The documentary- political discourse brings an unbiased view of the Independence struggle in colonial Algeria. The streets are smouldering from flames and gun fire. The native population are in open revolt and the French colonial rulers are brutally suppressing this uprising. Tit for tat political and terrorist action spin events out of control. Using real locations and non professional actors, Battle of Algiers is possibly the most significant film of the documentary genre.

Millions of words have been written about this film. Thousands of writers have written books, academic papers and theoretical studies. Hundreds of essays set at university, colleges and many online forums. There have even been documentary films about this that are rich explorations of it. These are all often far more potent and pertinent then my words could be to describe BOA skill, politics and production history. To suggest otherwise is foolish.  However you might like to know about the disc that is an addition some 6 different releases in that last 20 years. Well then this is my chance to shine, so to speak and also my chance to point to those great additional pieces.

The 4K transfer might not be to everyones liking. Why do I say this? Well some of the grain from the DVD release, the atmosphere if you will, has gone. It does however look like it would projected on 35mm (I was lucky enough to see this for a film degree course no less…at the BFI cinema screens). This comes alive in the riot scenes and in that amazing day of death sequence. It also allows the Casbah to have depth in those blacks and whites. Shadow and shade and after finishing the other great Casbah film PEPE LE MOKO (this also needs a 4K restoration) it brings mise en scene to a world rich in it. Greengrass documentary is imaginative and casually insightful. Loach gives us a pondering question that lingers and the two interviews with the leaders of the groups is a high point. Its worth your money…and mine..

SPECIAL FEATURES –

EXCLUSIVE PRESENTATION & INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR KEN LOACH

EXCLUSIVE PRESENTATION BY DIRECTOR PAUL GREENGRASS (Bourne films) `BOA IS THE FILM THAT S INFLUENCED ME MORE THAN ANY OTHER..`

P Greengrass – THE MAKING OF THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS An exclusive interview with Director Gillo Pontecorvo

THE REAL BATTLE OF ALGIERS Interview with Producer & protagonist SAADI YACEF, head of FLN guerrillas –

OUR WAR FOR FREEDOM Interview with FLN fighter ZOHRA DRIF BITAT (the Milk Bar bomber portrayed in the film)

PHOTO GALLERIES From filmmaker`s personal archives – FILM TRAILERS Theatrical and Argent Trailer –

BOOKLET `ITALIANS IN ALGIERS` An essay by author-scholar David Forgacs, Professor at NYU, on the remarkable genesis of the film and how it was shaped by both the award winning Italian filmmakers and its ex-guerrilla Algerian producer, whose memoir the film is based on