Underground

When I first saw this movie on the indie channel, I taped it. I immediately watched it again, totally stunned by the extent of energy, imagination, ideas, images with which I was being blasted. Talk about a universal masterpiece! This movie should be required viewing on every screen, large & small in the US. We Americans lead such narrow sheltered lives; we are so eager to see things in black & white, to have our opinions dictated by columnists & newscasters. This movie should take off a few blinders. On the other hand, people will still opt for easy cartoon ideologies over the indisputable truth about the ferocious & predatory predilections of all "sides" of humanity. Thank god for visionary humorists like Kusturica.

Underground is without a doubt, one of the very finest movies to emerge from Europe. After seeing Underground, one realizes that one has just witnessed cinema at one of it's highest levels. This movie is what "The Tin Drum" was supposed to be, and so much more. Absolutely Brilliant on all levels.

Underground is The Film, my favorite... And nobody hasn't written any greeting comments in 2005. So, I'm happy to be the first and I wish the best year 2005 to all the Underground's fans. If you never had this chance to see the long version (5 hours) of the film, give your priority, this year, to watch it. After this, the Palme d'Or version will feel you so short!!! If you live in Paris, I can help you to discover the complete Chef d'Oeuvre.

Therefore, I understand that the film could be criticized on the political depths. But it is so easy to make movies without any involvement. Kusturica worked for 3 years on the film and involved himself on the content. But the film treatment is not only about Balkans war, but mainly about human ferocity and betrayment. Speaking Cinema, there is no film controlling so well aestheticism, scenario, actors, music and creativity. Emir did it and I am sorry that some arrogant journalists killed the film, getting it off the Cinema theaters without the popular success that Underground deserved.

I rarely weep during movies. At the end of this film, however, I began to weep bitterly--not because I was saddened by the story (although it is sad), but because I knew that I could never hope to create anything as beautiful as the movie I had just watched. It is this sort of film that both inspires and frightens aspiring film makers.

While attending college in Boston a Croatian friend of mine told me about this movie. I rented it a few days later, and let me say this is one of the greatest foreign films I have seen. While the historical and political substance of the film is largely missed by me, the story is strong enough that I connected emotionally with it. The humor of the film is very refreshing, being used to war films that are too heavy or dull to make me laugh. I recommend this film to anyone who appreciates a well told story. You will be rewarded with a beautiful picture.