简介：Farmorethanatraveloguewithprettypictures,thislittle-knownfilmwon6internationalawardsshortlyafteritsrelease.Iranconsistsofspectaculargeographicalandarchaeologicalfootageinterspersedwith"sliceoflife"shots,evidencingbestjuxtapositionaleditingwe'veeverseen.ThisisaburiedmasterpiecefromthedirectorClaudeLelouch.Hereportedlyshot6milesoffootagetomakethisfilm,whichapparentlywassponsoredbyamultinationalpetroleumpipelineconstructionfirm,asagifttotheShah'swife. OneguessesthatinternationaldissatisfactionwiththeexcessesofthePahleviregimenegativelyaffectedthedistributionofthefilm,ashame,becausefewfilmstreatingsimilarthemesareitsequal.ThemusicalscorebyFrancisLaiisapricelesstimepiece,resplendentwithheavyearly-70seuro-popwah-wahguitar.Anintriguing,beautifullycrafted,anddynamicfilm,thisvisualpoemtranscendsthedidactic. Londonwasswinginginthe60sandsowasTeheran,accordingtothisremarkablefilmbyClaudeLelouch.ThecinematographyisdiscussedintheDetails.Welearnnothingoflandreformsandotherreforms.Thefocusisonculture:heritage,modernityandWesternization.Pastandpresentmeet:veilsandminiskirts,camelsandhelicopters,remainsofancientPersia,thehighlightsofIslamicartandtheoilfields.TheShahlooksgoodinwhiteandFarahDibaisseenintheFarahDibahairstyle.Thischarmingcoupledidn'tcopyEuropanroyalty,ratherappearedasanEasternequivalenttoMr.andMrs.JohnF.Kennedy:PaxAmericanahadsucceededRuleBritannia. ThePahlevidynastywasayoungone,butheretheShahisdepictedasthemodernlinkinanoldtradition.Manyemperorshaveusedthistricktoestablishadynasty,oratleasttheirownposition.BythistimethepictureofIranwaschanging.Therewasmoretalkofpoliticalrefugeesthanofhairstyles.Someyearspassed.CamethetheIslamicrevolution,andWesternizationwasbanned.Verysoonitwasaboutgoodorevil,blackorwhite.Thisfilmhasthequalityofbeingbothentertainingandevokingthebigquestionofourtime.…