From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
…unless I completely forgot about this gem. Thank you for reminding me.
Another great Shakespearean war film (it’s a thing now).
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
Would it please you if I changed the thread title to Your Top “War Films”?
Nah. I was just being truculent.
Which reminds me. I forgot to include Love and Death.
-You’re a tyrant, and a dictator, and you start wars!
-Why is he reciting my credits?
-xtien
“You should have such inadvertent heroism.”
Sometimes arbitrary rules focus the mind.
Its dark, but George MacReady and Adolphe Menjou are hilarious in this scene. Never let it be said Kubrick didn’t have a sense of humor.
Uh. This has never been said. Because Dr. Strangelove.
Also…my favorite example of arbitrary rules. Hands down:
-xtien
“Gentlemen you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”
Oh, I’d not thought of that! And I was only talking about it with my mum a few days ago (who watched it for the first time recently).
I was surprised I was the first to mention The Deer Hunter 60+ posts deep!
(Platoon is very weird to say after playing so much Splatoon these last few years…)
A list with arbitrary rules? I’m shocked!
Look. If it’s divisible by five*, it’s not arbitrary. I’m pretty sure that’s written down somewhere.
-xtien
*Or if three people are each doing a list of three things. I believe that is even in the Laws of Thermodynamics.
All my favourites have been named, but I’ll submit The Battle of Algiers. Maybe not a war movie in the strictest sense since it depicts an occupying force being challenged by an urban insurgency, but it’s just still so damn impressive in terms of its form and technique and just flat out thrilling.
Ooh. You just made me think of Army of Shadows.
-xtien
Amazing soundtrack too.
Yep, seen it. I love me some Sam Fuller. Fixed Bayonets and Verboten (which is really more of a post-war movie) are a couple more good ones from him.
Quite the variety here! Most of my favorites have already been mentioned. Here are two I think haven’t:
Here’s one that should not go on the list because it completely crapped on the source material.
Flight of the Intruder
But this one didn’t:
The Great Santini
War Of The Roses
Star Wars
War of The Worlds
Captain America: Civil War
I keeed.
Don’t think I’ve seen too many war movies. But these are my faves:
Apocalypse Now
Saving Private Ryan
Lawrence of Arabia
All Quiet on the Western Front
Picked up Patton which I’ve never seen, looking forward to watching it this weekend.
Oh, hmmm, also Ran. Doctor Strangelove? Schindler’s List? I think I could switch any of the ones above for these three, except for Saving Private Ryan.
A grampa favorite of mine:
I dunno if y’all know, by the way, but Maximum Fun has a new war movie podcast called Friendly Fire which is pretty good.
- Bridge Too Far
- The Longest Day
- Saving Private Ryan
and now it gets tougher.
- Cross Of Iron/Battle Of The Bulge/Apocalypse Now/Dambusters/Tora Tora Tora/Battle of Midway
I’m, uh, liberally interpreting the (unstated) rules of the game. None of these movies are “about” the war in question. The conflicts are more than just setting, though, and (with the exception of maybe Inglourious Basterds) they drive their respective plots as much as any character.
I’m just not a fan of the traditional war movie, to be honest. :(
If you enjoyed the book you might like to read, War for the Hell of It: A Fighter Pilot’s View of Vietnam by Ed Cobleigh
My top 4 would be. Grave of the Fireflies, Dr Strangelove, Lawrence of Arabia, schindler’s list
Some real big titles missing from this discussion are: