☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
The
Battle of Culloden (1964) – P. Watkins
If I were a British history teacher (or
a teacher of British history), I would certainly show this film to my
class. Director Peter Watkins uses
documentary techniques to depict a re-enactment of the last battle on British
soil (1746) to defend the monarchy against Scottish resistance (led by Prince
Charles of the House of Stuart seeking to reclaim the throne currently occupied
by George II of the House of Hannover).
Charles has a ragtag army of Scottish highlanders and other assorted
recruits, many coerced into service, and their organization is chaotic and
their battle strategy non-existent. They
are routed by the superior British forces who then proceed to execute the
wounded, rape the womenfolk in nearby towns and pillage and loot everywhere,
all in the name of ending the resistance.
Some British soldiers admit to feeling queasy about this while others
revel in it. The battle itself is brutal
and gruesome, but brief. Watkins reports
the socioeconomic status of many of the men as well as other details (their experience
and kinship ties, often ties to members of the opposing army) that are germane
to the report. Essentially, this is an
unblinking horror movie about war and its lessons are likely as true today as
they were in 1746. Watkins followed this
up with a depiction of a nuclear attack on London (The War Game, 1965) also in
documentary style and even more merciless.
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