Come and See

Come and See (1985)
Directed by: Elem Klimov

Russian film that takes place in Belarus during WWII.
Psychedelic film that portrays realism of war, not through realistic graphics, but evoking viewer's emotions through sound, use of color, and mise en scene.

Unlike the typical Hollywood war films, Come and See was covert in its complex message.
The music in the background, with minimal dialogue, emphasized silent, but terrifying horrors of the war.
Without the excessive amount of gun shot noises, the movie used imagery that invoke just as disgusting feelings towards war itself. For example, when the main character is going mad, trying to find his family in a thick, reddish swamp, the mud becomes a symbol of all the blood that is spilled from the war.

Throughout the entire movie, scene after another keeps viewers on edge of their seats with dynamic environments the main character ventures to, from deep forest with the Red Army to an unknown town in Belarus that is under an attack by the German army.

Nationalism is branded very strongly in this film. I mean, personally, I think history is written according to the bias of a country. So, it is true that the death of Soviets are often overlooked in the American history when WWII is mentioned. However, Come and See reminds all of us, everyone around the globe - because it caught international attention through numerous awards - that Russians and Eastern Europeans, were brutally affected by an indescribably horrifying total war. Often in the movie, the main character holds his mouth shut, and gasp at horrifying reality. This portrays the emotions of how Russians and Eastern Europeans must have felt. What happened was so horrifying that people have lost words to describe it. So, we should understand that sometimes, there are silenced reality in the midst of loud and dominant voices.

Sergeant York

Sergeant York (1941)
Directed by Howard Hawk



What a classic "American hero" film.
- the fact that the biggest star of the time - Gary Cooper - starred in the film
- the main character, Alvin York, was not the perfect, but hard working man, who just wanted to provide for a happy family.
- war movie with semi-happy ending with least amount of killing, and peaceful surrender by the enemies

Apparently, this movie encouraged a lot of men to enlist in the military during WWII.

However, I found different, somewhat conflicting, ideologies portrayed in this film.
The complex problem intertwined with war that fights for our freedom versus our inherently religious beliefs.
In the movie, Alvin is torn between fighting for his country versus Bible verses that specifically points out not to kill anyone. In the end, he is convinced - not very clear of the reasons, but somehow he is - that he should be ready to die for his country, but not necessarily kill. Alvin is portrayed as a guy who is genuine, but not very clever, so I guess that's where the incoherent idea still flows in the film. On the surface, it seems that York is a great American hero, who fight for what is right and the love of God and his country. However, thinking about the characteristics of York, he is almost pushed into the beginning and end of the war without really thinking, only doing what he is told to do by the people around him.

Aside from watching the film as a piece of propaganda during the war time, it is a great film of the era. Fantastic cinematography and clever shots, edited to constantly to catch audiences' attention.