Ogro

Everybody knows "La battaglia di Algeri" by Gillo Pontecorvo, I believe, but this is as good film, but much less known from the same director. At the same time exciting and has profound importance making you ponder history and its continuity. This is a sore point of Spain just like the first mentioned is of Algeria and France. Highly recommended!!

ETA’s assassination of Admiral Carrerro Blanco was probably the most far-reaching event of the post-war years in Spain, since Franco counted on him as the guarantor of the nationalist dictatorship.The film meticulously shows how a small band of urban terrorists from ETA plot, plan and carry out the murder on 20th September 1973. This helped end fascist dictatorship in Spain. Gillo Pontecorvo was a Marxist and ETA had Marxist leanings.Pontecorvo an Italian loved the neo-realist school of directing, shown to best effect in The Battle of Algiers. Like that film,this film has a realistic, semi-documentary feel to it, although its in colour. The Basque terrorist group aware they can’t kidnap him due to bodyguards, decide they can blow him up.They have to carefully avoid being seen together as a group.To achieve this the ETA cell tunnel under a road and plant enough explosives to blow the target's car clear over the buildings in the street. This results in an absolutely mind- blowing and spectacular cinema set-piece. The events that lead to the super explosion are brilliantly crafted with edge-of-your-seat suspense. The film has a quality of acting,directing, pacing-with in-between time lapses between episodes- that impeccably rivets your attention. We are engrossed by the life of the characters. There is true emotion between the cast, which involves women. Starring former Italian Communist Party member Gian Maria Volontè,Operación Ogro is a Spanish, French and Italian co production with an Italian, Gillo Pontecorvo, at the helm. English/Italian subtitles. If you like European political thrillers like Z or Army of Shadows, then this is for you.