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.
