For independent filmmaker Charles Burnett, making a film like Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation must have been a tremendous task that he wasn't used to as a director. The movie is just around 2 1/2 hours, filled with many intense battle scenes and a storyline that spans over 4 decades. And unlike Killer of Sheep, a story that had its origins from the post-Watts riots era but was about a fictional family, Burnett's latest film is a study in both artifice and reality. Not only did Burnett create a very believable Namibia, a country that actually underwent oppression and eventual liberation from South Africa and German occupation, but the film also follows the true life of Sam Nujoma, who fought for independence his whole life and eventually became Namibia's first president.
Burnett makes full use of the relationship between artifice and realism when dramatizing this film. The musical score is used very conventionally as a means to punctuate the suspense or drama unfolding; the type of scoring you would see in a regular studio film. Settings look completely authentic, granted most of the scenes were shot on location where these events actually unfolded in Namibia. The cinematography is well done, especially the opening shot of a young Sam walking through the desert. Many props go to the acting of Carl Lumbly, who passionately plays the older Sam and also to Danny Glover who plays Father Elias. Burnett also goes great lengths to create some very realistic battle scenes that could compete with anything Michael Bay does, with a 1/4 of the budget most likely. These gory battles, scenes of gruesome torture and another scene where Namibian children are kicking a German's head around like a soccer-ball all add effective, harrowing realism to the story of this war-torn country. Add to the fact that Burnett used mostly African non-actors and even included some actual footage of Namibia after liberation and we have a film that is just as special as Killer of Sheep; skillfully made with the illusion that is film making, but also comes off as very realistic and genuine.
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Brian,
Glad you made it to this screening; what a treat to have him here, too!
Yes, how can one really compare such an epic to "Killer of Sheep"? I do think that the connections you made were valid, but I would suggest that you try to focus on one particular relationship between the two works and offer examples from both to support your analysis.
Your summarization of "Namibia" clearly shows that you were engaged with the film, and you point to this relationship between the "real" and the "artificial" which Burnett explores in either of the works discussed.
R. Nugent
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