War movies are a genre of movie that involves warfare, sea, air or land combat, with battle scenes. It is a movie genre related to the history of the 20th century. A number of war movies have been produced since the early 1900s and some are masterpieces and must see movie.
The eventful nature of the fight scenes suggests that war movies usually end with a final battle. Themes chronicled in war movies include retreat, battle and survival, friendship between soldiers, sacrifice, the futility and inhumanity of war, the effects of war on culture, and human and ethical concerns about war.
War movies are usually classified according to their setting and conflict; one of the most frequent topics is the Second World War. War movies can be fiction, historical dramas or less frequently biopics. There are a number of similarities between the western movie and the war movie.
Countries such as China, Indonesia, Japan and Russia have their own war movie productions, frequently focusing on the war of independence but exploring different genres, from action and historical drama to romantic wartime movie.
The sub-genres consist of anti-war movies, propaganda movies, docudramas and comedies. There are similarly sub-genres of the battle movie in particular locations such as the Western Desert of North Africa and the Pacific in WWII, Vietnam or the Soviet-Afghan War; and even movies set in certain warfare departments, such as infantry, aircraft, submarines or prison camps.
Director Samuel Fuller defined the category by stating that “the goal of a war movie, no matter how individual or psychological, is to make the audience really feel war.” War movie doesn’t have the official limits of a genre like western, but they deal with contemporary battles, especially WWII.
There are some similarities between the war movie category and the western one. War movies typically show World War II as a dispute between “good” and “bad” as advocated by Allied pressure and Nazi Germany, while the Western depicts the issue between the Western and indigenous population.
The Fugitive (1910)
It’s a short movie directed by DW Griffith. The script was by John MacDonagh, who would later fight in the Easter Rising under the command of his brother, Thomas MacDonagh, among 7 notaries of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, which would be carried out by the British plus 15 various other leaders after the Revolt.
The Battle and Fall of Przemysl (1915)
It’s a war movie documentary movieed on the Eastern Front by the Central Powers’ leading battle photographer, Albert K. Dawson. Its 4 reels illustrate the Siege of Przemyśl, fearful for the Austrians, with cases reenacted using soldiers as witnesses.
The Grand Illusion (1937)
It is a French movie directed by Jean Renoir in 1937. To determine the impact of this Artwork by Jean Renoir on French WW1 POWs and also their German captors, it is worth considering that he actually did not want to that it was seen.
Joseph Goebbels despised it, especially the way his criticisms of WW1 reflected severely on Germany starting WW2, proclaim the movie “cinematic public enemy No. 1”.
It wasn’t just Germany that found the movie problematic. Re-released in France in 1946, the movie actually didn’t please many French critics, due to its depiction of connections between German and French policemen and its pacifist perspective. Years later, the high quality put into the movie surpasses these political ideas.
Renoir fills La Grand Illusion with hopeful messages that normal humanity can overcome nationalism, but also a sense that war can be training in achieving true ethics. It is a sensational expression of humanism.
Chocolate and Soldiers (1938)
It’s a Japanese movie directed by Sato Takeshi. It reveals the typical Japanese soldier as a private soldier and as a married man, while also presenting the opposing Chinese soldiers as brave people. It is thought to be a “humanist” movie, paying close attention to the human feelings of both the soldier and his family.
A family man is called and sent to the front. He communicates with his family by writing letters: they consist of chocolate wrappers collected by his friends; his son is collecting wrappers to redeem a totally free box of chocolates. The man volunteers for a brave act, signing up for a suicide squad.
Before leaving, he toasts from a cup offered to him by his son and, as happens in other “humanist” movies, smiles to show his goal to die with his friends. The boy receives the news of his father’s death at the same time as the complimentary chocolates. Swear vengeance; the chocolate business provides him with a scholarship.
American director Frank Capra said of Chocolate and Soldiers “We can’t beat this example. Maybe in a year we’ll make such a movie. We don’t have the actors”. Chocolate and Soldiers offers a propaganda view of the noble and loyal Japanese military fighting to safeguard the emperor and Japan, and was aimed at the nation’s audience.
Alexander Nevsky (1938)
It is a 1938 Soviet war drama and historical movie directed by Sergey Eisenstein. It portrays the attempted intrusion of Novgorod in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights of the Holy Roman Empire and their defeat by Prince Alexander, known as Alexander Nevsky.
Eisenstein made the movie in association with Dmitri Vasilyev and with a screenplay co-written with Pyotr Pavlenko; the two were brought in to ensure Eisenstein did not get lost in “formalism” and to assist in movieing.
It was produced by Goskino under the Mosmovie production system, with Nikolai Cherkasov in the title role and a musical arrangement by Sergei Prokofiev. Alexander Nevsky was the first and most popular of Eisenstein’s 3 sound movies. Eisenstein, Pavlenko, Cherkasov and Abrikosov were awarded the 1941 Stalin Prize for the movie.
In 1978, the movie was among the 100 most beautiful movies in the world according to an opinion poll conducted by the Italian publishing house Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. Alexander Nevsky is less experimental in its narrative structure than Eisenstein’s previous movies; tells a story with a single story arc and focuses on a main character. The special effects and cinematography were among the most sophisticated at the time.
The movie climaxes in the half hour of Prokofiev’s rousing and victorious Battle of the Ice, a scene that has effectively served as a model for impressive cinematic fights ever since.
This climactic piece was the first to be recorded, and considering it was shot during a scorching summer location outside of Moscow, cinematographer Eduard Tisse had to take extraordinary actions to render a winter landscape, including: use of a filter to create the light of the winter season, painting all the trees blue and covering them with plaster, producing an artificial horizon with sand, and building simulated ice sheets with asphalt and molten glass.
The Lion Has Wings (1939)
It is a 1939 British, black and white, documentary-style war propaganda movie which was directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst, Alexander Korda and also Michael Powell. It was made at the outbreak of WWII and was released in cinemas very quickly. It was all done in 12 days and finished in about 4 weeks, at a cost of just ₤30,000, an extraordinary achievement for those times.
Within days of its launch, copies had actually been delivered to 60 nations. Its real effect on audiences is difficult to establish, The Lion Has Wings was seen as a substantial variable in encouraging the UK government to allow the movie market to continue functioning, and the movie was also seen as validating how moviemakers could making war movies successfully.
The Great Dictator (1940)
It’s a black comedy 1940s American antiwar political satire Charlie Chaplin, following the style of many of his other movies. Having effectively been the only director in Hollywood to continue making silent movies for the duration of sound movies, Chaplin made this his first true sound movie.
Chaplin’s movie tells with ferocious satire, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, fascism, anti-Semitism and the Nazis. At the time of its first release, the United States was still officially at peace with Nazi Germany and neutral during what were the early days of World War II. Chaplin plays both lead roles: an insensitive fascist totalitarian and an abused Jewish barber.
The Great Dictator was a major commercial success for Chaplin. Modern critics have applauded it as a considerable movie, among the best funny movies ever made and an essential work of satire. Chaplin’s climactic monologue has often been referred to by critics, historians and movie enthusiasts as perhaps the best monologue in the history of cinema, and possibly the most moving of the 20th century.
The Great Dictator was nominated for 5 Academy Awards: Best Production, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Jack Oakie and Best Original Music.
Moscow Strikes Back (1941)
It is a Soviet war documentary on the battle of Moscow made during the fighting between October 1941 and January 1942, directed by Ilya Kopalin and Leonid Varlamov. It was among the 4 movies that won an Academy Award in 1942 for best documentary.
The movie begins in Moscow, with civilians preparing defenses in their streets. Man in civilian clothes with rifles prepares to fight. The women prepare shell casings and hand grenades. Stalin gives a combat speech in Red Square in front of countless paraded Red Army soldiers in greatcoats, ushankas and fixed bayonets. Men, trucks, tanks and weapons advance into combat.
The anti-aircraft guns shoot into the night sky, crossed by the beams of the searchlights. A crashed German bomber is seen in the foreground. Russian fighters and bombers are being prepared and equipped.
Russian front-line cameramen made a movie that will remain in the archives of our time. Moscow Strikes Back is not a movie to be explained in normal cinematic terms, as these events were not staged but recorded on movie in the midst of a battle.
49th Parallel (1941)
It is a Canadian and British war drama movie from 1941. It was the third movie made by the British movie group of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The UK Information Ministry approached Michael Powell about making a propaganda movie for them, recommending that he make “a movie about demining”.
Rather, Powell chose to make a movie to help view influence in the then-neutral United States. Said Powell, “I was hoping it might scare the hell out of the Americans” and thus drive them into war.
movie writer Emeric Pressburger said, “Goebbels considered himself a propaganda professional, but I thought I was going to teach him something or more.” Powell encouraged the Canadian and British federal governments and began movieing in 1940, however when the movie appeared in March 1942, the United States, which had actually been trying to avoid war in Europe, had actually been pressured into taking sides against the Germany.
Critical evaluations of 49th Parallel were generally positive. Engaging action, exceptional actors – every part, down to the last detail, is superbly performed.
Sergeant York (1941)
An American war movie from 1941, made as a biopic by the director Howard Hawks on the character of Alvin York (Gary Cooper). The story follows the main character’s evolution from a Tennessee backwoods hellhole to a selfless warrior happy to put the good of others before his own. Along the way, York struggles first with his anger, then with his faith.
The movie’s version of the Army, portrayed as a caring institution deeply concerned with the joy and health of its soldiers and also happy to allow time for reflection to those who question the rightness of its goal, is pure fiction. , yet Cooper’s acting, Hawks’ directing genuineness and mastery of the transformative tale make it a representation of one man’s ethical progress.
Why We Fight (1942)
It’s a collection of 7 propaganda movies made by the United States War Department from 1942 to 1945, during World War II. It was originally written for American soldiers to help them understand why the United States had entered the war, however US President Franklin Roosevelt obtained the movie for public release.
After World War I, giving speeches to soldiers and the United States public was no longer reliable. The movie ended up being the tool to encourage the soldiers and citizens of the United States as to why war was essential. movie was a huge effort to influence viewpoint in the US military, and it was chosen as a medium of communication because it integrated vision and hearing, which gave it an advantage over radio or print.
Frank Capra, who had no documentary experience, was cast for his dedication to American ideals and the appeal of some of his early feature movies. He was believed to understand the body and soul of the American public.
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
It is a epic movie 1943 American war Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Akim Tamiroff, Katina Paxinou and Joseph Calleia. Screenwriter Dudley Nichols based his screen story on the 1940 book For Whom the Bell Tolls by American author Ernest Hemingway.
The movie deals with a volunteer of the American international brigades, Robert Jordan (Cooper), who is facing the Spanish civil war against the fascists. During his desperate goal to blow up a vital bridge to safeguard Republican pressure, Jordan falls in love with a guerrilla girl (Bergman). The movie was a major commercial success and ranks among the top 100 most profitable movies at the US box office.
Rome, Open City (1945)
It is a 1945 Italian neorealist war drama movie directed by Roberto Rossellini and co-written by Sergio Amidei, Celeste Negarville and Federico Fellini. The movie tells a diverse group of characters during the Nazi occupation of Rome, and a man of the Resistance who attempts to escape the city with the help of a Catholic priest.
The title describes Rome being proclaimed an open city after August 14 1943. Creates the first movie of Rosselini’s “Neorealist Trilogy”, followed by Paisa’ (1946) and Germany, Year Zero (1948).
The movie is considered one of the most representative and vital works of Italian neorealism, as well as an essential turning point for world cinema in general. It won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 1946 Cannes movie Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It introduced the director Rosselini, the screenwriter Fellini and the actress Anna Magnani to the global limelight.
The movie was a box office failure and became much more prominent as it became popular in various other nations and as time went on. It is the best prototype of Neorealism, whose essential interpretation was provided by André Bazin, the French critic and founder of the Cahiers du Cinemas.
The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
It is a documentary directed by John Huston concerning the battle of San Pietro Infine, 97 kilometers from Naples, during the Second World War.
It was launched in the United States in 1945, but previously shown to US soldiers. Huston and his team, which included British movie writer and screenwriter Eric Ambler, were assigned to the 143rd Regiment, 36th Division of the US Army.
Unlike many other military documentaries, Houston’s cameramen were reported to have shot alongside soldiers as they fought their way to St. Peter’s.
They Were Expendable (1945)
It is a 1945 American war movie directed by John Ford, with Robert Montgomery and John Wayne. The movie is based on William Lindsay White’s 1942 book of the same name, which relates the story of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three safeguarding the Philippines against Japanese intrusion during the Battle of the Philippines in World War II.
Although a work of fiction, the story was based on real people and events. The characters of John Brickley (Montgomery) and Rusty Ryan (Wayne) are reimaginings of Medal of Honor-winning Army leader John D. Bulkeley and his executive officer Robert Kelly. Both the book and movie illustrate combat-related events thought to have occurred during the battle, along with fictional ones. The movie is known for its verisimilitude in its depiction of battle at sea.
Paisan (1946)
The first episode, set in Rome, tells the story of a group of American soldiers who liberate the city from the Germans. The second episode, set in Naples, tells the story of a group of partisans who organize an uprising against the Germans.
The third episode, set in the mountains of the Apennines, tells the story of a group of partisans who fight the Germans. The fourth episode, set in Sicily, tells the story of a group of German soldiers in retreat who are attacked by partisans.
The fifth episode, set in Florence, tells the story of a group of American soldiers who liberate the city from the Germans. The sixth episode, set in a small town in Tuscany, tells the story of a group of partisans who celebrate the end of the war.
Germany, Year Zero (1948)
It is a 1948 movie directed by Roberto Rossellini, and it is also the last movie in Rossellini’s war movie trilogy, which follows Rome , Open City and Paisà. Germany Year Zero is set in Allied-occupied Germany, unlike the others, which take place in German-occupied Rome and during the Allied invasion of Italy.
As in many neorealist movies, Rossellini mainly used non-professional local actors. movieed in Berlin the year after its almost complete devastation in World War II. It consists of meaningful images of destroyed Berlin and the human struggle for survival in the devastation of Nazi Germany. Numerous movie critics who had previously praised Rossellini condemned the movie for being impractical and even theatrical.
An avant-garde movie, defined by Charlie Chaplin as the most beautiful Italian movie he had ever seen, it is a type of cinematographic production very far from the aesthetic canons of Hollywood. Rossellini said it was not feasible to get even more negative reviews for a movie than Germany Year Zero.
The Steel Helmet (1951)
It is a 1951 American battle movie directed, created and produced by Samuel Fuller during the Korean War. The actors are played by Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards and also Richard Loo. It was the first American movie about the Korean War, as well as the first of several of Fuller’s war movies.
It’s a low-budget movie shot in an extremely short time, with some notable takeaways. The movie avoids war clichés and shows something similar to the realities of the Korean War. The story is dark and hard-hitting and is told well, with Gene Evans playing the sergeant, a WWII vet, a tough man with a vested interest in surviving, and hardened by war experience.
Robert Hutton, conscientious objector in the last war, now happy to fight against communism; Steve Brodie, Lieutenant; James Edwards, the black doctor, and Richard Loo, a brave Nisei, are the other protagonists who contribute to the harsh realism of this work. Samuel Fuller directs so masterfully that the viewer’s attention is held in a vice from beginning to end.
The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
It is a 1951 American battle movie made by MGM. Directed by John Huston, it was produced by Gottfried Reinhardt with Dore Schary as executive producer. The movie’s screenplay is by John Huston, adapted by Albert Band from the 1895 book of the same name by Stephen Crane. The cinematography is by Harold Rosson, and the songs by Bronislau Kaper.
Director John Huston used unusual settings and camera angles from the noir film to create a battlefield setting. When the studio cut the movie’s length down to 70 minutes and included narration from the initial book following allegedly bad audience test screenings, Houston was very upset. The movie is considered by some to be a mutilated work of art. Of the actors appearing in the movie, 3 served in WWII.
John Huston expected a lot from this movie, he even considered the initial two-hour cut of the movie to be the best he had ever made as a director. After a power struggle at the top of MGM management, the movie was cut from a legendary two-hour version to the 69-minute version released in theaters. Both Huston and star Audie Murphy unsuccessfully attempted to purchase the movie so it could be re-edited at its initial length.
The Cruel Sea (1953)
It’s a 1953 British war movie starring Jack Hawkins, Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, Liam Redmond, Virginia McKenna and Moira Lister. Made by Ealing Studios 7 years after the end of the Second World War, it was directed by Charles Frend and produced by Leslie Norman.
The movie depicts the conditions under which the Battle of the Atlantic was fought between the Royal Navy and German U-boats, seen from the perspective of British naval officers and seafarers. It is based on the hugely popular 1951 book of the same name by former naval officer Nicholas Monsarrat, although Eric Ambler’s movie screenplay omits some of the book’s darkest minutes. It is ranked number 75 on the British movie Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest British movies.
The movie has cult status within the Royal Navy, with the custom being that new members of the mess see the movie while wearing their life jackets. This is an initiation rite for many members of the Royal Navy and is regarded as highly regarded as crossing the line. The movie is a good adaptation of a successful book, excellently produced and acted.
Stalag 17 (1953)
It is an American war movie from 1953 that tells the story of a group of American airmen forced to stay with 40,000 prisoners in a German prison camp of the Second World War “somewhere on the Danube”. Among them were 630 sergeants representing various air force positions, but the movie focuses on one specific post, where the men think one person among them is an informant.
The movie was directed and produced by Billy Wilder who, with Edwin Blum, adapted the movie screenplay from the Broadway play of the same name.
The screenplay was written by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski, based on their experiences as inmates in Stalag 17B in Austria. The movie stars William Holden in an Oscar-winning performance, as well as Don Taylor, Robert Strauss, Harvey Lembeck, Peter Graves, Neville Brand, Richard Erdman, Michael Moore, Sig Ruman and Otto Preminger. Strauss and Lembeck appeared in the initial Broadway production.
Thanks to the direction of Billy Wilder, and the great performance of the entire cast, the movie is a good work. The harsh tone fits well with the male audience. William Holden heads the excellent cast and Wilder expertly balances humor and drama without dulling the war scenes.
The Dam Busters (1955)
It’s a 1955 British war movie starring Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave. It was directed by Michael Anderson. The movie recreates the true story of Operation Chastise when in 1943 RAF 617 Squadron attacked the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe Dams in Nazi Germany with Barnes Wallis’ Bouncing Bomb.
The movie is based on the books The Dam Busters (1951) by Paul Brickhill and Enemy Coast Ahead (1946) by Guy Gibson. The movie’s thoughtful scenes convey the poignant mix of feelings experienced by the characters: the triumph of delivering an effective blow against an opponent’s base is tempered by the sobering understanding that many have died in the process.
The movie was widely acclaimed and ended up being the most popular movie in British cinemas in 1955. Its depiction of the raid, along with a similar scene in the movie 633 Squadron, offered the inspiration for the Death Star ride in Star Wars .
The movie has excellent attention to information and with time its popularity has grown and it is now regarded as a classic of British cinema. It is considered one of the greatest British movies ever. Richard Todd considers the movie one of his favorites of all those in which he has appeared.
The Burmese Harp (1956)
It’s a drama movie 1956 Japanese Kon Ichikawa. Based on a children’s book of the same name written by Michio Takeyama, it tells the story of Japanese soldiers who fought in the Burma campaign during WWII. A member of the group is lost after the war, and the soldiers want to find out if their friend has resisted, and if it is the same person turned Buddhist monk they see playing a harp. The movie was among the very first to reveal the losses of the war from the point of view of a Japanese soldier.
The movie was nominated for the 1956 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language movie. In 1985, Ichikawa remade The Burmese Harp in color with a brand new cast, and the remake was a notable box office success. The movie has a clarity and simplicity of execution that make it appealing.
The movie reveals that some Japanese soldiers were undoubtedly extremists. The quote “Burma is Buddha’s nation” could imply that Japanese imperialism is at the root of the suffering of all characters in the movie, as Burma belongs only to Buddha and neither Japan nor Britain. An excellent anti-war drama.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
It’s a 1957 war movie directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. The movie uses the historical setting of the Burma Railway building in 1942-1943, the plot and characters of Boulle’s original and the movie’s screenplay are totally fictional. The cast consists of William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins and Sessue Hayakawa.
It was originally scripted by screenwriter Carl Foreman, which was then changed by Michael Wilson. Both authors had to operate in secret, as they were blacklisted in Hollywood and had effectively fled to the UK to continue working. As a result, Boulle, who spoke no English, was credited and awarded the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; several years later, Foreman and Wilson were posthumously awarded the Oscar.
The Bridge on the River Kwai is now widely recognized as one of the best movies ever made. It was the highest-grossing movie of 1957 and garnered extremely favorable ratings from critics. The movie won 7 Academy Awards (including Best Picture) at the 30th Academy Awards.
This is a massive and far-reaching movie, a gripping drama, deftly created and skillfully handled in all departments. Alec Guinness is convincing and William Holden offers strong characterization in a role that is the pivotal point of the story. Lean’s direction reveals an intensely musical sense and control of the many rhythms of a large structure, and a sensitivity for the poetry of circumstance.
The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
It’s a 1957 Soviet movie about World War II. It illustrates the ruthlessness of war and the damage done to the Soviet soul, a war that was perceived in the Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War. The movie was directed at Mosmovie by Georgian-born Soviet director Mikhail Kalatozov in 1957 and starred Aleksey Batalov and Tatiana Samoilova.
Adapted by Viktor Rozov from his play, the movie won the Palme d’Or at the 1958 Cannes movie Festival, the only Soviet movie to win that award. The main character Veronika helped shape the post-Stalinist Soviet movement by telling more complex multidimensional heroines and focusing on the effect of war on ordinary people.
It was not only the Soviet public who sympathized and accepted Veronika’s story. Cranes’ lead actress Tatiana Samoilova conquered Europe. Following the movie’s triumph at the Cannes movie Festival in 1958, where it won the illustrious Grand Prix, the world commemorated the movie’s leading lady and critics praised the production for its sensational cinematography, acting, directing and editing. Samoilova’s purity and credibility were compared to that of Brigitte Bardot.
Path of Glory (1957)
Paths of Glory (1957) is a 1957 war film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film is set during World War I and tells the story of a group of French soldiers who are convicted of mutiny and sentenced to death.
The film opens with a scene of battle between French and German forces. A group of French soldiers, led by Captain Dax (Kirk Douglas), are sent to capture a strategic hill. The attack is a failure and the French soldiers suffer heavy losses.
Paths of Glory is an anti-war film that denounces the folly of war and the cruelty of military commanders. The film shows how war can turn men into monsters and how it is possible to condemn innocent people to death to satisfy one’s political goals.
Paths of Glory was a critical success, but it also met with opposition from some conservative groups who accused it of being anti-American. The film was banned in France for several years and in Italy it was only released in a censored version.
Jamila the Algerian (1958)
It is a 1958 Egyptian historical movie about one of the most important figures of Algeria, Djamila Bouhired. The movie was written by Abd al-Rahman, Ali al-Zarqani and Naguib Mahfouz. The movie highlights the story of a revolutionary woman, and reveals the struggle of Algerians against the French. The movie stars Magda, Salah Zulfikar and Ahmed Mazhar in lead roles.
While the movie was influential in garnering support from various other Arab countries against the French, the movie was banned in Algeria both under French rule and after independence. Some think this was due to Djamila Bouhired’s marital relationship with French legal representative Jacques Vergès, but others think this was a technique by the Algerian government to further silence both the courageous role of women in the transformation and the highlighting of rape and also abuse in their stories.
Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
It is a 1958 black and white American war movie starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster, based on the 1955 book of the same name by Commander Edward L. Beach Jr. The movie was directed by Robert Wise and produced by Harold Hecht. The title describes “quiet running”, an underwater strategy.
The story chronicles WWII submarine warfare in the Pacific Ocean and deals with the themes of revenge, endurance, honour, commitment and courage and how these can be controlled during warfare.
In addition to Gable and Lancaster playing the leads, the movie also stars Jack Warden and was the launch of Don Rickles. Based on a book of the exact same name and featuring many of the same characters, the plot of the movie diverges from that of the book. Captain Beach, the book’s author, didn’t have a very good opinion of the movie; he later claimed that the movie industry only bought the book’s title and did not plan to produce an accurate representation of his book’s style and plot.
It is a straight-forward, all-submarine, all-male undersea adventure story shot in a hard-edged style, with significant amounts of suspense up until the final battle, which has the viewer glued to their seats.
Fires on the Plain (1959)
It’s a 1959 Japanese war movie directed by Kon Ichikawa, starring Eiji Funakoshi. The screenplay of the movie, written by Natto Wada, is based on the novel Nobi (Tokyo 1951) by Shōhei Ōoka. At first it received mixed evaluations from both international and Japanese critics who criticized its violence and dark style. In the years since, however, it has become extremely popular.
The film opens with Tamura being discharged from the military hospital despite still being suffering from tuberculosis. His squad leader orders him to convince the doctors to readmit him for another time, or he will be forced to commit seppuku. The medical staff, however, refuses to admit him to their hospital camp because they have patients in much worse conditions. Abandoned by everyone to his own fate, Tamura begins to wander aimlessly along the Philippine front.
Fires on the Plain is a powerful and disturbing film that offers a realistic and raw view of war. The film has been praised for its direction, cinematography, and performance by Eiji Funakoshi as Tamura.
The film was a critical success, but it also met with opposition from some conservative groups who accused it of being anti-militarist. The film was banned in some countries, including China and Japan.
The Guns of Navarone (1961)
It is a 1961 war movie directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, based on the 1957 book of the same name by Alistair MacLean. The director also produced the movie. The movie stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, along with Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Darren and Richard Harris.
The movie and book share a plot: the efforts of a system of Allied task forces to destroy a seemingly impregnable German fortress that threatens Allied naval vessels in the Aegean Sea.
It is a muscular and spectacular movie that places more emphasis on melodrama than on character or the reliability of the plot. The story is predictable, but the explosive action scenes work well. It’s a drama that keeps you hooked throughout its history, with many major stars, fantastic special effects, excellent camerawork and technical. The script, direction, acting and cinematography are all of a high standard, with amazing settings in the Greek islands and extreme action scenes.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
It is a 1962 British historical epic movie based on the life of TE Lawrence and his 1926 publication Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It was directed by David Lean and also produced by Sam Spiegel. The movie stars Peter O’Toole as Lawrence with Alec Guinness playing Prince Faisal.
The movie also stars Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains and also Arthur Kennedy. The screenplay of the movie was written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson.
Upon launch, Lawrence of Arabia was a huge economic success and was also widely known by audiences and critics. The movie’s visuals, music, screenplay, and Peter O’Toole’s performance of the movie met with unanimous positive appreciation; the movie is commonly regarded as a work of art of world cinema and also one of the best movies ever made.
His aesthetic style has in fact impressed numerous directors, including George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Brian De Palma, Oliver Stone and Steven Spielberg, who called the movie a “wonder”.
Ivan’s Childhood (1962)
It is a 1962 Soviet war drama movie directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Co-written by Mikhail Papava, Andrei Konchalovsky, and an uncredited Tarkovsky, it is based on Vladimir Bogomolov’s 1957 short story “Ivan”. The movie features actors Nikolai Burlyayev and Valentin Zubkov, Evgeny Zharikov, Stepan Krylov, Nikolai Grinko and Tarkovsky’s wife Irma Raush.
The movie tells the story of orphaned boy Ivan, whose parents were killed by German forces, and his experiences during World War II. It was among several Soviet movies of its era, such as The Cranes Are Flying and Ballad of a Soldier, that took a look at the human cost of war and did not glorify the war experience as movies produced before Khrushchev did . In a 1962 interview, Tarkovsky said that in making the movie he wanted to convey all his hatred for war, which he chose to tell his childhood because it is what contrasts most with war.
It was Tarkovsky’s first feature movie and it earned him an important success and made him known globally. It won the Golden Lion at the 1962 Venice movie Festival and the Golden Gate Award at the 1962 San Francisco International movie Festival. The movie was also chosen for Best Foreign Language movie at the 36th Academy Awards, however it is been rejected as a candidate. Famous directors like Ingmar Bergman, Sergei Parajanov and Krzysztof Kieślowski applauded the movie and mentioned it as impacting their work.
Jean-Paul Sartre wrote a short article defending the movie against a critique by Alberto Moravia, stating that it was among the most stunning movies he had ever seen. In a later interview, Tarkovsky, who dismissed the movie as among his best works, confessed to agreeing with Moravia’s criticisms, finding Sartre’s defense too philosophical. Directors Sergei Parajanov and Krzysztof Kieślowski applauded the movie and mentioned it as an inspiration on their work.
The Great Escape (1963)
It is a 1963 American war movie starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough and includes James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn , Hannes Messemer, David McCallum, Karl-Otto Alberty, Gordon Jackson, John Leyton and Angus Lennie. It was shot in Panavision and its musical arrangement was composed by Elmer Bernstein.
The movie is based on Paul Brickhill’s 1950 book of the same name, an account of the mass escape of British Commonwealth POWs from the German POW camp Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Poland during the Nazi era. The movie shows a heavily fictionalized version of the escape, with various compromises, such as a greater focus on American participation in the escape.
The movie was produced and directed by John Sturges and became one of the highest-grossing movies of the year, earning McQueen the Best Actor award at the Moscow International movie Festival, and is now a cult movie. The Great Escape is also known for its motorcycle chase and dive scene, which is considered one of the best stunts ever performed.
The Train (1964)
It’s a 1964 war movie directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield and Jeanne Moreau. The movie’s screenplay, written by Franklin Coen, Frank Davis and Walter Bernstein, is loosely based on the book Le front de l’art by Rose Valland. Arthur Penn was the initial director of The Train, however that was changed by Frankenheimer 3 days into production.
Set in August 1944 during World War II, it pits French Resistance member Paul Labiche (Lancaster) against German Colonel Franz von Waldheim (Scofield), who is trying to move stolen art by train to Germany.
The Train is based on the accurate 1961 book Le front de l’art by Rose Valland, the art historian of the Jeu de Paume, which highlighted the masterpieces stored there that had been looted by the Germans from museums and art collections personals throughout France and was arranging for delivery to Germany during WWII.
In contrast to the action and drama depicted in the movie, the delivery of art which the Germans were trying to secure in Paris on August 1, 1944, was thwarted by the French Resistance with a flurry of documentation and bureaucracy and was halted at a railway station a couple of miles from Paris.
Shenandoah (1965)
It is a 1965 American western movie set during the American Civil War with James Stewart and Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne and, in their movie debuts, Katharine Ross and Rosemary Forsyth. The movie was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.
It’s a Civil War drama” with Stewart acting flawlessly under the extremely thorough instruction of Andrew V. McLaglen. Technicolor loads the dramatization, fun and also a particular scenic quality of the national parks especially in the climax.
It is a still interesting movie today with a special and suspenseful character. Stewart abandons his ordinary acting techniques to feel compassion for this widower who raised his many children.
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
It is a 1966 Italian-Algerian war movie written and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. It is based on the events undertaken by the rebels during the Algerian war (1954-1962) against the French government in North Africa, one one of the most popular is the homonymous battle of Algiers.It was shot in a newsreel style inspired by Roberto Rossellini: in black and white with documentary type editing tico to contribute to its feel of historical believability, with mostly non-professional actors who had experienced the real battle.
The movie’s music was composed by Pontecorvo and Ennio Morricone. It is a movie linked to Italian neorealist cinema. It could be a far more profound cinematic experience than many moviegoers can handle: even downbeat, realistic, heartbreaking, and harsh. It has to do with the Algerian war, however anyone who is not interested in Algeria could replace it with any war; The Battle of Algiers has a global context.
It is considered among the best movies of all time. American director Stanley Kubrick applauded the movie stating, “All movies are, in a sense, wrong documentaries. They try to get as close to the truth as possible, only it’s not the truth. There are people who do extremely brilliant things , which actually completely amazed me as well as deceived me.
The battle of Algiers. It is truly exceptional.” According to Anthony Frewin, Kubrick’s personal aide, specified: “When I started working for Stanley in September 1965, he informed me that I couldn’t really understand what cinema was about without seeing The Battle of Algiers. He was still enthusiastic about this movie shortly before his death.”
The Hunt (1966)
It’s a 1966 Spanish movie directed by Carlos Saura. The movie is a thriller about 3 veterans of the Spanish Civil War who gather on a farm to organize a rabbit hunt. The rabbit hunt becomes a catalyst for remembering bloody episodes of war and for taking stock of their lives and their friendship.
It was Saura’s first truly global success, winning the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 16th Berlin International movie Festival. It is considered a classic of Spanish cinema and Sam Peckinpah said it had a significant impact on him. Saura won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 16th Berlin International movie Festival in 1966.
Where Eagles Dare (1968)
It is a 1968 war movie directed by Brian G. Hutton and starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. It follows a British-American special operations group of paratroopers who raid a castle in Bavaria. It was recorded in Panavision using the Metrocolor process. Alistair MacLean wrote the screenplay for the movie at the same time he wrote the book of the exact same name. Both ended up being commercial successes.
The movie included some of the leading stuntmen of the time and is considered a classic. Hollywood stuntman Yakima Canutt served as second unit director and shot most of the action scenes; British stuntman Alf Joint filled in for Burton in numerous scenes, consisting of the battle atop the cable car.
Numerous critics called the plot quite complicated, the movie critics were generally favorable, applauding the action scenes and cinematography. Years after its release the movie is regarded by many as one of the best war movies ever made.
Here, Beneath the North Star (1968)
Here, Beneath the North Star (1968) is a 1968 Japanese post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Tetsurō Amino, based on the manga of the same name by Keiji Nakazawa. The film is set in a desolate future where nuclear war has destroyed civilization. Two survivors, Shōzō Ban and Shūhei Noda, live in a shelter under a radio tower. They struggle to survive in the harsh environment, and they face the threat of bandits and mutants.
The film opens with a scene of destruction as nuclear bombs rain down on Earth. Shōzō Ban and Shūhei Noda, two survivors, find themselves in a desolate landscape. They take shelter under a radio tower, where they build a small community with other survivors.
Shōzō and Shūhei are forced to scavenge for food and supplies, and they face the threat of bandits and mutants. They also deal with the psychological trauma of the apocalypse, and they struggle to maintain their humanity.
Here, Beneath the North Star was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its realistic depiction of a post-apocalyptic world, and its characters were considered to be compelling and relatable. The film was also praised for its anti-war message.
Oh! What a Lovely War (1968)
Oh! What a Lovely War (1968) is a British satirical musical war film directed by Richard Attenborough. The film is set during World War I and follows the fortunes of a group of British soldiers from the trenches to the Somme. The film is a scathing indictment of the war and its futility, and it is considered to be one of the most important British films ever made.
The film opens with a scene of soldiers marching off to war, singing a cheerful song about the joys of conflict. The film then follows the soldiers as they experience the horrors of the trenches, the boredom of life in the rear areas, and the disillusionment that comes with seeing their friends and comrades killed.
The film is interspersed with songs that poke fun at the war, the military, and the politicians who started it. The songs are often irreverent and shocking, but they are also very funny.
Oh! What a Lovely War was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its originality, its energy, and its message of anti-war. The film was also nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Torah! Torah! Torah! (1970)
It is a 1970 war movie that tells the story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The movie was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku, and stars a cast that includes Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotten, So Yamamura, EG Marshall, James Whitmore, Tatsuya Mihashi, Takahiro Tamura, Wesley Addy and Jason Robards.
It was Masuda and Fukasaku’s first English-language movie and the very first global co-production. The tora of the title is the two-syllable Japanese code word used to show that total surprise had actually been achieved.
The movie received mixed ratings from critics, but was applauded for its historical accuracy and attention to information, its visual payoffs, and its action scenes. For Americans, the movie was the most common source of popular understanding of the Pearl Harbor attack. Torah! Torah! Torah! was nominated for 5 Academy Awards at the 43rd Academy Awards, Best Cinematography and Best movie Editing, winning Best Visual Effects.
The movie has been defined as one of the most boring ever made and with characters without depth. A budget of 25 million dollars that didn’t help much.
Catch-22 (1970)
It is a 1970 American war movie and black comedy adapted from the 1961 book of the same name by Joseph Heller. In producing a comedy centered around the “characters” of Heller’s original anti-war satirical set on a fictional Mediterranean base during World War II, director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry (also in the cast) took care of the movie script for 2 years, turning Heller’s complex book.
The cast consisted of Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Italian actress Olimpia Carlisi, French comedian Marcel Dalio, Art Garfunkel (his acting debut), Jack Gilford, Charles Grodin, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Austin Pendleton, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight and Orson Welles.
It is a moving, intelligent movie, with a balance between fun and drama. Mike Nichols said “It’s the cold rage of the book that underpinned the movie. In the jokes that matter, the movie is like a diamond, cold to the touch and dazzling to the eye. For Nichols, it’s a movie about death; for Arkin, it’s a movie about selfishness; for audience scary war comedy, with emphasis on fear.
M * A * S * H (1970)
It is a black comedy and war movie 1970 American movie directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner Jr., based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 short story MASH: A Novel About Three. The movie is the only theatrically released feature movie in the M*A*S*H series, and turned into one of the most significant movies of the early 1970s.The
movie portrays a system of medical workers at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War.It stars Donald Sutherland, Tom Skerritt and Elliott Gould, with Sally Kellerman, Robert Duvall, René Auberjonois, Gary Burghoff, Roger Bowen, Michael Murphy and, in his pitch movie, veteran football player Fred Williamson.
The Korean War is the setting of the movie’s story, the subtext is the Vietnam War, an occasion that existed at the time the movie was shot. The movie won the Grand Prix du Festival International du movie at the 1970 Cannes movie Festival. The movie won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Perhaps there is absolutely nothing as glamorous as waging psychological revenge against someone we don’t like. And it’s the all-out hate in “M*A*S*H” that makes it work. Due to them not being funny, many characters ask us to laugh at things that aren’t really funny; in this we laugh specifically. We laugh, not to cry. If cosmetic surgeons didn’t need to deal with bodies, the rest of their lives would be meaningless.
But none of these points of view come close to the insane reasoning of “M*A*S*H”, which is accomplished through a strange marital relationship of cinematography, acting, directing and composition. One of the things that makes “M*A*S*H” so funny is that it’s also desperate.
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
It is a 1977 war movie illustrating Operation Market Garden, an unsuccessful Allied operation in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during the Second World War. Based on a non-fiction book of the same name by historian Cornelius Ryan, the movie is directed by Richard Attenborough and with a screenplay by William Goldman.
It stars an ensemble cast, including Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Krüger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell and Liv Ullmann.
Produced by Richard and Joseph E. Levine, it was the second movie based on a book by Ryan to be adapted for the screen after 1962’s The Longest Day. authentic areas where historical events occurred. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive movie ever produced.
The movie garnered a warm and vital reception, and received numerous awards. At the 31st BAFTA Awards it won 4 out of 8 picks including Best Supporting Actor for Edward Fox and Best Score for John Addison who himself had served in the British XXX Corps at Market Garden. Attenborough was up for Best Director and the movie was up for Best Picture.
Critics agreed that the movie was well staged and accurate, although many found it too long and too repeated. It’s a huge, shapeless, suddenly moving, bewildering, vibrant and really, long movie. James Caan and Anthony Hopkins have been cited by many critics for the quality of their performances in a movie with numerous roles and cameos from many of the stars.
Officers Urquhart and Horrocks served as military advisers on the movie, contributing to its historical accuracy. Some viewers have suggested that the movie contains historical errors and is a “Hollywood” analysis of events. Robin Neilllands commented: A large number of veterans have trusted the story in the movie.
The Deer Hunter (1978)
It is a 1978 war drama movie written and directed by Michael Cimino about a triad of Slavic-American steel workers whose lives are turned upside down after fighting in the Vietnam War. The three soldiers are played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage, with John Cazale, Meryl Streep and George Dzundza.
The film begins with Michael, Nick, and Steven working in a steel mill in Pittsburgh. The three friends are bound by a deep friendship and a passion for hunting. When the Vietnam War breaks out, the three friends enlist in the Army.
In Vietnam, Michael, Nick, and Steven experience the horrors of war. They are exposed to violence, death, and torture. Michael is wounded and is sent home, but Nick and Steven remain in Vietnam.
Upon returning home, Michael learns that Nick has been killed in combat. Steven, on the other hand, survived the war, but he is deeply traumatized. Michael and Steven try to rebuild their lives, but the war has scarred them forever.
The Deer Hunter was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its direction, its screenplay, its performances, and its cinematography. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken).
Apocalypse Now (1979)
It is a 1979 American war movie produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay for the movie, co-written by Coppola, John Milius and also Michael Herr, is loosely based on the 1899 novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, with the setting transformed from the late 19th century Congo to the Vietnam War.
The movie follows a river voyage from South Vietnam to Cambodia undertaken by Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), who has a secret objective to execute Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a rogue Special Forces soldier who is also implicated in the homocide. as an alleged killer. Actors on set also include Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne and Dennis Hopper.
Francis Ford Coppola’s haunting Vietnam War movie is cinema at its most visionary and adventurous. Upon its release, Apocalypse Now received mixed reviews. After a few years it began to be considered among the best masterpieces in the history of cinema and among the very first war movies ever made.
The Big Red One (1980)
It is an American war movie by Samuel Fuller from 1980. Samuel Fuller had already been a crime reporter, a pulp writer, a movie writer and a soldier before becoming a director. While he brought his World War II experiences to many of his movies, Fuller brought many autobiographical components into this very work, a large war movie based on his experiences in the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.
He had originally attempted to make The Big Red One in the 1950s but failed to produce it. Its realization seemed less and less likely as the years went by, but brave Fuller kept trying. Accustomed to working with low budgets, he made a war story that follows an infantry squad first in North Africa, then Italy and finally in a Czech POW camp. Robert Carradine co-stars with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin.
The movie chronicles the experiences of a small group of soldiers in the dark heart of war. Fuller chronicles the ravages of war on soldiers and private citizens alike, while also showing why war seems like the only option.
Platoon (1986)
It is a 1986 American battle movie also written and directed by Oliver Stone, starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Keith David, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley , Forest Whitaker and Johnny Depp. It is the opening movie in a trilogy of Vietnam War movies directed by Stone.
The movie, based on Stone’s experiences in the war, follows a US Army volunteer (Sheen) who volunteers in Vietnam while his platoon sergeant and squad leader (Berenger and Dafoe) argue about the principles of the military and of the war itself.
Infused with director Oliver Stone’s individual experiences in Vietnam, Platoon forgoes simple sermons for a traumatic, ground-level view of battle, enhanced by no-holds-barred acting from Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe.
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a 1987 American satirical war film directed by Stanley Kubrick, loosely based on the novel The Short-Timers (1979) by Gustav Hasford. The film is divided into two parts: the first half follows a group of Marine recruits through their brutal training at Parris Island under the command of the sadistic Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, and the second half follows the same group of Marines during the Battle of Huế during the Vietnam War.
Part 1: The film opens with a group of young men arriving at Parris Island for Marine Corps boot camp. They are subjected to rigorous training under the command of the merciless Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, who breaks them down mentally and physically. Hartman’s goal is to create “killing machines” out of the recruits, and he is relentless in his pursuit of this goal.
As the recruits progress through training, they are subjected to a series of humiliating and dehumanizing exercises. They are forced to endure sleep deprivation, physical punishment, and intense psychological pressure. The film explores the psychological effects of boot camp on the recruits, and it shows how they are transformed from civilians into soldiers.
Part 2: The film jumps forward to the Battle of Huế during the Vietnam War. The same group of Marines, now seasoned veterans, are sent into the city to fight the Viet Cong. The battle is intense and brutal, and the Marines are forced to confront the horrors of war.
The film is particularly graphic in its depiction of the violence of war, and it does not shy away from showing the human cost of conflict. The film is a powerful indictment of war, and it questions the purpose and value of human sacrifice.
Full Metal Jacket was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its direction, its screenplay, its performances, and its violence. The film was also nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Matthew Modine).
Casualties of War (1989)
It is an American war movie by Brian De Palma from 1989. The movie is inspired by the facts about the kidnapping, rape and murder of a young Vietnamese woman. The production was unsuccessful at the box office, helping to complete the cycle of Vietnam War movies of the 1980s and overshadowing the career of celebrity Michael J Fox.
The film is set during the Vietnam War and tells the story of a group of American soldiers who rape and murder a young Vietnamese woman. Private Eriksson, played by Michael J. Fox, is the only one to report his comrades, but he is ostracized and threatened.
Casualties of War was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for its direction, screenplay, performances, and anti-war message. The film was also nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn).
It continues to be a challenging movie to watch, due in part to the fact that De Palma shifts his skills as a thriller movie director into a story of heartbreaking despair in which a squad of American soldiers uses the endorsement of a terrifying and handsome officer ( Sean Penn) to take part in barbaric acts.
The Taebaek Mountains (1994)
It is a 1994 South Korean movie directed by Im Kwon-taek. The story focuses on the generational problem between the rich and the peasants who represent the ideological background of the right and the left. While revealing why and how the problem arose, the account illustrates fascinating, Confucian and even shamanic elements of the contemporaries.
The movie is derived from the excellent long story Taebaegsanmaek including 10 chapters written by Cho Jeong-rae. The story defines the generational problem between the rich (owners) and the poor (peasants) which at a certain point turns into a belief of the right and the left. While revealing why and how the dispute occurred, the story portrays fascinating, Confucian and even shamanic facets.
The Thin Red Line (1998)
It is a 1998 American war movie directed by Terence Malick. Malick’s adaptation of James Jones’ 1962 novel based on his World War II experiences in the Guadalcanal Project radically transformed the form. Malick’s first movie in 20 years, The Thin Red Line cast celebrities and new talent, some of whom had their roles cut, and even canceled in editing.
There’s an alternate version of the movie somewhere in which Bill Pullman, Mickey Rourke and Lukas Haas appear and Adrien Brody plays a pivotal role instead of showing up for a couple minutes of screen time.
Malick’s editors provide the most effective description for his editing decision-making: Malick trimmed the movie to include voiceovers. Combined with stunning images of battle in the Pacific, they give lyrical depictions of the characters’ experiences of war and the loss of innocence that characterizes those experiences.
Malick shows some kind of hell on earth, he uses his visual skills to shock the audience. War ruins everything it touches, from those who take part in it to those involved in it down to the earth itself. For Malick, war is an act of terrible defiance against civilization.
Redacted (2007)
It is a 2007 American war movie written and directed by Brian De Palma. It is a fictional drama, loosely based on the 2006 Mahmudiyah murders in Mahmoudiyah, Iraq when US Army soldiers raped an Iraqi woman and killed her along with her family. It was movieed in Jordan. Redacted premiered at the 2007 Venice movie Festival, where it won the Silver Lion for Best Director.
It was also selected at the Toronto International movie Festival, the New York movie Festival and the Buenos Aires International Independent movie Festival. The movie received mixed responses from critics and poor audience reaction at the box office.
The reviews were bad and some critics called it the worst movie ever seen, repulsive, marred by hammering acting and bad dialogue. The characters were called ridiculous, and some dismissed the movie as an unconvincing, embarrassing, self-congratulatory, heavy-handed fictional documentary. In reality, experimental movie is one of the very rare examples of avant-garde cinema in the war movie genre, totally brilliant, one of the very few movies free from the mental and narrative superstructures of the more recent mainstream cinema.
Inspired by Nouvelle Vague movies such as De Palma’s very early works, it is an extraordinary movie by a director who returns to his origins and passions with a independent movie after a long career in the service of major studios, where he contributed perhaps more than any other director to raise the level of cinematic language.
American Sniper (2014)
It is a 2014 American biographical war movie directed by Clint Eastwood. It is loosely based on the memoir American Sniper (2012) by Chris Kyle, starring Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The movie follows the life of Kyle, who became the most dangerous marksman in the US Army with 255 people killed from 4 trips to the Iraq War, 160 of which were formally verified by the Department of Defense.
Kyle has been commemorated for his military achievements but his work has taken a heavy toll on his personal and family life. It stars Cooper as Kyle and Sienna Miller as his wife Taya, with Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban and Keir O’Donnell in supporting roles.
Supported by Clint Eastwood’s confident direction and a gripping lead performance by Bradley Cooper, American Sniper adds a suspenseful and vibrant contribution to its real-life tale. The inner conflict of the protagonist is so intense that it becomes almost unbearable on the screen. Drama and action scenes blend perfectly in one of the best Clint Eastwood movies ever.
1917 (2019)
1917 is a 2019 war movie directed by Sam Mendes, who co-wrote the movie with Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Partly inspired by the facts told to Mendes by his grandfather Alfred about his experiences during the First World War, the movie takes place after the German hideout on the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich and follows 2 British soldiers, Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), in their goal to deliver a crucial message to undo an attack. Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch play supporting roles.
The movie captures the trench warfare of World War I with gritty and shocking immediacy. Numerous movie critics have defined the movie among the best of 2019. The movie is an astonishing technical and aesthetic result: composed of a single, very long shot in real time, Mendes’ style is disruptive and engaging, and takes the viewer directly into the battle like few other war movies.
