Review of Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982) by David P — 16 Nov 2014

Have you ever had a nightmare that was so disturbing and surreal that you wanted it to end but then when you wake up you cannot wait to tell your friends about it? Have you ever had a dream so outlandish that you know it could not have actually happened but you remember it like a real memory? That nightmare is Alan Parker's Pink Floyd's The Wall. This movie is the closest I have ever seen to an actual nightmare. This movie was quoted as being the most unpleasant experience of Alan Parker's life, it caused much tension between Roger Waters and the rest of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters did not like the end result. Although all of this is unfortunate for those involved, what came out of this misery was a fantastic film. The almost complete lack of dialogue, the excellent usage of Pink Floyd's captivating album, and the surreal animation sections of the film makes this film a visual and auditory experience. The film hits the themes of the aftermath that war left on people and Britain, corrupt teachers (excellent and infamous "Another Brick in The Wall Part 2" scene), marriage, fascism as an allegory for fame, and the events in life that snowball into human isolation; the building of The Wall. I pulled a one nighter (new term I made up) and listened to the whole album of The Wall then watched the film. I expected disturbing, screwed up, and rock and roll fueled anger and sorrow and I did get it, but one emotion I did not expected accumulated from this listening and viewing; sadness. Both the film and the album are practically the story of a man secluded himself from everyone and it is a very alienating and depressing experience. Through all of the violent imagery and all out bizarreness, there is a deep human message at the center-most brick of The Wall. That is why it seems like a plausible nightmare. The Wall is not always easy to watch and most won't even like it, but it is hard to admit that it is not oddly fascinating.

Ultimately everything about this movie surprised me. The direction, the animation, the narrative, the cinematography (incredibly ahead of it's time); all amazing!!! One of the most surprising aspects of this movie is the performance as the troubled rock star and protagonist, Pink, by Boomtown Rat's Bob Geldoff. Geldoff was not an actor. He did not like Pink Floyd. He could not be more different than Pink (in fact, violence makes Geldoff sick) but casting Geldoff for some weird reason, was genius. Geldoff pulls off a convincing, wordless performance as Pink.

Final tidbit: Although I am a lover of film, I tend to get easily distracted by social media and other things during films. I did not pause this film once. For better or for worse, it hooks you in the whole time. Once you start building', there is no way back.