Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers Gillo Pontecorvo's Battle of Algiers, although filmed in the late 1950s, remains one of the most powerful and emotionally stimulating films of the modern era. The realism captured by cinematographer, Marcello Gatti, laid the foundation for filmmakers and photographers to shape and shape equally great works in the years to come. Gatti's revolutionary use of the handheld camera was instrumental in the creation of the simulated eyewitness account. So much so that the statement that not even one meter of newsreel footage was used in its production was necessary so that the public would not be confused or misled. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The most intriguing scene in the film is undoubtedly the attack on the downtown café located near the casbah. As we approach the eve of our country's tragedy, emotion and confusion continue to run high, and Pontecorvo and Gatti's ability to capture such a catastrophic event in such an apocalyptic manner cannot help but fuel the emotional fires of modern audiences. As one New York firefighter said as America's famous towers burned, it's almost a beautiful thing. You can't help but feel angry or confused by this statement, but it's true of all modern tragedies. The power of the Pontecorvo café scene is finding beauty in the horrendous, capturing a heinous crime against humanity so realistically that in all its horrific forms it still remains awe-inspiring. It also hits a nerve on a personal level, as the world arms itself for an all-too-familiar religious war. The sequence in which the Algerian women take off their religious clothes and arm themselves with explosives is yet another example of the magnificence of modern tragedy. When you live a life of war, it is the enemy you don't see coming that always delivers the fatal blow. This story can be seen in modern times just as it was reconstructed in the Battle of Algiers. All it takes is a late-night look at CNN or MSNBC to discover an individual boarding a bus, only to see it explode at the next stop, or a woman, just like those in the film, exploding in a crowded market. In my opinion, not based on the eve of the anniversary of one of the most documented disasters in history, The Battle of Algiers remains one of the most emotionally powerful films I have ever made. As previously stated, finding beauty in an event so shocking that it is only seen by a select few once in a lifetime is an incredible cinematic feat, as well as a human one. The bottom line is that Pontecorvo exposes us to the splendor of human tragedy, no matter how hard we try to look away.