Peter Watkins is a director whose filmography I’ve always wanted to get into. The issue is, his movies are very hard to find. It took some sailing to track this one down along with the rest of his filmography, but I finally succeeded. I began with his debut: Culloden.
This film is one of the most underrated anti-war movies ever made. It’s brutal, realistic, and truly heartbreaking. The documentary style really makes it stand out. The film presents the Battle of Culloden like a modern news report, featuring interviews with soldiers, civilians, and commanders. You hear their reasons for being there, what they believe in, and how unprepared they are for what’s about to occur.
I also appreciated its lack of sentimentality. There’s no glorification of war here. Instead, it shows confusion, poor leadership, and the sheer helplessness of those involved. The handheld camera work and narration create a sense of immediacy. As if you are watching real footage instead of a reenactment.
It’s not an easy watch, but that’s pretty much the point. It strips war down to its ugliest reality and leaves you with nothing heroic to cling to.
Peter Watkins is a director whose filmography I’ve always wanted to get into. The issue is, his movies are very hard to find. It took some sailing to track this one down along with the rest of his filmography, but I finally succeeded. I began with his debut: Culloden.
This film is one of the most underrated anti-war movies ever made. It’s brutal, realistic, and truly heartbreaking. The documentary style really makes it stand out. The film presents the Battle of Culloden like a modern news report, featuring interviews with soldiers, civilians, and commanders. You hear their reasons for being there, what they believe in, and how unprepared they are for what’s about to occur.
I also appreciated its lack of sentimentality. There’s no glorification of war here. Instead, it shows confusion, poor leadership, and the sheer helplessness of those involved. The handheld camera work and narration create a sense of immediacy. As if you are watching real footage instead of a reenactment.
It’s not an easy watch, but that’s pretty much the point. It strips war down to its ugliest reality and leaves you with nothing heroic to cling to.
