The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 16, 2018

Gillo Pontecorvo's "La battaglia di Algeri" a.k.a. "The Battle of Algiers" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors CultFilms. The supplemental features on the disc include video interviews with director Gillo Pontecorvo, producer and head of FLN guerrillas Saadi Yacef, and FLN fighter Zohra Drif Bitat; video interviews with directors Ken Loach and Paul Greengrass; large gallery of stills; and more. The release also arrives with a 30-page illustrated booklet featuring critic David Forgacs' essay "Italians in Algiers" and professor Alan O'Leary's essay "Spaces and Times in The Battle of Algiers". In French and Arabic, or Italian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region B/C "locked".

The FLN has a pyramid structure...

Despite winning the prestigious Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1966, Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers remained banned in France and Britain until 1971. Before and after the film’s premiere in Italy, various French politicians had expressed concerns over its support of the Algerian resistance, while the leaders of prominent right-wing organization had issued official warnings to theater managers across France not to include the film in their plans if they wished to stay in business. Today the "Algerian issue" remains a touchy subject for many French politicians -- and especially those on the right, such as Jean Marie Le Pen, the founder of the popular National Front, who believes that France needs to purge itself because immigrants from its former colonies are changing its identity.

Pontecorvo’s film chronicles the final days of French rule in Algeria, France’s oldest major colony. It is based on a book by Saadi Yacef, the military leader of the Algerian Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN), who was captured by the French army in 1957 and later on sentenced to death. While in prison, Yacef described his experiences during the war.

The film resembles a documentary feature one is likely to see on CNN. It is divided into various uneven episodes, each highlighting important locations, dates, and events. Some of the episodes also feature short commentaries.

The focus of attention is primarily on the formation and establishment of the FLN -- a powerful organization with strategically positioned cells operating across the Casbah, the poorest quarter of Algiers. From the Casbah, the cells launch a series of attacks against the wealthier Christian quarter, and later on specific military targets all across Algiers. The killings are often very graphic and the explosions shockingly realistic. A special note at the end of the film, however, clarifies that "not even one foot of newsreel or documentary film is included in this picture".

What makes the film so fascinating to behold is its incredibly accurate description of what is essentially a terrorist (by way of functionality) organization, from its "head", the Executive Bureau, down to its individual cells, whose members are intentionally kept unaware of each others’ existence. Sad but true: Al-Queda’s structure very much reminds of FLN’s.

The FLN and the disturbing actions of its members are portrayed in a very positive light. Naturally, depending on one’s political orientation, today the FLN members could be seen either as freedom fighters or terrorists. During the 1960s, the popular notion was that the FLN members were freedom fighters.

Ultimately, Pontecorvo’s film feels just as relevant today -- with the conflicts in the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan, and Iraq looking disturbingly similar to the one chronicled in the film -- as it was some forty-five years ago. All of the knowledge channeled through it reflects what we have come to know about contemporary organized terrorism. Only the definitions and labels we use are different, as political correctness dictates they should be.

*In 1967, The Battle of Algiers was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (Italy). Two years later, it was again nominated for Oscar awards for Best Director (Gillo Pontecorvo) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen (Franco Solinas and Gillo Pontecorvo).

The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of CultFilms.

The release is sourced from a new 4K restoration of the film that was completed by Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna and Istituto Luce - Cinecitta, with the support of Igor Videocine Produzioni, Casbah Entertainment, Surf Films and CultFilms.

The following text is provided by the distributors:

"The 4K restoration of The Battle of Algiers was made from the original camera and sound negatives. The overlays of both the original Italian and Franco-Arabic versions have been digitally reconstructed using a period dupe negative and recombined on a period dupe positive background. A 1966 print, made available by the director's family, was used as reference for reconstruction and grading. During the color correction, supervised by Marco Pontecorvo, the best efforts were made to replicate the grainy and contrasted look originally conceived by director Gillo Pontecorvo."

This important film was initially released on Blu-ray by Criterion in 2011 (you can see our review of this release here), and consequently by Argent Film/CultFilms in the United Kingdom (you can see a review of this release here). I liked the old presentation of the film quite a lot, and even though now it looks a tad dated I have not changed my opinion of it at all.

The new 4K restoration offers some predictable improvements in terms of density, but that is where virtually all of its meaningful advantages end. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the entire film has a questionable grading that frequently flattens darker footage and in some instances even collapses detail. I don't know if this is a side effect that is present only on a digital master that was created after the restoration was completed, but it is something that is common on many 4K restorations that have been completed at Bologna and then introduced on Blu-ray (for reference, the 4K restoration of Rocco and His Brothers has virtually all the same shortcomings). On smaller screens these anomalies can be somewhat easy to ignore, but on a larger screen the flatness frequently becomes very obvious (you can see clear examples in screencaptures #6 and 9). Elsewhere there is also some noticeable black crush that appears linked to a type of softness that is not inherited. In other words, the film's dynamic range is rather problematic (see screencapture #5). Second, the encoding is far from impressive. There are numerous areas where plenty of artifacts and even some blockiness emerge in the background and further erode or collapse existing detail. The good news is that image stability is excellent. All noticeable age-related imperfections have been removed as well. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This Blu-ray disc has been locked for Regions B and C. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B, Region-C or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: French LPCM 2.0 (with portions of Arabic) and Italian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the film with the French lossless track. I thought that it was excellent, with an all-around very nice thickness that perhaps isn't always present on the old lossless track that is included on the Criterion release. On the other hand, overall dynamic intensity remains predictably modest, but this is to be expected as organic sounds and noises are essential elements of its original soundtrack. There are no audio dropouts or distortions to report in our review.

The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Making of The Battle of Algiers - in this video interview, director Gillo Pontecorvo recalls how The Battle of Algiers came to exist, and discusses his collaboration with writer Franco Solinas, the political message of the film and its unique documentary look, Ennio Morricone's music score, etc. In Italian, with printed English subtitles. (19 min).

• Restoration - this new documentary takes a closer look at the new 4K restoration of The Battle of Algiers. Included in it are clips from interviews with many of the experts and technicians from Cineteca di Bologna at L'Immagine Ritrovata that completed it. In English and Italian, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (30 min).

• The Real Battle of Algiers - in this video interview, producer and protagonist Saadi Yacef, head of FLN guerrillas, discusses France's presence in Algeria, the French policy of "economic racism", the founding of the Algerian People's Party ("Partie du Peuple Algerien") and its activities, etc. In French, with printed English subtitles. (24 min).

• Our War For Freedom - in this video interview, FLN fighter Zohra Drif Bitat (portrayed in the film) discusses the French occupation of Algeria, the collapse of the education system in the country after the occupation, the war of independence, etc. In French, with printed English subtitles. (17 min).

• Director Paul Greengrass Reflects on the Film - acclaimed director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, United 93) discusses The Battle of Algiers and explains what makes it a timeless film. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• Director Ken Loach on The Battle of Algiers - director Ken Loach (Looking for Eric, The Angels' Share) discusses The Battle of Algiers, its message and importance, the radicalism of the film and its Italian identity, etc. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Photo Gallery -
  
  1. On Set (3 min).
  2. The real Battle of Algiers (2 min).
  3. Awards & Posters (2 min, 1080).

• Booklet - 30-page illustrated booklet featuring critic David Forgacs' essay "Italians in Algiers" and professor Alan O'Leary's essay "Spaces and Times in The Battle of Algiers".

• Cover - reversible cover art.

The Battle of Algiers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There is no doubt in my mind that the 4K scan and the reconstruction work that were done for The Battle of Algiers are of exceptionally high-quality. However, I am not convinced that the grading work that was done at L'Immagine Ritrovata is as good as it should be because if the current master that is offered for licensing reflects the actual quality of the grading then there is no question that the film does not look as it should. Here's what I am trying to convey: As it appears on this Blu-ray release, the present dynamic range of the film isn't convincing; it has a digital edge that creates some unfortunate anomalies. This being said, my guess is that the majority of you most likely won't be bothered by them, especially if you view your films on smaller screens, so read our review and form your own opinion of the new restoration.