Apocalypse Now for me. I just think it's a remarkable piece and the Redux version is better than the original and that was also exceptional. You can keep Spielberg though. I don't rate him at all. He opts for a sentimental get out clause every time and it's irritating and spoils the film.
Of the choices on offer, I plumped for All Quiet on the Western Front. The others aren't as impressive- Full Metal Jacket's first-half is great, the second dull & looks like it was filmed in the Docklands (which it was...). Kubrick's Paths of Glory was a much better war-film IMO!!...The Deer Hunter in the right-mood feels great, but sometimes I've seen it and thought it was (i) boring, (ii) a bit conservative- that patriotic sing-song at the end!!!...SPR is a post-MTV take on a 60s film like Beach Red & was offensive & silly...I liked Ap-Now, esp the Redux version- the end still sucks & Brando is still irritating. I feel a list or two coming on regarding this theme:
TOP 10 WAR MOVIES:
1. Fires on the Plain 2. The Battle of Algiers 3. Come and See 4. Salvador 5. Rome, Open City 6. Ran 7. Shame 8. Patton 9. The Battleship Potemkin 10. The Thin Red Line (Malick)
...and lest not forget:
Paths of Glory The Longest Day The Pianist Stalingrad Platoon Born on the 4th of July The Killing Fields Casualties of War Soldier Blue The Tin Drum Cabaret (pre-war, granted) Zulu Rambo II (hilarious comedy in which Rambo replays a war the US lost & wins...) The Burmese Harp Kagemusha Glory Das Boot A Generation/Kanal/Ashes & Diamonds (a loose trilogy) MASH Catch 22 (not as great as the book or as bad as its reputation) A Bright White Lie (which I think was made for TV) Reds (at several points it's amid the First World War) Salo (De Sade placed in WWII) Saviour (underrated Balkans film with Dennis Quaid) Under Fire Merry Xmas, Mr Lawrence Braveheart Land & Freedom The Devil's Backbone Spartacus Ice Cold in Alex The English Patient Schindler's List Night & Fog Shoah (yes, I'd include documentaries) The Sorrow & the Pity The Train & I'm sure plenty of more to consider beyond the five-offered up...
Oh, and We Were Soldiers and Windtalkers were awful...almost as bad as Black Hawk Down...
"See you on doomsday!"- Sadegh Hedayat's suicide note
pinkerton, mate- I get to post whatever I like! Q. Are you a moderator? A. No...
Junglecat1- very witty put-downs, I take it that you're the reincarnation of Dorothy Parker? Wiseass, thickblood - intellectual censure that would take me decades to think up. No hold on, I can do thick put downs too, Jungleprat1-Bungletwat2 etc....Explain what's "pretentious" about opening up the idea of what a war-movie is? The problem I have these days, with the definitive-selection of lists & the like is that they are a bit reductive. I'm sorry if it's "pretentious" to have seen more films than less, or to display knowledge- am I supposed to be displaying thick-prowess? Funny thing is, Dumbo-pat1, I've posted similar lists several times on these here forums- so are you just griping as you feel inferior? It's an issue for yourself I think? Kind of sad that people have to limit their notion of what is best- ten would never do for me & I thought I'd offer an idea beyond American-war films which people emphasise- seen in the five-choices offered: Four American films to one German one (which means nothing from Japan, Russia, the UK, Sweden etc). Two things though: (i) it's supposed to be film-fun- get a grip, we're not discussing anything beyond art, & (ii) unless you're a moderator of this site, you don't get much a say on the length or content of postings by others. Is that OK???? I'd rather be pretentious than oblivious anyway...
"See you on doomsday!"- Sadegh Hedayat's suicide note
No need for nastiness. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion on what movies they think are the best. Just because some don't like a movie that others do doesn't make them wrong. I liked We Were Soldiers, but others don't, that's fine, like I said we are all entitled to our own opinions and don't need to go bashing others for their opinions.
Hmmm...seems to me that three people named Carmelbite, Wiseblood and Pinkerton really started this whole "war". Maybe arwen28 just misunderstood the three of you at the beginning of this whole thread. Maybe she thought you three were being nasty to each other but you really weren't...or maybe you really were being nasty to each other but that didn't call for you calling a lady a moron, a prat and whatever other name crossed the board.
Oh, and she has just as much right as any of you to stay, so to tell her to go away is against her civil liberties.
Arwen, don't mind those mindless jacka**'s. They probably don't know the meaning of the word nice. Heaven forbid if any of them are married, I feel terribly sorry for their spouses if they are.
Blimey, there's a lot of pent-up aggression over here. By all means disagree with each other's opinions (that's part of the fun) but what is the point of slagging each other off? Gentlemen, and ladies, you can't fight in here, this is the war movie thread.
Now I seem to recall disagreeing with arwen28 on something before but I don't think anyone could describe her as being a 'sad prat'. Though arwen, I don't think it's entirely true that all British people are 'complete jerks' either.
Anyway, the best war film is Dr Strangelove, or maybe Malick's The Thin Red Line. So there.
You're right, obsolesce, not all Brits are complete jerks, I just said that because I was upset, that's all. I've met a lot of Brits that are nothing but kind and considerate. Lol...I'm married to a Brit, and he is nothing but a gentleman.
I'm sorry if what I have said have offended people, it really was not my intention. Maybe I did misunderstand some of you in the beginning, I don't know. I just thought some were being nasty to each other and I was trying to restore the peace. But then when others started telling me off I got upset and tried to retaliate.
I'll say no more on this subject and just leave it where it is, a simple apology.
Goodness! Such arguments, the UKMHOF is a safer place Just wanted to add that I thoroughly dislike 'Saving Private Ryan' Other than the much heralded beach-landing scene it is really quite bad. The dialogue at times is unforgiveable. "Went the day well?" is an interesting slant on the war movie.
It's a bit of a loose question, I suppose. Lots of films are about war, but we don't think of them as "war films." You could even argue, with some justification, that The Lord of the Rings is a war film, seeing as it is about a war.
Of the five on the poll, I'd go for Apocalypse Now, but to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't like to decide between that and several others that were not in the poll: Platoon, Das Boot, Sahara, Ice Cold in Alex, The Guns of Navarone and quite a few more. I also have a soft spot for Kelly's Heroes.
Oh, and in keeping with the mood of the rest of this thread, I'd just like to note that Pinkerton and Junglecat are thick as pigsh*t and if one were given the choice of seeking the opinion of one of them or asking a retarded toddler, one would find the retarded toddler would say something more incisive every time.
1. Apocolypse Now 2. The Deer Hunter 3. La Vita è bella/ Life is Beautiful 4. Ivanovo detstvo/ Ivan's Childhood 5. Bridge on the River Kwai 6. The Dirty Dozen 7. Platoon 8. M*A*S*H*
I absolutely hated Full Metal Jacket!
"As your leader, I encourage you from time to time, and always in a respectful manner, to question my logic"
Stan Kubrick's masterpiece is tops of course!
