The Killing Fields (1984)

John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ has been an iconic anthem for world peace and for a greater sense of compassion between man and man. But, when you listen to that song as part of the soundtrack of ‘The Killing Fields’, at the end of the movie, it takes you into the depths that it was intended for. You will rarely find a more graphic look at genocide than this film.

The story traces the developments in 1973 in Vietnam’s neighbor Cambodia during the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The U.S. bombings in Cambodia, termed accidental, reveal a targeting of the communist forces by the Americans that lead to a lot of innocent lives being lost. This leads to further outrage in the Khmer Rouge as they overthrow the Government forces in Phnom Penh and overrun the city. Sydney Schanberg, a correspondent for the New York Times, with the help of a local journalist Dith Pran, covers this story and reports a lot of facts, otherwise misreported by world media.

When the time comes for all foreign nationals to leave, Schanberg tries to sneak Pran out of Cambodia with a fake British passport, but fails as Pran’s picture does not come out right. Pran is sent to a labor camp as part of the Khmer Rouge’s ‘Year Zero’ policy and pretends to be uneducated fearing death as an intellectual. He is exposed first hand to the regressive and hate-filled campaign run by the Khmer Rouge on young and old alike. He decides that he has had enough and must escape or die.

Roland Joffe’s direction of a Bruce Robinson screenplay is graphic, gripping and makes the viewer feel the shock at the time of a blast or a pull of the trigger. The film gives you no warning of what is to come and after the initial few experiences; you expect a blast or a gun going off in every conversation. Fantastic use of suspense.  The film draws a contrast between the beauty of the country and the dastardly acts committed with that beauty as a backdrop. The screenplay is not heavy on dialogue but is filmed very much like a documentary filmed on the front lines and relies on detail to create impact. The soundtrack is quite symbolic, with pieces like Paul McCartney’s ‘Band on the Run’, a song about escape and also ‘Imagine’ right at the end. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards.

Sam Waterston as Schanberg delivers a superb performance as a hungry reporter unwilling to let go of the truth, but when forced to exit Cambodia, recognizes that his achievements are incomplete without Dith Pran. Haing S.Ngor as Dith Pran, a first time actor who went on to win an Oscar for his performance delivers a touching and natural performance as a Cambodian horrified by what is happening to his country. His heart is much larger than his thin, small frame and he portrays suffering and resilience with ease.

‘The Killing Fields’ is a must see movie to understand what man can do to man.