Z (1969)

 Costa-Gavras's "Z"

Despite Costa-Gavras's 1969 political thriller "Z" directly referencing events that occurred in Greece in 1963, the film also somehow manages to illustrate the broader reality of post-war global politics. The film represented a growing trend in cinema that would reflect the more politically-minded films of the 1970s, thus bringing the metatextual New Wave-esque styles of the 60s to a close. "Z"'s influence in the genre of political thriller is unparalleled and put director Costa-Gavras on the cinematic map.

The plot of the films centers on the investigation into the attack on political candidate. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the state apparatus hired assassins. As Costa-Gavras moves through the story, the intricate layers of corruption and convolution are revealed. 

To me, "Z" has the intrigue and engagement to be considered a modern classic in cinema. It's a film that completely sucks you in to its ever-evolving story. Its intricate ensemble demonstrates the ways in which every act and decision has numerous social and political effects. 

Beyond its entertainment value, I found the layout and greater thematic points of "Z" to be reflective of the post-war political climate around the globe, which is still the format of modern politics today. It dissects the intricacies of modern power and how that power is utilized throughout society, even down to the most minute person or circumstance. Power has reached untouchable levels of systematic oppression and any attempt to combat it, as the epilogue of the film shows, becomes ever-increasingly a moot point.

I consider "Z" to be one of the greatest films of the 1960s, as well as a harbinger of the changing style and format of cinema as it evolved into the 1970s. To me, "Z" feels so much more like a contemporary film that anything that was coming out the time. It continues to influence cinema to this day.