- Actors: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden
- Director: Sam Mendes
- Writers: Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
- Producers: Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall, Brian Oliver
- Format: NTSC, Subtitled
- Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Subtitles: French Canadian, Spanish
- Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
- Region: Region A/1
- Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
- Number of discs: 2
- Rated: RestrictedR
- Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
- Release Date: March 24, 2020
- Run Time: 119 minutes
The brilliance of 1917 works on multiple levels. Simple as it may be, the film tells
an effectively gripping story of fortitude during wartime. The manner in which
this story is told may not leave much room for expansive plot or historical
background information, but it makes up for that by giving the audience a
gripping experience in which it is impossible not to feel the urgency. Staying
tied to a single character for the run-time also creates empathetic involvement
unlike any war film I have ever experienced. But as brutally horrific as the
film makes war appear, this is also a remarkably beautiful film. Beyond the
poetry of the wartime themes of sacrifice and loss, 1917 is a technical marvel. Three times in my life I have been
brought to tears by filmmaking, separate from the story being told, and this is
the second time this experience has come from a Sam Mendes film.
The film begins
with the shot of Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) sleeping in a field
somewhere in Europe during WWI. We hear instructions given to his friend
without the camera cutting from Schofield, which should clue us in to his
importance from the first ten seconds. The melancholic mood brought from Thomas
Newman’s emotionally poignant score also immediately sets the tone for the
film. This is a war film, but one more interested in our investment with the
characters than the spectacle of battle. As the camera pulls back, we are
introduced to our next important character, Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles
Chapman). Blake has just been given an order to report, and told he must bring
one other soldier with him. Before the shot has moved from Schofield’s face, it
is clear that he will be the one chosen.
As the film
progresses in the next few minutes, those who are unaware will begin to notice
something; the camera doesn’t cut. As Blake and Schofield make their way to the
barracks containing General Erinmore (Colin Firth), the camera just seems to
follow alongside and ahead of them, amidst the spectacularly accurate
production design and slew of background soldiers. As celebrities appear in
supporting roles that last no more than a scene, the focus remains unceasingly
tied to Schofield and his compatriot. While this may seem upon description to
be a gimmick, it is actually an effective way of tying the audience to a single
character’s experience of war. An experience, while horrifying, is also laced
with beauty and respect thanks to the unified work done by Newman, Mendes, and
cinematographer Roger Deakins.
But that’s not
to say that Mendes, Deakins, and Newman are the only reason the film works, because
it clearly took an army of dedicated technicians and performers. The entire
film feels like a cohesive labor of love on all ends. I am unashamed to say
that this was my favorite film of last year, and one that reignites my hope in
the future of cinema.
The Blu-ray
release comes with DVD and digital copy of film. The special features on the
disc include five promotional featurettes, and two commentary tracks. The first
is a feature-length director’s commentary with Mendes, while the second
features director of photography, Deakins.
Entertainment Value:
10/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 10/10
Historical
Significance: 10/10
Special Features: 8/10
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