Author Topic: Top Five WW2 Movies  (Read 4207 times)

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Top Five WW2 Movies
« Reply #40 on: March 25, 2017, 10:35:12 AM »
But the Indiana Jones movies does use WWII as a background.  They assume we know just what baddies Nazis are, and anyone who is a Nazi supporter is a baddie.  We appreciate it when Indy punches or shoots a Nazi, because they deserve it, even though the war hadn't taken place yet.

I vote that the Indy movies rely on WWII background.  But I'm not changing my list.

By that standard, Notorious is a WWII film. And Casablanca. I'm sticking with films that directly deal with the war in some way. Lots of great films deal with Nazis and events surrounding the war, but I want one that deals directly with the events of the war as much as possible.


1. The Thin Red Line
2. Night and Fog
3. Das Boot
4. The Great Escape
5. Saving Private Ryan

colonel_mexico

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Re: Top Five WW2 Movies
« Reply #41 on: March 25, 2017, 11:54:11 AM »
If it were not for WWII would the film still be able to operate? I feel like even as just a background the war plays a crucial part in making the films I chose, LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN and THE SOUND OF MUSIC, they would not be able to exist or have the drama that makes them so intriguing. The bloody parts of the war, the psychological effects of fighting are interesting, are sufficient, but not necessary to provide great drama. I think a film about the effects on lives as a result of the war are equally important and can make for good drama/comedy/insert genre. The easiest one that fits this mold is SCHLINDER'S LIST, there are some German troops, but there isn't any fighting or crucial battles mentioned, so does that not make it a war film?
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oldkid

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Re: Top Five WW2 Movies
« Reply #42 on: March 25, 2017, 08:45:15 PM »
In the end, I think we need to make our own decisions as to what qualifies as a WWII movie.  And I would certainly place Casablanca and Notorious as WWII movies because the background of the films is the war, it hangs over everything in the films, more so than the Indy movies.

If you want to keep your list narrowed to just events in the war proper, that's your choice.  Everyone must have their own qualifications for determining their Top 5 lists.
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Junior

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Re: Top Five WW2 Movies
« Reply #43 on: March 25, 2017, 09:12:14 PM »
Would you all think I was crazy if I said Fanny and Alexander in this thread? Too bad, that's my thesis.
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Re: Top Five WW2 Movies
« Reply #44 on: March 25, 2017, 11:04:49 PM »
By that standard, Notorious is a WWII film. And Casablanca. I'm sticking with films that directly deal with the war in some way. Lots of great films deal with Nazis and events surrounding the war, but I want one that deals directly with the events of the war as much as possible.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Paths of Glory
The African Queen

Curious for your reasoning in excluding Casablanca and including African Queen on your WW I list. Both feature Bogart as a world-weary cynic who's given up on his ideals and his belief in moral behaviour (both personally and politically) for self-serving amoral individualism. Along comes a woman he loved/loves/falls for, and he agrees to help her escape certain capture by the enemy.