GALLIPOLI (1981) C widescreen 110m dir: Peter Weir

w/Mark Lee, Bill Kerr, Mel Gibson, Ronnie Graham, Harold Hopkins, Charles Yunupingu, Heath Harris, Gerda Nicolson, Robert Grubb, Tim McKenzie

From The Movie Guide: "Focusing on two fleet-footed young Australians, Peter Weir's extraordinarily moving antiwar film examines the disastrous WWI invasion of Gallipoli by the Australian-New Zealand Army Corps. ...

"Director Weir (PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY) and cinematographer Russell Boyd's recreation of the invasion and battle action is stunning, but what makes GALLIPOLI such an affecting film is its intimate presentation of the friendship between Archy and Frank (wonderfully essayed by Lee and Gibson). Weir uses the first part of the film to establish the vibrant optimism of their lives down under, then he demonstrates how quickly and pointlessly such young lives can be snuffed out.

"Not always easy to watch, GALLIPOLI is both a fitting testimony to the courage of the thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who died fighting for their country and one of the most powerful cinematic examinations of the futility and tragic cost of war."