Turbo Film Club
 

The goal of "Turbo Film Club" is to take two movies similiar in ilk and discuss them. This is where you talk about the similarities and the differences of the two films or what made you like one more than the other.

This thread gives free-range for any and all discussion for both films.

In 1998 two movies came out in the same War genre that were immediately acclaimed, yet they were far from similiar. They were guided by skilled directers and all-star casts and tallied 18 Academy Award Nominations between the two of them. Here are the two movies to be discussed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...rivateryan.jpg

IMDB link

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...hinredline.jpg

IMDB link

Most of you have probably seen these two films. For those that haven't, the goal is to see these by hopefully Monday.

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

put me down for SPR for sure! It's about time I watched it, and my wife said she would too!

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

These are interesting choices for comparison for several reasons. First, they focus on different theatres of the war. Second, both are on some level more about the characters than the events. Third, in the case of The Thin Red Line, the film steps well outside the boundaries of stereotypical war movies.

I think the first point is worth noting because there have been relatively few WWII movies about the Pacific theatre (the war with Japan in general). Sure there have been movies about Pearl Harbor but that is pretty much the boundary. In this sense I actually liked TTRL more than SPR. Granted, SPR is a great film with what are considered some of the most realistic combat scenes ever filmed, but it is does not stray too far from the beaten path on WWII movies about the European theatre. I will explain my thinking here more later.

My second point I think is pretty clear cut. Both films spend a lot of time on character development. We are meant to relate to the characters. In SPR this manifests as a series of characters that we (for those in America) could easily imagine running into a daily life, but in a setting so alien they become hardened (or weak and worthless) by the shocking events they are exposed to. In TTRL we are meant to understand why the characters behave the way they do. The heroes are flawed and complicated, rather than simply being shallow and heroic stereotypes of 'the good guys.'

I think the final point applies much more to TTRL than SPR. For SPR, the step outside the traditional stereotypes found in movies about war are still very present. The good guys are the good guys and the bad guys are the bad guys. When the captured German is set free what does he do? He does exactly what we would expect, allowing us to accept that the line seperating the good from the bad is constant and real.

This is exactly where The Thin Red Line stands out as exceptional. When I first saw this movie in theatres I was bored to tears. It wasn't until several years later, after watching it again, that I came to appreciate it. TTRL does not make a clear distinction between good and bad so much as between war and peace. From the early scenes on the serene African coastal village we can see the pain and confusion caused by war. The Japanese soldiers are not demonized, but rather portrayed as human beings with the same fears and hopes as the American soldiers. Traditionally, war films focussing on the Pacific theatre have portrayed the Japanese as savage and sub-human, a clear departure from the portrayal of the German enemy in WWII films. The Germans are portrayed more as humans led astray by an evil government than as corrupt at the core. So in TTRL it is refreshing to find the focus more on understanding the pain and futility of war than on glorifying the winner or demonizing the loser. Note, I am not trying to say the Axis powers were good in any way, just that war movies have traditionally not spent much effort developing the human aspect of the bad guys. In this regard TTRL does a remarkable job keeping the politics and grand strategy elements out of the picture and really narrowing in on individuals. As a result, we actually probably get a better commentary on war as a general phenommenon than we otherwise would.

In summary: SPR is great as a war movie about the chaos and general unfairness in war. It has superb effects and enough action to satisfy those easily bored. In contrast, TTRL is a great movie about the human aspect of war. It also has great cinematography but acts more as a commentary on the contrast between war and peace than as an action movie. Both films are awesome and well worth the time.

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

ooinsight,

This is an exceptional post, a post that touches on many reasons why I chose these two particular films.

respectfully,

~td

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

Hell it's a tight order, but I'm gonna try. I'll try and persuade the wife to watch SPR tonight, and I'll go get TRL and watch that tomorrow.

The odds are against me, all. Two war movies in two nights on the family TV...

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

Marti Scorcese ranked TTRL as the 2nd best film of the 1990's.

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

Okay, still haven't seen The Thin Red Line, but actually did get to see Saving Private Ryan FINALLY, last night.

Wow, man, wow. It was spectacular and overwhelming in places, and that's on the small screen - it must have been devastating in the cinema.

Fantastic war movie. Fantastic movie, period. I'm ashamed it took me 8 years to get around to it.

I will try and do The Thin Red Line soon, and comment on comparison very, very soon. Promise.

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

More and more as I rewatch both films, I lean towards finding TTRL the more satisfactory film. I am always a fan of ensemble casts, especially when they are all either strongly written, or strongly acted.

What most people notice about SPR is in some ways, the top heavy acting by Tom Hanks, Ed Burns, and Barry Pepper. We sorta lose sight about the other characters and we don't really get much information about Adam GOldberg's character, and we are given a quick glimpse into what makes Wade wade, but why aren't we given this type of background on the other soldiers in squad. The way Speilberg paced the film, you really think that we are going to be able to get more of the main cast's background, but we are left lacking.

What I do like about the film is that SPeilberg doesn't fully go with the happy ending that he is known for. My main issue with Speilberg has always been that in some ways, he gives too much hope in the end of a film, especially about heavy topics. Too often we are left with a good feeling, and in many ways, his 90s films borrow too much from his 80s films, but he took on deeper subjects in his 90s films(on the whole). I like that, like any soldier in their position, that the guys are very against the mission and as they get deeper and deeper act like any soldier that loses friends in battle do. What we also see is a different way in which war films have been shot for their action scenes. That frantic type of pace that may trully exist when one is in the heat of battle. I like his use of the color grey for the fighting scenes being juxtaposed against the lush greens of the french countryside.

Continuing with my theme of what my like/dislike of a film is, one problem that I do have with TTRL is that it IMO is too much of an ensemble. We have all of these players that come and go a little too fast. They are brought out to the forefront for a period of time, and not given much reason for their being there other then the fact that they are there. There is also very little dealings with the natives of the various islands outside of the first scene. We know that US soldiers came across many natives, but yet, we don't see much interaction with them. I think that we are maybe given one fighting section too many and are left kinda wondering about other things. I think the fact that we have soo many excellent actors in this film, that we are also not given enough breathing room for some of them to do their magic that makes them so much fun to consistently watch(I'm thinking of Clooney and Cusack especially). Malik takes the time to give us insight on some of the players, but, some of that gets lost in the rapid succession of characters.

What I do love though is the fighting scenes. That scene of them taking the hill gives us insight in how brutal pacific island hopping was and how hard teh fighting was. We also see how commanders that are used to a way of fighting that doesn't fully apply the current situation begets tempers and sometimes bad field decisions. What is also does is force men into being reluctant heroes with the knowledge that there may be very little hope of survival. We are also given this beautiful backdrop and this brutal fighting at the same time. It provides a very interesting point/counterpoint for us as viewers. We are given an idea also at how slow being a soldier can be when you aren't in the middle of action. THe days are long and there is very little to do. We are also presented with very interesting characters all with their own POV on life and what they want out of things. Pvt Witt and Sgt Welsh's interplay with each other is just great. You have two men that don't see eye to eye on life in general, but at the same time have great respect for each other(though they show it very reluctantly). You also have Nick Nolte showing what many officers of a decent rank felt. THey finally had a war and a chance to show what they can do, and if you didn't neccessarily go with their plan, you may suffer the repercussions of that. WE also see what so very often happens with couples who are apart from each other for a long time, and I really like the way that those scenes were done. It was done in a very unorthodox way, but I mean that in a very good way. They are very dream-like and are a good escape from the reality of what the soldiers are going through. You feel like you are in Bell's fantasy and memories



I like the choice of both of these films as both are very good films and you always get something from watching them

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

Wow, KDawg, WOW!


I will certainly be trying to watch TTRL very soon, and hope I'll be posting my comparison soon.

Re: Turbo Film Club
 

DB,

The camera work was something else, eh?

Oh and get your ass out to the store and get TTRL!? That movie is greatness.