The Power of Culture

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2008)

This movie is something special. First I have to say that I can't believe it's been made without any stock footage at all. Pontecorvo really shows his skills as a neo-realist director. What I learned from this movie is the power of culture and beliefs. It doesn't matter how strong of an army the enemy might have. If the oppressor tries to enforce another religion and a way of life it will meet resistance and nothing is as powerful as culture, language and beliefs. At night when the city is asleep and the women cries out that Middle Eastern cry of war/victory is an amazing sign of how important and strong the peoples own language and rituals can be used as a weapon so much stronger than any gun. Or when the little boy steals the microphone from the French army and encourages his people to keep up the resistance. What the US government should learn from this movie is something they should already be aware of. It doesn't matter how many tanks you'll roll in a country, or how many bombs you'll drop if you don't let the people be who they are.