Sunday, May 07, 2006
We need more war movies
We need more war movies of the kind that glorify our soldiers who are doing the physically difficult and spiritually challenging work of fighting for us. So says Armed Liberal, and so says novelist Andrew Klavan in an essay called "Draft Hollywood."
"United 93" — the film celebrating the heroic civilian attempt to retake a hijacked plane on 9/11 — opened last week. That's great. Well done and about time. But now, let's have some war movies.
We need some films celebrating the war against Islamo-fascism in Afghanistan and Iraq — and in Iran as well, if and when that becomes necessary. We need films like those that were made during World War II, films such as 1943's "Sahara" and "Action in the North Atlantic," or "The Fighting Seabees" and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," which were released in 1944.
Not all of these were great films, or even good ones, but their patriotic tributes to our fighting forces inspired the nation.
May I also suggest that these movies could be hugely profitable, for at least two reasons. First, a lot of Americans in the middle of the country would go see them, especially if they could be disauthenticated down to PG-13. And why not? None of the great and lame patriotic flicks from the forties offended the censors of that era. We know it can be done.
Second, most of the really expensive actors in Hollywood wouldn't want to participate, for fear of cutting off their access to the best cocktail parties. The producers -- if you could find them -- could cast the films with up-and-comers (maybe even returning vets) who would play for the exposure, and you just know they could get a screenwriter who has been nominated for an Acadamy Award.
6 Comments:
By 
cakreiz, at
Sun May 07, 02:07:00 PM:
There was a reason that Hollywood was recruited in WWII to make pro American films. The government understood the power of film. I thought Bruce Willis was going to make a pro Iraq film. After enduring the unwatchable Jarhead, it would be a nice change.
By Final Historian, at
Sun May 07, 02:46:00 PM:
There are a couple of movies that could easily be made:
Hell's Half-Pipe
Thunder Run
(something about Fallujah)
... among others.
By Dawnfire82, at
Sun May 07, 03:54:00 PM:
The Thunder Run story would make a *great* movie.
By Consul-At-Arms, at
Sun May 07, 04:33:00 PM:
As I noted in my 'If Kerry was president' post (http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2005/07/re-if-kerry-was-president.html):
"Which brings me to another point: Hollywood.
Clearly Hollywood is missing the boat when it comes to mobilizing itself in support of the nation. Perhaps it's too international and multinationally corporate these days.
So instead of waiting for them to come around and start making films which don't cause people around the world to wonder at our (Hollywood's) wealth, our (Hollywood's) boorishness, our (Hollywood's) corruption, our (Hollywood's) immorality, we should simply re-release old Westerns.
Most of them have been digitally-remastered anyways, colorized and such.
The cowboy is a classic American archtype, like the movie gangster of the Bogart and Cagney films. Remind the world of our cowboy heritage, our cowboy values.
Don't be distracted by the Italian-made spaghetti Westerns, although even some of Eastwood's earlier work carries the right messages, such as "The Outlaw Josey Wales."
These films send clear messages about honor, about courage, about things which many Americans still value, even if Hollywood has muddled the messages for many years.
Remind the world. Don't be ashamed of the violence portrayed in this medium. Most of the world is still very much aware of violence. You won't shock them. It's part of their daily lives. But show them "High Noon" rather than "Pulp Fiction" or even the recent "War of the Worlds."
Too much of the world, in the aforementioned real sunbelt, takes great comfort at watching our cities and citizens destroyed and humbled. I recall the reaction in Iraq after the release of "The Passion of the Christ." Within hours it was available in Iraq on pirated copy DVDs.
Many Iraqis were delighted to see the Jews killing the first Christian, Jesus. To them it was a two-fer, killing not only a Christian, but a Jew at the same time.
Not what Mr. Gibson had in mind, I know.
So let's not be subtle in the messages we do send."
By Miss Ladybug, at
Mon May 08, 12:24:00 PM:
It is my understanding that Bruce Willis wants to make a movie based on Michael Yon's writing from the front lines, particularly "Gates of Fire", and that Willis might like to play LTC Kurilla. I'd pay to go see that movie.
Also, I read American Citizen Soldier (http://americancitizensoldier.blogspot.com/), and he seems to be working on a documentary called "Give War A Chance". He's posted a couple of trailer on his site, indicating a release date of 9/11/06. I'd pay to see that, too.
I'm one of those unusual women who will go see movies like "Black Hawk Down" and "Saving Private Ryan"....
By Reel Fanatic, at
Tue May 09, 05:02:00 PM:
I think you're right about the fact that most Hollywood lefties would initially boycott such a noble endeavor, but once they see the box office receipts, they'll be clamoring to get on the bandwagon!
