In "The Desert of the Tartars", it is 1907 and recently graduated Lieutenant Drogo(Jacques Perrin) has been assigned to Fort Bastiano, on the edge of the empire on the boundary with the Northern Kingdom. The fort is in the middle of a desert and days away from civilization. After a few months, Drogo has had enough
and attempts to use a loophole to effect a transfer. "The Desert of the Tartars" is a meditative and beautiful movie that provides keen insight into the military mentality by showing what happens when a soldier is trained for combat, but there is none to be had.(I can think of much worse things that could happen.) Basically, it involves a disciplined routine that includes constant training and preparations. And on that note, I will be on vacation starting tomorrow, and returning to these pages on Monday, March 26.
November 5, 2010
