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Licensor Information
Casbah Films
Directed by: Gillo Pontecorvo
Featuring: Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Samia Kerbash, Fusia El Kader, Ugo Paletti, Mohamed Ben Kassen
One of the most influential political films in history, The Battle of Algiers, by Gillo Pontecorvo, vividly re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents. Shot on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them. Pontecorvo’s tour de force has astonishing relevance today.
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Technical Specifications
Format:
DVD
Discs:
DVD-9 (3 Discs)
Total: 3 Discs
Regions:
1/2/3/4/5/6 (DVD)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1
Audio Options:
French Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Resolution:
480p/29.97
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Documentary, Interview, Documentary Excerpt, Gallery, Theatrical Trailer, Booklet
- Gillo Pontecorvo: The Dictatorship of Truth, a documentary narrated by literary critic Edward Said
- Marxist Poetry: The Making of “The Battle of Algiers,” a documentary featuring interviews with Gillo Pontecorvo, Marcello Gatti, composer Ennio Morricone, and others
- Interviews with Spike Lee, Mira Nair, Julian Schnabel, Steven Soderbergh, and Oliver Stone on the film’s influence, style, and importance
- Remembering History, a documentary reconstructing the Algerian experience of the battle for independence
- “États d’armes,” a documentary excerpt featuring senior French military officers recalling the use of torture and execution to combat the Algerian rebellion
- "The Battle of Algiers”: A Case Study, a video piece featuring U.S. counterterrorism experts
- Gillo Pontecorvo’s Return to Algiers, a documentary in which the filmmaker revisits the country after three decades of independence
- Production gallery
- Theatrical and rerelease trailers
- Booklet
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Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Kim Hendrickson
Artwork: Neil Kellerhouse
Producer: Abbey Lustgarten
Release Notes on Restoration
The Battle of Algiers
The Battle of Algiers is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a C-Reality from a 35mm fine-grain master positive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from a 35mm optical track print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to set their surround systems to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.
The 1999 film restoration of The Battle of Algiers was undertaken at Cinecitta as part of the Adopt a Film: 100 Films Worth Saving project, promoted by the Council of Ministry and funded by contributions from the cities of Salerno and Montemurlo, Italy. The work was supervised by Carlo Cotta and approved by director Gillo Pontecorvo and director of photography Gatti.
The 1999 film restoration of The Battle of Algiers was undertaken at Cinecitta as part of the Adopt a Film: 100 Films Worth Saving project, promoted by the Council of Ministry and funded by contributions from the cities of Salerno and Montemurlo, Italy. The work was supervised by Carlo Cotta and approved by director Gillo Pontecorvo and director of photography Gatti.