Late in the film, a doctor tells a story of a group of blind men who each feel a different part of an elephant and give their opinions on what an elephant is: "One felt the trunk and said, 'an elephant is very much like a snake'. One felt the tusks and said, 'an elephant is very much like a spear'..." This kind of scenario truly befits the brilliant film known as "Land of the Blind".
"Land of the Blind" is a very smart film. To say that it is biased is to be ignorant of much of the film; this film has no stated political sides; it points fingers at the fascist dictator just as easily as it points fingers at the violent rebels trying to give power back to the people. The protagonist is a man named Joe, played brilliantly by Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes has been Oscar nominated in the past for playing a sadistic Nazi in "Schindler's List". This performance puts the latter to shame.
In the beginning of the film, Joe goes through the motions of a prisoner, but a prisoner with some prestige it seems. He has his own shower, and a typewriter to use at his discretion. And he uses it extensively, writing down his thoughts of the past and his life. The deadened look in his face haunts us through the film as he speaks of what he has done to earn himself this imprisonment.
Ironically, Joe began as a prison warden, or at least, that's where the narrative begins. The latest man in power, Maximilian II (Tom Hollander) is struggling to keep power amidst the many rebels trying to supplant his status as president for life. This group, known as the Citizens for Justice and Democracy, claims noted playwright John Thorne as a member.
Embodied by Donald Sutherland, Thorne is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a film. Sutherland's lack of accolades for this role is just evidence of injustice in the world. Thorne is in prison, and is routinely abused by vicious prison wardens. His room is so small and filthy (even more so due to the fact that he writes anti-government slogans on his walls with his own excrement). As we gaze at his tattered clothes, his thick dirty hair, we then cut to Joe's look of disgust at this abominable way to treat another man. His meaningful narration, along with the haunting clicks of his typewriter, is the spine of this movie and guides us through events that occur, and Joe's reactions to it all. We also see the character of Maximilian as he calmly sits on the toilet in his private bathroom, his two hapless aides standing by and speaking to him about issues that any serious leader of a government would dare not wish to hear.
On paper, Maximilian is truly a disgusting character, and Tom Hollander adds a special sort of disgust for him. He truly doesn't care about the people at all, until he realizes that his position is in trouble. He takes in the deaths with an air of amused shock, but when he hears of how Thorne's popularity is growing, he turns pale with fury and takes it out on his aides with a sadistic ease.
The film deals with Joe's change in mind set, from the neutral observer just doing his job, to becoming attached to Thorne's plight, and then watching as the two sides vying for power reveal their darkest actions. It is clear that Maximilian is a corrupt man who would rather spend his time making bad films rather than rule the country properly, and Joe finds himself pulled to Thorne's side as Thorne is slowly granted new prisoner rights in the face of a humiliation for the government in power. Meanwhile, the dark eyes of Thorne show us that he is planning something; something that will topple the government and place him as the new leader of this war-torn country. Joe does not see this plot at first, and then is forced unwittingly into the most crucial point of the political struggle.
To say anymore would spoil too much of the film: I leave it up to you to see it for yourselves (thankfully it's available to watch on Youtube as of now). The acting for this film was absolutely brilliant; Sutherland and Fiennes are given crucial jobs, and both deliver their due with ease. Hollander makes a memorable role as the spoilt young ruler trying to live up to his father's tyranny. Also memorable is the presence of Lara Flynn Boyle as the selfish First Lady of the state, and Mackenzie Crook in a very funny cameo as a film editor.
Many writers have become famous for their novels about great plans gone horribly wrong; George Orwell, Michael Crichton, and Orson Scott Card. Robert Edwards, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, should have at least been Oscar nominated for making this kind of film. This is a film that rarely gets made anymore, and that's a pity, because it is a very smart film that looks at the two sides of politics and then asks a deeper question about reality itself.
"Land of the Blind" is a very smart film. To say that it is biased is to be ignorant of much of the film; this film has no stated political sides; it points fingers at the fascist dictator just as easily as it points fingers at the violent rebels trying to give power back to the people. The protagonist is a man named Joe, played brilliantly by Ralph Fiennes. Fiennes has been Oscar nominated in the past for playing a sadistic Nazi in "Schindler's List". This performance puts the latter to shame.
In the beginning of the film, Joe goes through the motions of a prisoner, but a prisoner with some prestige it seems. He has his own shower, and a typewriter to use at his discretion. And he uses it extensively, writing down his thoughts of the past and his life. The deadened look in his face haunts us through the film as he speaks of what he has done to earn himself this imprisonment.
Ironically, Joe began as a prison warden, or at least, that's where the narrative begins. The latest man in power, Maximilian II (Tom Hollander) is struggling to keep power amidst the many rebels trying to supplant his status as president for life. This group, known as the Citizens for Justice and Democracy, claims noted playwright John Thorne as a member.
Embodied by Donald Sutherland, Thorne is one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a film. Sutherland's lack of accolades for this role is just evidence of injustice in the world. Thorne is in prison, and is routinely abused by vicious prison wardens. His room is so small and filthy (even more so due to the fact that he writes anti-government slogans on his walls with his own excrement). As we gaze at his tattered clothes, his thick dirty hair, we then cut to Joe's look of disgust at this abominable way to treat another man. His meaningful narration, along with the haunting clicks of his typewriter, is the spine of this movie and guides us through events that occur, and Joe's reactions to it all. We also see the character of Maximilian as he calmly sits on the toilet in his private bathroom, his two hapless aides standing by and speaking to him about issues that any serious leader of a government would dare not wish to hear.
On paper, Maximilian is truly a disgusting character, and Tom Hollander adds a special sort of disgust for him. He truly doesn't care about the people at all, until he realizes that his position is in trouble. He takes in the deaths with an air of amused shock, but when he hears of how Thorne's popularity is growing, he turns pale with fury and takes it out on his aides with a sadistic ease.
The film deals with Joe's change in mind set, from the neutral observer just doing his job, to becoming attached to Thorne's plight, and then watching as the two sides vying for power reveal their darkest actions. It is clear that Maximilian is a corrupt man who would rather spend his time making bad films rather than rule the country properly, and Joe finds himself pulled to Thorne's side as Thorne is slowly granted new prisoner rights in the face of a humiliation for the government in power. Meanwhile, the dark eyes of Thorne show us that he is planning something; something that will topple the government and place him as the new leader of this war-torn country. Joe does not see this plot at first, and then is forced unwittingly into the most crucial point of the political struggle.
To say anymore would spoil too much of the film: I leave it up to you to see it for yourselves (thankfully it's available to watch on Youtube as of now). The acting for this film was absolutely brilliant; Sutherland and Fiennes are given crucial jobs, and both deliver their due with ease. Hollander makes a memorable role as the spoilt young ruler trying to live up to his father's tyranny. Also memorable is the presence of Lara Flynn Boyle as the selfish First Lady of the state, and Mackenzie Crook in a very funny cameo as a film editor.
Many writers have become famous for their novels about great plans gone horribly wrong; George Orwell, Michael Crichton, and Orson Scott Card. Robert Edwards, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, should have at least been Oscar nominated for making this kind of film. This is a film that rarely gets made anymore, and that's a pity, because it is a very smart film that looks at the two sides of politics and then asks a deeper question about reality itself.