Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Victor Khomenko (M) on May 10, 2004 at 06:18:48

Most of us know Abel Gance through his monumental 1927 Napoleon, but his career continued all the way through the 1971.

Along the way he made a very interesting film called "J'accuse!"

I would certainly say this is one of the better anti-war films. Made in 1938 it carries strong premonition of the WWII and condemns the mankind's insatiable appetite for war.

Interesting to note here that watching this film one will recognize things that apparently heavily influenced such later works as Paths of Glory and Big Red One - some scenes have the uncanny sense of similarity... if not in details then in spirit. The trenches of the "Paths" and the cross scenes of the RBO are just too close to be unrelated to the Gance's work.