Links to Powell and Pressburger

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2010)

Although there seems to be some question as to what this film is about, the director spells it out in an interview on the blu-ray version I watched. I did not put the same interpretation on the film that he suggests but I can see it makes sense. He is also at pains to say that this isn't just about German society and could have been about anywhere with analogous conditions.
I always hesitate to use the "M" word but in this case I would call the film a masterpiece. I can also see that it isn't a film that everyone would like because it is a very still and calm film, despite the violent acts that take place. It also runs like a mystery but there are no easy answers given which might be unsatisfactory for some viewers. I generally like two sorts of film; either a straightforward good action or genre film or films that are highly metaphorical and mysterious. This is definitely in the latter category.
The White Ribbon is such a beautiful visual experience that I feel it could be watched with sound and the subtitles turned off. There's so much to see in each frame and the black and white photography is better than anything I've ever seen in a film before. Oftentimes the effect is quite painterly especially when featuring the interiors of buildings. It also leaves the viewer to do a lot of the work – sometimes the characters leave the frame and shut doors behind them and the camera is static for several seconds before characters come back into frame. Could be deadly yet it's always done in a way that allows you to know what is happening behind the closed door or at least be intrigued by the possibilities. Even though the film moves at a slow pace I felt constantly on the edge of my seat.
The only thing I can compare this to is Powell and Pressburger's A Canterbury Tale which had a similar set of disturbing events going on in a rural town. But the White Ribbon stands on its own as a masterpiece of modern cinema. Although I've nothing against a good bang, crash type of film as I've said, this is on an entirely different level. This is pure art and lots of people won't like it. It just so happens that I do.