The Red and the White

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William L 07/10/2021 A different kind of anti-war film, less focused on creating compelling battle footage or developing empathetic characters than demonstrating a coldness inherent to near-industrial killing that is excessively romanticized by conventional war films. Jancsó deliberately sidesteps the pitfalls of heroic characterizations in order to show less than comfortable parallels between two ideologically opposed military forces as they each take turns exercising authority over small regions alongside the Volga, methodically separating the undesirables from potential allies as the distinctions between the two are often too miniscule to be immediately evident. The grasp on authority is variable throughout the film, with the potential to swing wildly at the drop of a hat, but these particularly (somewhat comically) brief tenures in power often carry with them mortal consequences. Often considered a challenging film with its subversion of the conventional central protagonist structure (setting up some form of backstory with an individual only to dispatch them unceremoniously; reminds me a bit of No Country for Old Men) and unusual bending of cinematographic convention, The Red and the White carries a sense of unpredictability, cruelty, and spontaneity that singles it out among war films, particularly those from the Soviet Union. Embraces a sense of futility and a dirty nature to combat without totally denying bravery. (4/5) See more s r @ScottR 01/16/2021 1001 movies to see before you die. The unique style of long sprawling shots is unique, but it's not something I enjoyed. It does have its place in cinema though. It was on Daily Motion. There wasn't even much Hungarian, it was a lot of Russian. See more 12/25/2015 We never get to know the characters by name and it is often difficult to discern who is a Bolshevik (Red) and who is loyal to the Tsar (White). This is Jancsó's point. War crimes are committed by those in power on either side. The film is largely episodic but the characters that we follow in each episode soon die. So, this makes war seem futile and tragic. The use of long shots in sprawling landscapes further emphasizes the trivial importance of each life. Yet, the movie can just flow over you and in 87 minutes it is over. Vaguely, the role of Hungarians in the conflict (they supported the Communists) can be noted - but their contribution is even more trivial and they are often told that they are irrelevant and should leave. Since this is Jancsó's putative national affiliation, the pointlessness of it all is that much greater. See more 06/02/2014 It focus the inhuman high rank personnel. See more 12/04/2013 I watched this and didn't review it? That was stupid of me. See more 11/29/2013 The stubborn refusal to identify a protagonist is first confusing, then frustrating and finally rewarding. The reason to fear war is not simply that anyone you invest yourself into can die unexpectedly, a point aptly driven home by any number of anti-war movies. It's much more driven by the unbridled arbitrariness of mass upheaval; survival is no longer guided by picking the right side or moral rectitude, but simply chance. See more Read all reviews

The Red and the White

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