whats your favorite movie?

יום רביעי, 10 באוקטובר 2012

WAR MOVIES

                                 WAR MOVIES

War films, a genre concerned with warfare, often acknowledge the heartbreak of war and subtleties of military life. These films focus on prisoners of war, military training, psychological and physical effects of boot camp training etc. War movies are considered to be the most historic movies and have immense respect as a genre. The influence of these war movies has been large and has always managed to make a positive impact on the society. It was seen that people could stand up for themselves; such was the impact in the older days especially during the Great War and the Vietnam War.

A number of movies on World War II that were made in the 1940’s garnered public interest and heightened their spirit of patriotism during the war by showcasing the wicked and criminal behavior of the enemies in the last months of World War I. Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator aimed at the villainy of Hitler, was immensely popular despite Chaplin’s fears of a parody of Hitler wouldn’t go down well with the wartime audiences. This social satire also managed to show the hateful oppression and emotional pain that the war caused to the decent folk of the society. Another great movie that used parody to satirize wars is Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) directed by the legendary director Stanley Kubrick.

Anti-war films that emphasize the horror and brutalities of war provide the plot for the action of the film. One of the earliest and the greatest anti-war film to be made was All Quiet on The Western Front(1930) that had powerful and intense battle scenes and were considered graphic by the audience at that time. All Quiet on The Western Front opens with the caption, "This story is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war...”. This epic movie made on a budget of $1.25 million was a huge critical and financial success. It’s still popular and stands up well nearly 8 decades after it was first shown on-screen.

Also, The Vietnam War has been the subjects of many war films and these movies had particular elements that were such as gut, grit and audacity. The willingness to take bold risks inspired people during the war and post-war. There were movies that followed the boot camps and training and experiences of the marines. This critically acclaimed movie received several accolades with winning overwhelming performances by the actors. Francis Ford Copolla’s Vietnam War epic, Apocalypse Now, considered as culturally and historically significant is about an American captain who has been ordered to assassinate a renegade colonel who is waging a brutal war in Cambodia.

While some may think the influence of war movies is often glorified or overrated, they are generally notable when the movies offer substantial and detailed information. These movies have garnered positive reviews and made a large impact on the general public due to the well-crafted, thought provoking and frightening nature of the movies and by strengthening the beliefs widespread in the society.