MovieChat Forums > Cross of Iron (1977) Discussion > Lense Cover

Lense Cover

posted 13 years ago by I_hatenazis
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The opening trailer was phenomenal, every great movie has to 'take you there' meaning it has to make you believe you are in a different time and/or place. In this movie I believe we are seeing the German army on the eastern front in 1943, the mood is set perfectly.

However, it bothered me that that Capt Kiesel at headquarters was looking into a optical device that obviously had a lense covering. This was when they were trying to contact Steiner on the radio.

Later on I also liked James Mason's quote 'at once this was a new adventure but now I believe that this land will swallow us up.' The opening sequence was Russia in Spring, the last scene might as well have been filmed on the moon. The landscape got progressively more bleak. I believe that Peckhpinah did this on purpose. I got this sense of isolation first when Steiners squad is holed up in the factory and you here these echoey Russain voices. I also liked the musical score when they are crawling accross the wheat field on their way back.

I simply love this movie.

[–] Björn-5 13 years ago

I cannot be bothered with digging up that scene right now, but are you sure that the lens covers aren't slitted? Slitted covers were used to minimize reflection, and thus drawing unwanted attention to the observer.