Film: The Living And The Dead
Year of production: 2007
UK Release date: 21st February 2011
Distributor: Kaleidoscope
Certificate: 15
Running time: 87 mins
Director: Kristijan Milic
Starring: Filip Sovagovic, Velibor Topic, Slaven Knezovic, Marinko Prga, Borko Peric
Genre: Fantasy/Thriller/War
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Language: Croatian
Review by: Anastasia Catris
In 2007, Kristijan Milic swept the board at the Pula Film Festival, winning 8 of the 14 categories, with his Bosnian war film The Living And The Dead. His first full length production, having previously directed shorts such as Sigurna Kuca and 24 Hours, this was an ambitious project for Milic.
Based on the novel by Josip Mlakic, The Living And The Dead follows two corresponding story lines separated by fifty years. Both in 1943 and 1993, we are presented with two very different military companies of soldiers, as they fight in separate Bosnian territorial wars: the partisan struggle of World War II and the liberation war of Bosnia and Herzegovina of 1992-5.
As the two plot lines interweave with one another, we watch the 1943 soldiers on their journey through the ‘Graveyard Field’, dealing with desertion, execution and matters of class and authority. A group of Muslims are captured by Croatian fascists and one of the soldiers, Martin (Filip Sovagovic) loots a souvenir from one of the fallen hostages. This keepsake is the only material link between the soldiers of 1943 and 1993 as Martin leaves it to his grandson, Tomas (also Filip Sovagovic), one of the modern day soldiers. Though the soldiers of 1993 follow a similar path to that of their predecessors, including that of the ‘Graveyard Field’, they are far more carefree and, oftentimes, cowardly in comparison.
As the two companies’ stories converge in their tragic fates and their realisation of the inanity of war, supernatural elements begin to surface. Figures of fallen men appear, distracting the soldiers and leading them to their own deaths, while the soldiers of 1993 are often haunted by the images of their 1943 counterparts…
Despite concentrating on two small contingents of soldiers, the characterisation of the cast in this film is minimal. Many of the modern soldiers seem to correspond to archetypes created by films such as Platoon and Apocalypse Now, which, though allowing an audience to connect via familiarity, dilutes any emotional connection they may have with them.
The emotional connection and sympathy comes through their actions and expendability rather than their individual characters. The modern characters are far more human in their occasional incompetence, fears and childish behaviour, while the soldiers of 1943 correspond more to strict authority and class structure. The one character of note in the 1943 segments is Ferid, a man who has lost his whole family to typhoid and is still expected to carry on fighting, whose emotional state leads to much of the platoon’s misfortune.
However, what the film lacks in characterisation it makes up for in atmosphere and production value. The juxtaposition between the two timelines is highlighted by the filtered lighting which appears green and blue in the present and sepia brown in the past. The sepia tones of the 1943 scenes serve to create a desiccated and dry atmosphere which amplifies the harshness of the action. The present, meanwhile, appears lush and sheltered, most of the scenes taking place under tree canopies as the platoon travel through the forest. The lighter atmosphere of the present is also highlighted by the platoon’s actions in their joking, jibing, personalized uniforms and casual drug taking. This makes the tragedies they face all the more horrifying, as we have seen moments of lightness and amusement which distract the audience from the harsh reality of their situation.
The sound in this film is graphic and exaggerated. The simple sound effects, such as leaves crunching underfoot and the clicking of guns and mechanics, are amplified, which serves to create a truly engulfing atmosphere. The music is a repetitive strain switching between a jovial and carefree staccato to a dire and haunting undertone with electronic static. This mixes well with the actions of the modern day troops, who switch between fun and care free scenes of camaraderie and poignant scenes of death and loss.
The film has been classed in the ‘fantasy’ genre by a number of different websites and journalists, yet the supernatural element in this film is minimal. It is not a ghost story or horror, rather it is a film influenced by a haunting conscience. The appearance of ghosts and spectres within the plot serves as a way to tie the two story-lines together but also accentuate the guilt of the soldiers and psychological damage of war.
Though the initial concept of the plot may seem complicated, the theme of the film is simple. It is a hopeless and negative view of war and conflict from the view of soldiers who serve as puppets to their orders. This is a story of history repeating itself and death being inevitable. The humanity of the film is not in the individual but the platoon, united by their mortality and tragic fates. Whilst some war films try to focus on the politics of the war in question, or relating both sides of the story, this film could have taken place during any two wars and still had the same impact.
Whilst an understanding of Bosnian history may enlighten you to the actions behind the two plot lines in this film, the message and theme of it is not difficult to grasp. This is a film of hopelessness and mortality that manages to be both gripping and enjoyable despite its serious message. AC
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