The Killing Fields (1984)

Sydney Schanberg is a New York Times journalist covering the civil war in Cambodia. Together with local representative Dith Pran, they cover some of the tragedy and madness of the war. When the American forces leave, Dith Pran sends his family with them, but stays behind himself to help Schanberg cover the event. As an American, Schanberg won't have any trouble leaving the country, but the situation is different for Pran; he's a local, and the Khmer Rouge are moving in.

I saw this film a while back and just saw it again on TV. If you are interested in seeing a great, tense drama this is a good start. Honest and unapologetic directing from Roland Joffe and fine performances from Sam Waterston & John Malkovich (plus nicely played small parts by Craig T. Nelson & Spalding Gray.) Above all of them, however, is Haing S. Ngor as Dith Pran, the Cambodian journalist assisting the New York Times reporter played by Waterston during the conflicts in Cambodia around the time of the Vietnam war. This was Ngor's first film and had no previous acting experience. Quite a performance from Ngor, earning a well deserved Academy Award. Interesting note, Ngor himself led a very similar life to his character. Wonderfully touching film, you should see it.

Audio Commentary with Director Roland Joffé: Joffé speaks continuously throughout the film's running time, and he is full of useful information and insights. He discusses the origin of the project, the casting of the two leads and the extensive research that he undertook personally. (He discovered, when he was finally able to visit Phnom Penh some years after making the film, that he could navigate the city in the dark, because he had mapped it so thoroughly in his imagination.) Joffé also breaks down the complex logistics of several key sequences and discusses the film's themes and plot elements in depth.

Extras:
- "The Making of The Killing Fields" (54:07)
- Exclusive Interview with David Puttnam (48:18)