1917 director, Sam Mendes, shows why 1917 is said to be the greatest movie of the year. 1917 has won a Golden Globe for best picture, which came well deserved. Mendes has directed in many great films; his most notable being Spectre and Skyfall, which are his two Bond films. In the most recent Spectre film, he uses a “one-take” form, this is where the cast has to make the scene in one shot. This form of cinematography is made by taking one shot in ten minute interval scenes, then putting them together to make the entire movie look like it was done in one-take.
The movie itself was a masterpiece and was based on a true story. During World War I, two British soldiers named Lance Corporal Schofield (George Mackay) and Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), receive orders to deliver a message that could possibly save over 1,600 of their comrades including Blake’s brother. The movie guides the audience in depth of what it felt like to be part of World War I as the director takes you on a thrilling ride through the trenches of World War I, the setting of Germany and what it took to be a soldier. Mendes films the movie in such a way that you have to hold your breath and watch in awe as these soldiers risk their lives in order to save thousands.
One of the most pivotal scenes in the movie is George Mackays (Lance Corporal Schofield) huge run across the battlefield. When watching this scene your breath is taken when watching as he falls, stumbles and keeps running, even while there are bullets flying at him and there are explosives all around. In a later interview, Mackay looks back at his run and he then admits that his falling in that scene was a mistake and not scripted. Although, that scene made it to the film due to the fact that it added a lot of drama to the piece.
