Movie spotlight
The Conqueror Of The Useless
Biography of ski instructor, mountain guide, mountaineer and filmmaker-lecturer Lionel Terray. Film-portrait of an emblematic figure of French mountaineering in the 1950s and 1960s, reconstructing the life, the great races and the expeditions of the "conqueror" of the most difficult walls and summits of Europe, the Himalayas, the Andes and North America. Marcel Ichac produced in 1966, the day after the Gerbier accident, this illustrated tribute by bringing together personal archive documents, unpublished animated sequences or extracts from expedition images as well as comments taken from the autobiographical texts of Lionel Terray " The Conquerors of the Useless" and "Battle for Jannu". This film, presented at the Cannes Film Festival, has won numerous awards at specialized film festivals, including the Trente Festival and the Banff Festival.
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Plot Summary
This documentary offers a stark and unflinching look at the Vietnam War, focusing on the experiences of American soldiers on the ground. It presents raw footage and personal accounts that highlight the brutal realities, moral complexities, and psychological toll of the conflict. The film aims to capture the confusion and hardship faced by those involved in the war, questioning the justifications and outcomes.
Critical Reception
While specific critical reviews from 1966 are scarce for this particular documentary, films of this nature from the era often polarized audiences and critics. They were frequently praised for their gritty realism and courage in depicting the war, but also criticized for their potentially biased perspectives or graphic content. "The Conqueror of the Useless" likely contributed to the growing anti-war sentiment by showcasing the human cost of the conflict.
What Reviewers Say
Features raw and often disturbing footage of combat.
Provides a soldier's-eye view of the Vietnam War's harsh realities.
Aims to challenge conventional narratives surrounding the conflict.
Google audience: Due to the film's age and niche status, specific Google user reviews are not readily available. However, documentaries on the Vietnam War from this period are generally noted for their powerful, albeit sometimes controversial, portrayals of the conflict's impact.
Fun Fact
The documentary reportedly utilized actual combat footage to lend authenticity to its depiction of the war.
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