Oscar Nominated War Films (1 Viewer)

[Rutledge]

This link is to an interesting interview with Oscar nominated writer John Milius. He wrote "Apolapypse Now", "Dirty Harry" and "Jaws", among others. He reveals some of his favorite and least favorite war movies. His reasoning was refreshingly honest and unpretentious. It was frankly somewhat to my surprise that I found myslelf in absolutely agreement with him, so I thought Id share this with you folks as well.

His pick for top war film of all time is probably not what you expect. Its not a recent movie.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/05/milius.war.movies/index.html?hpt=C2

'Apocalypse' scribe reveals top Oscar war films

"The Hurt Locker," says screenwriter John Milius, "doesn't shove into people's faces the idea of how terrible the war is'"

 

[Scott]

Milius has got a point about Black Hawk Down. I had to see it a couple of times to remember who the heck the characters were in the action. He's also been responsible for some shamelessly fun war movies like Rough Riders and The Wide and the Lion.

 

[lancer]

Have to disagree about Milius' opinion of "Blackhawk Down". I found it to be a very good war movie. Lots of characters and action. Hard to follow all the characters? Sure, just as the confusion of battle might be. It is a movie that might require multiple viewings, as all good movies do. Like all good movies, multiple viewings bring out the different layers and details that might be missed the first time. To condemn the film as garbage just because he had trouble following the characters is a little dismissive and unworthy. JMO. -- lancer

 

[Peter Reuss]

For Netflix people, Battleground is available to stream to your computer. Might have to check that out soon...

 

[Spitfrnd]

I have loved some Milius efforts but not all or all parts of even the best. Apocalypse had some excellent sceens but also so decidedly disjointed and odd ones, such as much of the end. Rome was relatively better in that regard by lacked dynamic action. Blackhawk Down was a lot of shooting, explosions and shouting and little else as far as I remember so I would agree with him about that. As to Star Wars, I think it was no more an amusement park ride than his movies, just a different genre.

Hurt Locker also had some well done scenes but as a Oscar level movie it just didn't make the grade from me; few if any did this year. Of course that means it will probably win.

 

[Scott]

Have to disagree about Milius' opinion of "Blackhawk Down". I found it to be a very good war movie. Lots of characters and action. Hard to follow all the characters? Sure, just as the confusion of battle might be. It is a movie that might require multiple viewings, as all good movies do. Like all good movies, multiple viewings bring out the different layers and details that might be missed the first time. To condemn the film as garbage just because he had trouble following the characters is a little dismissive and unworthy. JMO. -- lancer

Luckily BHD is watchable multiple times so one does get to recognize the characters. I can also watch Milius' films multiple times as well.

Just because someone is a talented director it doesn't mean they can't have a bad opinion. These are ARTISTS for crying out loud. I've heard some movie people reject the Oscars but it's the top industry award at a ceremony the world wants to watch! I've not worked in an industry who's peer award ceremony anyone wanted to watch on TV.

 

[Spitfrnd]

Luckily BHD is watchable multiple times so one does get to recognize the characters. I can also watch Milius' films multiple times as well.

Just because someone is a talented director it doesn't mean they can't have a bad opinion. These are ARTISTS for crying out loud. I've heard some movie people reject the Oscars but it's the top industry award at a ceremony the world wants to watch! I've not worked in an industry who's peer award ceremony anyone wanted to watch on TV.

You don't think they watch it for the movies do you?

 

[VIRIATO]

Black Hawk Down: not that bad but not that good. Certainly not in Apocalypse's league, it is light years away from it IMHO, I love Apocalypse Now, it is one of my favorite films, regardless of genre. I absolutely agree with Millius, having Kramer win against Apocalypse is just ridiculous, but the Academy is human and humans fail like the Academy has many times failed. The test of time is the best one I guess . Who remembers Kramer and not Apocalypse?
I am also a Deer Hunter fan, it is certainly a beautiful movie and not just a war centered movie, I agree with Millius on that part. I also agree with him on Avatar, Star Wars and would apply the same expression to Titanic.
Another war movie that I love: The Thin Red Line, directed by Terrence Mallick.
To me it's not just about realism when it comes to war movies, there is room for art, poetry, dreaming, feelings, generational portraits, all this can come into a so called war movie and make it great.
Another 2 I remember fondly, the 2 on Iwo Jima directed by Clint Eastwood...
Well, I am now out of thread, I believe the favorite war movie has already been discussed elsewhere...


Paulo

 

[lancer]

Black Hawk Down: not that bad but not that good. Certainly not in Apocalypse's league, it is light years away from it IMHO, I love Apocalypse Now, it is one of my favorite films, regardless of genre. I absolutely agree with Millius, having Kramer win against Apocalypse is just ridiculous, but the Academy is human and humans fail like the Academy has many times failed. The test of time is the best one I guess . Who remembers Kramer and not Apocalypse?
I am also a Deer Hunter fan, it is certainly a beautiful movie and not just a war centered movie, I agree with Millius on that part. I also agree with him on Avatar, Star Wars and would apply the same expression to Titanic.
Another war movie that I love: The Thin Red Line, directed by Terrence Mallick.
To me it's not just about realism when it comes to war movies, there is room for art, poetry, dreaming, feelings, generational portraits, all this can come into a so called war movie and make it great.
Another 2 I remember fondly, the 2 on Iwo Jima directed by Clint Eastwood...
Well, I am now out of thread, I believe the favorite war movie has already been discussed elsewhere...


Paulo

Hey Paulo, welcome to the "Thin Red Line" fan club. That makes two of us that like the Mallick version. I think it is better than SPR, (I know, blasphemy!), for the exact reasons you mention. It is a much deeper and interesting portrait of war than 99% of the stuff out of Hollyywood. -- Al

 

[UKReb]

Hey Paulo, welcome to the "Thin Red Line" fan club. That makes two of us that like the Mallick version. I think it is better than SPR, (I know, blasphemy!), for the exact reasons you mention. It is a much deeper and interesting portrait of war than 99% of the stuff out of Hollyywood. -- Al

Al
Make that three fans of the TRL although I won't go as far as it being better than SPR-they both have to be viewed as two entirely different versions of a war movie and I believe that was why TRL got slated by critics and the public. Both movies were released in 1998 and everyone expected to see a Pacific version of SPR but as Paulo states Mallick introduced a whole variety of nuances into his film that a war movie fan didn't expect or indeed at the time want to see.

I remember writing a glowing review of TRL for a movie-mag I freelance for. Wow! I got absolutely crucified by readers letters to the editor such as "BJ must have watched a whole different movie than I did this so-called war film was total c--p from the title to the end credits"

I'm a firm believer that a few select movies are like a good red wine-they improve with age-the longer you can leave them the better they get which in turn allows you time for your own palate to mature to really appreciate a fine old Claret. A few movies are like this such as when I viewed Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch which I thought was a stunning movie-same release that year 1969 was Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid-Yippee! I thought another movie about the two main protagonists of the original Wild Bunch. Boy did I come out of that movie disappointed and confused-what was it a comedy? a musical? a poor South American western? I hated it because of my own pre-conceived ideas of what this film was going to be like. But a few years after watching it again on video and then on TV I began to appreciate and admire what the director was actually attempting to depict on screen and it became one of my favorite westerns but not better than The Wild Bunch-same genre but two entirely different interpretations.

I draw that exact same analogy to TRL & SPR

Reb

 

[lancer]

Al
Make that three fans of the TRL although I won't go as far as it being better than SPR-they both have to be viewed as two entirely different versions of a war movie and I believe that was why TRL got slated by critics and the public. Both movies were released in 1998 and everyone expected to see a Pacific version of SPR but as Paulo states Mallick introduced a whole variety of nuances into his film that a war movie fan didn't expect or indeed at the time want to see.

I remember writing a glowing review of TRL for a movie-mag I freelance for. Wow! I got absolutely crucified by readers letters to the editor such as "BJ must have watched a whole different movie than I did this so-called war film was total c--p from the title to the end credits"

I'm a firm believer that a few select movies are like a good red wine-they improve with age-the longer you can leave them the better they get which in turn allows you time for your own palate to mature to really appreciate a fine old Claret. A few movies are like this such as when I viewed Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch which I thought was a stunning movie-same release that year 1969 was Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid-Yippee! I thought another movie about the two main protagonists of the original Wild Bunch. Boy did I come out of that movie disappointed and confused-what was it a comedy? a musical? a poor South American western? I hated it because of my own pre-conceived ideas of what this film was going to be like. But a few years after watching it again on video and then on TV I began to appreciate and admire what the director was actually attempting to depict on screen and it became one of my favorite westerns but not better than The Wild Bunch-same genre but two entirely different interpretations.

I draw that exact same analogy to TRL & SPR

Reb

Great points, Reb. I also believe some movies grow better with age (multi-viewings). In the same vein as TRL and SPR, were the Viet-Nam war movies "Platoon" and "Full Metal Jacket". Same kind of relationship in terms of presentation. Both great movies, just different views and aims. There are many, many, movies that deserve multi-viewings, and some that almost require them to enjoy to the fullest. -- Al