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Amazon.co.uk Review
This harrowing but rewarding 1984 drama concerns the real-life relationship between New York Times reporter Sidney Schanberg and his Cambodian assistant Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), the latter left at the mercy of the Khmer Rouge after Schanberg--who chose to stay after American evacuation but was booted out--failed to get him safe passage. Filmmaker Roland Joffé, previously a documentarist, made his feature debut with this account of Dith's rocky survival in the ensuing madness of the Khmer Rouge's genocidal campaign. The script of The Killing Fields spends some time with Schanberg's feelings of guilt after the fact, but most of the movie is a shattering re-creation of hell on Earth. The late Haing S. Ngor--a real-life doctor who had never acted before and who lived through the events depicted by Joffé--is outstanding, and he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Oscars also went to cinematographer Chris Menges and editor Jim Clark. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Anamorphic Widescreen, Black & White, Booklet, Commentary, Interactive Menu, Remastered, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: The Killing Fields is a romanticized adaptation of an eyewitness magazine story by New York Times correspondent Sidney Schanberg. Covering the U.S. pullout from Vietnam in 1975, Schanberg (Sam Waterston) relies on his Cambodian friend and translator Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor) for inside information. Schanberg has an opportunity to rescue Dith Pran when the U.S. army evacuates all Cambodian citizens; instead, the reporter coerces his friend to remain behind to continue sending him news flashes. Although his family is helicoptered out of Saigon (a recreation of the famous TV news clip), Dith Pran stays with Schanberg on the ground. Racked with guilt, Schanberg does his best to arrange for Dith Pran's escape, but the Cambodian is captured by the dreaded Khmer Rouge. Accepting his Pulitzer Prize on behalf of Dith Pran, Schanberg vows to do right by his friend and extricate him from Cambodia. The rest of the film details Dith Pran's harrowing experiences at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, and his attempt to escape on his own. The Killing Fields won Academy Awards for Hang S. Ngor (a Cambodian doctor who lived through many of the horrific events depicted herein), cinematographer Chris Menges, and editor Jim Clark; an Oscar nomination went to Roland Joffe, who made his directorial debut with this film. Spalding Gray, who played a small role in the film, later elaborated on this experiences in his one-man stage presentation Swimming to Cambodia. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Ceasar Awards, David Donatello Awards, Golden Globes, Oscar Academy Awards, ...The Killing Fields
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
David Puttnam, Roland Joffé, Chris Menges..... what a wonderful team whose individual creativity and collective synergy brought us two out-of-the-world pictures: "The Mission" & "The Killing Fields". Nothing to say about the former. Regarding the latter, the rich combination of such themes as ravages of war, power of friendship and unrequited loyalty makes it one of the powerful films in its genre and greatest films ever to have come out of the British cinema.
"The Killing Fields" takes us back to 1975s Phnom Penh, Cambodian capital, during which the communist guerrilla group Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot seized the city, formed a new government and forced the dwellers to move to the countryside to work in collective farms and labor camps with the goal of restarting of civilization in "Year Zero". During the next 4 years of their rule, these "policies" caused the death of ~ 3 million people (one third of the population) either from execution, torture, starvation, overwork, and disease. Under this apocalyptic environment, "The Killing Fields" tells the true ordeal and survival story of Cambodian photojournalist, Dith Pran, who endured the atrocities of Khmer Rouge regime: captured, tortured, punished for befriending American journalists and forced to work in labor camps in barbaric conditions.
To me, the most impressive thing about "The Killing Fields" is the ravishing cinematography by Academy Award winner Chris Menges. From start to end, The photography is nothing but gorgeous. All shots are meticulously planned, properly balanced and perfectly contrasted, harmonizing the beauty of countryside with ravages of war. The colors are well saturated and look wonderful. Subtle details are well presented, sharp and clearly visible with an emphasis on naturalism.
The outstanding cinematography and the gritty realism of the story was further enhanced by the taut direction of Roland Joffé, whose documentary-like precision contributes to the film's overall power. His battle footage and portrayal of atrocities are mostly documentary nature, but not presented with "cheap" bloodfest where unnecessary amount of blood and gore paint the screen. Let's not forget to mention the outstandingly realistic performance of first-time actor Haing S. Ngor, who deserves to win Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Watching John Malkovich, playing the hot-tempered American war photographer Al Rockoff, is particularly enjoyable.
To sum up, "The Killing Fields" is not just an essential film from historical standpoint of Cambodian Holocaust of 1975-1979, but it is also powerful in its visual and emotional moments in an otherwise hopeless and ruthless situation. (4.4/5.0)
"The Killing Fields" takes us back to 1975s Phnom Penh, Cambodian capital, during which the communist guerrilla group Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot seized the city, formed a new government and forced the dwellers to move to the countryside to work in collective farms and labor camps with the goal of restarting of civilization in "Year Zero". During the next 4 years of their rule, these "policies" caused the death of ~ 3 million people (one third of the population) either from execution, torture, starvation, overwork, and disease. Under this apocalyptic environment, "The Killing Fields" tells the true ordeal and survival story of Cambodian photojournalist, Dith Pran, who endured the atrocities of Khmer Rouge regime: captured, tortured, punished for befriending American journalists and forced to work in labor camps in barbaric conditions.
To me, the most impressive thing about "The Killing Fields" is the ravishing cinematography by Academy Award winner Chris Menges. From start to end, The photography is nothing but gorgeous. All shots are meticulously planned, properly balanced and perfectly contrasted, harmonizing the beauty of countryside with ravages of war. The colors are well saturated and look wonderful. Subtle details are well presented, sharp and clearly visible with an emphasis on naturalism.
The outstanding cinematography and the gritty realism of the story was further enhanced by the taut direction of Roland Joffé, whose documentary-like precision contributes to the film's overall power. His battle footage and portrayal of atrocities are mostly documentary nature, but not presented with "cheap" bloodfest where unnecessary amount of blood and gore paint the screen. Let's not forget to mention the outstandingly realistic performance of first-time actor Haing S. Ngor, who deserves to win Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Watching John Malkovich, playing the hot-tempered American war photographer Al Rockoff, is particularly enjoyable.
To sum up, "The Killing Fields" is not just an essential film from historical standpoint of Cambodian Holocaust of 1975-1979, but it is also powerful in its visual and emotional moments in an otherwise hopeless and ruthless situation. (4.4/5.0)
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film tells the true story of two journalists in Cambodia during the turmoil of 1970s Cambodia. One is the American Sydney Schanberg (played by Sam Waterston) and the other is the Cambodian Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor). As the Khmer Rouge approach the fall of capital Phnom Penh becomes imminent, the foreign embassies pack up and move out and the journalists are forced to take refuge in the French embassy. The Khmer Rouge have however demanded that all Cambodians in the embassy be turned over, and fearing attack, the occupants agree. Dith Pran is therefore in trouble. The foreign journalists come up with a plan...
The film is very well cast, with excellent acting and character depth as shown by Haing Ngor winning a well deserved oscar for best supporting actor. It is at times brutal, at others touching.
Highly Recommended
The film is very well cast, with excellent acting and character depth as shown by Haing Ngor winning a well deserved oscar for best supporting actor. It is at times brutal, at others touching.
Highly Recommended
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Finally, the masterpiece of Joffe/Putnam/Menges receives a proper edition. Firstly, the cleaning of the film allows the viewer to appreciate Menges' incredible photography (colors and frames are magnificent, and certainly justified an Oscar). Secondly, the extras are extremely interesting, especially the talks with the real Pran and Schanberg. The script is amazing as it succeeds in changing regularly the perspective of Cambodia's progressive drift into hell (and it got another Oscar). Because Cambodia is in fact the main character of this movie (admirably reflected by Haing Ngor, whose performance also really justified an Oscar). Consequently, the most extraordinary sequences explore Pran's incredible survival in the fields after the departure of the foreigners. We are still waiting for similar movies concerning other ventures of the USA in the East, such as Irak or Afghanistan. This tells us something about the very high quality of this one. Most unfortunately absolutely no subtitles on such a beautiful edition, which is a real shame.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not as good as the original
Special edition good, but goes on far longer than the original so the impact is lost some-what. Reliving an old film, bit disappointing really.
Published 6 days ago by Leveret
A war film with a conscience
The Killing Fields is a powerful, fact based account of the conquest of Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s and the nature of their rule in the years the followed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Aidan J. McQuade
One of the most beautiful and moving films ever made
(THE FILM):..Every so often, there isia film that isidestinedito be talked about andirememberedifor yearsito come. Read more
Published 2 months ago by S. F. husseiny
Killing Fields a brilliant film.
Not having seen the film before and having just arrived back from Cambodia and seeing the killing fields for myself I just had to get a copy of this brilliant film to better... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jumper
rubbish
would only play with the directors commentry over the film, i will not be buying cheap dvd's in the future
Published 5 months ago by Michael Woolnough
Classic Movie
The product was advertised at a really competitive price & arrived in good time. The formatting was great with good quality ion both sound & picture, something that hasn't always... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ben
Fantastic, heart wrenching and a reminder of an atrocity that should...
Having backpacked around Cambodia and seen S-21 (Tuol Sleng) and the Killing Fields and read more on the subject, this is as an amazing film to add a more personal dimension to the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Rebecca C
Brilliant film
I saw Killing fields when it came out in 1984. Not only is it one hell of a remarkable film, it was, for me, one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. Read more
Published 10 months ago by ikinmoore
review
Good quality, punctual delivery and very happy with the product. Hard to watch but very moving and reflects the horror of the war, especially for those who lived through it.
Published 17 months ago by Bramble
the killing fields
absolutely gripping - brutal in places but with a realisation of the suffering at a time when I was so busy bringing up children - only now after watching the film twice over do I... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mrs. V. G. Dobson
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