Review of All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) by Tim S — 06 Oct 2015

One of, if not THE, greatest anti-war films of all time. Unflinching in it's depiction of the devastation and inhumanity in the WW1 trenches, this film pulls no punches in it's polemic against conflict. How brave and groundbreaking it was that a film made only 12 years after 'the war to end all wars' was told and sympathised with the perspective of German soldiers.

We follow a group of young German men as they enlist, go to fight on the front line, and try to hold together what remains of the life they once had. Ultimately a humanist film, the script openly mocks the dogged nationalism used to encourage young men to go and fight - "You still think it's beautiful to die for your country. The first bombardment taught us better. When it comes to dying for country, it's better not to die at all.".

When you consider that the first talkie was only released in 1927, it is a marvel that a film of this scale, with such a depth of sound, was feasible. You get the impression that the actors were surrounded by very real danger while filming, between the barbed wire and the close proximity explosions. All Quiet on the Western Front is beautifully shot. Some of the frames are like giant tableaux, filled with symbolism and straight off the wall of an art gallery.

I watched this film on Blu-ray and the transfer is one of the best I have seen - far superior to films made 50 years later!