The Killing Fields (1985)

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It's alright if you don't know your history before you watch The Killing Fields, Roland Jaffe's film that was nominated for eight Oscars and won eight BAFTAs in 1985; you'll gain a wealth of knowledge from watching the movie. It's a true story, focusing on the experiences and friendship of New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg, played by Sam Waterston, and Cambodian journalist Dith Pran, played by Haing S. Ngor, during the Cambodian Civil War in the 1970s.Beaten out by the incredibly overrated Amadeus, The Killing Fields should have absolutely won Best Picture. Not only is it a spectacular war picture, with surprises around every corner, realistic special effects and makeup, and harrowing struggles that will make you cringe and compel you to keep watching, but it's a beautiful, moving story of love and friendship. The two lead actors have such realistic chemistry together, it's sometimes difficult to separate them from their fictional roles. Haing S. Ngor lived a very sad life, and much of the film mirrors his own life experiences. The horrors he lives through in the film—and in real life, if you choose to look up his tragic backstory, which I don't really recommend—will bring you to tears more times than you'll be able to count.The Killing Fields will take you on an emotional roller-coaster, from fear to awe, horror, hope, sorrow, and inspiration. Some war movies are too upsetting to want to watch over again, but you're able to appreciate the craftsmanship and acting behind it. While the acting and production are fantastic, this is also a film that you can easily add to your home collection, watching it again and again with friends who haven't yet, so you can relive the emotions you felt during your first viewing. I've seen it three times, and each time, it has just as great an impact on my heart as the first. This is a modern classic that shouldn't be missed.

Pros:1. No review of The Killing Fields is complete without praise for the amazing work of Haing S. Ngor as Dith Pran. What he lacked in official acting training was balanced by a level of sincerity and heartfelt emotion. Sam Waterston may have been nominated for Best Actor and appeared on the cover but Dr. Ngor is the #1 reason the film was so successful. From what I've heard, Dr. Ngor himself witnessed a fair amount of the atrocities that occurred in Cambodia in the 70's. I can definitely see why Dr. Ngor won the Supporting Actor Oscar, though I still say Tom Hulce would have won the 1984 Supporting Actor if Orion hadn't unwisely campaigned him for the Best Actor Oscar.2. Just as Dr. Ngor is so worthy of praise, the movie deserves praise for shifting focus from the Caucasian perspective to this profoundly more interesting story of Dith Pran's journey to freedom. It's a journey with endlessly fascinating turns like when a Mercedes car logo saves Dith's life or when Dith learns some members of the new government are decent people..3. While Dr. Ngor is the jewel of the movie, the Cascasian actors are good. Sam Waterston vividly portrays Syndey's flaws (his impatience to get the story out lands him often in trouble) and his good side (he really cares about Dith Pran's struggle). John Malkovich provides some badly needed levity with his speech on oysters or the reporter using chickens to get stories out of Cambodia. I was a fan of the sitcom "Coach" and I enjoyed the work Craig T. Nelson does here (this movie was released a little more than 4 years before Coach debuted on ABC). I also enjoyed the work of Jillian Sands as the blonde British reporter. This and "Room With A View" marked 2 times in 3 years that Sands was in a Best Picture Nominee.4. Forget about Nightmare On Elm Street or Gremlins, you want good scares in a 1984 film? Watch this movie. It's horrifying enough when a man speaking your language points a gun at you but it's 100 times scarier if you can't understand what he's saying. Dr. Ngor argued with Director Roland Joffe over how soon to reveal the KIlling Fields. I think Joffe was wise to delay the reveal as the build-up made it all the more scarier. No wonder Joffe was Oscar-nominated for Best Director and "The Mission" in 1986 made it 2 Directing nominations in 3 years.5. The movie won a well-deserved Cinematography Oscar. It shows Cambodia's beauty even at the worst of times. I especially loved the scene with Sydney and Dith Pran that just showed their silhouettes.6. The film is great at showing the horrors of war and not just on the battlefield. One minute you're at this cafe giving this silly speech about oysters and suddenly this terrifying blast is just far enough away to avoid hurting you. There's also the darkness of the human soul that war causes, like the family that claimed to be the Pran family to get into the Embassy (not that you can blame the impostors for wanting to escape to freedom). Of course there's always the tragedy of war as Dith Pran learns that nobody is ever really too young to die.7. Best Line Sydney: You forgive me? Dith Pran: Nothing To Forgive , Sydney. NothingCons:1. Good god how I loathe the scene of Malkovich chewing out Sydney in the Bathroom. Sydney does all he can to get Dith Pran back. He helps out the Pran family as much as he can even though Mrs. Pran has no optimism of any kind. It's not like he is full of himself. He readily admits how important Dith Pran is to his journalistic work. Malkovich, get off your high horse and go F yourself.2. I'm a little mixed about the "Imagine" scene. I love John Lennon's work but don't use popular music to tell the audience how to feel. It's completely unnecessary because the scene would still be moving even if it was shown in silence.3. Furthermore, since the film includes John Lennon's "Imagine" and Paul McCartney & Wings' "Band On The Run", I thing they should have completed it with a solo George Harrison song like "What is My Life" and a solo Ringo Starr song like "It Don't Come Easy"

Te movie managed to be very much shocking and haunting with its horrifying images of the Pol Pot camps and killing fields. It's also very suspenseful and touching at how the expatriates try so hard, and remorse harder when they failed, to fake documents for Pran. Later the movie nicely changes too insert touching remarks as Sydney can't let go of his guilt for leaving Pran behind. I like how the movie tried to depict as similar as possible the environment of the location and time frame. GThe props and location settings are chosen well to give a good portrayal of the crisis era. The acting in overall feels nice. James Waterston handled his character's stubbornness well enough that it permeates into the whole movie. Haing S Ngor is the real jewel as the seemingly calm character he played as Pran can somehow emanate the aura of worry and his family and at the same time caring for his partner Sydney.

A story about friendship and survival. If you're a journalist, you might be committed to your job, but perhaps you SHOULD be committed by agreeing to carry out reports from some of the warzones you get posted to. Especially in 1970s Cambodia, which is right on the cusp of Vietnam... and we all know what happened there in that decade. To risk getting shot and blown up every day... just for a few paragraphs in your local paper... nope, not worth it. The only column inches you could be taking up soon are in the obituary section.So this American reporter is right in the middle of the fighting, and together with two of his colleagues and a local translator, try to stick around for as long as possible... but are told to flee the country when things start getting too hot. But the three USA journos have made friends with the native guy, and they want to take him along. But after a failed attempt at giving him a phony passport, they're forced to leave him behind in the hands of a new fanatical regime. This sets up the best part of the film, as the newsmen try to track him down from the States while he suffers at the hands of his sadistic captors...Based on a true story, it is impeccably acted and holds the attention till the end, as danger lurks round every corner and people take extraordinary risks to help those they care about. It just goes to show that even in this hell on earth, lifelong friendships can be formed and whatever happens, NEVER give up hope. It's such an easy thing to say... but until you find yourself in a situation like the translator, how do you know if you'll cope? I pray you never have to find out... 7/10