Z
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Movie Reviews of Z
Movie Review: great drama
Summary: 5 Stars
An interesting and accurate portrayal of a very important moment in recent Greek history. Very reflective of the Greek attitudes and values relative to their social structure.Movie Review: hilarious
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great comedy. For those taking it so seriously, open your eyes and take a look around yourselves.
Great film.
Movie Review: Superior Film
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best political thrillers of all time, and it hasn't lost a bit of its punch after almost 40 years.Movie Review: Metaphor for American intervention in other countries
Summary: 4 Stars
I first saw this film in 1970 when I was a college student. I watched it again last weekend, seeing it for the first time in more than 35 years. In retains its relevance to me as an Amercian for a lot of bad reasons.
A few years after this film was released, the CIA intervened in Chile when they assisted in the overthrow of a democratically-elected Communist president. Sometime before that the U.S. government had enabled the Shah of Iran to come to power in that country. In the 1980s, the U.S. supported insurgents against another democratically-elected Communist in Central America. Now the U.S. has militarily overthrown the leader of Iraq, is maintaining an occupation force in that nation, and is seeking to establish a new government there. So this movie -- which was about a real life assassination and military coup in Greece in 1962 -- has significant meaning for Americans.
This movie won the Academy Award for best foreign film and was nominated for some others. The long thought out plot revolves around a pacifist and followers in a nation where they are considered communists (this was back when commies were the bad guys.) The leader is assassinated, an inquest shows a link between a right wing organization and the government, some people are arrested, the military overthrows the government and bans a whole bunch of stuff incluidng the word "Z", which in Greek means "He lives!"
The actors -- Yves Montand and Irene Pappas were the best known as the time; Jean Louis-Trintingant, who was the killer in "The French Connection", is also the killer here -- are European veterans and the emotional power is great, leading to an unforgettable conclusion that violates the sensibilities of people that love freedom and democracy.
These are the reasons, in my opinion, that this film won an Academy Award and resonated with the American intelligentsia. "Z" is not pleasant viewing; it it subtitled with rapid fire chatter throughout the flick. But its message of freedom and government suppression is as powerful today as ever.
Movie Review: Familiar Truths Told Well
Summary: 4 Stars
Those with a cursory acquaintance with the history of government repression of leftist movements will recognize many familiar truths told in this account of the life and murder of Gregorious Lambrakis, a doctor and leftist humanist.
In the movie Lambrakis develops quite a following by articulating quite sensible policies like government budgets shouldn't sacrifice the basic needs of people in order to benefit powerful elites through lucrative defense contracts and that sovereign nations do need to choose sides in the rivalries among superpowers. Since Lambrakis' message threatens the very foundations of power and privilege, the authorities, as usual, falsely label the movement communist.
After Lambrakis delivers a speech, he is murdered by members of a nationalistic right-wing reaction group that, it turns out, the police often employ for the purposes of "crowd control." Systems of authority utilizing the forces of reaction are a standard practice to quell justice movements.
One maverick judge (who functions like a prosecutor, investigator and judge) discovers the plot to assassinate Lambrakis extends to persons quite high in the government's hierarchy, although he is frequently encouraged to declare the murder an accident. Heads begin to roll, but since the trials and convictions threaten the very foundations of power and privilege and portend an electoral victory for the leftists during the next election, the military throws a coup and the judge, witnesses against the defendants and many of Lambrakis' supporters die from a rash of well-timed "accidents" after the coup.
The movie portrays well how authoritarian powers, although using the discourse of "democracy," protect themselves at any cost and will transmute into right-wing dictatorships if threatened with collapse.