Thursday, May 26, 2011

All Quiet on the Western Front - 79

1930 Oscar Winner.  No names that anyone would recognize and none of major importance.  Adapted screenplay from the novel written by Erich Remarque.

A couple items before we dive in.  I must confess, I have never actually read the book.... and as mentioned in my "Bridge on the River Kwai" post, I'm not a huge fan of war movies pre 1990... and this is definitely a war movie that fits into the "Lauren is not a huge fan of ____" category.

So, with that in mind, I was very bored with the movie.  Maybe I wouldn't call it bored, but I would get distracted easily by more entertaining things while I was watching the movie.  Like shiny objects on the floor... or painting my nails.... yeah you get the point.

To be fair, it was well done for the time, and I can understand why it was so popular and critically acclaimed, but I believe it was because of the era it was made in.  Society was "war hungry" at this time.

[I've been trying to finish this entry for over a month now so I'm going abruptly wrap things up]

Basically this teacher convinces this German high school boys that it is their duty to join the army for the MUTHALAND and they think it will make their families proud.  A lot of people die, one kid kills a Frenchmen and then tries to save him as he is bleeding out.  Then when he can't save him he sobs at this dead mans side.  If I had to choose one word for this movie it would be; regret.  It really depicted how war changes ones life forever and it is something you can never set aside and look past.

Germans are manipulative and war is bad.  And with THAT. 

Until next time,

Thank you Academy #79