The Killing Fields

Much has been said of this brutal look at the Khmer Rouge and their actions during the war in Cambodia and I can't say as I have much to add other than it should be required viewing for anybody attending journalism school. Despite the gruesome subject matter THE KILLING FIELDS still manages to be a film about hope and Dr. Haing S. Ngor well desrved his Oscar for his work here never mind what John Malkovich jokingly had to say about it. The biggest surprise here for me on a recent viewing was seeing a young Sam Waterston. I think we are all so damned used to seeing him on the various LAW & ORDER series we sometimes forget the man was one an A-List Hollywood star and he sure as hell earned his peanuts in this one. A powerful and harrowing piece of work to say the least but still, like many of the great war movies, necessary to be seen so we don't forget as we so often do.