Watch Z For Free

Purely Joyful Movie!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The acting in this movie is really good.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The subject matter itself interested me a great deal, but thankfully the movie delivered with excitement and intrigue. As a modern day parallel, it felt like the first 25 minutes of the newest Jason Bourne film (only coincidence that they both took place in Greece I swear) the editing was quick and punchy, the actors were exceptionally good in their respective parts, and the movie overall just felt cool. Well worth watching.

I found this Algerian-French film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, from the single one word title I had no idea what it would involve, but with a good rating by critics I hoped it would be worthy of its placement. Basically it begins a rather dull government lecture and slide show on agricultural policy has just ended, after which The General (Pierre Dux), leader of the security police of a right-wing military-dominated government, takes over the podium for an impassioned speech about the program by the government to combat leftism, using metaphors. Then it moves to preparations for an opposition rally, with pacifist The Deputy (Yves Montand) giving a speech advocating nuclear disarmament, it is obvious the government has been attempting to prevent the delivery of the speech. The speech venue has changed to a smaller hall, and logistical problems have come out of nowhere, right-wing anticommunist bullies (some sponsored by the government) hit the Deputy on the head, but he continues to make his sharp speech. Following the Deputy's speech, he crosses the road, a delivery truck speeds past him, with a man striking him with a club, this injury proves fatal, but it is obvious that the police have manipulated witnesses to force a conclusion that the victim was run over by a drunk driver. However the police has no control with the hospital reports, the autopsy disapprove of this interpretation, the Examining Magistrate (Jean-Louis Trintignant), and assistance from Photojournalist (Jacques Perrin), conclude that sufficient evidence proves two right-wing militants committed the murder, as well as four high-ranking military police officers, the distressed Deputy's widow Hélène (Irene Papas) gives her incites as well. The court case has many unexpected turn of events, including the prosecutor mysteriously removed, several key witnesses die in suspicious circumstances, the assassins receive fairly short sentences, the officers are only reprimanded, the Deputy's close associates die or are deported, and the Photojournalist is imprisoned for disclosing official documents. In the end, the government heads resign following public disapproval, but before elections are carried out there is a coup and the military seize power, there is a ban on modern and popular art, including in popular music and avant-garde novelists, modern mathematics, classic and modern philosophers, and the use of the term "Z", which is a popular Greek protest slogan, it means "he lives". Also starring Charles Denner as Manuel, Georges Géret as Nick and François Périer as Attorney. I was just about able to follow what was going on, with dodgy government and military officials and officers getting caught up in a murder conspiracy that becomes a big courtroom inquiry, with themes of betrayal and corruption, an interesting political drama. It won the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Film Editing, and it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director for Costa-Gavras and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, it won the BAFTA for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Mikis Theodorakis, and it was nominated for Best Film, Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay and the UN Award, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film. Good!

Following the murder of a prominent leftist, an investigator tries to uncover the truth while government officials attempt to cover up their roles.The film presents a thinly fictionalized account of the events surrounding the assassination of democratic Greek politician Grigoris Lambrakis in 1963. With its satirical view of Greek politics, its dark sense of humor, and its downbeat ending, the film captures the outrage about the military dictatorship that ruled Greece at the time of its making.Ebert spoke passionately about the film, saying, "It will make you weep and will make you angry. It will tear your guts out." And that is really what makes the film great. It spoke of the darker things going on in the late 1960s. A time of love and protest, yes, but also a time where political upheaval sometimes came with a violent price.

The minus is only because for a « Greek » movie, having Algeria for location and cast hasn't the flavor of the real Greece ! But Gavras hasn't the choice either because at the time, it was still the dictatorship there and at least, Theodorakis' score helps to feel this culture.In all cases, this movie is just amazing. In our dark time in which democracy is stomped, this committed production is just a needy breath of air. For one time, political power isn't told as courageous, bold, historic but rather as corrupted, authoritarian. In short, the movie doesn't depict them as how they would like to appear but rather as how they really are. It's also a excellent lesson in constitutional law as it illustrates the meaning of the separation of powers : a real democracy is where each power is independent. Thus here, you can conclude it isn't one as the administration is vehement to tell the judiciary what it must does. At last, it's a extraordinary story about courage and conviction. A bit like « Schindler's list », this movie demonstrates that the psychopathic state relies on individual and as soon as one says « no », he can become the little grain of stand that blocks the machine. Here, Trintignant is a young judge who stays truth to his function and it's all the more funny and powerful that he's highly clever : he doesn't look up much but he knows exactly what to do to put the culprits in his web !In conclusion, this movie is just an oasis in film history and it should inspire newcomers to do the same instead of serving propaganda !