I just saw this for the first time this past weekend. Holy Sh*t. A fine film that is truly horrific and shows the worst things about war. Has anyone else seen it? I have a question for those who have - what was the deal/point of the Hitler dummy that the refugees built and planted in the road?
Yeah, i've seen it some time ago. Btw we had a thread about this movie couple of weeks ago. I think the dummy was a symbol of hatered....
I've seen it but don't recall the dummy. This is the movie about the Russian boy that was spared being burnt in a building and later hooks up with the partisans, correct?
That is correct. I tried searching for any topics or posts about this movie and I didn't find one. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
I own the book written by Adamovich Called the "The Story of Khatyn" which was later put on the screen known as "Come and See". I highly recommend it! FTM Agency, Ltd. Note on the author
Crops up in a few threads, a search for 'Klimov' or 'Smotri' turns up some like this: http://www.ww2f.com/wwii-films-tv/15820-eastern-front-films.html deserves a thread of it's own though. As you can see there, I'm a major fan: I thought the 'Dummy' was a mocking of the German soldier's corpse/skull it appears to be built from. Sort of 'we don't care who you think you are, you're all the same, all Hitler'; I'll have to watch it again... If I can face it. The missus and I just sat in stunned silence for about 10 minutes after it ended, one of the most harrowing films I've ever seen but certainly one of the best. The final scene, where the entire war is rather heavy handedly hammered home (in reverse!) as Hitler's personal fault will stay with me forever, we know we're watching 1980's soviet 'propaganda lite' to some extent, but it's very very good propaganda . (Didn't know about the book. thanks for that.) Cheers, Adam.
Thanks for the link, Von Poop..truly appreciated! It is indeed an important and worthwhile film to say the least. Doesn't leave one with that warm, fuzzy feeling for sure.
I still get freaked out every time I hear a plane with that oppressive engine note. I'm still summoning up the courage to watch it again. I liked the real tracer rounds, they couldn't do it with CGI back then so they used the real thing. Excellent film, best war movie I've ever seen. I've the 2 disc set must watch some of the other features sometime.
Martin, Don't watch it before bedtime. You'll spend the next few hours lying there thinking about what you have just seen. I want to watch it again...but not just yet. I kept imagining how I'd feel if it was my family in that church..... You'll know what I mean when you see it. PS You HAVE to watch it in Russian with subtitles. It makes it far more atmospheric.
Got to concur with WW , i found it quite heavy going but a a very disturbing and thought provoking film , it is a film that i would find hard to watch over and over !!! Truly brings out the operations of the Einsatzgruppen and the like.
JG Ballard descibed it as the greatest film about war ever made, not far off the mark I reckon. The missus and I just sat there staring shocked at the screen for about 15 minutes after it ended. Grim to the nth degree. I'd say that I hope you enjoy it Martin, but 'enjoy' isn't really the word; brace yourself . Cheers, Adam.
Agree with what people have said, it is a film that leaves you shaken and heartbroken. Apparently the boy really suffered a lot during the making of the film and has been psychologically scarred by it!
Hi Gents but, please excuse my ignorance on whats in this film as I have not seen it but, I am taking it that you see many many atrocities shown committed in this movie? If so, then i'll add this: Late last year I purchased the entire Hermann Wouk made for TV maxi-series(s) w/ Robert Mitchum as the main character. These two series are: The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. These came out in the early to late 1980's and believe it or not, I was really shocked at what was shown-dealing with the takings of-Jewish Citizens, loading them onto trains, herding them into Concentration Capms and Murderiung them in many ghastly ways. I was really shocked that these could be shown on TV especially back 20-25 years ago-back when these types of things were not shown on non cable TV. If anyonw who reads this post and has seen these mini-series anytime within a decenta amount of time, and can compare with what is shown in these as to Come and See, please let me know as im interested in someday seeeing said movie. I also remember that in Judgement at Nuremburg, that some films were shown in teh Courtroom scenes showing mounds of murdered Jewish prisoners. Those films shown were not hollywood mock-ups but real newsreel footage.
Carl, You don't actually see much in the way of actually killings. The boys village is wiped out near the beginning of the film all you see is an out of focus pile of naked bodies. But that is enough to know what happened. Later another villagers are herded into the church you know people are in there but you don't actually see them killed. Obviously as it's a war film you do see people being shot but it's more implied violence not actual gratuitous graphic violence. Hope this makes sense. Have a look here. YouTube - Come and See Trailer
Hi Wessex, thanks very much. In a way, im glad out of focus was used as your correct, i'd get the jist of it. In Winds of War and War and Remembrance-you do see nudity to most of it's fullest-however, it was tastefully done. The Director of both of these series was Dan Curtis, and he said in an interview that he wanted people to be shocked-well, I was when I saw these the first time around-and was when I saw them again last year.
As I have stated earlier, the movie was actually based on a book written by Adomovich.... He was actually a partisan who experienced similar things..... Ghastly if you ask me.
