Roland Joffé’s 1984 masterwork provides a historical piece of film-making, which brings storytelling to life.
Director: Roland Joffé
Cast: Haing S Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands and Sam Waterston
Film Genre: Drama/Period
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 142 mins
Availability: On Blu-ray November 3rd
Plot: American reporter Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston), and his Cambodian guide Dith Pran (the Oscar winning Haing S. Ngor) make it their personal endeavour to bring news of the wanton killing of Khmer Rouge to the world large.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the film THE KILLING FIELDS, the critically acclaimed movie is now set to be released on Blu-ray on November 3rd.
Thirty years may have passed since this magnificent film’s first release, but nevertheless, it has not lost its searing power and effectiveness. When it was released in 1984, the film was heavily – and deservedly – praised. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards and dominated the BAFTA Awards of that year, winning eight accolades including Haing S. Ngor for Best Actor and Most Outstanding newcomer, Best Screenplay and Best Film.
Director Roland Joffé brings to life the horror of Cambodia, when Richard Nixon ordered an incursion into Cambodia in 1970 as a corollary to the war in Vietnam. With the country under an American-installed government, the Khmer Rouge gained widespread support. After American withdrawal in 1975, for the next four years, the Khmer Rouge coerced most of Cambodia’s people into forced labour, and it is believed that around 1.5-2 million were murdered, approximately 20-30% of the entire population.
THE KILLING FIELDS follows the story of Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), a Cambodian fixer, and his patron, New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston). As they travel to the town of Neak Luong, which is accidentally bombed by Americans in 1973, they witness the utter devastation, as craters formed in places that were once occupied by homes, bewildered refugees seek help from makeshift field hospitals, whilst begging Schanberg to take their photographs and show the world the truth of what is happening. The story of these harrowing events are not sugarcoated, as they remain realistic, honest and at times, very upsetting.
As anticipated, the journalists are order to leave Cambodia, but Dith has other ideas. Pretending to be a taxi driver and unable to speak English or French put him in good stead, so others would not think of him as a foreigner and in doing so, he avoided the inevitability of execution. Dith spent more than two years in Dam Dek, a former ‘regular’ village that had been transformed into a slave camp near Siem Reap. The scenes provide a harsh reality of the grim life people led and they lived every day in continuous fear.
The choice of casting in the film is utterly superb and needed the calibre of the actors involved to portray such a telling story with honesty, passion and conviction. Haing S Ngor is inspiring in the role of Dith Pran, a doctor and real-life veteran of the Khmer Rouge’s labour camps and it is hard to believed that this was his was first performance and without a doubt his delivery deservedly the Oscar which was bestowed upon him.
Ngor is well supported by Sam Waterston as Schanberg, and John Malkovich proves once more why is is such a highly regarded actor after his performance as photographer Al Rockoff.
Aside from the stellar casting in the film, the other biggest success is how Joffé portrays the horror of Cambodia. The simplicity of his roving shots and momentary silences beautifully convey one of the most traumatic and horrific moments of that time – and although they are shot sympathetically, the harsh, awful reality of what people went through during that time tugs at the heartstrings and fill the audience with overwhelming sadness, particularly as Pran awakes surrounded by rotting corpses – rousing images which are impossible to forget.
Having the characters speak in Khmer, without subtitles creates an authentic atmosphere driven by a sense of realism as you are forced to interpret for yourself what is happening.
An outstanding, heart-wrenching story of faith conquering the most brutal and tragic of situations, THE KILLING FIELDS is a compelling and captivating film, which is guaranteed to leave a memorable imprint on your heart and mind.
The 30th anniversary special of the exquisite movie is available to buy on Blu-ray November 3rd.
Verdict
Blu-ray Extras:
- Brand new interview with Director Roland Joffé
- Brand new interview with Bruce Robinson
- Commentary with Director Roland Joffé
- Interview with Lord Puttnam
- Trailer
