World of Glory

If I was going to talk about a film shown in class that really, really made an impression on me, it would have to be 'World of Glory' by Roy Andersson. Just that first shot, of the people forced into a truck, comforting each other as they know they will face the inevitable, a slow, agonizing death, naked, everything eeriely quiet, apart from a woman's hysteric screaming...it haunts me to this day, much like the protagonist of the film.

Someone is screaming!

That chilling moment never leaves you. It escalates as the truck doors close. As the engine revs. As the exhaust begins to flow out. As the exhaust is redirected into the truck. As the truck begins to drive in circles, almost in rhythm with the rising screams, which quickly fade back into silence. Even when that scene passes, you can't get over the initial shock. In fact, I wasn't even able to fully concentrate on the rest of it, I was so disturbed. Slowly, as things progressed, I was able to understand what the latter part of the film was, how it coincided with the that opening image, but in the end, the thing that stood out the most was that first glimpse into the film. That glimpse into terror and guilt.
This is definitely something I will watch again, and it will be a whole new experience.
Even so, I will never forget those screams.