Review of Fear and Desire (1953) by Eric B — 27 Oct 2009

After hearing for years about Kubrick's "Fear & Desire" being disowned and buried, I wasn't nearly as turned off by this infamous film as expected. It often reminded me of one of Rod Serling's anti-war teleplays, with the issue being examined through boiling down a large, mythic conflict to just a few introspective characters who represent this or that soldier archetype. The topical reasons for the war don't matter -- it's all about human nature on a grander, philosophical scale. The most "embarrassing" aspect is some of the heavy-handed narration and interior monologues. And OK, Paul Mazursky's squirrelly, battle-fatigued character is a bit over the top. But these flaws are forgivable. Really, this film is worth seeing. Just don't expect to see much of Kubrick's signature directing style.

I saw a 61-minute and a 72-minute cut of the film, but had a hard time perceiving what was extra in the longer version. More dour reflections from the drunken enemy general near the end? Otherwise, just a lot of extra moments trimmed from shots.