Katyn - movie review 4 stars

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Katyn - movie review 4 stars
by Anonymouse
09-Sep-2010
 

Following JJJ's trip to Auschwitz I thought to write a movie review about Katyn, a movie about the Katyn massacre in 1940.   The movie Katyn is a great movie that was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 in the Best Foreign Language Film category.  Ever thought or had a dream of waiting for your turn to be executed?  Well this movie takes you to that edge.

The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre was a mass murder of Polish nationals carried out by the Soviet secret police in April–May 1940.  You can read more about it in Wiki with more detail and photos.  Although don't read too much about it if you're going to watch the movie so as to get the most out of the movie and then read more about it!

Germans found the mass graves in 1943 but Stalin blamed it on Germans after the war.  For a long long time it was a crime punishable by death if you mentioned any Soviet involvement in the massacre.  It wasn't until after the de-Stalinization and in 1990s that history could be told truthfully and what happened in Katyn.  The movie goes into this and tells the story from the journal of one such Polish officer. 

After I watched this movie I really got a sense of what it was to be a Polish citizen and get caught up between 2 evil empires of Nazi Germany from the west and Communist Russia from the east.  This is a story of Polish officers who had to leave their families and become prisoners at the beginning of WWII.

It is also the story of families who were left behind and life during a world war.  The whole movie was written, directed and played beautifully which captures the viewer and overhwhelms you with emotions.  The movie spans several years and it ends after the war during the communist Poland which in and of itself describes the transition of life from the old Poland into the new communist era.

At the time it appears that there were restrictions on what Polish Army itself thought its officers should do which made the choice for the Polish officers automatic and extremely difficult and as they went through the consequences of that decision and became prisoners they had a feeling that something dark is coming, only to realize it at the point of execution.

I think the movie could've had a little better cinematography, just a little, and a little less speed in passing time, again just a little so I gave it 4 stars reluctantly whereas it deserves 5 stars.  I highly recommend this movie, it is in Polish with English subtitles and you can watch it online or rent the DVD at Netflix (Katyn).

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more from Anonymouse
 
Anonymouse

Russia admits Stalin ordered Katyn massacre of Poles.

by Anonymouse on


humanbeing

thnks for posting

by humanbeing on

....


Anonymouse

Thanks reader1 and AO

by Anonymouse on

reader1, I think you'll like this move.  

AO, I have heard about the Polish cemetry and hopefully one day I can visit it.  DK jaan has more info on this cemetry and the subject of Polish refugees in Iran.  Indeed they have sought refuge in Iran.  Anywhere in the world for that matter.

JJJ's Auschwitz photo blog said in one photo that there were more than 70,000 jews living in Poland which was 25% of population and now they're only in the hundreds.

BTW when I said you can watch it online I meant the Netflix streaming video option.  You have the option to watch it online or via a DVD.

Oh and it wasn't just Polish officers, intellectuals and other citizens were part of this massacre as well. 

Everything is sacred


Anonymous Observer

Have you heard of the Polish cemetery in Tehran?

by Anonymous Observer on

here's a video:

 //www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl1cres5RHA

I think that they were Poles who took refuge in Iran to escape Stalin.   


reader1

Cannot wait to see this movie

by reader1 on

A well-written movie review.


Anonymouse

If so then post the link/clip instead of just polluting my blog.

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred


Sargord Pirouz

Yeah, Anon: I admit it, I'm

by Sargord Pirouz on

Yeah, Anon: I admit it, I'm a cheapskate. :)

But the entire movie was uploaded on YouTube in a higher resolution. No waiting and free. What's to complain about?

 


Anonymouse

Sargord why are you polluting my blog? Youtube clips? cheap!

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred


Sargord Pirouz

I watched this movie on

by Sargord Pirouz on

I watched this movie on YouTube, of all places.

From memory, the execution scenes are particularly grisly.