Light House Film Club

Director: Marek Losey

Cert: 15

Time: 1hr 22mins

A story set in a bird hide on a bleak stretch of Sussex coast line would, you might think, be the last place to stage a tense drama. Yet just like the characters in this film, you should never judge things at face value.

Roy, brilliantly played by Alex McQueen (In the Loop) is in every sense the stereotypical nerd. Needing only one more bird to complete the British List he settles down in the hide and prepares for a long stint ahead. His solitude however is soon shattered by the arrival of Dave, a suspicious fugitive whose appearance brings out the worst in Roy. Seemingly at opposite ends of the social spectrum the men soon find that they have more in common than first thought and as more information comes to light it leads to a dramatic and wholly unexpected climax.

Marek Losey’s unnerving yet clever film is at times funny, at times tense but overwhelmingly claustrophobic a feel which is heightened by the use of a sepia tinted film, the bleak surroundings and numerous close ups. Well worth seeing.

Rating: 4/5

Patrons: 3

CA

Director: Andrezj Wajda

Cert: 15

Time: 2hrs 2mins (Polish with subtitles)

Based on the novel Post Mortem, Katyn is the name of the forest where, during a three day period in 1940, the Soviet Army massacred 15,000 Polish officers and professionals. Stalin’s purpose was to destroy elements of the population who would be resistant to Soviet control following the war.

Andrezj Wajda’s film pulls no punches in depicting the ruthless efficiency with which the Soviets murdered their foe and, no less significantly, the impact that this had on loved ones back home. It also explores the lengths to which the Soviets went to conceal the truth one which remained clouded by suspicion until, half a century later, President Gorbachov finally admitted his nation’s culpability.

Harrowing and unremittingly bleak though it may be, Katyn offers a powerful portrayal of callous disregard for human life.  So much so that as the credits rolled, all those who watched it remained wedded to their seats, speechless and unable to move.   

Rating: 4/5

Patrons: 9

CA