Review of The Killing Fields (1984) by Elisa L — 24 Mar 2008
Some movies just stick in your mind for years after your first viewing, having left an impression that doesn't fade, even after detailed memories of the storyline and even the characters or visual images start slipping away.
The most unforgettable and unshakeable movie, for me, was 'The Killing Fields'; perhaps the most harrowing and visceral films of the 1980s.
This is a memorable film because the story is powerful, compelling and horrific, the script intelligent, the cinematography beautiful and the performances nearly flawless. It's doubly memorable because the story is true and co-star Haing S. Ngor (Pran) - a medical doctor by training, not an actor - was a survivor of the real Killing Fields.
The horror of genocide is probably truly comprehensible only to the people who have survived it, but the images of Pran, literally up to his eyes in corpses, in his desperate bid to escape the killing fields is desperately affecting - and provides a palpable sense of real terror.
Your not meant to enjoy this movie, its a story meant to be experienced and felt.
This review of The Killing Fields (1984) was written by Elisa L on 24 Mar 2008.
The Killing Fields has generally received very positive reviews.
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