Benjamin Britten: Peace and Conflict (2013)
A feature film about Benjamin Britten, released as part of the 100 year celebrations of his birth. Britten is the most performed British composer worldwide. This film premiered at Gresham's School, which he attended, and focuses on how his life-long pacifism influenced his life and music. Written and directed by Tony Britten (In Love With Alama Cogan), narrated by John Hurt and with a superb cast of young people, including many supporting roles taken by students of Gresham's School, the film weaves dramatisation with a documentary narrative.
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Sadly Over-hyped
Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .
Good , But It Is Overrated By Some
It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.
Partly documentary, partly dramatization, this film tells the story about acclaimed musician, composer and director Benjamin Britten, from his younger years at a conservative, yet compared to others, very liberal boarding school where he was very much encouraged to go his own ways. The Gresham school produced many radical students from liberal upbringing, many to become communists. The film is also scattered with excerpts of performances of his music, so this is very much a cross-over production.It's done well by relative Tony Britten, but without doubt the dramatizations are more interesting, where he as young is portrayed very well by Alex Lawther, which later has been receiving acclaim for his role as young Alan Turing in the acclaimed "The imitation game". Narration is distinctively done by John Hurt, and Lawther also reads from his many letters and diary along the way. We'll learn much about his thoughts and believes, from politics, to animal rights and interests.Like most British productions, it's quality all the way through. Very serious in it's approach, many will fall off during the film, if shown on TV, especially for those not so interested in his music, when the small excerpts of music is played. But the film has much also to offer those with political interest.