In war there is no prize for runner-up. Review on Five Best Hollywood War Movies

My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth. -George Washington

=======================================================

PROLOGUE

The world’s status quo has changed. Things are happening that is inevitably inevitable. The world of war and chaos can be totally avoided, if thought fruitfully by those who have means. The might may be right, but not always. Starting off with that, I was pondering over this idea of writing a review on a despicable word. The reason I write a review is to tell you how these movies reminiscence the effects of war and the things one has to go through to endure pain and suffering.

The list of films I have chosen are fully my own list and is solely based on the number of movies I have seen. You may see that few of your favorites missing. I have my own conscience to choose the top 5 from my list. Please feel free to suggest a good one, if I have missed out.

Without further Adieu, my lists of films in no particular order are

Apocalypse Now (1979)

This masterpiece of a movie by Francis Ford Coppola is a great film all along. Be it for the picturization, locale, cinematography, emotions or acting. I watched the original one prior to the newly digitized “Apocalypse now – Redux” and was awed by it. The masters have done an excellent job. In my opinion, this is the best Vietnam War movie ever made, though there are so many rightful competitors. There are some good ones about the after effect of Vietnam and the effects of the spitefulness thrown at the veterans too, such as Born on the 4th of July etc.

Apocalypse Now is a cinematic masterpiece and got to be the best one ever made. The master of drama has made a masterful war movie too. The acting by Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall & Martin Sheen is just exemplary. So are the many combat scenes and the locale. A true masterpiece!!

Platoon (1987)

Oliver Stone is a great movie-maker, especially when it comes to war, he along with the legendary Stanley Kubrick stands apart. This masterful movie is just a wonder. Based on Vietnam again, this movie is a great one, visually, emotionally as well as in technical aspects. The story with a tagline of “The first casualty of war is innocence”, this one explores the corruption during war and is a heart-wrenching war drama at its best. Winner of 4 academy awards, this Oscar winning film for Oliver Stone had some beautiful performances by Tom Berenger , Willem Dafoe & Charlie Sheen. Don’t you remember poster of Willem Dafoe with his hands raised in agony?

This is cinematic masterpiece from an exceptional director.

Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

This is possibly the best movie ever made about the world war II. The beauty of this movie about the “Pearl harbor” attack is that it had so may beautiful visual effects in the days of no CGI. This is one movie where you get to know both sides of a story told in a beautiful manner. The two directors doing American as well as Japanese side have done some exceptional job. Directed by Richard Fleischer Kinji Fukasaku & Toshio Masuda (I) , this film whose Japanese side was to be directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa had some breathtaking scenes involving the aerial bombarding as well as the combat scenes. The actors also did a great job in this movie.

This is the best film to be shot about a “day that lives in infamy??”

Braveheart (1995)

You have to give it to Mel Gibson for making the character William Wallace live in our memory forever. This movie is a great film that teaches us many lessons. The few (compared to others), this drama about war is in my list due to the fact that it had so many messages to tell. How to persist and try again and again, how to stand for your freedom and rights (Things that are taken away in a war), how war affects you by impacting the best people you love. The ultimate sacrifice and all. I think this will be the Pinnacle of Mel Gibson’s career. This is a must watch for all.

For the fifth one, there is a tie in my list. I cannot leave either of these

The Bridge on the River Kwai(1957) & Bronenosets Potyomkin (1925)

The Bridge on the River Kwai is a true masterpiece by David Lean. Although he had another classic by the name of “Lawrence of Arabia”, this is a great movie as many would agree. This movie is about the British WW2POW (World War II prisoners of war), who are given the daunting task of building a railway bridge in a harsh Asian jungle, by their harsh Japanese captors. The plight, the teamwork and the drama surrounding this scenario is truly awesome. A Must watch

Bronenosets Potyomkin (1925) which is also known as Battleship Potemkin in English, is truly the best movie ever made out of Russia. This movie is a classic and far ahead of its time. This alone makes it a true wonder. The movie revolves around an uprising on board the Battleship Potemkin around 1905 in the Russo-Japanese War. This is about the Naval Mutiny in this Russian Ship. The fervor and hatred during the unbearable times teaches you the animosity amongst your own people, which is another trait of war. Sergei Eisenstein has made a movie that is true masterpiece and ahead of its time. (I happen to see this after I rented it from the local library, after hearing so much).

BOTTOMLINE

There were so many movies I considered. Some of them are

• Saving Private Ryan (1998)

  
  




• The Deer Hunter (1979)

  
  




• The war trio from Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory (1957), Full Metal Jacket (1987) & Dr.Strangelove (1964)

  
  




• No Man's Land (2001)

  
  




• Patton (1970)

  
  




• The Killing Fields (1984)

  
  

War is always a bad thing. I hope there will be peace all the time.

I hope you liked my review. Please do chip in your comments.

KALIL

=======================================================

War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses. -- Thomas Jefferson

A war for a great principle ennobles a nation. A war for commercial supremacy, upon some shallow pretext, is despicable, and more than aught else demonstrates to what immeasurable depths of baseness men and nations can descend. -- Albert Pike

=======================================================