Friday 14 October 2011

Inglourious Basterds

Quentin Tarantino film
Before I tell about my impressions of the film I learnt from it of the existence of Leni Riefenstahl a film director of the 1930's and who made the Triumph of Will propaganda film of the 1934 Nazi conference in Nuremberg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBfYncHshJc
Quite amazingly she was hailed as ground-breaking in the making and filming of documentaries. I suppose when I was looking at it, it's all to easy to take for granted the processes. The content was eerie really. All the pomp and ceremony with such adoration for Adolf Hitler. And what all the symbols pertain to now. Very strange in hindsight of course.
As for Reifenstahl I am not sure what other films she made. I learnt that she released a book of her photography in the 1970's. Apparently she was released after questioning with the downfall of Hitler. She knew him closely it seems. And evidently from the close proximity of her cameras.
Despite the horrors that ensued it is quite fascinating to see the footage. And the fever pitch that Hitler mustered amongst the thousands upon thousands of people there to hear him. He certainly whipped up a storm of horror. It can seem so vile on a scale that seems impossible and so far away. Never to be forgotten the ghastly and grotesque tragedy that Hitler manifested.
I saw the film Conspiracy which is fiction based on the Wannsee Conference - where decisions were taken apparently on the final solution to the Jewish question. Bloody hell! What happened to the bit of these people that was still human? What on earth happened? It's just inexplicable.


Something else interesting although I am not sure of the reference but the title is obviously misspelt and is this in acknowledgement of Inglorious Bastards - the Italian war film directed by Enzo Castellari. Reading the plot I see that a group of Americans are common but in completely different circumstances and that the French resistance were involved. Although in Tarantino's film they are spies not resistance I think.
What is the connection that Tarantino has made? Another little film buff ting he has slipped in - when the Inglourious Basterds get to the cinema in disguise as Italian film crew one of them has the name Antonio Margheriti, which is the name of an Italian director born in the 1930's. I think his films were sort of adventure and monster horror, like Frankenstein and King Kong types. Which is also funny as the card game in the cellar has the Nazi discovering his card says King Kong. There is also reference to Karl May, German author who wrote about Old America and his character Winnetou and Apache chief. I wonder if this in any reference to Aldo the Apache too who is the leader of the Inglourious Basterds. So many literary and artistic connections are made. The film within the film is interesting ad Goebels interest in the hero. I wonder if that's a reference to anything that actually happened. I wonder how many haven't been noticed or at least recorded publicly. I only know this stuff because I am reading as I go along. So much time on my hands and space in my mind being sick you see.

I like the centring around the cinema which reminds me of Cinema Paradiso - there is something romantic about these old cinemas that have mostly gone. Something stoic about the people's dramas within and around a building that draws people into it. I am not entirely sure why it's seems so uhm grand and stoic and splendid. But it does.

Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger must have met before on the set of Troy. She is beautiful.
I've noticed how unsettled I feel during the film that the Inglourious Basterds are beginning to lose. They were supposed to the saviours and indestructible in my minds eye. The incredible silent "hero" killer has been killed and their numbers are lower. They ave been exposed as well. They allowed themselves to be trapped. It's interesting how Tarantino has in a back handed way put this down to the English with the rendez-vous with a spy that they organised, resulting in the killings.
Enzo Castellari is in it, - where is he in the film? I didn't realise until afterwards that he was in it and without knowing what he looked like or knowing this in advance ... poop! I missed him.

A good plot, presented as a collection of chapters that are entirely connected rather than separate stories  gradually converging. Whilst the critic I read commented that Brad Pitt was pretty cardboard with his acting in this, I actually thought it was who was supposed to be. He didn't have the biggest part, just one of the parts played. He was a dry leader of a small troop of killers. What more was there to be in that. Hardened killers in the face of danger at every turn probably don't have too much character left. The whole troop were not full of character other than killer types. They felt like protective hero's to me especially Sgt Stiglitz. Cold, few words and tough! Interesting how those are always the most attractive to me - totally unavailable emotionally.

A point but I am not sure it has any real relevance - two very beautiful women who never ever come into contact with other. There is no reason why they should but ......

And when the tension starts up - I get really, really anxious. It's just a film for goodness sake. This happens more and more. And yet .... Oh I don't know is this age or have a I actually always been like this.
Well Blimey! What a possible ending of WW2.

The End

Bliss
xx

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