1917: A Beautiful Capture of An Ugly War

When I recommend Sam Mendes' new movie, 1917, to my friends, almost always they just respond with, "I don't like war movies." 1917 is more than just a "war movie." 1917 is more about friendship and determination rather than conflict. Although the film revolves around the topic of World War I, director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins convey the movie's true message of two soldier's friendship and determination through a more personal approach.

Creating a motion picture in "one shot" is a hard thing to accomplish. If done well, this style of cinematography can create a better understanding of the main characters for the audience. The literal "uncut" and raw style of production conveys the true essence, a non-stop nightmare, of these soldier's lives. In addition, after seeing the film I started to compare 1917 to other "war" films; I continued to try to wrap my mind around why 1917 was superior to these other "war" films. I realized that the film's superiority doesn't stem from its plot, but instead its remarkable choices of breathtaking settings for filming and the use of a "one shot" cinematography approach. After watching 1917, I can tell that Mendes and Deakins did not leave one thought or idea out in the development of this now officially rated "Best Motion Picture Drama of 2020 (by the Golden Globes). Realizing that 1917 has already received several accolades from other award ceremonies, 10 Oscar nominations, and a majority of its audiences' approval, all we have to do is wait and see what else it will win.

Ask me a question or tell me your opinion on the remarkable piece of cinematography by going to the Contacts section of my blog.

-Seth Greenberg