history.
Paths of Glory was highly critically acclaimed, though its box office profits were minimal. The moral behind the story lingers on with relevance as questions of human sacrifice for the sake of political war is more heavily disdained as generations pass. The movie is often used today as a critical thinking and discussion tool for English classes and Film classes alike, sharing the universal challenge of fate and orders for a long time to come.
About the Author:
Once youve gain peoples trust, youll see more and more doors opening up for your band. Music Video Downloads In the first place, it is highly questionable as to whether these sites are legal. If you are interested in seeing the trailer for this film please Google IN WITH THIEVES.
No comments:
Post a Comment