American pop culture lost one of its patriarchs today. Stan Lee, born in 1922, revolutionized the comic book industry, helping it to evolve from a niche industry into cultural force. Lee built an incredible, interconnected world at Marvel Comics, and I don’t know where I’d be personally if I hadn’t had Uncanny X-Men to get me […]
Continue readingRandom Movie Monday — Stalag 17
Our WWI series has come to an end, and today’s random movie is all about the Second World War: Stalag 17 (DVD 5384). Here’s our summary: A group of American G.I.s in a POW camp suspect a spy is among them. A short summary, but I think it adds to the suspense, don’t you? It’s […]
Continue readingWhat’s the Point of a War Film: War Requiem
We’re ending our series on WWI films with War Requiem. I’d never seen this movie before I watched it for this blog post, but I chose it for this series because it seemed nontraditional. Little did I know. This film was probably the weirdest movie I’ve ever seen. Well, I shouldn’t say “weird,” I should […]
Continue readingTo the Max…The Blue Max
As one of the more typical war epics on this WWI films list, The Blue Max portrays a dramatic depiction of air combat set against the rapid shift of modern warfare in the early 20th century. While we do not have the film on DVD, it is available online by searching the library catalog or […]
Continue readingSgt. Alvin C. York, American War Hero
Some five months before the United States entered WWII after Pearl Harbor, Sergeant York (DVD 10210), a biographical film about the life of decorated American solider Alvin C. York, was released. At its heart, the movie resonates a tale of an ordinary man who excels under extraordinary circumstances. Most of the movie deals with the […]
Continue readingSuffering in Silence: Johnny Got His Gun
Ok, let’s start out by acknowledging that Johnny Got His Gun (DVD 5654) is probably one of the most subtly terrifying movies that exists and is an incredibly powerful testament to the individual ravages of war. As the rather graphic trailer aptly explains, it is not the story of the millions that have died, but […]
Continue readingNew Medium, Old Tricks: Animated Propaganda
Today’s entry in WWI on Film isn’t one film. It’s a collection of much shorter films. If you’re an AU student, you can access 20th century film and newsreel clips from the WPA Library and British Pathe. Some of these clips are from WWI, and are basic black-and-white motion pictures. Of course, they don’t have […]
Continue readingDo We Really Need to Say It: Westfront 1918
Westfront 1918 (DVD 16017)is one of Media Services’ newest acquisitions, but it’s one of the oldest films we’re reviewing for this series. A contemporary of All Quiet on the Western Front, Westfront explores many of the same themes, like the camaraderie between soldiers and alienation from the home front. Like All Quiet, Westfront is based on […]
Continue readingMaking Something New: Wonder Woman as a WWI Film
Let me make a few things clear. Yes, I know that Wonder Woman (DVD 14777) is completely, 100% fictional. I know that an ancient demi-goddess didn’t end the war. So, why am I including Wonder Woman in this series about World War I movies? First, this is one of maybe two WWI movies which feature […]
Continue readingRandom Movie Monday — All Over the Guy
Happy Monday! We’re taking a break from WWI for Random Movie Monday. Today’s movie is All About the Guy (DVD 12343). Here’s our summary: 4 friends, 3 guys, 2 couples … you do the math! It’s about the quest to find the “one” when “the one” doesn’t know he’s the “one.” It explores the unlikely pairing […]
Continue reading