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34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Exasperatingly enchanting, August 29, 2001
I saw this film some 8 years ago in a revival theatre along with most of Godard's early classics. As a part of his body of work, Les Carabiniers fits in snugly, but I would most emphatically recommend NOT to start your Godard spree with it. The film appears messy, with inconsistent pacing, strange comic interludes, baffling dialogue and pointed (but rarely obvious) commentary about the nature of war. Godard utilizes some action scenes (taking cues from Sam Fuller) and plays with the conventions of Hollywood cinema with obvious delight. Much of this is true of all his films up to WEEKEND. But at the heart of this small film there is an anger that would only resurface years later - probably due to the fact that this film was pulled from the market soon after its release (thanks to public indifference and critical vehemence, both of which are understandable reactions if you expect your standard fare from a film such as this). It is invigoratingly different, energetic to a fault, and of course pure Godard. It doesn't have (m)any familiar faces in it, and the sloppy approach with eccentric acting only enhances the narrow line between innocence and cruelty that the film repeatedly touches on. Very much worth a look, but be cautious in your expectations.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Godard's Treatise on War is difficult, but enlightening, January 14, 2002
Godard made his 5th feature with the goal of infuriating the viewers, he succeeds on one level. But on another level, he made a masterstroke film that condemns war and inanities of blind patriotism. But employing a fictional setting and war, Godard is able to get at the heart of the matter more quickly than most anti-war films, because he doens't have to "waste time" setting the scene of the battle - whether it's D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge or Back to Baatan - those operations have to be faithfully re-created and, I guess, in Godard's mind cloud the real issues that are mined in an anti-war film. Shot in 16mm to accecentuate the war correspondant feel of the picture, Godard employs he unique, trade-mark sound editing to most effective results and creates a world that takes to task the materialist cultures of the west that fight wars in order to ensure continued monied-existences for the citizenry. The DVD transfer is remarkably clean, considering the elements and the style that Godard wanted. It probably looks better that even Godard intended. A worthy purchase those looking for a strident, fresh examination of that unqiuely human enterprise - war.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Audacious anti-war film..., August 7, 2010
"Les Carabiniers" (1963) is a film directed by Jean-Luc godard. This black and white film is about two men who go to war and are given free license to do as they please, but when they return they realize they had been lied to by the recruiters about what they could hope for as a reward for their services. Like in any Godard film there is a cheeky quality about his film making style as he comments on serious issues like Imperialism, monarchies and war, and people's stupidity. The film itself has a look to it of a silent film with the use of written segments screened as the soldiers write home, and a general sort of naive playfulness and spontaneity and fragmented quality that is accompanied with the use of brash organ music on the soundtrack. The film itself has been digitally remastered and evidently looks even better than it did when it first came out. This is Godard at his audacious best though it might not be to everyone's taste given its playfulness with style and lack of dramatic storytelling and compelling characters.
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