War films are not merely showing war. Sometimes it’s also seasoned with a love story or comedy. However, some things are more sublime, namely as material for contemplation, the extent of the benefits of war for humanity.
The history of humankind in this world is inseparable from war. Even though we are no longer living in a war era, the stories around history are still interesting to look at. Not only history books, but fiction essays about warfare are also interesting, especially if filmed.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The story begins with a scene of a veteran on a pilgrimage at a military cemetery. When the veteran cried and knelt, the scene changed to the time of World War II, precisely during the Normandy Invasion at Omaha Beach.
Troops were assigned to penetrate the German border and destroy its base. Although many soldiers were killed, the mission finally succeeded. After the battle, the scene switches to another mission.
Captain John H. Miller, played by Tom Hanks, led his six members on a rescue mission. The mission is to rescue an officer named James Francis Ryan, played by Matt Damon. He was one of the four Ryan brothers who survived, while three others had been killed.
It seems unethical to explain all the storylines here, especially for those of you who have not watched it. You must feel for yourself the sensation of watching the best war films of all time.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Apocalypse Now is not an ordinary war film, but the best of all time. Not only showing the shooting scene but also expressions of confusion, fear, violence, and madness. All that was arranged and visualized symbolically and surrealist by the director, Francis Coppola.
John Milius, the screenwriter, adapted the story from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness novel. He changed the setting of Congo in the late 19th century to the time of the Vietnam War.
In its release year, Apocalypse Now was able to be nominated at the Cannes Film Festival. No half-hearted, this film also won the Golden Palm (Palme d’Or) 1979. Also, this war film won the 1980 Oscar award at Best Sound and Best Cinematography.
In 2001, Coppola released a new version with the title Apocalypse Now Redux with an additional duration of 49 minutes. Through his film, Coppola wanted to emphasize that war had no benefit to humanity. War will only cause destruction and damage. Read Also: 3 DOCUMENTARY FILMS THAT ENRICH YOUR INSIGHTS
Das Boot (1981)
The next sequence is Das Boot by director Wolfgang Petersen. This film is an adaptation of a 1973 German novel of the same name. The author of the novel is Lothar-Günther Buchheim.
Das Boot is German, which means a boat or ship. As the title suggests, the story revolves around the war in the middle of the ocean with submarines or U-Boot. The time setting is when World War II raged.
The high manufacturing costs make Das Boot one of the most expensive films in the history of German cinema. However, the totality is certainly bearing fruit. Das Boot won an Oscar for Best Director and Best Adaptation Screenplay.