What is your favorite WAR movie? Why?

I was reading DVD Savant's review for "Japan's Longest Day" and it got me thinking about war movies. What is your favorite?

The last one I saw in the theatre was "Downfall" about Hitler's last days in the bunker, and I watched the new DVD release of "Apocolypse Now Redux" last week.

I think my favorite is still the war comedy "Mr. Roberts" with Henry Fonda reprising his stage roll. It was co-directed by John Ford and Mervin LeRoy. I think Ford became ill and LeRoy took over. I can't remember exactly who shot the outdoor scenes and who did the indoor (I think Ford shot the outdoor stuff).

The think what I like most is the ending. Gets me every time. And James Cagney and Jack Lemmon are great.



"Japan's Longest Day" review: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s2089day.html

 

Not exactly a war movie in the classic sense, but i've always liked "Full Metal Jacket" Why? It's not your usual good vs. evil situation with heroes. It's also quirky.

Other war movies I like are:
Born In The U.S.A. (Again, not exactly a war movie)
Platoon
Jarhead
...(what's that one really graphic movie about WWII that came out a few years ago?)

 

Saving Ryan's Privates?


Now that I think about it, I don't think there are any weapons fired in "Mr. Roberts" since the movie takes place on a supply ship.

 

I am not a fan of "war" movies in general. Of the few I find worthwhile, Full Metal Jacket is probably the most interesting to me. I found the portrayal of military bootcamp during the Vietnam era to ring authentically true to life. I went through bootcamp during that time period and it was as brutal,nasty and dehumanizing as the movie portrays it.

 

One of the few films I've seen that I thought really deserved that most overworked of adjectives, "powerful," is "Das Boot"--perhaps not least because my father fought aboard a destroyer on the other side of that deadly cat-and-mouse exercise in the North Atlantic. The film certainly transports the viewer right into its claustrophobic world, proving an exception to "the victor writes history" without in the least glorifying what the losers were about.

 

Sgt York

One of my all time favorites. Then again, hard to say if this is a war movie or not.

 

MASH; it's one of only a few films I can rewatch over and over.

 

Dr. Strangelove for it's funny realism....per se and Empire of the Sun....wonderfully acted and excellent storytelling.

 

These are all good choices! I'll just add They Were Expendable to the list. War movies don't get much better than this one, and I find it poetic and haunting.

 

PT-109

 

Das Boot
The Guns Of Navarone
Die Blechtrummel

 

When I bought "The Big Red One - the reconstruction" I picked up the "World War II Collection" box which also included "Battleground". Really good film. Nice that they incorporated a bit of newsreel footage into it.

The set also came with the somewhat snowless "The Battle of the Bulge" (with a 2:74:1 aspect ratio) and the guys-night-in flicks, "The Dirty Dozen" and "Where Eagles Dare".


Another favorite of mine is the John Frankenheimer/Burt Lancaster espionage flick "The Train" - great to see them smash real trains. No computer graphics here.

 

I'm partial to submarine war movies. The Enemy Below, in particular.

 

"Sink the Bismark" 1960

I also thought "Band of Brothers" was very realistic. Although it does't qualify as a film.

Tom

 

Well...yeah!

 

The version of Erich Maria Remarques' novel is also my fave!!! One of the best anti-war movies!!!!


Deer Hunter is another fantastic movie.....

 

The Deer Hunter. Just an incredibly powerful film.

 

The Bridge On the River Kwai
The Battle of Britain
The Battle of the Bulge
Patton
Tora! Tora! Tora!
We Were Soldiers
The Deer Hunter

No specific reasons why I like these movies. All I can say is that I can watch them over and over and enjoy them each time.

 

Kelly's Heroes (1970) Cool, funny and i like the theme music(the soundtrack's not bad either).

Battle of Britain (1969)Great dogfight scenes, and just a very stirring movie.

I like most war films from the 60s/70s. Cross of Iron (1977) is pretty good too.

 

Don't forget 'Shaving Ryan's Privates'

 

Paths of Glory

 

Apocalypse Now
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan
Patton

 

War of the Roses

 

Patton
In Harm's Way
Midway
Das Boot
Battle of the Bulge