Best film at Telluride
Well, the best that I saw anyway, The Last King of Scotland got a lot of buzz but I didn't see that one. This film was not only the best one at the festival but one of the better that they've had there in a few years. i don't know who wrote the description in the schedule, but they didn't do it justice. The film starts out showing the tough stassi officer interrogating a prisoner and then teaching a class on how to do just that. He's suspicious of everyone, probably the reason he is so good at his job, and is soon watching "the most loyal writer" in East Germany. He is drawn into the life that this writer and his girlfriend have together and soon finds himself questioning his own life. The director introduced the film and said that he didn't think it would play to a US audience but I think the general story works for anyone. Its a wonderful film and story, and the crowd at the theater was very engrossed and in tears by the end of the film. One could pick at the story a bit (like a Stassi officer would really feel much for the people he was watching, that would be the number one danger so I'm sure they were well trained to avoid that) but just little things, it is really a worthwhile film.
Posted
Monday, September 11, 2006 2:19 PM
I would have to agree that this is a highly worthwhile film to see. Although I would not call it the best that I saw (that title was captured by Ghosts of Cite Soleil), it was captivating. I love the way the character of the main Stasi interogator was carefully, slowly deconstructed throughout the film, allowing him to show his humanity amid deeply unhuman conditions. No wonder the film drew so much attention (and debate) in Germany.