Let me know If you guys are having any issues with this upload. RUclips made it annoyingly difficult and I had to chop up a few areas! I don't care much about making money from these videos, I just want to make sure everyone is able to see it! Please let me know if it's visible for everyone and if not I'll make a vimeo! Have a great day!
historically speaking the film is fantastic. There is one part where there's an Indian soldier among the English ones. That's inaccurate. He would've been among other Indians in their own units. Even THAT is a stretch since everything else is so great. The scenery, weapons and uniforms are also great. At this time in the war there were major pushes here and there but it was business as usual. The year is also interesting because 1917 was definitely when commanders learned better tactics so it's a perfect setting for crazy strategies in the barbarism of the trenches. Also if you ever want to see another WW1 film (free on RUclips, a true story AND about Americans) I'd look up Lost Battalion. 2001 film, lower budget but it's still enjoyable
@@rickch101 No Indian troops had their own units. There were next to nobody who wore that headgear in England at that time. Indians fought in the war for sure but alongside other Indians. They actually fought everywhere, especially in the middle east against the Turks as well as on the Western Front
@@JamesVSCinema hey James I think you would very much like the movie alpha dog. It's a true story and an incredibly sad one you should try it out on the channel.
I know the actor stays down because he doesn’t want to further any more mistake but I like to think in-universe the soldier was so shit scared during the charge that when he gets blindsided he goes into shock thinking he got hit by a shell
My take in the fallen soldier is this, when they bump into each other, the soldier takes a bullet that was meant forr our hero. The director of this film listened to the stories his suvivor relative told about the careless madness of war, about hiw survival is about luck as much as it is about being careful. The completeness of the artistry in this film compels me to conclude that it is no accident.
I heard someone say they didn't like this movie because it was "slow and there wasn't much action." I'm not sure what movie they watched, but it couldn't have been 1917.
I love the scene where the soldier is singing “I am a poor Wayfaring stranger” Once the camera finally loops back around you see that all the soldiers are teenagers or in their 20s. Scary yet Beautiful scene.
@@prp2 Yes it is a real period song that was put in the film to great effect. I watched this at the cinema (full audience ) and not ashamed to say this is where i cried knowing what they were going to go through and finding out that many others in the crowd had done the same. I had never left the cinema at the end of a movie where no one (audience) spoke, it had such profound affect on people not many films leave you feeling you have just gone through the shit with these guys.
I like how you explain WHY is good and not just saying “wow such a good shot” and not saying what makes it a good movie. you explain the shots and filmmaker parts so beautifully
That’s so awesome to hear Emma!! I try my best to always explain what makes a certain aspect of filmmaking good so others could learn or appreciate more!
That moment in the truck when everyone's joking and chatting and he's just sitting there watching his dead friend recede into the distance is just brutal.
I was lucky enough to watch this at the movie theatre before lockdown. It was a joy to watch in IMAX which something I usually don't watch in general; it was so immersive and intense!
Same, I wouldn't be able to have the same experience by watching it at home. Watching this movie in the Theater is by far the best way to experience it.
I absolutely loved the scene after him being bashed around by the river, where he seems to be fading in and out of consciousness in the water. As soon as he sees the cherry blossom leaves falling around him, that was his reminder and push to keep going. So beautiful
I just love the simplicity of the ending. After all of that and having finally delivered the message, he simply walks over to a tree and sits down. Then the credits roll. Seeing characters grapple with what happens to them over the course of a show or movie is one of my favorite things, it's such a relatable part of human drama. Speaking of which, imagine how the poor lieutenant that Richard Madden plays must feel. After surviving a brutal attack as part of the first wave, seeing many men die and many more wounded, and afterwards the first news you receive is that your brother died the day before. In about two minutes, you see him go from surprised joy to sudden grief, struggling to even respond. A masterpiece on all levels.
I think of Sam and Frodo when I see the two talking about medals, Tolkien served and wrote his books after and I see that reflected in this movie with the two together.
What I love especially about this movie is the little details. For me as a history nerd (and a historian myself) seeing a Sikh portrayed in a WWI film was so awesome. As you said, he sounded like he might have been through some war already, maybe back home in British India. The colonial soldiers are almost never shown in these films, although there were many of them. So I love that the film moved away just a tiny bit from the typical eurocentrism (of course they can't/shouldn't do it to much, since the movie is based on Sam Mendes' grandfather's memories). The operation of the Germans where they acted like they had left and just set up their line way back to give the British a false sense of hope is historical. Although I don't remember the name of it.
I saw this movie twice in theatres. Both times the scene with the flares lighting up those ruins and the beautiful score kicking in just left me absolutely spellbound. So gorgeous!
What I love about how this movie is shot is like how you feel like a character with them. It's not a 2 man mission but a 3 man mission, it is so engaging.
I loved the choice to cast big name stars as the officers and no names as the leading roles. Kind of a comment on modern war films where big action stars save the day, but real war isn't like that.
This, I think, is the best reaction I've seen. Really informative. All throughout I just kept nodding about your commentary which kinda giving me the vibes where I am attending a lecture about film making lol. I also appreciate how you notice that the character has a character development. Some of the critics failed to notice that since they kept on saying that this movie lacks character development.
The truly tragic thing about this movie is that even after all that happened there was still an entire year of some of the bloodiest fighting the world would see until the war ended in November 1918. If Schofield was a real person there is a good chance that he would have never made it back from the war at all.
That final scene just broke me. He is laying like he was in the beginning but this time alone. Knowing that he can die anytime anywhere he looks at a picture from his mother saying came back to us is just heart breaking i feel sorry for all the soldiers who go to war.
I saw this movie the day it came out. It blew me away. If a trailer can give you goosebumps every time you see it. Then you know the movie will. This movie was breathtaking. And horrific all at once. Bravo to both actors and all they did.
watching this in theaters was one of the best theater experiences I've ever had, up there with Inception and The Dark Knight. It's the kind of movie that reminds me how important theaters are for cinema, watching this from your living room couch just isn't the same
Absolutely gorgeous movie. Loved your reaction, I felt almost scared the whole time after his friend dies all the way until he reaches where he needs to be. Those continuous shot really helped deliver that feeling. I don't know if you noticed but the starting scene and the end scene were very similar, I thought that was a good touch.
Just found your channel through your Dazed and Confused reaction and decided to scroll through your videos and was thrilled to see that you reacted to this. Love how you broke this down. Earlier this year I wrote a whole essay for a film class on the cinematography in this movie. Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins are a dream team.
Lots of love and mention to Roger Deakins, but Sam Mendes deserves just as much, and even more in my opinion, love. He co-wrote the screenplay, it's his relative's life story, and he's the one who tells Deakins where to frame and move shots. He also had to design how to make a one-take feature film not boring and compose all types of camera movements imaginable so he doesn't have to rely on shots transitioning into edits as much. Not to mention he had to coordinate hundreds of extras of different acting experiences alongside high-profile talent in several action scenes that required unimaginable logistical abilities.
I deliberately like to say that "the last time I saw a movie in theaters was '1917'". I watched this in IMAX before the pandemic hit, and it was amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, barely took a full breath!
My favourite, and for me the most heartbreaking this, about this movie is that when Schofield is going through that last trench with the Devons, they have these small I guess, features, of the other Sergeants and Officers in the trench and it puts a small focus on the emotions they’re feeling in this situation and as someone familiar with how World War I went for these boys and men, when that Sergeant/Officer yelled “Hold Fast” I legit started crying knowing that in real life way more than 1,600 men would be killed or wounded in an event such as that. A huge advocate for more quality media such as this about World War I.
Richard Madden doesn't even have three minutes of screen time but he still manages to rip my heart apart with his performance every time I watch the scene
The flare scene... wow i know... incredible & the score & sparks from bullets. Serenity & action... a rare mix of emotions produced from that scene to say the least
I love how they made a model of the town and had mini lights to see how the shadows would look in a full set production with the flairs. It’s mind blowing. Totally deserving of best Cinematography
I've always thought that the one shot take was to represent the telling of a war story like this. Imagine your grandfather or whoever explaining each one of these scenes and connecting them to each other. Would it not feel like this 'one shot' film? A story that keeps moving. A story that represents what it must have actually felt like to live that journey. To them, the person living this, I bet it felt similar. Breaks to them were just lulls in the action or loss of consciousness. Needing to deliver this message in the time frame they had forced the perception of time we as the audience felt. In other words; being told this story would feel like a one shot.
I love your perspective on all the films you react to and also enjoy how you teach a non-technical audience how to look at film objectively. Brilliant observations and commentary. Keep up the great work!
I literally watched this movie this past weekend, and the first thing I could think of was this channel and how much I wanted to hear a film maker talk about it. In particular, I love how the impression of one , continuous take is given. Masterwork with the camera.
I saw this in theaters, sitting in about the center, middle of the audience. At night in the destroyed city when the flares burned bright white the whole theater was illuminated, the shadows arched acrossed us like we were in the film, and the rows of seats and perfectly still people all around gave a 3D effect, like they were buildings and walls themselves. I remember in that scene feeling completely, physically immersed unlike any other film experience.
Deakins is phenomenal....after like 18 Oscar nominations (for some great movies!) he finally won an Oscar for this and Blade Runner - and got a several minutes long standing ovation for the first one from all of Hollywood!!! On the DVD there is a featurette that blew me away where they showed how the long shots were broken up into about 12 minute segments and how they built a miniature town and shot tiny 'flairs' to see exactly how the shadows, etc. would fall!!!!! Amazing, absolutely amazing!!!
Dude, you are one of the best reactors on youtube atm. You always select quality movies you have some great editing skills. I can't believe this channel only had 5.5k subscribers.
You must watch the behind the scenes of this movie, creative effects mixed with camera angles to create continuous movements without a hitch. Simply amazing!
When I watched this in theaters, I had the most interupting audience in the room, but the shots were so mesmerizing.. With a few minutes into the opener I was thinking how it felt so much like a story driven video game. It was so imersive and dramatic. Was deffinetly a different and unique experience.
I loved this movie so much. That night scene with the flares was one of the best I've seen in a long time. The lighting, the score *chef kiss* I just remember staring with my mouth open in awe, so simple yet so powerful. Great review!
I don't know if anyone else has already mentioned this yet, but the movie isn't done in "one shot". In general, the movie is made up of about 14 different "shots" each about 6-9ish minutes I think(?). Basically, whenever an object passes completely in front of the frame -- that's a cut; whenever the screen goes completely black, even for a split second -- that's a cut, when Scofield jumps into the river, that's a CG cut, etc. Also, the variety in camera movements are all done in tandem. Sometimes it's done handheld, then it's placed on a crane and continues, then someone takes it off the crane and wears it steady-cam style, then it gets placed on a vehicle and continues following the action, etc. It's all a very fluid, creative solution to why the film looks the way it does.
As an actor/filmmaker myself I really enjoy your breakdowns of films. Another Sam Mendes film that I think you might really appreciate-and one that a lot of people completely missed, which is surprising, considering the people involved-is "The Road to Perdition," which came out in 2002, directed by Mendes and starred Tom Hanks, Paul Newman (in his last film role), Jude Law and Daniel Craig, with a fantastic score by Thomas Newman. It's a truly great movie that somehow fell through the cracks and got missed by a lot of people.
Bro! Your insights are on another level. It’s like you’ve taken my inner thoughts and added another layer, a deeper perspective. Thank you so much. As a writer you’re a pure gold mine of deeper understanding into character development and scene development. Top notch sir. Keep it up.
I love your reactions and breakdowns man! You give simple and easy explanations which helps us movie lovers, but don't know the technicalities about creating them
It's not the easiest to find but there's a film George Mackay was in, released way back in 2006 called The Thief Lord. He was a supporting character but that film [and 2003's Peter Pan] was the reason I have been following his career ever since, so to see him in such a production like this as a main character is incredible. He's finally getting widespread recognition for his talent and it's nice to see.
As one of the previous posters noted, the setting is the Somme. The British and French had attacked on July 1, 1916 and the fighting lasted through November. The casualties were over 1 million with 57,000 British casualties the first day. Mines were used extensively to blast enemy positions (the giant crater). Over the winter, the Germans constructed a much stronger position known as the Hindenburg Line, and in the early spring of 1917, strategically retreated back to shorten their lines in Operation Alberich. The white trenches at the end of the film are consistent with the underlying chalk of the region. The blooming cherry trees are consistent with the spring season, although I think the historical events occurred about a month earlier than you would have had full blossoming in Northern France.
My favourite part is the bit with the french woman and the baby. Very humanising. I think my second favourite bit is when he goes over the wall at the end and all the explosions are going off, the music sells that bit.
This movie has my second favorite score of 2019 (first being The Farewell, which is so underrated and I hope you do a commentary on it!) and the way it just fills the dead air with soft mystique and tension is phenomenal. I really hope Thomas Newman gets his first Oscar soon because it is long overdue
Sam Mendes the director said that its not actual story but is inspired by the stories that his grandfather told him. Also he dedicates this film to his grandfather.
I think even though he had a small part the brother at the end really did a great job showing the his pain and emotion on his face without breaking down because of being a higher ranking soldier. You really felt his pain.
Great video! I also loved how the movie started and end with the same moment - him sleeping on a tree. Idk if this is what they were going for but to me it showed that war is a daily chaos - the same insanity could happen the next day
Being told repeatedly that the war would be over by Christmas 1914 then summer 1915, then X-mas 1915. etc.. being jaded about the concept of medals and the prestige of battle. the prestige wore off by the end of the first battle of the Marne. this movie captures the otherworldly epicness of the War to end all Wars.
this film is set in March/April 1917, right before the Battle of Arras and after Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line. The British thought the Germans retreated, but it was actually a tactical withdraw to a stronger prepared defensive line.
The first was something that came to mind for me during the flare scene, in two parts of a whole. The pure display of light and contrast in the continual frame was more than a sight to behold and behold it on several accounts, I might say. The second involved my subconscious meeting my fairly consistent "general movie watching" mindset. There was a spectacle of beauty to it, of course, but there was also seeing it through our protagonists' eyes. We've been right beside him the whole time, but the mechanic of that shot seems to disorient and attract the eye, hypnotizing and distracting you from putting yourself in his shoes. We imagine going through that town of ruin and rubble with the weight of this journey fresh on us, and the light show dissipates into the adrenaline fueled "On my own" struggle of trying to stay alive for a purpose. I've never been pleasurably amazed while thoroughly alert and fearful before this scene. Amazing.
Cannot wait to watch the uncut version on patreon! Also I really appreciate it when you signpost technical things you're going to talk about during the watch.
As far as I understand, No Man's Land was usually a bit farther than that, and I can only assume infinitely more brutal, bit I'm not complaining. Just a stark factoid.
As a young guy tryna write screenplays this is an awesome channel to watch, def my new favorite subscription! Good luck moving forward man, can’t wait to see what else you do
That’s awesome man, I’m still doing learning screen writing as well with a mentor of mine! Keep writing and always experiencing and learning my friend!
i've enjoyed all your reactions sir, but the kindness and humanity you show, especially in your comment about telling your story is what keeps me coming back! i wish i was half as mature as you when i was 22 ahaha
Ryan, you’ve made my night man. Hearing this truly makes every hour I put into this so worth it. You are incredible man, with a lot more life to live! Tell your stories and share them always brother!
Yes and both have an incredible theme which is shown through STORYTELLING. A major key when trying to create a visceral experience or showcase a different perspective.
Loved your reaction and analysis but I wish you gave more recognition to the musical score by Thomas Newman, because I felt like it added a lot to the emotion especially in the night sequence in the town.
19:50 That scene was so surreal it almost looks like a painting just came to life. I saw this scene in IMAX theater and it is definitely one of the most beautiful cinematography of all time.
The guy in the turban is a Sikh Punjabi man, and was likely brought to fight in the war by the British because they still had control over India at the time, so he probably doesn't have experience in war at all. His lines do seem to have more weight than others but I can't quite tell why, could just be his delivery idk.
One of my favorite things that was pointed out to me is that Schofield was always the main character. The movie has you feel like Blake is the lead because it's HIS mission and HIS brother that needs to be saved. But as the movie goes on up to Blake's death, the camera actually follows Schofield. When they are clearing the house before the plane crash you follow Schofield through the house. You also follow him to get the water, which is also used to surprise us with Blake's death but the point still stands. Which makes Blake's death more impactful because you think he'll be fine as the main lead, along with the connection you form with him throughout the journey. I adore this film in every aspect. The amount of details that had to go into it is stunning. Loved hearing your thoughts on it!
I liked very much that the two principle actors are less well known but that they still made excellent use of very well known and fairly famous actors almost as cameos. In any other movie actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong and Colin Firth would have huge screentime not just five minute glimpses, but in this five minutes they all give excellent performances.
One of my favorite movie 😭❤️ This film really caught my dreams again to continue my filmmaking study. Specially that flares and fire in the scene, where he was running that’s beautiful along that musical score. Pure goosebumps And that part when he was out of the river and he’s ready to surrender, i felt that. The long Journey like you’re there too. What a Masterpiece. Ps I just watched the behind the scenes of this, its all Mindblowing, wow 😭❤️
Keep up the good work man. As videographer myself, I know all the hours of editing that go into these videos. Plus, the audio, color, etc. are just top notch. I wouldn’t be surprised if you hit 100k very soon. I’m boutta join the Patreon right now!
Evan my brotha!! That’s so much love man, thank you! It’s definitely a lot of work behind the scenes but it’s so worth it! Especially during these odd times!
I've always enjoyed reaction channels, but two recent channels have taken reactions to another level: Yours and Chase Carneson (music). These aren't simple reactions, they're full of analysis and insight that both inform and help you to enjoy these works at an even higher level. Bravo!
Roger Deakins is hands down my favourite cinematographer. So many great films under his belt glad he finally got an Oscar for his work. His podcast is also pretty fun and interesting as well.
Let me know If you guys are having any issues with this upload. RUclips made it annoyingly difficult and I had to chop up a few areas!
I don't care much about making money from these videos, I just want to make sure everyone is able to see it!
Please let me know if it's visible for everyone and if not I'll make a vimeo! Have a great day!
historically speaking the film is fantastic. There is one part where there's an Indian soldier among the English ones. That's inaccurate. He would've been among other Indians in their own units. Even THAT is a stretch since everything else is so great. The scenery, weapons and uniforms are also great. At this time in the war there were major pushes here and there but it was business as usual. The year is also interesting because 1917 was definitely when commanders learned better tactics so it's a perfect setting for crazy strategies in the barbarism of the trenches. Also if you ever want to see another WW1 film (free on RUclips, a true story AND about Americans) I'd look up Lost Battalion. 2001 film, lower budget but it's still enjoyable
Appreciate you Liam! Thanks for this comment my man
Liam O'Brien I thought that the Indian soldier was British and that they allowed him to wear that headgear because of his beliefs.
@@rickch101 No Indian troops had their own units. There were next to nobody who wore that headgear in England at that time. Indians fought in the war for sure but alongside other Indians. They actually fought everywhere, especially in the middle east against the Turks as well as on the Western Front
Here in Brazil is okay, no problem
Fun fact: when he sprints on the battlefield, en he bumps into the soldier and knocks him out hard, was not scripted but a happy accident.
I noticed that in a behind the scenes haha!
@@JamesVSCinema hey James I think you would very much like the movie alpha dog. It's a true story and an incredibly sad one you should try it out on the channel.
I know the actor stays down because he doesn’t want to further any more mistake but I like to think in-universe the soldier was so shit scared during the charge that when he gets blindsided he goes into shock thinking he got hit by a shell
As a lover of fun facts, I can confirm that this fact is in fact fun.
My take in the fallen soldier is this, when they bump into each other, the soldier takes a bullet that was meant forr our hero. The director of this film listened to the stories his suvivor relative told about the careless madness of war, about hiw survival is about luck as much as it is about being careful. The completeness of the artistry in this film compels me to conclude that it is no accident.
I heard someone say they didn't like this movie because it was "slow and there wasn't much action." I'm not sure what movie they watched, but it couldn't have been 1917.
ya i really do think this is one of the best war movies out just everything about it was so good. it makes u feel like ur with them the whole way
Probably a transformers fan
@@sklerp386 as a Transformers fan, we don't claim him. He's just an idiot with a short attention span. 1917 is phenomenal.
Well the writing wasn’t all that great
I love the scene where the soldier is singing “I am a poor Wayfaring stranger”
Once the camera finally loops back around you see that all the soldiers are teenagers or in their 20s. Scary yet Beautiful scene.
@@prp2 Yes it is a real period song that was put in the film to great effect. I watched this at the cinema (full audience ) and not ashamed to say this is where i cried knowing what they were going to go through and finding out that many others in the crowd had done the same. I had never left the cinema at the end of a movie where no one (audience) spoke, it had such profound affect on people not many films leave you feeling you have just gone through the shit with these guys.
I like how you explain WHY is good and not just saying “wow such a good shot” and not saying what makes it a good movie. you explain the shots and filmmaker parts so beautifully
That’s so awesome to hear Emma!! I try my best to always explain what makes a certain aspect of filmmaking good so others could learn or appreciate more!
Thats why this is such a good U2B channel
@@JamesVSCinema hope to meet up one day dam. Big fan of reactors like yourself and striving to be one also.
That moment in the truck when everyone's joking and chatting and he's just sitting there watching his dead friend recede into the distance is just brutal.
I was lucky enough to watch this at the movie theatre before lockdown. It was a joy to watch in IMAX which something I usually don't watch in general; it was so immersive and intense!
Lucky indeed!! I was about to watch that too but then the world basically shut down but hey..happy I get to experience this with you all!
Man Blake's death was so intense in that setting
same!! funny enough I actually saw an article about a strange new flu from Wuhan. I didn't think much of it at the time
Same, I wouldn't be able to have the same experience by watching it at home. Watching this movie in the Theater is by far the best way to experience it.
Yah me too!
I absolutely loved the scene after him being bashed around by the river, where he seems to be fading in and out of consciousness in the water. As soon as he sees the cherry blossom leaves falling around him, that was his reminder and push to keep going. So beautiful
I just love the simplicity of the ending. After all of that and having finally delivered the message, he simply walks over to a tree and sits down. Then the credits roll. Seeing characters grapple with what happens to them over the course of a show or movie is one of my favorite things, it's such a relatable part of human drama.
Speaking of which, imagine how the poor lieutenant that Richard Madden plays must feel. After surviving a brutal attack as part of the first wave, seeing many men die and many more wounded, and afterwards the first news you receive is that your brother died the day before. In about two minutes, you see him go from surprised joy to sudden grief, struggling to even respond. A masterpiece on all levels.
It took me three watches to realize the final shot of him sitting against the tree mirrors the first shot.
I think of Sam and Frodo when I see the two talking about medals, Tolkien served and wrote his books after and I see that reflected in this movie with the two together.
Good notice! I can actually see that haha
What I love especially about this movie is the little details. For me as a history nerd (and a historian myself) seeing a Sikh portrayed in a WWI film was so awesome. As you said, he sounded like he might have been through some war already, maybe back home in British India. The colonial soldiers are almost never shown in these films, although there were many of them. So I love that the film moved away just a tiny bit from the typical eurocentrism (of course they can't/shouldn't do it to much, since the movie is based on Sam Mendes' grandfather's memories).
The operation of the Germans where they acted like they had left and just set up their line way back to give the British a false sense of hope is historical. Although I don't remember the name of it.
Operation Alberich
The behind the scenes on how they accomplished lots of the shots is amazing.
I’m checking behind the scenes of this movie now actually haha
I did after they released it over cable in my country.
I saw this movie twice in theatres. Both times the scene with the flares lighting up those ruins and the beautiful score kicking in just left me absolutely spellbound. So gorgeous!
Same
Same here . Score was Far better at the movies 🎥
What I love about how this movie is shot is like how you feel like a character with them. It's not a 2 man mission but a 3 man mission, it is so engaging.
Agreed, with a sprinkle of beautiful story telling!
I loved the choice to cast big name stars as the officers and no names as the leading roles. Kind of a comment on modern war films where big action stars save the day, but real war isn't like that.
This, I think, is the best reaction I've seen. Really informative. All throughout I just kept nodding about your commentary which kinda giving me the vibes where I am attending a lecture about film making lol. I also appreciate how you notice that the character has a character development. Some of the critics failed to notice that since they kept on saying that this movie lacks character development.
The truly tragic thing about this movie is that even after all that happened there was still an entire year of some of the bloodiest fighting the world would see until the war ended in November 1918. If Schofield was a real person there is a good chance that he would have never made it back from the war at all.
That’s terrifying but very real and true
That final scene just broke me. He is laying like he was in the beginning but this time alone. Knowing that he can die anytime anywhere he looks at a picture from his mother saying came back to us is just heart breaking i feel sorry for all the soldiers who go to war.
I saw this movie the day it came out. It blew me away. If a trailer can give you goosebumps every time you see it. Then you know the movie will. This movie was breathtaking. And horrific all at once. Bravo to both actors and all they did.
watching this in theaters was one of the best theater experiences I've ever had, up there with Inception and The Dark Knight. It's the kind of movie that reminds me how important theaters are for cinema, watching this from your living room couch just isn't the same
Yeah I just missed out on it!
Absolutely gorgeous movie. Loved your reaction, I felt almost scared the whole time after his friend dies all the way until he reaches where he needs to be. Those continuous shot really helped deliver that feeling. I don't know if you noticed but the starting scene and the end scene were very similar, I thought that was a good touch.
Yes I did Sandeep! Beautifully told by the great Roger Deakins and his way of metaphorically telling a story through the camera work!
Just found your channel through your Dazed and Confused reaction and decided to scroll through your videos and was thrilled to see that you reacted to this. Love how you broke this down. Earlier this year I wrote a whole essay for a film class on the cinematography in this movie. Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins are a dream team.
Lots of love and mention to Roger Deakins, but Sam Mendes deserves just as much, and even more in my opinion, love. He co-wrote the screenplay, it's his relative's life story, and he's the one who tells Deakins where to frame and move shots. He also had to design how to make a one-take feature film not boring and compose all types of camera movements imaginable so he doesn't have to rely on shots transitioning into edits as much. Not to mention he had to coordinate hundreds of extras of different acting experiences alongside high-profile talent in several action scenes that required unimaginable logistical abilities.
Love how the closing scene mirrored the opening scene. Great visual storytelling.Great reaction James!!
Exactly!! Thank you Jose! Wishing you have an epic day!
Such a great movie! This was one of the last movies I got to see in theaters before things were shut down. What an experience!!
You just caught it then!
I can’t imagine having to reshoot an entire scene multiple times because a lighter wouldn’t work 😅😂🤣
Lmaooo oh my goodness that would suuuck
James VS Cinema which they said they had to do because of the lighter being faulty
I deliberately like to say that "the last time I saw a movie in theaters was '1917'". I watched this in IMAX before the pandemic hit, and it was amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, barely took a full breath!
My favourite, and for me the most heartbreaking this, about this movie is that when Schofield is going through that last trench with the Devons, they have these small I guess, features, of the other Sergeants and Officers in the trench and it puts a small focus on the emotions they’re feeling in this situation and as someone familiar with how World War I went for these boys and men, when that Sergeant/Officer yelled “Hold Fast” I legit started crying knowing that in real life way more than 1,600 men would be killed or wounded in an event such as that. A huge advocate for more quality media such as this about World War I.
That shot with the flares and the shadow going around is one of the greatest moments in the history of the 21st century for me
Richard Madden doesn't even have three minutes of screen time but he still manages to rip my heart apart with his performance every time I watch the scene
The flare scene... wow i know... incredible & the score & sparks from bullets. Serenity & action... a rare mix of emotions produced from that scene to say the least
I love how they made a model of the town and had mini lights to see how the shadows would look in a full set production with the flairs. It’s mind blowing. Totally deserving of best Cinematography
I've always thought that the one shot take was to represent the telling of a war story like this. Imagine your grandfather or whoever explaining each one of these scenes and connecting them to each other. Would it not feel like this 'one shot' film? A story that keeps moving. A story that represents what it must have actually felt like to live that journey. To them, the person living this, I bet it felt similar. Breaks to them were just lulls in the action or loss of consciousness. Needing to deliver this message in the time frame they had forced the perception of time we as the audience felt. In other words; being told this story would feel like a one shot.
It’s insane how much preparation went into filming this. The camera movements, the lighting, etc. mind blowing!!!
I love your perspective on all the films you react to and also enjoy how you teach a non-technical audience how to look at film objectively. Brilliant observations and commentary. Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much!!
‘Come back to us’ gets me every time. He has no idea if he’ll ever see them again and it’s finally sinking in for him.
I saw this in IMAX theaters and that explosion was so loud and unexpected. Literally my ears were ringing from it
I literally watched this movie this past weekend, and the first thing I could think of was this channel and how much I wanted to hear a film maker talk about it. In particular, I love how the impression of one , continuous take is given. Masterwork with the camera.
I saw this in theaters, sitting in about the center, middle of the audience. At night in the destroyed city when the flares burned bright white the whole theater was illuminated, the shadows arched acrossed us like we were in the film, and the rows of seats and perfectly still people all around gave a 3D effect, like they were buildings and walls themselves. I remember in that scene feeling completely, physically immersed unlike any other film experience.
Deakins is phenomenal....after like 18 Oscar nominations (for some great movies!) he finally won an Oscar for this and Blade Runner - and got a several minutes long standing ovation for the first one from all of Hollywood!!! On the DVD there is a featurette that blew me away where they showed how the long shots were broken up into about 12 minute segments and how they built a miniature town and shot tiny 'flairs' to see exactly how the shadows, etc. would fall!!!!! Amazing, absolutely amazing!!!
I love the script at the end, “who told us the stories.”
Dude, you are one of the best reactors on youtube atm. You always select quality movies you have some great editing skills. I can't believe this channel only had 5.5k subscribers.
Their descent into the trenches very much reminds me of Dante's inferno. Was very lucky to see this in theatres. Glad to see your reaction.
The framing in a good portion of this movie is almost comicbook-esque. It’s amazing
You must watch the behind the scenes of this movie, creative effects mixed with camera angles to create continuous movements without a hitch. Simply amazing!
When I watched this in theaters, I had the most interupting audience in the room, but the shots were so mesmerizing.. With a few minutes into the opener I was thinking how it felt so much like a story driven video game. It was so imersive and dramatic. Was deffinetly a different and unique experience.
Been waiting for this reaction for a long time! Great film - loved seeing your perspective on it
Haha awesome to hear Nick! Glad I was able to kick this out for ya!
I loved this movie so much. That night scene with the flares was one of the best I've seen in a long time. The lighting, the score *chef kiss* I just remember staring with my mouth open in awe, so simple yet so powerful. Great review!
I don't know if anyone else has already mentioned this yet, but the movie isn't done in "one shot". In general, the movie is made up of about 14 different "shots" each about 6-9ish minutes I think(?). Basically, whenever an object passes completely in front of the frame -- that's a cut; whenever the screen goes completely black, even for a split second -- that's a cut, when Scofield jumps into the river, that's a CG cut, etc.
Also, the variety in camera movements are all done in tandem. Sometimes it's done handheld, then it's placed on a crane and continues, then someone takes it off the crane and wears it steady-cam style, then it gets placed on a vehicle and continues following the action, etc. It's all a very fluid, creative solution to why the film looks the way it does.
As an actor/filmmaker myself I really enjoy your breakdowns of films.
Another Sam Mendes film that I think you might really appreciate-and one that a lot of people completely missed, which is surprising, considering the people involved-is "The Road to Perdition," which came out in 2002, directed by Mendes and starred Tom Hanks, Paul Newman (in his last film role), Jude Law and Daniel Craig, with a fantastic score by Thomas Newman. It's a truly great movie that somehow fell through the cracks and got missed by a lot of people.
Bro! Your insights are on another level. It’s like you’ve taken my inner thoughts and added another layer, a deeper perspective. Thank you so much. As a writer you’re a pure gold mine of deeper understanding into character development and scene development. Top notch sir. Keep it up.
Made me smile reading this! Thank you!
I love your reactions and breakdowns man! You give simple and easy explanations which helps us movie lovers, but don't know the technicalities about creating them
It's not the easiest to find but there's a film George Mackay was in, released way back in 2006 called The Thief Lord. He was a supporting character but that film [and 2003's Peter Pan] was the reason I have been following his career ever since, so to see him in such a production like this as a main character is incredible. He's finally getting widespread recognition for his talent and it's nice to see.
You should react to night crawler with Jake Gyllenhaal
Looking forward to the Brandon Likes Movies guest appearance! Love both of your perspectives on cinema.
Yes man!! Stay tuned 👀
My friend and I saw this in theaters when it came out in Jan and we were blown away. Amazing movie.
Must’ve been incredible seeing this in theaters!
As one of the previous posters noted, the setting is the Somme. The British and French had attacked on July 1, 1916 and the fighting lasted through November. The casualties were over 1 million with 57,000 British casualties the first day. Mines were used extensively to blast enemy positions (the giant crater). Over the winter, the Germans constructed a much stronger position known as the Hindenburg Line, and in the early spring of 1917, strategically retreated back to shorten their lines in Operation Alberich. The white trenches at the end of the film are consistent with the underlying chalk of the region. The blooming cherry trees are consistent with the spring season, although I think the historical events occurred about a month earlier than you would have had full blossoming in Northern France.
Reading about the making of this movie is amazing. To know what the actors did leading up to what we see as viewers is awesome.
My favourite part is the bit with the french woman and the baby. Very humanising.
I think my second favourite bit is when he goes over the wall at the end and all the explosions are going off, the music sells that bit.
This movie has my second favorite score of 2019 (first being The Farewell, which is so underrated and I hope you do a commentary on it!) and the way it just fills the dead air with soft mystique and tension is phenomenal. I really hope Thomas Newman gets his first Oscar soon because it is long overdue
Dude, Thomas does not get enough recognition! He is seriously so great and has made so many amazing scores over the years!
Sam Mendes the director said that its not actual story but is inspired by the stories that his grandfather told him. Also he dedicates this film to his grandfather.
I think even though he had a small part the brother at the end really did a great job showing the his pain and emotion on his face without breaking down because of being a higher ranking soldier. You really felt his pain.
Great video! I also loved how the movie started and end with the same moment - him sleeping on a tree. Idk if this is what they were going for but to me it showed that war is a daily chaos - the same insanity could happen the next day
Being told repeatedly that the war would be over by Christmas 1914 then summer 1915, then X-mas 1915. etc.. being jaded about the concept of medals and the prestige of battle. the prestige wore off by the end of the first battle of the Marne. this movie captures the otherworldly epicness of the War to end all Wars.
this film is set in March/April 1917, right before the Battle of Arras and after Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line. The British thought the Germans retreated, but it was actually a tactical withdraw to a stronger prepared defensive line.
The first was something that came to mind for me during the flare scene, in two parts of a whole. The pure display of light and contrast in the continual frame was more than a sight to behold and behold it on several accounts, I might say.
The second involved my subconscious meeting my fairly consistent "general movie watching" mindset. There was a spectacle of beauty to it, of course, but there was also seeing it through our protagonists' eyes. We've been right beside him the whole time, but the mechanic of that shot seems to disorient and attract the eye, hypnotizing and distracting you from putting yourself in his shoes. We imagine going through that town of ruin and rubble with the weight of this journey fresh on us, and the light show dissipates into the adrenaline fueled "On my own" struggle of trying to stay alive for a purpose. I've never been pleasurably amazed while thoroughly alert and fearful before this scene. Amazing.
Love that you watched this, a true modern marvel of filmmaking that will surely influence cinema going forward.
Me too David! This film was inspiring to me
l'm glad I got to watch this in theaters before covid. I literally jumped during a few scenes.
The scene where Schofield breaks down and starts crying on the shores of the river is really touching.
Was so glad to see this in theatres
Cannot wait to watch the uncut version on patreon!
Also I really appreciate it when you signpost technical things you're going to talk about during the watch.
Much love Keifer!! Hope you enjoyed the full length!
As far as I understand, No Man's Land was usually a bit farther than that, and I can only assume infinitely more brutal, bit I'm not complaining. Just a stark factoid.
Let’s go!! Can’t wait to watch this reaction. Incredible film
My man!! Enjoy!
1917 was the first and only movie that made me cry in theaters
truly beautiful!
As a young guy tryna write screenplays this is an awesome channel to watch, def my new favorite subscription! Good luck moving forward man, can’t wait to see what else you do
That’s awesome man, I’m still doing learning screen writing as well with a mentor of mine! Keep writing and always experiencing and learning my friend!
i've enjoyed all your reactions sir, but the kindness and humanity you show, especially in your comment about telling your story is what keeps me coming back! i wish i was half as mature as you when i was 22 ahaha
Ryan, you’ve made my night man. Hearing this truly makes every hour I put into this so worth it. You are incredible man, with a lot more life to live! Tell your stories and share them always brother!
shout out to my man thomas newman making another banger soundtrack that gives me chills EVERY TIME
The music, the stress, the adrenaline rush! I'm getting chills all over again!
Yes Ben!! That’s what this movie delivers!
I could watch this film over and over. And I have. Definitely top ten for me.
Great analysis, JvC!
Amazing movie, different style from Dunkirk, yet brings that same amount of suspense and history into the drama
Yes and both have an incredible theme which is shown through STORYTELLING. A major key when trying to create a visceral experience or showcase a different perspective.
Great reaction! I watched this in cinemas 4 times and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had at the cinema
Happy to hear you enjoy the experience in theaters man!!
Loved your reaction and analysis but I wish you gave more recognition to the musical score by Thomas Newman, because I felt like it added a lot to the emotion especially in the night sequence in the town.
19:50 That scene was so surreal it almost looks like a painting just came to life. I saw this scene in IMAX theater and it is definitely one of the most beautiful cinematography of all time.
The guy in the turban is a Sikh Punjabi man, and was likely brought to fight in the war by the British because they still had control over India at the time, so he probably doesn't have experience in war at all. His lines do seem to have more weight than others but I can't quite tell why, could just be his delivery idk.
One of my favorite things that was pointed out to me is that Schofield was always the main character. The movie has you feel like Blake is the lead because it's HIS mission and HIS brother that needs to be saved. But as the movie goes on up to Blake's death, the camera actually follows Schofield. When they are clearing the house before the plane crash you follow Schofield through the house. You also follow him to get the water, which is also used to surprise us with Blake's death but the point still stands. Which makes Blake's death more impactful because you think he'll be fine as the main lead, along with the connection you form with him throughout the journey. I adore this film in every aspect. The amount of details that had to go into it is stunning. Loved hearing your thoughts on it!
Those 10k subscribers will come in no time brother, you deserve 1000 times that honestly. My favorite reaction channel without a doubt
You’re right Angel!! This community is growing so fast and I’m super lucky to have awesome people like you rocking with me fam!
I liked very much that the two principle actors are less well known but that they still made excellent use of very well known and fairly famous actors almost as cameos. In any other movie actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong and Colin Firth would have huge screentime not just five minute glimpses, but in this five minutes they all give excellent performances.
There's a vid from Corridor Digital when they breakdown how they did the invisible cuts in this movie, interesting stuff.
Checking that now actually haha!
I saw this in theaters at the beginning of the year, it was awesome
Love how the leafs in the River remind him of his promise to Blake
Just recently found your channel and have been loving the videos and movie choice, keep it up much love.
Much love Jake, stay healthy my friend!
One of my favorite movie 😭❤️
This film really caught my dreams again to continue my filmmaking study. Specially that flares and fire in the scene, where he was running that’s beautiful along that musical score. Pure goosebumps
And that part when he was out of the river and he’s ready to surrender, i felt that.
The long Journey like you’re there too. What a Masterpiece.
Ps
I just watched the behind the scenes of this,
its all Mindblowing, wow 😭❤️
Keep up the good work man. As videographer myself, I know all the hours of editing that go into these videos. Plus, the audio, color, etc. are just top notch. I wouldn’t be surprised if you hit 100k very soon. I’m boutta join the Patreon right now!
Evan my brotha!! That’s so much love man, thank you! It’s definitely a lot of work behind the scenes but it’s so worth it! Especially during these odd times!
I love the detail of the flare they just fired falling in the background at 10:53. Idk what it is, just the attention to detail
Me too!
This is one of the most beautifully made movies of all time!
I cant believe that I watched this movie right after I learned about WW1 in class. Jesus this movie still gives me the chills for how good it is.
This was one of the best movies I’ve seen in theaters. I saw it In imax and it was fantastic!
I've always enjoyed reaction channels, but two recent channels have taken reactions to another level: Yours and Chase Carneson (music). These aren't simple reactions, they're full of analysis and insight that both inform and help you to enjoy these works at an even higher level. Bravo!
This means a lot Chris!! Cheers to you man, this made my night
Roger Deakins is hands down my favourite cinematographer. So many great films under his belt glad he finally got an Oscar for his work. His podcast is also pretty fun and interesting as well.
Been listening to his podcast right now actually haha