Classici fuori Mostra - Csillagosok, katonák (The Red and the White)

“Instead of a story, Jancsó portrays the existence of life during war. The portrayal as shown, is a form without structure or organization, giving the tone of chaos and emphasizing the horrible waste of human life inherent in war. […] Jancsó has a very distinct style that he displays in the elegant camera movements that may be seen in the film. Many of the scenes are long sequence shots of people seen from behind. The camera moves with the action without cuts or interruptions, for long periods of time. […] All the actors give cold unemotional performances, that reminded me of a film by Robert Bresson, who used non-professional actors. Initially, the cold dry acting kept me at a distance from the evil on the screen. As the film progressed, I realised that these people were just numb and in a constant state of shock. Most anti-war films preach their intent in personalised stories. In The Red and the White, Miklos Jancsó has created the ultimate cinematic condemnation of war. There is no story, and no clear beginning or ending. It is an amazing, visual account of man’s inhumanity to himself, and is an unforgettable viewing experience”. (Chanan Stern)