With all the talk of awards season and the prestige dramas coming to the fall box office, there’s been a lot of talk about “The Irishman,” “The Laundromat,” “Hustlers,” and others. But one film that we don’t really know a lot about, but is surely going to be featured in the discussion come Oscars time is Sam Mendes’ war film “1917.” And thanks to a new featurette, it’s not just the acting and plot of the film that is going to grab audiences’ attention. No, what is probably going to get people in the theaters is the way in which Mendes is delivering the story, with what some might consider a monumental task — the one-shot war film.
As detailed in the new “1917” behind-the-scenes featurette, the filmmaker explains how the story he wants to tell, about soldiers in World War I necessitated a special type of filmmaking, a real-time strategy. This realization led to Mendes to explain, “There’s no better way to tell this story than with one continuous shot.”
The video also features actors and producers detailing how the one-shot aspect of “1917” lends itself to an immersive experience that you don’t normally get in a war film. And the man who is probably flexing his creative muscles more than anyone, besides Mendes, is cinematographer Roger Deakins, who also discusses the process of filming the project. Obviously, if you want to make a war film that is told in real-time and in one shot, you have to hire the best of the best, and Deakins is the best.
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“1917” tells the story of two British soldiers that have to go behind enemy lines to deliver a message that could save hundreds of lives. As is explained, the film gives the audience the feeling of urgency by never leaving the two characters, as the camera is constantly showcasing their experiences during the battle.
The film stars George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Needless to say, if you’re a fan of films and of filmmakers taking bold chances, then “1917” is likely going to be a must-see movie when it arrives in theaters on December 25.