Review of Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982) by Patrick F — 24 Nov 2011

It's a hard pill to swallow at times...ignore the pun, but visually (and coupled with arguably one of the greatest concept albums of all time) there is tremendous fun to be had with this film. A couple of nights ago I watched it with some friends who had never been exposed to the film but had heard the album.

They weren't entirely sure what to think of it but as it was my sixth or seventh time through the film, I must say that The Wall is a piece of cinema that grows on you over time. Yes, Waters' lyrics can be pretentious and the concepts are extremely heavy handed at certain intervals (most notably the sequences of the father in the war), but that doesn't stop Alan Parker's unique and stunning direction from being completely immersive.

As a side note, ignore those who say that you must be on some type of hallucinogenic substance to enjoy the movie, or to even comprehend it. It's a film about IDEAS and that isn't everybody's cup of tea. If you come in with an open - not "expanded"- mind and can grasp the back and forth nature of the narrative, you'll have a very memorable experience.