All quiet on the western front

[sanghamithran]

Hi master Roger ,

hope you are doing good,

Have you seen all quiet on the western front (2022),if so can you share your take on the film,

thanks.

Topic

[James]

Hi! We have seen ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT and in fact, we’ve talked with the director and DP of the movie for the podcast episode that will publish on February 1st.

[Stip]

Good to know.

As a German, I have a difficult relationship with my country’s film industry (decade long nepotism of public film funds and a lack of identity outside WW2 and Stasi/GDR themes are parts of the problem).

“All Quite On The Western Front” is one of the better films but I can’t help but remain critical. I didn’t like the changes in story compared to the original, as they added nothing and didn’t work for me. And the cinematography was inspired a little too much by others for my taste (a typical treat of German productions that try to do “Hollywood”); some night/fire/silhouette scenes were basically copied from “1917” in my opinion.

I may react too harsh though given my personal stance.

[Roger Deakins]

Your opinion is as relevant as any other. As I said to the director, I would like to see a film that deals with the ‘between the  wars’ period, after Versailles. War itself can be ‘entertaining’ on film (‘Top Gun’ and the rest) but is less interesting than the sociological reasons that lead up to it and the consequences that follow when the fighting stops.

[Stip]

Oh, I agree! I think the consequences you refer to are why George F. Kennan called WW1 “the great seminal catastrophe of this century”. I recently started refreshing my limited school knowledge about that complex, incredibly smoldering time from  Versaille to WW2 and there’s so much substance and stories for films to be found.

[Quadra]

Hi Stip, you should check out Margaret MacMillan’s two books on the subject: “Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World” and “The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914.” I’m sure bookworm Roger has already read them.

I liked the new “Western Front” adaptation, but I preferred the eerie atmosphere of the 1930 version. What did you think of “Stalingrad (1993)”?

 

[Stip]

Thanks for the book tips Quadra, very interested in the first one!

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen ‘Stalingrad’ but I remember that I liked it.

To me the best German production until today is ‘Das Boot’ (1981) – of course another WW2 film, but genuine in it’s approach and realization, as they shot it in an actual submarine. (Recently an epsisodic remake was done and it lacked any and all of what made Das Boot so good)

[sanghamithran]

Amazing master Roger, waiting for the podcast.

I liked this film so much that it very much captures the anti war spirit, makes one understands what comes of stupid ego and arrogance enters the human mind.

And lot of great learning from this film

[Roger Deakins]

I just re read Vassily Grossman’s books ‘Stalingrad’ and ‘Life and Fate’. Anyone with a few hours to spare should…… More understanding of ‘life’ than any film.

[sanghamithran]

Gonna find the book and read,Anything you recommend is top priority on to do list Master Roger,

Thank you 🙏🏻

[Mike]

May I suggest reading ‘Wild Swans’ by Jung Chang 1991.  Would like to see this on the big screen but probably too sensitive for the present political climate. Would love to see Roger photograph this one, contains every element he could ever wish for.

[Roger Deakins]

If we are going to recommend books of any description here I will put forward ‘Nights of Plague’ from the Turkish author Oran Pamuk. This is quite a relevant read given what the world has been (and is still) going through.

[rama lingam]

Master Roger can we say “all quiet on the Western front ” movie is larger than life.

[Author]

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