Review of if.... (1968) by Ryan M — 11 Jul 2011
"If...." is a darkly surreal condemnation of the archaic and draconian traditions of British independent schools. It mainly centres on a trio of misfits, led by a young Malcolm McDowell, who become fed up with being oppressed by their prefects and superiors, and stage a violent uprising.
The film's controversial counter-culture philosophy on revolution and war â" that they're the only pure acts â" may hit closer to home today, in an age where tragic school shootings make headlines yearly, than it did in 1968 (despite student uprisings in Paris at the time).
It's an artfully conceived social statement, rife with symbolism and allegory, but due to its small budget, was forced to alternate inconsistently alternate between colour and black/white film stocks, which proves mildly distracting.
Nevertheless, the gist of the movie is clear.
This review of if.... (1968) was written by Ryan M on 11 Jul 2011.
if.... has generally received very positive reviews.
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