Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The chronicle of the political tension in Chile in 1973 and of the violent counter revolution against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende.
Patricio Guzmán's on-the-ground documentary is one of the most extraordinary pieces of direct cinema ever captured, filming the collapse of Chilean democracy in real time with astonishing access and courage. The cinematography is visceral and historically priceless — including the moment a cameraman films his own death. The narrative structure is gripping despite (or because of) having no scripted plot. Novelty is exceptional: no film quite matches the immediacy and political urgency of this footage. The ending, cutting off mid-crisis ahead of Part II, is dramatically and historically resonant. Acting is not formally applicable but participants' raw authenticity on all sides is compelling; rated 3 as the weakest category since it is not a traditional performance-based criterion.