Week 14: The War Film Flashcards
What is a “war film”?
A representation of war from the points of view of those whose lives it touches
Mostly (although imprecisely) identified with the combat film and a handful of 20th century wars, preeminently WWII and Vietnam.
What are three traditional stories that war films tell?
War films tell stories about the needs of the individual that often give way to the needs of the group.
According to war stories, the difference between right and wrong in battle is obscured and no longer absolute.
However, US vs. Them conflicts still create relative moral distinctions
What are three traditional types of character relationships in the war film?
Young male soldier engages in rivalry with an older, more experienced father figure.
Male/ female relationships function to solidify male/ male bonds.
Women pose a threat to men by making them vulnerable and putting masculinity in crisis.
How did World War II shape U.S. cinema, yielding a distinctive type of war film?
War films shape public opinion about real, individual wars and war in general
During the 1940’s WWII films dramatized journey of reluctant warrior who decides to fight (“conversion narratives”)
Office of War Informations (OWI) established in 1942, and its Bureau of Motion Pictures advised on productions to promote war effort.
WWII films made during the war sought to teach moviegoers about “why we fight,” the nature of the enemy, and the justness of the U.S. cause.
Representations of the U.S. “melting point” masked the historical reality of racism in the country during WWII (Jim Crow Laws). US fighting JAPAN
How did the Vietnam War shape U.S. cinema, yielding another distinctive type of war film?
Films about the vietnam war undermined traditional values of films about WWII (most made after the wars end in 1975)
Nearly all films took an antiwar stance or critical position on U.S. political policy
Films about returning servicemen damaged in combat, adjusting to civilian life, were as important as actual combat films in representation of the Vietnam war.
Real life sense of defeat and lack of closure influenced films that sought explanations for the war’s outcome.
How did we characterize U.S. war films made after 9/11?
Films about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were slow to emerge and have been generally unprofitable (only a handful produced).
Most refuse to engage in debate over the wars, focusing instead on the toll war has taken on the U.S. veterans/ their families
