Review of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (2005) by Edgar C — 06 Jul 2007
This short French film is a depressing and fantastic masterpiece.
A man on war times is about to be hanged (probably because of treason or failure) and pictures his escape as he's about to die.
He finds himself starting to drown at the river once he's dropped down, but manages to untie the ropes tying him by toes and neck, and swims to the surface.
We see him trying to get away from his executioners and the soldiers, swimming along a long river. We see him dodging bullets and water animals. We see him reaching a shore and shouting and laughing out of happiness and awe of his successful escape. We see him running desperately from big canon bullets and explosions to reach his family, wife and daughter. We see the quiet desperation and suffering he's going through, and the joy he experiences when he first sees his wife.
The cinematography is beautiful and very well shot, and the direction is outstanding. The dark atmosphere and the stinking smell of death is perfectly transmitted to us as viewers of an upcoming and inevitable tragedy, as there's almost no dialogue.
This masterful and realistic short of 28 minutes long explores our dreams and desires, and the psyche we build during the last moments of our life. Do not dodge this French Gem of 1962. The Academy Award it received was very well deserved.
100/100.
This review of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (2005) was written by Edgar C on 06 Jul 2007.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge has generally received very positive reviews.
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