The Killing Fields

Rating:
Summary: A compelling look at a modern-day holocaust
Review: Hands down, "The Killing Fields" is one of the most harrowing films I've ever seen...and also one of the most inspiring. It depicts the relationship between New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg (played by Sam Waterston) and his Cambodian interpreter Dith Pran (Portrayed by the late Dr. Haing S. Ngor, who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance). The story is set in Cambodia during the mid 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge, under Pol Pot, overran the country and began one of the worst programs of systematic genocide in history. (It is estimated that over 3 million of Cambodia's 7 million people were executed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.) Pran saves Schanberg and several other Western reporters from execution by the Communists, but is forced to stay behind in Cambodia when his journalistic colleagues are evacuated. How Pran survives his ordeal in the Cambodian "Killing Fields," and makes his escape, is an inspiring testament to the strength of the human will and the bonds of friendship.

The movie is beautifully acted and filmed. Sam Waterston is appropriately caustic as the hard-boiled "New York Times" reporter, Sydney Schanberg. Haing S. Ngor brings a touching sensitivity and wonderful inscrutability to his role as Dith Pran. Director Roland Joffe masterfully captured the chaos of the last days in Cambodia before the Communist takeover, and the horror and oppression of the Khmer Rouge forced education camps.

"The Killing Fields" is not a movie for the faint-hearted. It has many bloody scenes of violence none of which are gratuitous, and the scenes depicting the killing fields are terrible in their realism and power.

Still, "The Killing Fields" is a powerful and thought-provoking film, and should not be missed.

Rating:
Summary: An almost forgotten masterpiece.
Review: After nearly twenty years, The Killing Fields still remains one of the most powerful films ever made, a brilliant piece of moviemaking that leaves a searing imprint in the mind long after the first viewing. This isn't a film to be taken lightly, but rather a serious examination of the horrors of war and individual conflicts and struggles, and for that is on par with Steven Spielberg's work on Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, certainly a noteworthy comparison.

The film opens in 1973, as the Vietnam War comes to an end, but the conflict still continues to spread. The Khmer Rouge, a radical political group, is slowly taking over war-torn Cambodia. The film's first 2/3's chronicles the journeys and friendship of two hournalists, Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) and Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), as well as photographers Al Rockoff (John Malkovich) and Jon Swain (Julian Sands).

The American Embassy makes the crucial decision to evacuate but Schanberg refuses to leave, and his partner Pran, out of loyalty, also willingly stays behind while his family is evacuated. But further political trouble ensues, and Pran is eventually forced to remain in Cambodia, pushing him into a struggle to survive the re-education camps and the Killing Fields.

Perfectly directed, this easily remains director Roland Joffe's best work to date. Like Michael Cimino, it's something of a tragedy to see him take a step backward with every film he's gone on to make. But none of his later works do anything to belittle what he's accomplished here. He captures the insanity of the time period, the political confusion, the chaos, and the downright terrors of war, doing all this not from a soldier's point of view, but from civilians.

Joffe's depiction creates so much tension from so many situations. Suspenseful and heart-pounding segments include an evacuation of American personnel and a desperate attempt to fake a passport to keep Pran in the embassy. The last hour, which focuses almost entirely on Pran, is absolutely seat-gripping and terrifying, a descent into the depravities of war and to an extent, even the human condition. It's at this point the film takes on an almost apocalyptic atmposphere, a mood so strong it feels inescapable.

The film is so riveting not only because of Joffe's direction, but also because of enagaging and sympathetic characters. Haing Ngor carries most of the emotional load as Dith Pran, and comes through magnificently in a role that's touching and brave. Having faced the actual terrors of war in Cambodia, Ngor is brilliant, delivering one of the best performances I've ever seen. Sam Waterston, who's never been better, is superb as the journalist and friend who's overcome with guilt. Solid suport from John Malkovich and Julian Sands rounds out this terrific cast.

I find it very difficult to believe that The Killing Fields has become something of a forgotten relic over the years. It remains an outstanding piece and perhaps the best war film of its era. The film is even more harrowing than Oliver Stone's Platoon, more realistic than Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket, and more intensely personal than The Deer Hunter. Despite its stance as something of a forgotten relic, The Killing Field's importance and impact remain, and by today's standards, has an even more terrifying imprint. The Killing Fields, while certainly a graphically violent and downbeat film, is ultimately just as inpiring as it is depressing. This may be a flinching, no-holds barred experience, but it is one that must be seen. Truly unforgettable, and one of my personal favorites.

Rating:
Summary: So Powerful ...
Review: I put off seeing this movie for so long, despite my fascination with that period of history (the late 70's) in Cambodia. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle viewing graffic depictions of the Khmer Rouge atrocities I had read so much about. Finally in college, while taking a course in Southeast Asian politics, my curiousity got the best of me and I rented it. I was pleased to find that the movie, while certainly intense, wasn't too much to stomach - even for a wimp like myself (no explicit torture scenes or anything like that). Yet I still walked away with a good feel for how horrible that era in Cambodia really was. Now I've seen this film countless times!

I continue to be amazed by the one scene where Dith Pran is saying goodbye to Sidney Schanberg, as he (Pran) is being forced into Khmer Rouge custody. Meanwhile Schanberg reluctantly gets to return to a life of freedom and luxury. Their farewells are so poignant and the music is PERFECT, with the rain pouring down on them - DAMN this scene is haunting.

Equally intense is the scene showing the heartpounding, panicked evacuation of the American embassy in Cambodia, as well as the cathartic finale of the movie: the way a zealous Schanberg sprints across the New York Times newsroom after receiving word from the Red Cross, leading to the film's fantastic final scene. It gets me teary-eyed every time.

Aside from the emotional fervor this movie inspired in me, I believe it was also very accurate from what I've read and researched. Even down to the cranky, impatient mannerisms of the real-life Schanberg, which were portrayed by an outstanding Sam Waterston. (Outstanding performances were given by all in fact, especially John Malcovich and Dr. Haing Ngor - who has an astounding past of his own with the Khmer Rouge.)

While overwhelmingly bleak, The Killing Fields was ultimately inspirational. Watch this movie to be educated, and moved!

Rating:
Summary: A view of of the Khmer Rouge's efforts towards equality.
Review: The Killing Fields depict the brutal atrocities of the Khmer Rouge during their attempt to bring social equality to all Cambodians. Focusing on the real life relationship between a New York Times reporter, Sydney Schanberg, and his personal Cambodian aid, Dith Pran, the movie grants a vivid glimpse into the bleak history of one of the world's most recent genocides, where personal freedom was sacrificed in favor of greater societal order in hopes of achieving above all else, equality. Before the Khmer Rouge came to power, Cambodia was a country with cities and countryside villages-educated citizens knew foreign languages and were knowledgeable in other subjects normally taught in global educational systems. However, as three specific scenes in The Killing Fields chillingly portray, the implementation of the Khmer Rouge's policies had drastic consequences to any sense of stability and normalcy in the country as the only way of life known by the Cambodians changed rapidly.
Confusion and fear controlled the citizens of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, as the Khmer Rouge declared that the city of three million residents must be evacuated. Bloody confrontations in battle had already claimed the lives of numerous people as the communist marched towards the metropolis in their push to take the political stronghold. The movie shows the new military power, comprised of young soldiers in their teen-age years, already beginning their campaign to equalize the social status of all by rendering the difference between a city dweller and a country farmer impotent. In the particular scene when the cameras pan along the streets of Phnom Penh and show the hordes of people fleeing the city, images are attached to the effort to turn back the unwavering clock of societal progression. The movie shows Dith Pran walking away teary eyed from the American Embassy, where he tried to escape with Sydney and other foreigners to safety. When his fake passport was caught by and official moments before he was expelled from the embassy, Dith Pran's face took on a new look of resigned acceptance of an unavoidable fate. This haunting image could be considered the perfect symbol for the Khmer Rouge's campaign to bring equality to Cambodia. No longer was Dith Pran an individual, he was simply one of the masses that had all been reduced to a simple emotion, fear.
The second scene that exemplifies the implications of the Khmer Rouge's emphasis on equality relates to the educational ideals that the party held. Dith Pran is in a communal village, where all of the residents work together in their units and share equal status amongst each other. At one point, Pran is around some of the party leaders when they are speaking French, which he understood, because of his education. However, Pran could not indicate any comprehension of the language, for that would show that he was different than the rest of his peers in the commune. The movie effectively conveyed the powerful message with this scene that under the Khmer Rouge any difference in education meant an inequality between two people. Of course, as The Killing Fields showed, this inequality would be dealt with severely through a forced re-education or execution. Therefore in Dith Pran's case, he simply chose not to expose himself and his abilities, which would warrant unpleasant repercussions.
Finally, validating the movie's namesake, the third scene to vividly portray the Khmer Rouge's prioritization of equality dealt with the mass graves in Cambodia, known as the "Killing Fields." Dith Pran escaped from the communal village and tried to flee to safety near the end of the movie. During his harrowing break from the iron grip of the Khmer Rouge, Dith stumbled upon a field littered with the remains of human skeletons. Everyone in the communal village where Dith lived wondered what became of the people that were escorted away by the guards and never to return. At this site, amongst the rotting flesh and decaying bones, Dith found his answer to the question. Death, the great equalizer, had come to Cambodia at the blood curdling beckon of the Khmer Rouge.
These three scenes as well as the rest of The Killing Fields clearly demonstrate Cambodia's strive for equality under the communist party, as the citizens were required to give up personal freedoms under pressure of a greater social order. By using death as the great equalizer, the Khmer Rouge was able to bring their dreams closer to a reality. Ironically, the priority of equality that was supposed to help the most people killed the most people and Cambodia lost nearly twenty five percent of its population as depicted in The Killing Fields.

Rating:
Summary: A compelling look at a modern-day holocaust
Review: Hands down, "The Killing Fields" is one of the most harrowing films I've ever seen...and also one of the most inspiring. It depicts the relationship between New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg (played by Sam Waterston) and his Cambodian interpreter Dith Pran (Portrayed by the late Dr. Haing S. Ngor, who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance). The story is set in Cambodia during the mid 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge, under Pol Pot, overran the country and began one of the worst programs of systematic genocide in history. (It is estimated that over 3 million of Cambodia's 7 million people were executed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.) Pran saves Schanberg and several other Western reporters from execution by the Communists, but is forced to stay behind in Cambodia when his journalistic colleagues are evacuated. How Pran survives his ordeal in the Cambodian "Killing Fields," and makes his escape, is an inspiring testament to the strength of the human will and the bonds of friendship.

The movie is beautifully acted and filmed. Sam Waterston is appropriately caustic as the hard-boiled "New York Times" reporter, Sydney Schanberg. Haing S. Ngor brings a touching sensitivity and wonderful inscrutability to his role as Dith Pran. Director Roland Joffe masterfully captured the chaos of the last days in Cambodia before the Communist takeover, and the horror and oppression of the Khmer Rouge forced education camps.

"The Killing Fields" is not a movie for the faint-hearted. It has many bloody scenes of violence none of which are gratuitous, and the scenes depicting the killing fields are terrible in their realism and power.

Still, "The Killing Fields" is a powerful and thought-provoking film, and should not be missed.

Rating:
Summary: The Killing Fields
Review: The Killing Fields was a movie showing the war going on between the Cambodian Government ant the Cambodian Communist, Kherm Rouge. The storyline followed two characters through this blood war. A New York Times reporter named Sidney Schanberg ( Same Waterson) and his Cambodian assistant, Dith Pran ( Haing S. Ngor) risk their lives in the fields to uncover the truth of the Khrem Rouge and their attempst to brainwash and wipe out the former Cambodian race. I felt that the most moving part in the entire film was Pran's escape with the young boy, from the Khmer Rouge after his capture. He had traveled such a long ways with one of the Khmer Rouges Leaders two year old son. He had gone over mountains, through jungles, and through waters with this boy in his arms. This seen is extremly touching and overwhelming. This graphic film gave me a real good look at the hardships of people across the world. Director, Ronald Joffe' did an excellent job in my opinion. I would reccomend this film to teachers to show in their classrooms if they wish to discusss the wars in Cambodia or the Vietnam War. I loved the movie I give it 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: From the ashes... human courage will rise!
Review: Prepare yourself for the most unique motion picture experience of your life time. The one and only movie (to my notion) about one of the most vile (and soon to be forgotten) atrocities committed in the 20th century, The Cambodian Holocaust. This is the true and sad story of journalist Sydney Chanberg and his native cambodian companion Dith Pran. In 1975, just a couple of month after the last american left Vietnam, Phonm Phen (the Capital of Cambodian)fell in the murdering hands of the Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot's deadly guerrilla) and soon the country entered into a world of unspeakable horror where 3 million innocent people, most of them intellectuals, doctors, teachers and others touched by education were sadly murdered in the "killing Fields" by a brainwashing stupid idealogy of a Utopical peasant state.Welcome to Year Zero. Communist guerrillas not older than 15 years old murdered men, women and children, young and old in terms to create a peasant country. The story focuses on Dith Pran, Schanberg's aid and friend who saves him from execution. Pran is captured and sentenced to forced labor in the Killing Fields where he sees his whole family, friends and colleagues being murdered in cold blood and with no justification. This is a deeply and touching story of survival and how friendship and loyalty can break all the bounderies set by human cruelty and ideology. This beautiful film not to be missed and also a great history lesson on one of the cruelest events of the 20th century. This is the only film of my notion about the Cambodian Holocaust and this is deeply sad!!! Why does the media only exploit the Jewish Holocaust as a lesson of cruelty and survival....what about the Armenian Holocaust, The Cambodian Holocaust, Kosovo and Rwanda??? Do they need to rule the world like the Jews to tell their story? This is one of the most important films in my collection and I'm very happy to own it. A great history lesson of courage and survival is packed in this DVD...let the voice of the 3 million innocent Cambodians murdered in the Killing fields be heard. And I do agree with Schanberg speech...the U.S.A had lot to do with the early events that drove to the Cambodian Holocaust and all the other post Vietnam war Southeast Asian conflicts.
BEAUTIFUL MOVIE.

Rating:
Summary: An otherwise-outstanding movie marred by left-wing bias
Review: The first time I watched KF, when I was in my late teens, it blew me away. I gave it a five stars then. But the last time I watched it, a few months ago, I spotted some of its many defects, the foremost of which is its anti-Americanism, perfectly encapsulated in Sam Waterston's speech in which he blames the genocide on America ("I was not aware of what insanity American bombs could produce!"). Really, to accuse the U.S. of causing the Cambodian genocide is historically moronic, and only a nutjob whose intelleigence is subordinated to his ideology could make such a claim.

Shame, shame on the producers and writer for ruining what could have been one of the greatest movies ever.

Rating:
Summary: The truth about cambodia
Review: THIS MOVIE is the best one there is out there that deals with injustice in third world countries. The Khmer Rouge not only destroyed a country's innocence and faith in goernment, they wiped out nearly 2.5 million people in 3.5 years. This is the best thing besides a documentary if you have a need to learn about this. I would not reccomend it as a "fun" movie.

Rating:
Summary: Criminal government is Hell on Earth
Review: After watching this powerful and deeply moving film, I wanted to walk out of my house and kiss my beautiful American soil. Thank God for the Second Amendment.