#760: COSTA-GAVRAS: State Of Siege (1972)

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COSTA-GAVRAS (France)
State Of Siege [1972]
Spine #760
Blu-ray


Costa-Gavras puts the United States' invovement in Latin American politics under the microscope in this arresting thriller. An urban guerrilla group, outraged at the counterinsurgency and torture training clandestinely organized by the CIA in their country (unnamed in the film), abducts a U.S. official (Yves Montand) to bargain for the release of political prisoners; soon the kidnapping becomes a media sensation, leading to violence. Cowritten by Franco Solinas, the electrifying State of Siege piercingly critiques the American government for supporting foreign dictatorships, while also asking difficult questions about the efficacy of radical violent acts to oppose such regimes.

121 minutes
Color
Monaural
in French
1:66:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2015
Director/Writers


Original scenario by Costa-Gavras and Franco Solinas.
Written by Solinas.
Costa-Gavras was 39 when he wrote State of Siege.

Other Costa-Gavras films in the Collection:

#491: Z (1969)
#759: The Confession (1970)
#449: Missing (1982)

The Film

A

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Eight-page foldout poster featuring an essay by journalist Mark Danner.

Commentary

None.

Conversation

Between Costa-Gavras and film scholar Peter Cowie.

NBC News excerpt

From 1970 on the kidnapping of Dan A. Mitrione, on which the film is based.

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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