LA COMMUNE is a black and white docu-drama about the Paris Commune of 1871. Director Peter Watkins uses amateur actors and very limited sets to portray the rise and collapse of the Communards in the most tedious manner possible.
Whilst the premise is interesting the entire films swiftly disappears under Peter Watkins intellectual pretensions. Watkins is obsessed by the notion of media control of information (his website has a long and tedious article on it). Much of the film therefore consists of watching the competing and anachronistic 'Versailles TV' (evil) broadcasts and 'Rebel TV' (good) broadcasts. Watching people watching TV does not make for compelling cinema. The Rebel TV proves just as biased as the evil Versailles TV, but because it validates Watkins politics he clearly considers this OK.
The rest of the film consists of Parisian citizens standing around, talking to each other. There is no real narrative, no interesting characters and precious little development. The conversations are boring and highly repetitive. Never has revolution looked less interesting. Sadly one gets the feeling of a director past his prime, fighting the same old battles (Watkins clearly years for pseudo- Communist European revolution and the creation of an impossible political Utopia) but sustained to bloated heights (and lengths- six hours!) by an Arts Establishment that supports his politics. This is one of those films that really needed a producer who could say "No!".
If you're an unrepentant Communist then you'll probably like this film. Otherwise you'll see it for what it is- tedious and wrong.
Whilst the premise is interesting the entire films swiftly disappears under Peter Watkins intellectual pretensions. Watkins is obsessed by the notion of media control of information (his website has a long and tedious article on it). Much of the film therefore consists of watching the competing and anachronistic 'Versailles TV' (evil) broadcasts and 'Rebel TV' (good) broadcasts. Watching people watching TV does not make for compelling cinema. The Rebel TV proves just as biased as the evil Versailles TV, but because it validates Watkins politics he clearly considers this OK.
The rest of the film consists of Parisian citizens standing around, talking to each other. There is no real narrative, no interesting characters and precious little development. The conversations are boring and highly repetitive. Never has revolution looked less interesting. Sadly one gets the feeling of a director past his prime, fighting the same old battles (Watkins clearly years for pseudo- Communist European revolution and the creation of an impossible political Utopia) but sustained to bloated heights (and lengths- six hours!) by an Arts Establishment that supports his politics. This is one of those films that really needed a producer who could say "No!".
If you're an unrepentant Communist then you'll probably like this film. Otherwise you'll see it for what it is- tedious and wrong.