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Monday, 12 February 2007
Worst recent war movies
Tell you what: To relieve the tension a bit (there's a lot of angry back-and-forth in the last few days, and poor Mary keeps reposting her deleted posts, and is increasingly COMMUNICATING IN SHOUT MODE), let's take a frivolous digression.
bud attaches great importance to Joe Lieberman having been seen cheering and pumping his fist when the Americans strike a blow against the Serbs in "Behind Enemy Lines." He sees this as reflective of a deep character defect.
Rather than our getting into a really angry back-and-forth about whether one should cheer for Americans or not (I come down on the "yes" side of that), I'm looking for common ground. bud says I don't see flaws in my heroes. I say that cheering at any part of a movie as bad as "Behind Enemy Lines" is at least indicative of lousy cinematic taste.
Unlike the characters in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity; I don't consider tastes unlike my own to reflect a deep character defect. But I do unconsciously give extra points to people who appreciate the "good" stuff -- "good" as define by my own proclivities.
So let's make like Rob, Dick and Barry and construct a Top Five Worst War Movies (post-Vietnam era only, just to limit the field):
- "Behind Enemy Lines" -- This was done so very much better in "BAT*21," so you know we can't blame Gene Hackman, since he was in both of them. I was about to blame John Woo, but he didn't direct this one. It just looks cheesy enough to be one of his.
- "The Thin Red Line" -- Such a horrible disappointment, by comparison with James Jones' novel, that I wrote a whole column
about it.
- "The Great Raid" -- Another disappointment from a perfectly good book. Hollywood tried to turn a remarkable, true story about rescuing hundreds of Allied POWs from the murderous abuses of the Japanese into a sappy romance. Why, I don't know, but it failed on all levels.
- "Pearl Harbor" -- More sappy romance, but that wasn't the worst thing (you want romance done right, see "From Here to Eternity"). The worst thing was the use of special effects for special effects' sake. In fact, it seemed the entire excuse for the film. Worst moment: When two fighter aircraft, locked in a dog fight, fly between two one-story buildings, turning onto their wingtips to negotiate the narrow alleyway.
- "Enemy at the Gates" -- This one almost didn't make the list, but it did for a reason it has in common with Nos. 2, 3 and 4: Sheer disappointment. Finally, I thought, Hollywood was going to pay proper, respectful acknowledgement to the horrors of the Great Patriotic War. Up until then, you'd have thought the Americans and British won the war by themselves; talk about ethnocentric. But the titanic, genocidal struggle between Teutons and Slavs that was the Siege of Stalingrad was reduced to the level of a personal feud between Ed Harris and Jude Law (Jude Law! As the emblematic New Soviet Man!) Really, really disappointing.
Posted by Brad Warthen at 01:00 PM in Feedback, Movies, Top Five Lists, War and Peace
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Comments
"War of the Roses"...Michael Douglas and that heavy but good looking blond chick.
That is the best I can do...
Sorry
Posted by: chrisw | Feb 13, 2007 10:28:17 AM
NOT exactly a war movie, Chris.
I think my demographics have shifted. A few months ago, there were more folks who wanted to get off on trivial tangents such as this. Now, all the comments are on the serious stuff.
I'm must be attracting a more mature crowd -- which makes me wonder what I'm doing here.
But OK, I'll be serious. Doesn't mean I won't digress now and then...
Speaking of which -- have you noticed the addtional attention Segolene has been getting in the U.S. press?...
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Feb 13, 2007 4:24:39 PM
From your comments it is obvious you have never been through a divorce…if so you would realize that an acrimonious divorce makes WW2 look like a picnic.
Yes, I have notice Madame Royal, and the attention the press is giving her. I find it very interesting.
The world is in a very unsettled mood now, more so than at anytime in my life. The French (and I must admit I love France) are an interesting people. I would not be surprised to see them tilt to the right, and if so, more of Europe will follow. Europeans have a traditions of accepting a lot from their adversaries…but never forget that can be RUTHLESS when they decide they have had enough. Ms Royal certainly has her role to play, and win or lose, it is an important one.
PS…and of course there is the fact that in addition to being very smart…she is a hottie!
Posted by: chris | Feb 13, 2007 5:56:25 PM
The Marine. Just out on DVD. Worst movie ever. How many times can someone get blown up with only superficial injuries? Only a small part was devoted to war though.
Posted by: bud | Feb 15, 2007 3:34:03 PM
I say Bud sees only flaws in our heroes.
Posted by: LexWolf | Feb 15, 2007 10:11:33 PM
nice site you have, have a look at http://www.badmovieknights.com/ when you get time ;)!
Posted by: Andy | Jun 13, 2007 3:38:57 PM
