Robert Person's General Orders No. 9 could be described as a documentary but its Malick-ian style makes it feel more like an epic meditation of the American South. This is a love letter to the South but not in the way you would expect, with General Orders No. 9 examining the history of this region. The past and present are explored as well as the impact civilization has had on the natural landscape of the region in a way that could only be described as hypnotic and engrossing. It's impressive how intimate, yet meticulous General Orders No. 9 is creating this poetic portrait of the Southern region of the United States. The film's main message is definitely a bit pessimistic, as the film laments about the self-destructive path the south is headed, due to growing industrialization. Of course one can't discuss General Orders No. 9 without mentioning the cinematography, which is beautifully captured. The film's juxtaposition of nature's lush, green landscapes with man's banal, gray cityscapes is impeccable, and the true highmark of the film. While General Orders No. 9's style is bound to be called self-indulgent or pretentious by some, and while I would agree that it becomes a little too monotonous, it's by-and-large a fascinating meditation of man and nature's relationship with industry, technology and the passage of time.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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