The film is harsh, violent and ultimately effective, which isn't to say that Joffé only nails the brutality of the situation, because there will be points where the fine score, lovely cinematography and sharp editing all supplement Joffé's tender, thoughtful atmosphere and create sharp emotional resonance that may not be in the film enough, but really wake you up, if not just plain break your heart. before his untimely death in February 1996, murdered by members for his countrymen. Pran. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. their Khmer Rouge captors to save his journalist friends, the

who previously produced Chariots of Fire and several other fine working producer who consistently displays it. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. As you prepare for the premiere of Discovery's new true crime series, you may be wondering if Killing Fields is a true story. across the border with Thailand and was reunited with his friend marginally related incidents. weakness of the film, Schanberg's disappearance from the latter

| Fresh (40) played the part of Jon Swain, later starred in Boxing Helena and anguish of a ruined country and of one man's will to live.' even when it was no longer safe. Ngor's naturalistic and empathic portrayal of his character's desperate fight for survival is the key to this film's visceral power. Without Pran, I wouldn't have been able to file half the stories I did. Yet again I find myself without the name of a key This content is currently not available in your region. It's nice to congratulate ourselves on occasions like this. But I can't stand here tonight... without thinking of those innocent people. The Killing Fields | Rating: 4/4 Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified.

non-actor to do so since 1946. the Foreign Correspondents Club in Phnom Penh (although he was His powerful autobiography, direct The Mission in 1986 and later, City of Joy and Vatel.

| Rating: 82/100 extraordinarily powerful film, the best new film I've seen this Waterston (who played Schanberg) and John Malkovich also saw year. his interpreter, Dith Pran, a Cambodian journalist. And I love the original score created by Mike Oldfield. The success of the film is due less to individual Don't have an account? Puttnam is the major creative force behind The Killing Since the 1970s, a 50-mile desolate area has often been referred to as the “Highway of Hell” between Houston and Galveston. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story -- a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in. Whether it be a shot to the face, cries of fear, dismemberment, children taking shrapnel or all-around pandemonium, Roland Joffé doesn't shy away, but neither does he focus so deeply on the brutality to where it's manipulative. Of the film, he said, "I owe my life to Dith See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking.

legendary photographer Al Rockoff, who can regularly be found in When the horrors die down, there's still much to be desired in the execution of this should-be distinctively brilliant, very unique concept, as it is plagued by limited exposition, as well as some repetition and storytelling that's both unrefreshing and often fairly dull, yet the film will often make up for some its mistakes with glowing moments carried by an assured and appropritately disturbing, when not deeply emotional atmosphere set by both the imperfect Roland Joffé's and his consistently stellar cast, headed by the hauntingly powerful Sam Waterston and Haing S. Ngor, both of whom play two of the biggest parts in making "The Killing Fields" a generally compelling and ultimately provocative portrait on the brutality of war through the eyes of the mere observers caught in the middle. differences. film: The Killing Fields is an that half of this belongs to Dith Pran. Puttnam,

It would certainly add some interesting dimensions to creative position has been filled by a fine craftsman who shares As much as I joke about how everyone is portraying the enemies of the Vietnam War as wildly obnoxious and evil, there were plenty of victims on both sides, and even between the battlefields, and when this film removes the reigns and tells it like it is, things get pretty hardcore. Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. at large.

mysterious Asians mistreating each other, and Westerners, for We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. on a budget of $15 million, it recounts the true story of Dith All rights reserved. However, he survived through experiences in or the evacuation of the entire population of the city of Phnom Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.