Do you guys think there is a better war movie than FMJ?
09-30-03, 09:37 AM
#27
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Originally posted by garolo
Hiro11:
I wouldn't consider Ran a war movie. Indeed a battle for control does take place in the movie it isn't really about war, per se.
So then, what is the definition of a "war movie". In my opinion, the central theme of a war movie has to be two sovereignties fighting and/or the stories of the combatant(s) or those in someway involved in that war. If not, then Mrs. Minnerva, The African Queen or Casablaca could and should be considered war movies too.
Hiro11:
I wouldn't consider Ran a war movie. Indeed a battle for control does take place in the movie it isn't really about war, per se.
So then, what is the definition of a "war movie". In my opinion, the central theme of a war movie has to be two sovereignties fighting and/or the stories of the combatant(s) or those in someway involved in that war. If not, then Mrs. Minnerva, The African Queen or Casablaca could and should be considered war movies too.
09-30-03, 09:52 AM
#28
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Originally posted by Hiro11
Potato, potahto. Ran has more memorable epic battle scenes than any movie I can think of, is focused on a war between brothers and father, it's signature images are all soldiers in full battle dress charging around, the tragic reasons behind the war drive the entire plot...if Ran isn't a war movie, I don't know what is.
Potato, potahto. Ran has more memorable epic battle scenes than any movie I can think of, is focused on a war between brothers and father, it's signature images are all soldiers in full battle dress charging around, the tragic reasons behind the war drive the entire plot...if Ran isn't a war movie, I don't know what is.
Throne of Blood (yes, IMO)
The Hidden Fortress (yes)
Sanjuro (no, although there are two warring factions)
Samurai I, II, III (yes,no,no)
Seven Samurai (absolutely yes)
POW movies , the Great Escape, the Mackenzie Break, etc(sorry to stray from the theme here)
Captain Blood
...
It's seems that within "war movies" there could be quite a few subgenres.
Last edited by garolo; 09-30-03 at 09:55 AM.
09-30-03, 12:00 PM
#33
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OT: If you like R. Lee Ermey, you should check out Switchback (the Danny Glover/Dennis Quaid thriller). His performance is a complete 180 from Full Metal Jacket, and the sub-plot involving his character is far more interesting than the main story.
09-30-03, 12:06 PM
#34
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As has already been pointed out several times in this thread, FMJ isn't even Kubrick's best "war" film, that honor goes to Paths Of Glory... Our thread starter will never know though, isamu doesn't watch black and white films.
On top of that, yes, there are many war films that are better than FMJ... Kubrick is my favorite director, easily, but FMJ (while an excellent film) is not one of his masterworks... Paths Of Glory, 2001: ASO, Clockwork, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Spartacus, Strangelove, EWS... All are better Kubrick films.
On top of that, yes, there are many war films that are better than FMJ... Kubrick is my favorite director, easily, but FMJ (while an excellent film) is not one of his masterworks... Paths Of Glory, 2001: ASO, Clockwork, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Spartacus, Strangelove, EWS... All are better Kubrick films.
09-30-03, 01:17 PM
#35
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As mentioned before, the first part of Full Metal Jacket is great, the second half is pointless. I don't even consider the first half of FMJ to be really a war movie, because its just about training, etc.
Here are my pics:
Bridge Over River Kwai
The Longest Day
Saving Private Ryan
Blackhawk Down
Das Boot
Here are my pics:
Bridge Over River Kwai
The Longest Day
Saving Private Ryan
Blackhawk Down
Das Boot
09-30-03, 04:24 PM
#38
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I pretty much think the majority of people liek SPR the best, and I agree. It is honestly a great great movie, and was shocked it didnt win Best Picture over Shakespear In Love(which was a good movie IMO)
Edit for brain fart and putting wrong movie in
Edit for brain fart and putting wrong movie in
Last edited by REL77; 10-03-03 at 04:10 PM.
09-30-03, 04:58 PM
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There are a few select great war movies, and I personally don't put FMJ in the top tier. For me it is:
Glory
Platoon
Band of Brothers (a 10 hour war movie)
Bridge on the River Kwai
Das Boot
Those five are about as good as it gets, IMO.
SPR is pretty darn good too. Enemy at the Gates was reasonably good with a superb visual description of Stalingrad in '42. If it weren't for the massive historical blunder that the plot rests on it would rank much higher.
Glory
Platoon
Band of Brothers (a 10 hour war movie)
Bridge on the River Kwai
Das Boot
Those five are about as good as it gets, IMO.
SPR is pretty darn good too. Enemy at the Gates was reasonably good with a superb visual description of Stalingrad in '42. If it weren't for the massive historical blunder that the plot rests on it would rank much higher.
09-30-03, 09:16 PM
#40
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Originally posted by Hiro11
Potato, potahto. Ran has more memorable epic battle scenes than any movie I can think of, is focused on a war between brothers and father, it's signature images are all soldiers in full battle dress charging around, the tragic reasons behind the war drive the entire plot...if Ran isn't a war movie, I don't know what is.
Potato, potahto. Ran has more memorable epic battle scenes than any movie I can think of, is focused on a war between brothers and father, it's signature images are all soldiers in full battle dress charging around, the tragic reasons behind the war drive the entire plot...if Ran isn't a war movie, I don't know what is.
Braveheart owns you ALL!!
09-30-03, 09:20 PM
#41
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Originally posted by Johnny Zhivago
As has already been pointed out several times in this thread, FMJ isn't even Kubrick's best "war" film, that honor goes to Paths Of Glory... Our thread starter will never know though, isamu doesn't watch black and white films.
On top of that, yes, there are many war films that are better than FMJ... Kubrick is my favorite director, easily, but FMJ (while an excellent film) is not one of his masterworks... Paths Of Glory, 2001: ASO, Clockwork, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Spartacus, Strangelove, EWS... All are better Kubrick films.
As has already been pointed out several times in this thread, FMJ isn't even Kubrick's best "war" film, that honor goes to Paths Of Glory... Our thread starter will never know though, isamu doesn't watch black and white films.
On top of that, yes, there are many war films that are better than FMJ... Kubrick is my favorite director, easily, but FMJ (while an excellent film) is not one of his masterworks... Paths Of Glory, 2001: ASO, Clockwork, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Spartacus, Strangelove, EWS... All are better Kubrick films.
Oh and Barely Lyndon better than FMJ???...
C'mon John.
09-30-03, 09:41 PM
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Originally posted by REL77
I pretty much think the majority of people liek SPR the best, and I agree. It is honestly a great great movie, and was shocked it didnt win Best Picture over American Beauty (which was a good movie IMO)
I pretty much think the majority of people liek SPR the best, and I agree. It is honestly a great great movie, and was shocked it didnt win Best Picture over American Beauty (which was a good movie IMO)
isamu -
til you're blue in the face, Barry Lyndon is a better film than FMJ will ever be. Kubrick would tell you that, if he were here to do so... Kubrick fans, back me up here. Like I said, FMJ is an excellent film, but it doesn't come close to Barry Lyndon - possibly the most technically impressive film ever shot, from a master of technical film production. Should you buy Paths Of Glory? I dunno... Given your track record on Kubrick in the past, I'd venture a no... POG resembles FMJ only if you look at both as anti-war films, which they are. Otherwise, POG is the superior film from opening to closing shot.
Last edited by Johnny Zhivago; 09-30-03 at 09:43 PM.
10-01-03, 12:54 AM
#44
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I know it may technically not qualify as a movie, but for me Band of Brothers is my favorite war flick of all time. I've probably seen all 10 episodes a dozen times, and it never ceases to amaze me how incredible it is.
10-01-03, 02:37 PM
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Originally posted by REL77
I pretty much think the majority of people liek SPR the best, and I agree. It is honestly a great great movie, and was shocked it didnt win Best Picture over American Beauty (which was a good movie IMO)
I pretty much think the majority of people liek SPR the best, and I agree. It is honestly a great great movie, and was shocked it didnt win Best Picture over American Beauty (which was a good movie IMO)
10-01-03, 05:34 PM
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the bootcamp experience in FMJ is incredibly realistic. Short of a guy shooting himself and recruits sleeping with their rifles, I saw pretty much everything else in the flick as consistant with my own bootcamp experience. This half of the movie is greatness IMO. The second half of the movie, IMO, is merely average. I understand the relationship between the two halves is vital to the story etc etc but still, the 2nd half wasnt all that great. Platoon or Saving Private Ryan are atleast as good.
j
j
10-01-03, 05:47 PM
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Originally posted by Johnny Zhivago
Count me in the minority... SPR was a mildly interesting, formula driven, Spielberg heart string flick for the masses.
Count me in the minority... SPR was a mildly interesting, formula driven, Spielberg heart string flick for the masses.
It may be "mildly interesting" to you... but Spielberg obviously intended to show what the landing was like and the face of the war on the western front after said landing. Veterans I have talked to seem to think he did a pretty good job of that. Is SPR exactly what every GI experienced? Of course not. The US had almost 10 million men under arms in WWII... and they had 10 million different experiences. I think Spielberg did a pretty good job of creating a composite which was digestable to non-grunts. I can only wonder why anyone would watch a war movie for a reason other than getting a glimpse of what war is. Confusion, horror, fear, courage etc etc were pretty well depicted IMO... if it was only "mildly interesting" maybe you need to watch a different kind of film.
the "heart string flick" comment is silly as well. Isn't it his job as a director to get the audience to feel a certain way? You make it sound like some sort of gimmick. Spielberg doesn't need to use gimmicks, and its not like he's in it for the money at this point.
j
10-01-03, 05:59 PM
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Originally posted by jekbrown
Spielberg doesn't need to use gimmicks...
Spielberg doesn't need to use gimmicks...
An alien creature that can make a bicycle fly?
Most fictional movies use gimmicks, Speilberg's included.
(and I don't necessarily think the gimmicks are bad things)