17.3.06
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields – 1984
In my continuing quest to learn the whole history of the World I deliberately rented this film which I hoped would give some insight into Cambodia. It did. This film can be slow and dull especially if, like most people, you know nothing of Cambodia. This film becomes that more amazing when you realise one of the leads, Haing S. Ngor, has lead a similar life to the character (Dith Pran) he portrays very well in this film.
The Cambodian Civil War was something beyond belief. Its origin lies with the Viet Cong who were being pushed deeper into Cambodia, by American and Southern Vietnamese forces. The Americans simply continued their bombing campaign inside Cambodia. The leader of Cambodia, Prince Sihanouk, did little in the interest of neutrality. The Viet Cong and the extreme, xenophobic and Maoist Khmer Rouge group (one of the most violent regimes of the 20th century) in Cambodia joined forces. Soon, an American-supported coup took place removing Sihanouk. A new leader (Nol), pro-Western and against Communism, was able to take action against the Khmer Rouge resulting in the civil war. Prince Sihanouk joined with the Khmer Rouge, already supported by North Vietnam and China. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge eventually captured the capital Phnom Penh and Nol fled. Nol had failed, even with American support. The Khmer Rouge Communist regime, under Pol Pot, went on to perform atrocious acts including the Killing Fields. Many were killed, especially those showing intelligence like doctors and teachers. Hospitals and schools were closed. Banking, religion and private property abolished. Almost 2 million died because of their insane ideology.
The film is about an American Journalist Sydney Schanberg and his Cambodian assistant Dith Pran who are covering the civil war. When most the Americans leave, Dith Pran manages to send his family to America but stays with the Sydney due to friendship. But Sydney is also finally forced to leave as the country is closed up by the Khmer Rouge and Pran must stay, much to Sydney's dismay. We then see the horror through Pran's eyes as he tries his best to survive, so that he can see his family again and his good friend Sydney in America. John Malkovich has a part in this, which is interesting because he also starred in Empire of the Sun, another East Asian-based historical movie. A shocking and interesting film, but a demanding watch. 7/10
Most depressingly, the actor who played Pran was shot dead in his home in the US by some scumbag street gang. They wanted his locket containing a picture of his wife. It is thought he refused and died for it. During the civil war he hid the fact he was a doctor to survive. He survived through hell, just to be shot dead by kids in 1996.
"Here, only the silent survive"
