I watch war movies on two levels. On one level, I see the see the sacrifice and bravery and my spirit soars at the thought of these highest ideals. On another level I read the subtext, the intended meaning of the artists behind the film which may justly be anti-war but more often is anti-military, anti-American, or even anti-virtue. Therefore, with some of my favorite movies I also detest the intention behind them.
Andrew Klavan writes about the cultural influences behind war movies and why, for the most part, they don't make 'em like they used to. He writes, "American artists are adopting European-style cosmopolitanism, which leaves them virtually incapable of depicting warriors as heroes."
This article is hands down the best article I have ever read on the history of cinema (specifically war movies). It's so well-versed in both history and cinema that it pops with insight in every paragraph. If you're fascinated with movies or history or culture, this article is a must read. Klavan put words to what I believe and changed my mind on a couple of smaller points. Read the whole article here.
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