1917

World wars must not have happened, but it did, incidentally. Not only do they have violent stories to be told but emotional. If you actually look at this period of history, there are never ending stories of pain, sacrifice, bravery and all kinds of emotions. I have always aspired to make a feature of world wars, particularly the great war, second world war.

Prologue:

Arguably, no other known history of humankind had so many stories of brotherhood, hatred, betrayal, murder, vengeance and friendship as the stories of world wars of I and II. As the name suggests the world wars involved every nation and it's impact was felt everywhere. 

The more I watch films on war, clearer is my understanding of life and death. I always share the attitude and aptitude of a soldier, even though, I don't directly serve. That's how I have become metaphysical. That's how I truly stay as what I'm. I emotionally own every profoundly film made on war, as i greatly empathise the pain and sacrifice of soldiers. 

Brotherhood only exists during wars, not only among the soldiers of a nation, but even with their enemies. I'm of the view that real brotherhood only prevails among soldiers in combat, not necessarily among the civilians as they don't get to witness the brutalities of humans often. 

The prologue possibly briefs why i'm obsessed about films, documentaries and real events based on the world wars and an introduction to what the film 1917 deals with. 

1917:

An army has planned for a long time to annihilate it's enemy. A colonel's belief that only dying by fighting to the last man standing can win the war has driven him and his men to a trap strategized by an enemy. Enemy has deliberately cut off the communication lines. If a message has to be delivered, it has to be by a human. Two soldiers are chosen to cross the enemy lines all on their own and deliver an order to prevent 1600 men advancing into a trap. Their mission is not only to prevent 1600 men but the brother of one of the two soldiers, who is among the 1600 men.

Reportedly, the director #SamMendes' grandfather, Alfred Mendes, served British Army during the great war - World War I told him of the story of two young British soldiers tasked with delivering a message to save an army from entering a trap. Indeed, the story he heard as a child is viscerally well articulated. Thanks to his craftsmanship. Possibly, it wouldn't have happened without the engagement of #RogerDeakins as the cinematographer. The apparent single continuous take is not only immersive but exhausting. What I'm implying is that the running length of 122 minutes of Deakins' photography give the viewers the experience that they are actually delivering the order/message instead of the soldiers - a traumatic experience. While the music composer #ThomasNewman's role is subtle it is what actually plays a pivotal role in making the film immersive. 

One is hopeful of going back by Christmas, another doesn't want to go back as he sees himself lost. Both are scared. But both have a mission to be accomplished. One will have to save his brother and fellow soldiers. Another will have to vanguard the other and the mission itself. One dies. Another carries out the mission with no hope for life. What he accomplishes eventually is not only the mission but the realisation that home is always the destiny. 

#cinematographyobsession:

Even though, I'm not an advocate of digital, I massively appreciate the painstaking and meticulous digital photography of critically acclaimed #RogerDeakins for #SamMendes' world War I film "1917" (2019). 

The camera predominantly used is the smaller sized, large format digital " Arri Alexa Mini LF"

#SamMendes, the Oscar®-winning director of Skyfall, Spectre and American Beauty, brings his singular vision to his World War I epic, 1917. 

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (Captain Fantastic’s George MacKay) and Blake (Game of Thrones’ Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them. 

1917 is directed by Sam Mendes, who wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Showtime’s Penny Dreadful). The film is produced by Mendes and Pippa Harris (co-executive producer, Revolutionary Road; executive producer, Away We Go) for their Neal Street Productions, Jayne-Ann Tenggren (co-producer, The Rhythm Section; associate producer, Spectre), Callum McDougall (executive producer, Mary Poppins Returns, Skyfall) and Brian Oliver (executive producer, Rocketman; Black Swan). 

The film is produced by Neal Street Productions for DreamWorks Pictures in association with New Republic Pictures. Universal Pictures will release the film domestically in limited release on December 25, 2019 and wide on January 10, 2020. Universal and Amblin Partners will distribute the film internationally, with eOne distributing on behalf of Amblin in the U.K.  

Cast

George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, with Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch  

Director

Sam Mendes  

Writers

Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Producers

Sam Mendes, p.g.a., Pippa Harris, p.g.a., Jayne-Ann Tenggren, p.g.a., Callum McDougall, p.g.a., Brian Oliver

Executive

Producers

Jeb Brody, Oleg Petrov, Ignacio Salazar-Simpson, Ricardo Marco Budé

https://youtu.be/gZjQROMAh_s

#cinematographyobsession:

Even though, I'm not an advocate of digital, I massively appreciate the painstaking and meticulous digital photography of critically acclaimed #RogerDeakins for #SamMendes' world War I film "1917" (2019). 

The camera predominantly used is the smaller sized, large format digital " #ArriAlexaMiniLF"