Tag Archives: War Movie

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Enemy at the Gates Movie Posters or The Oddities of Film Marketing

Very obviously every country chooses to advertise movies in a different way. Same thing with books. I thought it might be interesting to pick a movie, Enemy at the Gates in this case, and just look what I come up with. It’s interesting, dont’ you think? I can’t quite figure out which is which, apart from the last one, of course, that is the French poster. Now in France they even chose another title. Stalingrad.

Which is the one that you prefer? Which one captures the story best? I think I would prefer the third one if it had been Ed Harris’ instead of  Joseph Fiennes’ face, although… I am not sure.

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Arn: Knight Templar aka Arn: Tempelriddaren (2007) or A Fantastic Movie about the Crusades

What a fantastic movie. A lavish historical epic with likable characters and a great story. So much better than Kingdom of Heaven although that is not a bad movie at all. Only, I did not care much about the characters and the story. Big difference here. Arn: Knight Templar makes you care. You want to know what happens, you feel outrage when the main characters suffer wrong and you admire them and enjoy watching them.

Based on the novels by Jan Guillou this multinational co-production (we hear at least 5 different languages: Swedish, English, French, Arabic and Latin) centers on Arn, the son of a Swedish noble man. He falls in love with Cecilia, who is promised to another man. When their love is found out they are sentenced. Cecilia is to spend her days in a convent, Arn must join the Knight Templars and travel to the Holy Land. He will experience the brutality of the Crusades but still remain true to himself and stay just, courageous and open-minded. Cecilia on her side endures many hardships. The worst is certainly that they take away her newborn son, as he has been conceived in sin.

We see many a battle scene, breathtaking landscapes (the movie was filmed in Sweden, Scotland and Morocco) and we wonder once more how people can fight bloody battles in the name of religion.

Even though a major part of it,  the battles, the fights and the beauty of the scenery are not the the only good aspects of the movie. The depiction of the Middle Ages, centering on a bloodthirsty Catholicism,  is what makes this movie memorable. How horrible the Catholicism of those times has been, with its belief in sin and eternal damnation, its attempt to spread the faith all over this world, and even in bringing warfare to every corner of the earth. And the way they treated women and people of other faiths… Abominable.

Last but not least this is also a beautiful love story.

The cast is quite interesting. We see, once more, Stellan Skarsgard, but also Vincent Perez, Milind Soman, Bibi Andersson (she gives a chilling performance as a frankly sadistic nun), Sofia Helin and, starring as Arn, Joakim Nätterqvist.

I have a seen the shorter version. There are apparently two. I believe the longer one is better. A word of caution: there is some weird jumping in the time going on. This needs some getting used to. Maybe it is due to the cuts.

Be it as it may, watch it as soon as you can. You won´t regret it.

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Je veux voir aka I want to see (2008) or Lebanon after the War in 2006

Je veux voir is something in between a documentary and a movie. The idea for the film  came from the helplessness of the filmmakers to see how parts of their country were destroyed in a war that lasted only 1 month. They wanted to have a look at the destruction. They wanted to see for themselves and let others see. To do so, they decided to have the icon of French cinema, Catherine Deneuve, and a famous Lebanese actor, Rabih Mroué,  visit Beirut and the South of Lebanon together.

Seeing those two strangers together in a car is quite awkward at first. He is afraid of what he will see. Rabih spent his childhood in the South where his grandmother lived. Now everything is destroyed but not all the destruction they see is new. A lot is still from the civil war. The Lebanese had never really had the time to fully rebuild their houses.

It is quite surreal at moments to see a woman like Catherine Deneuve in these places. They have odd conversations about putting on a seat belt or not, which is not important to Rabih. Not anymore, as he says. Since the war such details have lost their importance.

During their trip Rabih often repeats things Catherine says or once said in a movie in Arabic.

They have to be careful as there are cluster bombs everywhere and once they stray from the path, everybody is in uproar.

At one moment Israeli jets pass over their heads and Catherine Deneuve nearly freaks out. She thinks they are under attack. But no, as Rabih explains, this is a common procedure. Israeli jets often break the sound barrier to induce fear. But they also take pictures.

Frankly, as short as it is, I found it boring at times and Catherine Deneuve´s lack of comprehension was a bit exasperating.

But the end was good and I was glad I watched it.

We see mountains of rubble. Huge, huge mountains of rubble. All the leftovers of the destroyed buildings have been brought to a place near the sea, where they are further destroyed and the rubble is shoved into the see. What struck me were all this steel bits and wires looking out of those heaps like tentacles. You only see as much steel when concrete buildings have been destroyed. This clearly indicated that those buildings were not very old. And when I saw this I remembered that Beirut was once called the Paris of the Middle East because it was so elegant and stylish…

Those days are long gone.

Still the film ends on a positive note. The two strangers have become friends and the oh so impassive actress smiles one of her rare smiles when she sees Rabih again in the evening at a gala.

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WWI Movie Quotes Film Quiz 7

Today´s movie quotes quiz will lead us into the realm of  WWI movies.

The quote is followed by the solution underneath but first comes the random list for you. Anyone who wants a real challenge, skips this list!

Merry Christmas aka Joyeux Noel, The Lighthorsemen, The Blue Max,  All Quiet on the Western Front, Regeneration, Gallipoli, Flyboys

Quotes

[wondering why Cassidy is offering a pistol] “What’s this for?”
“Plane catches fire you got three choices: You can burn with it all the way to the ground; You can jump several thousand feet; or you can take the quick and painless way out.”
[Handing gun to Beagle]
“Good luck, gentlemen.”

Solution 1

“Everyone to their posts!”
[a moment of indecision] “Every man to his post!”
“Quickly!”
[the Scottish soldiers get in position along the trench wall]
[Someone in the German trench stands up and walks into No Man’s Land]” No, stay here! What’re you doing? Come back!”
“Well, what the hell are you doing! Shoot the bloody Kraut!”
[the Scottish soldiers look at each other; they don’t fire]
“What are you waiting for? Shoot him, God damn it! Holidays are over!”
[the soldiers shoot in the air to warn the man in No Man’s Land, who begins to run toward the French trench]
“What the hell do you think you’re playing at? Shoot him!”
[Again the soldiers look at each other, shake their heads, and don’t fire]
“Shoot him!”
[Jonathan shoots the man, who falls midway between the French and German trenches]
“Stand down from your posts.”
[They do]
“Shame on you, Gordon. Shame on you.”
[Ponchel’s alarm clock rings in No Man’s Land. Gordon looks out to see Lieutenant Audebert running to help the man Jonathan shot – Ponchel in a German uniform]
“Be silly to die disguised as a German, eh?”
“What the devil were you doing?”
“I had a German help me. I saw my mother. We drank a coffee, just like before… You have a son.”
[Lieutenant Audebert can no longer keep from crying]
“His name is Henri.”
[Ponchel dies, and Lieutenant Audebert sobs even harder. Gordon and the Major look on from their trench, Gordon grave, the Major baffled]

Solution 2

“I find it interesting that you don’t stutter.”
“I find it even more interesting that you do.”

Solution 3

“Ah, the French certainly deserve to be punished for starting this war.”
“Everybody says it’s somebody else.”
“Well. how do they start a war?”
“Well, one country offends another.”
“How could one country offend another?”
“You mean there’s a mountain over in Germany gets mad at a field over in France?”
[Everyone laughs]
“Well, stupid, one people offends another.”
“Oh, well, if that’s it, I shouldn’t be here at all. I don’t feel offended.”
“It don’t apply to tramps like you.”
“Good. Then I could be goin’ home right away.”
“Ah, you just try it.”
“Yeah. You wanna get shot?”
“The kaiser and me…”
[the others laugh]
“Me and the kaiser felt just alike about this war. We didn’t either of us want any war, so I’m going home. He’s there already.”
“Somebody must have wanted it. Maybe it was the English. No, I don’t want to shoot any Englishman. I never saw one ’til I came up here. And I suppose most of them never saw a German ’til *they* came up here. No, I’m sure *they* weren’t asked about it.”
“No.”
“Well, it must be doing somebody some good.”
“Not me and the kaiser.”
“I think maybe the kaiser wanted a war.”
“You leave us out of this!”
“I don’t see that. The kaiser’s *got* everything he needs.”
“Well, he never had a war before. Every full-grown emperor needs one war to make him famous. Why, that’s history.”
“Yeah, generals, too. They need war.”

Solution 4

“Tell Major Barton that the attack must proceed.
“Sir, I don’t think you’ve got the picture. They are being cut down before they can get five yards.”
[hits the phone]
“Bloody line! Our marker flags were seen in the Turkish trenches. The attack must continue at all costs.”
“But…”
“I repeat, the attack must proceed!”

Solution 5

“By the way, Stachel… there’s an impression around that… you care more about your unconfirmed kill than you do about Fabian’s death.”
[long pause]
“Perhaps it’s force of habit. In the trenches, we couldn’t even bury the dead; there were too many of them. I’ve never had the time… to discuss them over a glass of champagne.”

Solution 6

“Hey, Scotty, you’re not Scotch, are you?”
“No.”
“Then, why do they call you Scotty?
[Scotty thinks]
“Cause I’m Irish.”

Solution 7

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Michael Cimino speaks about The Deer Hunter (1979)

The Deer Hunter will always be one of the most fascinating Vietnam war movies. It´s not an easy movie and it is one of those you have to watch again to truly understand it. I wanted to write a review of it many times but was never satisfied with what I came up with. While waiting for the ultimate inspiration  I found this video post of an interview with the director of the film, Michael Cimino.  I found it quite interesting, especially since the interview is interwoven with bits of the film. Really well done.

Hope you will like it too.