The Gospel According to St Matthew

Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1964
A marvellous film, a strong one through its simplicity
quite high contrasts
mix of close ups (many, many of these, referencing Dreyer) and master shots
the huge number of close ups could cause spatial problems, but cuts to masters
means actually rather short takes
the close ups have no consistent lighting aesthetic, through hard frontlighting is rare
underemoting gives an almost Bressonian simplicity to scenes
The louder sermons are usually not seen from the Christ's face
as with the very straightforward telling, running through events
this means the simlicity is able to build up, to have a dignity
the taking away of the Christ from the audience near the end adds to this feeling of distance
all adds up to a feeling of an outsider, a mass movement
some of the master shots reminded more than anything of 'The Battle Of Algiers'
of course one knows the story, the use of anticipation, constantly reading against the conclusion, gives the narrative drive of injustice additional force
this is crossed with the present by abovementioned simplicity, and by the use of the modern music (repeated), which makes it a political tale of our times
at once immanenet/ materialist and transcendent, a master work of the committed cinema