Monday, March 1, 2010

The Ten Most Important War Films

For most of us, Hollywood has defined our notion of life and death on the battlefield. War films are rarely gung-ho spectacles of heroism and victory, but more often sharp and tragic critiques of the endless and senseless waste that is war. They are essential because they are often our only window into our violent history, and the only means we have of expressing the horror involved. War films are also part of one of the most timeless and enduring genres of cinema, which gives me plenty to choose from.

Here are ten films that show us the brutality of war and put us right in the thick of the conflict:

10.The Hurt Locker (2009) - This is the newest film on the list, and we have yet to see its long-term cultural significance. I'm including it because it is one of the most buzzed about films to have come out about the Iraq conflict, and because it reminds us of two very crucial, but uncomfortable, facts: 1. America is at war. Yes, still. 2. Some soldiers actually take pleasure in war.



9. The Big Red One (1980) - Samuel Fuller's film focuses on four privates in the 1st Infantry Division during World War I, with sequences that emphasize the insanity and senselessness of war. See the re-released and restored version now on DVD. Though it comes in at a hefty 162 minutes, some of the added sequences relish the humanity and comedy of the characters. The privates continually attempt to justify killing during war, with understandably limited success.



8. The Thin Red Line (1998) - Though overshadowed by Steven Spielberg's more accessible Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line captures the anonymity and emotional pain of war -- in a way only a Terence Malick film can. It's about an army platoon trying to capture the Japanese island of Guadalcanal, and like many movies on this list, the characters struggle to find meaning in the senselessness of war. Although the film was not a box office hit, it was nominated for seven Academy Awards and is among most critically acclaimed WWII dramas.



7. The Fog Of War: Eleven Lessons From The Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003) - This Academy Award-winning documentary, directed by Errol Morris, depicts the life of Robert McNamara, President of the Ford Motor Company and Secretary of Defense during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam war. Morris interviewed McNamara for over twenty hours, and the effect of the interview subject looking directly into the camera, rather than off to the side, is chilling. Check out McNamara's Eleven Lessons and find out why this is considered the most definitive documentary about war.



6. All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) - Another criticism of World War I, this time from the German perspective. It was also the first "talkie" war film to win an Academy Award. Still a classic, this movie presents war as a gruesome and colossal waste. It remains one of the most powerful anti-war dramas ever made.



5. Das Boot (1981) - Set in 1942, this German epic takes place on a cramped U-Boat bent on blocking Allied shipping routes. Its claustrophobic, tense mood and bloody ending make it a powerful anti-war polemic from the German perspective. There are a bunch of versions out there, but I recommend that 209-minute Director's Cut (don't worry, that's still 84 minutes shorter than the original version).



4. Full Metal Jacket (1987) - Depending on your definition of "War Film," this list could be nearly all Kubrick. But, one film that couldn't be omitted is Full Metal Jacket. This chilling satire is one of the most definitive and brutal commentaries on war ever made. The star of the film's first half is unequivocally R. Lee Ermey, who turns in an unforgettable performance as a tough-as-nails drill sergeant. The film's second half follows Private Joker (Matthew Modine) -- he's a war journalist, but is in charge of essentially writing propoganda. But, how you can sugar coat what he sees on the front lines? The final scene, a long take of soldiers singing the theme to The Mickey Mouse Club, is as poignant two decades later. The follow clip contains some vulgarities, to say the least:



3. Saving Private Ryan (1998) - This Steven Spielberg film is most famous for its harrowing and gory opening, which shows the beginning of the Normandy invasion. In it, seven soldiers journey through war-ravaged France on a mission to find Private James Francis Ryan, whose three brothers all died within days of each other, and send him home to his mother. One of the most violent and explicit war epics of the 90s, it drew huge audiences and revolutionized the art of shooting an action sequence. The first 30 minutes of this film take us as close to war as many of us will ever be.



2. Paths of Glory (1957) - Stanley Kubrick's fourth feature-length film is one of the harshest indictments of war, and one of the most compelling. The black-and-white film criticizes the gap between those giving the orders and those who fight the war. In it, three soldiers are put on trial for ignoring orders that would have sent them to certain death. Kirk Douglas gives an incredible performance as Colonel Dax, who commands the troops in question and then defends them at the moment of truth.



1. Apocalypse Now (1979) - Francis Ford Coppola draws audiences into the heart of darkness, and manages to expose the blood-chilling horror of Vietnam more than any other film by creating a surreal and cinematic world full of dark, lost men. In it, two U.S. Army officers are sent into the jungle to assassinate the presumably insane Colonel Kurtz of Special Forces. In addition to being famous for its unique take on combat, Apocalypse Now was notorious for its long and troubled production process. Check out this definitive film school flick below, in its famous beginning sequence:

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