Your top three war movies of all time
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A few years ago, I would have mentioned The Beast (also known as The Beast of War), as one of the greatest war movies ever.
Now I don't know, I'm confused about the geopolitical and cultural aspects of it. It's an american movie denouncing the Russian occupation forces in Afghanistan, and presenting the Mujahidins as the legitimate resistance against imperialism (which they kinda were), a bit like the Living Daylights did around the same time. Nowadays, especially in the post-Massoud era, the Afghan resistance is seen as a bunch of bloodthirsty religious fanatics (which they also are, it can be two things), so the default romanticism of these anti-soviet movies from the 80s feels a bit awkward. The we/us identifications have shifted. As a kid, I saw The Beast of War as a courageous anti-war film showing that "we" can be on the bad side while thinking we defend civilization, later I realized that it was an american movie criticizing Russia's invasion campaign which, well, is a bit of an easier posture. And later, I realized that the movie's good guys (of sorts) could have been Bin Laden just as well as Massoud, which added a layer of unease.
Okay, what I've loved in that film is its moral complexity. Its shifting perspectives. Bad guys and good guys on both sides (again, not that much of a heroically revolutionary insight if it comes from a third country that comfortably sees the other two as barbaric). So one could argue that the Afghan side is represented both by a Massoud and a Bin Laden. But then... there's the role of women.
I loved the hopeless ending, evocative of the Wild Bunch in its postulate of an inherently, irredeemably violent culture. But it takes a different culturalist undertone when it's about Afghanistan (the Others, the Muslims) in a context of east/west conflict. Plus, the roots of culture, represented by children for Peckinpah, is represented here by the mothers - it's just as efficient symbolically, but questionable in a culture where women are more the victims of violence than the perpetrators.
So, uneasy about Afghanistan (a crazy complex beautiful terrible country), and uneasy about this movie. So I thought I should still mention it, with these caveats.
(Awesome soundtrack, too.)
Now I don't know, I'm confused about the geopolitical and cultural aspects of it. It's an american movie denouncing the Russian occupation forces in Afghanistan, and presenting the Mujahidins as the legitimate resistance against imperialism (which they kinda were), a bit like the Living Daylights did around the same time. Nowadays, especially in the post-Massoud era, the Afghan resistance is seen as a bunch of bloodthirsty religious fanatics (which they also are, it can be two things), so the default romanticism of these anti-soviet movies from the 80s feels a bit awkward. The we/us identifications have shifted. As a kid, I saw The Beast of War as a courageous anti-war film showing that "we" can be on the bad side while thinking we defend civilization, later I realized that it was an american movie criticizing Russia's invasion campaign which, well, is a bit of an easier posture. And later, I realized that the movie's good guys (of sorts) could have been Bin Laden just as well as Massoud, which added a layer of unease.
Okay, what I've loved in that film is its moral complexity. Its shifting perspectives. Bad guys and good guys on both sides (again, not that much of a heroically revolutionary insight if it comes from a third country that comfortably sees the other two as barbaric). So one could argue that the Afghan side is represented both by a Massoud and a Bin Laden. But then... there's the role of women.
I loved the hopeless ending, evocative of the Wild Bunch in its postulate of an inherently, irredeemably violent culture. But it takes a different culturalist undertone when it's about Afghanistan (the Others, the Muslims) in a context of east/west conflict. Plus, the roots of culture, represented by children for Peckinpah, is represented here by the mothers - it's just as efficient symbolically, but questionable in a culture where women are more the victims of violence than the perpetrators.
So, uneasy about Afghanistan (a crazy complex beautiful terrible country), and uneasy about this movie. So I thought I should still mention it, with these caveats.
(Awesome soundtrack, too.)
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Get working on your custom lists, people !
Get working on your custom lists, people !
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Favorite Movies
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The Human Condition
Come and See
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi
Kagemusha
The Cranes Are Flying
War and Peace
Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
Come and See
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi
Kagemusha
The Cranes Are Flying
War and Peace
Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
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Good to see someone else has actually seen and liked The Big Red One. I've only seen the 160 minute reconstruction.
Don't know why but I always dug that movie.
War Horse and Inglorious Basterds are honourable mentions.
War Horse (2011) shows another side of war, that of the plight and abuses of animals in war.
Inglorious Basterds (2009) while Tarantino's movie is not historically accurate, it has a certain truth to it in that tells us an incredibly entertaining story about how WW2 should have ended.
War Horse (2011) shows another side of war, that of the plight and abuses of animals in war.
Inglorious Basterds (2009) while Tarantino's movie is not historically accurate, it has a certain truth to it in that tells us an incredibly entertaining story about how WW2 should have ended.
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Apocalypse Now (KeyserCorleone's the one on the right with the Billy Joel costume and the Coppola T-shirt. Remember that now.)
Full Metal Jacket
Ran
Full Metal Jacket
Ran
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Favorite Movies
The Thin Red Line
The Deer Hunter
Full Metal Jacket
Paths of Glory
I got it down to four, I couldnt decide which film to take off . 😪
Been meaning to watch that trilogy! How are the other two films, or are you labeling it as the whole trilogy?
You had my curiosity, now you have my attention.
Ill have to check it out!!!
The Deer Hunter
Full Metal Jacket
Paths of Glory
I got it down to four, I couldnt decide which film to take off . 😪
The Human Condition
Come and See
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi
Kagemusha
The Cranes Are Flying
War and Peace
Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
Come and See
Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi
Kagemusha
The Cranes Are Flying
War and Peace
Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
I just watched The Longest Day and was blown away by this film. I'd never seen it before or even heard it mentioned. It's not your typical hero driven WWII movie, but more like a documentary-style film...I'm not saying it's an actual documentary, just that with the POV from the German Army, The French occupied people & French resistance fighters, The British & American D-Day invasion forces...the film effectively covers the events of June 6 1944 also known as 'the longest day from all participants, which was pretty cool to see. Very impressive FX 'real' special effects, I'm impressed that a film that old could look so damn real.
Your other two choices are great too!
Your other two choices are great too!
Ill have to check it out!!!
Last edited by BooBooKittyFock; 08-21-21 at 12:55 PM.
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1. Das Boot
2. Tora! Tora! Tora!
3. Ice Cold in Alex
A few honourable mentions: Patton, Gallipoli, Lawerance of Arabia, The Imitation Game, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Hurt Locker and Breaker Morant.
Also Au Revoir Les Enfants, The Best Years of Our Lives and Casablanca. I'm not sure if they're really war movies but they are listed as such on IMDB.
2. Tora! Tora! Tora!
3. Ice Cold in Alex
A few honourable mentions: Patton, Gallipoli, Lawerance of Arabia, The Imitation Game, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Hurt Locker and Breaker Morant.
Also Au Revoir Les Enfants, The Best Years of Our Lives and Casablanca. I'm not sure if they're really war movies but they are listed as such on IMDB.
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"Knowledge may be power, but it is not resilience, or resourcefulness, or adaptability to life, still less is it instinctive sympathy with human nature."
"Knowledge may be power, but it is not resilience, or resourcefulness, or adaptability to life, still less is it instinctive sympathy with human nature."
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Come and See
Grave of the Fireflies
The City of Life and Death
Honourable mentions:
Apocalypse now, The Ascent, Paths of Glory, Turtles can Fly, The Thin Red Line, Joint Security Area, Ran, Son of Saul.
Grave of the Fireflies
The City of Life and Death
Honourable mentions:
Apocalypse now, The Ascent, Paths of Glory, Turtles can Fly, The Thin Red Line, Joint Security Area, Ran, Son of Saul.
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I'd probably nominate Saving Private Ryan, The Longest Day and Apocalypse Now on my best war movie list, but I have to reserve a couple of minutes for the opening battle sequence against whatever fur-wearing Germanic tribe that was in Gladiator. In a couple of minutes you understand why the Romans were so good at war.
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The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Thin Red Line
Where Eagles Dare
plus tons more of course
The Thin Red Line
Where Eagles Dare
plus tons more of course
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Its not old, Its Classic!
Its not old, Its Classic!
We Were Soldiers
The Thin Red Line
Does The Great Escape counts as a war movie?
The Thin Red Line
Does The Great Escape counts as a war movie?
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