The US war cinemaby

Luana Sartorato and Giulia Armellin

Are US war movies just made to Are US war movies just made to entertain people or do they have entertain people or do they have

also a social aim?also a social aim?

American movies:

• give a representation of violence → seem to be fake

• director’s aim: attract the attention of the crowd

• typical US blockbuster: full of special effects but without a real content

Examples: Saving Private Ryan – Inglorious Basterds

‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Inglorious Basterds’

Possible answer: there is no social aim by directors

•the war is like a tool→ glorify the US power.

•soldiers presented like brave heros, who are ready to die for the homeland.

Our perception

•they appear like war machines

•they behave like robots because they are under the control of the majors

Critical reception of these movies

In the USA Great success all over the

country

Positive critics but with few dissenting opinions

↓Richard Todd

stated:‘rubbish.Overdone’

All over the world An Italian journalist stated:

‘‘Realismo estremo, Realismo estremo, raggiunto con il massimo raggiunto con il massimo

dell’artificio’dell’artificio’ (Saving Private Ryan)

Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds had a negative critical reception at the

Cannes Film Festival↓↓

‘Tarantino gets lost in a fictional WWII’ (Le Monde)(Le Monde)

‘The thin red line’

Different from the other two American films.

Director’s aim Investigates the psychological side of soldiers.

The fears, the hopes, the uncertainty of the protagonists.

‘La vita è bella’

Roberto Benigni’s masterpiece

Different representation of the War Background

The ability of a man to turn such a tragic event into a game

The USA vs Italy

US filmsAttract the audience

↓↓1. lot of battles2. dead bodies everywhere3. action scenes4. special effects

Italian films

Socially useful

↓↓1. depict a destroyed

country that is trying to rise up again

2. try to make the viewer understand what happened at that time

3. want us to realize how people felt during the war

Bibliography

ArticlesPaini, Luigi (1998). Paini, Luigi (1998). Il Sole-24 ore.Il Sole-24 ore.Siskel, Gene.Siskel, Gene. "The Thin Red Line""The Thin Red Line". . Siskel & EbertSiskel & Ebert.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=yyLPiJsQRWo&feature=related. v=yyLPiJsQRWo&feature=related. Retrieved 2010-02-05Retrieved 2010-02-05..Todd, Richard.Todd, Richard. Metro.co.uk Metro.co.uk http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/987-richard-toddhttp://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/987-richard-todd

American moviesInglorious BasterdsInglorious Basterds (2009) by Quentin Tarantino. (2009) by Quentin Tarantino.SavingSaving PrivatePrivate RyanRyan (1998) by Steven Spielberg. (1998) by Steven Spielberg.TheThe ThinThin RedRed LineLine (1998) by Terrence Malick. (1998) by Terrence Malick.

Italian moviesLaLa vitavita è bellaè bella (1997) by Roberto Benigni. (1997) by Roberto Benigni.

Internet resourcesWikipedia, Wikipedia, Inglorious BasterdsInglorious BasterdsPadua-Dickinson Forums: Forum n.16Padua-Dickinson Forums: Forum n.16Available atAvailable at http://ottonovecento.pbworks.com/w/page/39539675/Forum%2016%20- http://ottonovecento.pbworks.com/w/page/39539675/Forum%2016%20-

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