Woodyanders Review of Voice of the Moon

Voice of the Moon (1990)

An offbeat and haunting documentary about the 1989 Russian invasion of Afghanistan

[8/10 · 28 February 2007]

Richard Stanley's strange and experimental 32-minute avant garde documentary about the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent formation of the Taliban eschews standard narration in favor of simply presenting the events with a series of oddly lovely and often startling images. Immo Horn's dazzling cinematography offers a wondrous wealth of breathtaking visuals: a white crescent moon in the clear night sky, a bright orange sunset, soldiers fishing in a sparkling blue river, extraordinary sweeping shots of mountainous vistas, armed soldiers marching across the parched desert, soldiers stockpiling weapons, guns, tanks and cannons being fired, and the ruined flaming wreck of a destroyed tank all possess a strong and arresting cumulative power that's impossible to shake. Simon Boswell's beautifully haunting and moody score likewise impresses as well. Essentially a quirky and coolly meditative visual tone poem (in fact, a Surfi poem serves as the sole bit of narration in the entire picture), this singular documentary makes for a very powerful viewing experience.