It makes sense that master filmmakers keep returning to old wars to tell new stories, because war and cinema go hand-in-hand in many ways. War has everything you want to make a good story: Scope and spectacle, high stakes, dramatic tension, and emotional distress both at home and on the battlefield. It’s all right there, just waiting to be woven into an epic on the big screen.
What sets the best war movies apart, though, is their ability to never lose sight of the real human cost of war. The true masterpieces of the genre can deliver spectacle, yes, but they also tell us something more essential at the heart of every epic struggle in human history, something that unites us all no matter which side of the battle we may be on. With that in mind, here are 25 of the greatest war films ever made, from medieval epics to modern thrillers.
1. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
[embedded content]
Lewis Milestone’s film about a group of German soldiers drawn in by nationalism and then picked apart by the ravages of war remains the film against which all other World War I epics are measured. It was released more than 80 years ago, and its depictions of the horrors of war—blood-streaked men screaming in foxholes, bare hands clinging to barbed wire—still hold up to modern eyes. It’s one of the great war epics as well as one of the great anti-war films.
2. La Grande Illusion (1937)
[embedded content]
One of the greatest anti-war films ever made, Jean Renoir’s La Grande Illusion succeeds in no small part because of the tremendous empathy running through every frame. No matter the side of the conflict each character falls on, they are treated as pawns within the greater illusion that war will do any of them any good. Renoir’s humanistic touch, coupled with his dazzling cast, make this film an all-time classic to such a degree that Orson Welles declared it one of his desert island movies.
3. Sergeant York (1941)
[embedded content]
There are other “conscientious objector becomes war hero” films out there, but none has ever quite risen to the heights of Sergeant York for one simple reason: Gary Cooper. In the title role, Cooper delivers one of the finest performances of his storied career, and even as Howard Hawks infuses the film with a sense patriotic glory and duty, he trusts Cooper to imbue the story with an essential humanity. Sergeant York is a hero, yes, but Cooper never makes him into a superhero. The toll the war takes is right there in his eyes the entire time, and that makes this film a classic.
4. Twelve O’Clock High (1949)
[embedded content]
Among Air Force-based war dramas, Twelve O’Clock High holds a particular place of reverence for a great many fans, and it ranks as perhaps among the best of the World War II dramas made while the war was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. Led by Gregory Peck’s tour-de-force performance as Brigadier General Frank Savage, the film builds in intensity right up to the climactic battle, and remains one of the most emotionally satisfying films of its genre.
5. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
[embedded content]
David Lean is the only director with two films on this list, because … well, he’s David Lean. The Bridge on the River Kwai is Lean’s seminal World War II epic about a group of prisoners, the bridge they build and then attempt to destroy, and the shifting allegiances that come with the emotional upheavals of war. Lean’s tremendous attention to detail, combining sweeping tracking shots with smaller moments like close-ups of ruined shoes on soldiers’ feet, and the Alec Guinness-led cast combine for a thrilling, often surprisingly funny, masterpiece.
6. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
[embedded content]
Steven Spielberg once said that David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia is one of the few films he re-watches before every new project, and it’s easy to see why. The World War I drama is synonymous with epic filmmaking even now, nearly six decades after its release. Lean’s film, led by Peter O’Toole’s splendid work in the title role, retains a sense of wonder even after all these years thanks to jaw-dropping visuals, flawless editing, and a sense of scope to rival anything on the big screen today.
7. The Battle of Algiers (1966)
[embedded content]
Few films have ever been able to depict both sides of an escalating conflict with as much unflinching intensity as The Battle of Algiers. Based on the events of the Algerian War and focusing specifically on the guerilla warfare that erupted during the conflict, Gillo Pontecorvo’s film is shot like a searing, unflinching docudrama, and the sense of verisimilitude is palpable and deeply affecting.
8. The Dirty Dozen (1967)
[embedded content]
Some war films are reverent, measured, and delicate with their depiction of the particular horrors of conflict and what it does to the people on the front lines. Then there are films like The Dirty Dozen, a film without which we might never have gotten things like Inglourious Basterds or the modern version of DC Comics’s Suicide Squad, which appeared in the 1980s. Robert Aldrich’s film takes a murderer’s row of acting talent and a tremendous sense of adventure and infuses it all with the kind of chaotic energy that only soldiers with nothing to lose could muster. The result is the kind of film those who love it want to watch over and over again.
9. M*A*S*H (1970)
[embedded content]
One of the greatest anti-war films of all time, Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H combines an irreverent, sometimes surreal sense of humor with realistic dialogue and some truly absurd situations to create a tapestry of comedy and tragedy. The film places its characters right on the edge of the action, just close enough that the blood is often quite literally on their hands as they work, then examines what that kind of precarious placement can do to a group of people whose job is to heal. It’s an essential film, and not just because of its afterlife as a legendary TV series.
10. Patton (1970)
[embedded content]
Even if Patton had nothing else going for it, the film would likely still succeed thanks to the sheer force of will of George C. Scott. The actor’s legendary, knockout performance as the title character carries the movie, but it’s not all that makes Patton great. Director Franklin J. Schaffner uses Scott’s performance as a linchpin, framing the narrative of war through Patton’s bombastic eyes and tireless spirit. The result is a war film unlike any other, one driven by a single unstoppable personality.
11. The Deer Hunter (1978)
[embedded content]
To say that Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter is one of the more “problematic” Vietnam War films ever made might be a bit of an understatement to some, but more than 40 years after its release it’s hard to deny the visceral power at the heart of the film. Some aspects of the storytelling—most famously, the Russian roulette sequences at the heart of the movie—function as rather blunt instruments that hammer the point home, but they strike so hard and ring so true that the film is impossible to ignore.
12. Apocalypse Now (1979)
[embedded content]
The New Hollywood era of the 1970s gave rise to several prominent filmmakers who would eventually turn their attention to the Vietnam War in critical, satirical, and often incisive ways, but none of them ever did it better than Francis Ford Coppola. After crafting two masterpieces with the first two Godfather films, Coppola went through hell to craft his hellish journey into the heart of darkness of a generation-defining war, and the result is the greatest Vietnam War movie ever made.
13. Das Boot (1981)
[embedded content]
Wolfgang Petersen’s Das Boot is a film that succeeds in part thanks to its sense of contrast. It’s a war epic and it delivers the goods of a war epic, but much of it takes place within the tiny confines of a German U-Boat. It’s packed with tense, explosive action, but it counterbalances that action with stretches of quiet, contemplative boredom. The result is one of the most gripping portrayals of the mundane horror of war ever, told in an environment few other films in the subgenre have ventured into.
14. Ran (1985)
[embedded content]
Akira Kurosawa was a master of many aspects of cinematic storytelling, but one of his greatest strengths was easily his ability to make violence explode out at his audience with unpredictable ferocity. Ran, Kurosawa’s loose adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, is perhaps the best example in the director’s entire filmography of his knack for creating epic conflict. The film’s gorgeous sets and detailed costumes are all set up beautifully only to be swept up in the chaos of the story in some of the most realistically kinetic war sequences ever shot.
15. Platoon (1986)
[embedded content]
Based on writer/director Oliver Stone’s own experiences in Vietnam, Platoon steers clear of the most bombastic, epic level depictions of the war and instead focuses on the titular unit of men and the transformative effects the crucible of war has on them. Led by powerhouse performances from Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, and Tom Berenger, Platoon remains one of the most relentlessly intense war movie experiences of all time.
16. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
[embedded content]
Stanley Kubrick made a habit out of directing war films thanks to Spartacus and Paths of Glory. Full Metal Jacket was his last experience with the genre, and it feels like he poured everything he had learned into it. The film’s genius lies largely in its structure, as it shows us just how far these soldiers are pushed by basic training before they’re actually thrown out into the war. The training sequences, led by R. Lee Ermey’s amazing drill sergeant performances, are the best-remembered of the film, but the Vietnam sequences near the end are truly stunning.
17. Braveheart (1995)
[embedded content]
Mel Gibson’s epic about the life of William Wallace and his rise as leader of a Scottish revolution in the late 13th century is one of those films that just compels you to watch until the end every time you see it on cable. Gibson’s magnetic, charismatic central performance is key to this, but somehow his directing is even more powerful. From the sweeping scenic beauty of Scotland itself to the rapid-fire brutality of the battle sequences to James Horner’s goosebump-inducing score, Braveheart is medieval epic filmmaking at its best.
18. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
[embedded content]
Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II film is perhaps best remembered for its relentless, breathless opening sequence that depicts the brutal D-Day landing of Allied Forces at Omaha Beach. It’s an all-time great war movie sequence, but that’s not the only reason Saving Private Ryan endures. Its stacked ensemble cast, powerful yet simple central story, and overwhelming emotional resolution combine to make it a modern classic.
19. The Thin Red Line (1998)
[embedded content]
No one else could make a World War II film quite like Terrence Malick, and as proof we have The Thin Red Line. The film defies easy description, despite the relatively straightforward backdrop of its emotional journey. What is ostensibly the story of a company of men fighting at Guadalcanal in 1942 becomes a deeply philosophical film that documents the overwhelming intellectual and emotional gauntlet of war. And while war is by its very nature not a beautiful thing, this just might be the most visually stunning war film made since Lawrence of Arabia.
20. Downfall (2004)
[embedded content]
Few films have ever wished or dared to interact with Adolf Hitler on a personal, intimate level, for obvious reasons. In the realm of war cinema, the leader of Nazi Germany often exists as some kind of near-supernatural embodiment of ultimate evil, but Downfall sought to change that. The film does not sympathize with Hitler’s madness, but through Bruno Ganz’s unforgettable performance, it does allow us an opportunity to see the man’s unraveling in a compelling, perhaps even cathartic, way.
21. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
[embedded content]
Ridley Scott’s modern war epic Black Hawk Down narrowly missed inclusion on this list, because while it’s a masterpiece, his Kingdom of Heaven is a brilliant piece of work that remains underseen. Scott’s attempt to turn a modern lens on the Crusades—specifically Saladin’s capture of Jerusalem in 1187—combines a spectacular cast with some of the best epic visuals of the esteemed director’s career. Look for the Director’s Cut of the film for an even more robust experience.
22. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
[embedded content]
Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to make a World War II film that feels like it came from both an alternate universe and straight out of our own warped rage fantasies. Inglourious Basterds combines Tarantino’s legendary knack for dialogue with a truly brilliant cast and a brutal sense of humor to tell the story of a unit of Nazi hunters and their efforts to bring down Hitler himself in the midst of a German movie premiere. Taut, violent, and hilarious, Inglourious Basterds walks a line few other war films ever could.
23. The Hurt Locker (2008)
[embedded content]
Kathryn Bigelow’s film about a bomb disposal unit in Iraq and what their high-pressure job does to them works because it attacks your psyche on two fronts. On one front, there’s the human side of these soldiers, which we see through the film’s dark sense of humor and compelling ensemble cast. On the other, there’s the kind of virtuoso directing that won Bigelow the Oscar for Best Director (making her the first—and still the only—woman to take home that particular award). A lot of directors could have made The Hurt Locker suspenseful, but only Bigelow could have made it this suspenseful.
24. Dunkirk (2017)
[embedded content]
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk turns the filmmaker’s masterful eye for pacing, visual elegance, and structural intrigue to the events of World War II, and the result is one of the most pulse-pounding movies of the 2010s. Anchored by a tremendous cast, the film tells the story not of one of the war’s great attacks, but one of its most essential retreats. Nolan’s brilliant sense of tension, coupled with Hans Zimmer’s ticking-clock score, combine to keep you on the edge of your seat—even if you know how it ends.
25. 1917 (2019)
[embedded content]
Sam Mendes’s Golden Globe-winning World War I epic, based on stories told to him by his veteran grandfather, has gained a lot of press because of its “one-take” style, which might lead you to believe that it’s a gimmick film. Instead, 1917 rises beyond the structural hook of its filming style to become a meditation on the relentless nature of life in battle, and the way even the quietest moments can pivot into horror at any moment. Roger Deakins deserves another Oscar for his stunning cinematography, and George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman carry the emotional heft of the film like true champions, even when surrounded by A-list names like Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Andrew Scott.
Few things can ruin a movie for audiences faster than an injured, sick, or dead dog onscreen. Aside from John Wick getting a multi-film franchise out of his departed pet, viewers rarely feel comfortable watching dogs suffer, even in fictional tales.
Fortunately, as Simplemost reports, there’s a way to pre-screen your entertainment for the presence of disturbing canine-related content in movies, television, and books: Head over to DoestheDogDie.com and type in your selection. If the site has the title in its database—there are currently more than 4000 films and roughly 838 television series—it will pull up a list of user-generated answers. For example, type in 1957’s Old Yeller, the infamous feature in which the titular dog has to be put down during the film’s climax, and you’ll see that the dog does indeed meet an untimely end. Search for 1984’s Ghostbusters and you’ll find that no dogs are depicted as being harmed.
The site covers a variety of animals, including cats and horses, and even points out if a film has other common triggers like clowns, plane crashes, or the use of needles. It’s free to use, but $12 a year will remove ads from your browsing experience.
As for 2014’s John Wick: the site does indeed caution viewers about the fate of Wick’s dog. As one user wrote: “Yes, and it’s terrible, BUT John Wick spends the rest of the movie deliberately, gloriously, and violently avenging the dog, so it feels really pro-dog overall.”
[h/t Simplemost]
Few bands inspire faith and devotion like Depeche Mode. Over a career spanning four decades, the boys from Basildon, England, have redefined what electronic music can look and sound like. With albums like 1987’s Music for the Masses and 1990’s blockbuster Violator, Depeche Mode forged a dark, sexy, mature synth-pop sound that has rocked stadiums across the globe. The 2019 documentary Spirits in the Forest shows just how deep a mark the band has left on diehard fans. For relative newcomers, here are 10 things you might now know about Depeche Mode.
1. Depeche Mode got their name from a French fashion magazine.
The name Depeche Mode carries a mysterious air of artsy European sophistication. But it’s not as exotic as you may think. Lead singer Dave Gahan cribbed the moniker from a French fashion magazine. Many fans believe Depeche Mode translates to “fast fashion,” but it’s apparently closer to “fashion news” or “fashion update.”
2. Martin Gore got in the band because he owned the right gear.
There was a simple reason Vince Clark tapped Martin Gore to join Composition of Sound, the group that would become Depeche Mode: Gore owned a Yamaha CS5 synthesizer. “That’s why we got him in—because he had a synth, not for any other reason; certainly not for his outgoing personality!” Clarke said.
3. Depeche Mode underwent a major lineup change after their first album.
The original Depeche Mode lineup featured Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke, the group’s primary songwriter. Clarke penned nine of the 11 songs on 1981’s Speak & Spell, the band’s debut album, including the international hit “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Clarke quit that same year, leaving Gore to carry the songwriting burden.
4. Vince Clarke had a pretty good second (and third) act.
[embedded content]
After leaving Depeche Mode in 1981, Clarke teamed up with powerhouse singer Alison Moyet to form Yazoo (or Yaz, as they were known in America). That soulful synth-pop duo released two albums and scored three top 5 hits in the UK including “Only You,” a song Clarke reportedly offered to Depeche Mode. In 1985, Clarke linked up with Andy Bell to form Erasure, an electronic duo that has scored 35 top 40 hits in the UK as of 2019. In America, Erasure is best known for the late ’80s hits “Chains of Love” and “A Little Respect.”
5. It took America a long time to catch on to Depeche Mode.
Depeche Mode scored a number of U.S. dance hits in the early ‘80s, but it wasn’t until 1985’s “People Are People” that mainstream American audiences finally warmed to these leather-clad synth-popsters. The anthemic plea for tolerance reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained the band’s biggest American pop hit until “Personal Jesus” in 1989.
6. Everyone in Depeche Mode has a specific job—sort of.
In the 1989 documentary 101, keyboardist Andy Fletcher sums up the band like this: “Martin’s the songwriter, Alan’s the good musician, Dave’s the vocalist, and I bum around.” Fletcher may have been selling himself short—he apparently handles a lot of behind-the-scenes managerial duties—but from 1982 through 1995, that was the basic division of labor. Martin Gore wrote the songs, classically trained keyboardist Alan Wilder helped to shape them, and Dave Gahan sang them. Since Wilder’s departure in 1995, Depeche Mode has essentially been a trio, and beginning with 2005’s Playing the Angel, Gahan has co-written three songs per album.
7. Depeche Mode sold out the Rose Bowl before a lot of people knew who they were.
On June 18, 1988, Depeche Mode wrapped up their Music for the Masses Tour with sold-out performance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Paid attendance was 60,453. It was a major moment in the band’s career, especially since they’d only scored one Top 40 hit in America up to that point. Much of Depeche Mode’s popularity in Southern California was due to KROQ, the pioneering L.A. radio station that championed alternative music in the ‘80s. Filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker, who famously documented Bob Dylan in the ‘60s, captured the concert for the 1989 documentary 101.
8. Depeche Mode’s signature song was inspired by Elvis and his missus.
[embedded content]
“Personal Jesus” isn’t Depeche Mode’s biggest American hit. That would be “Enjoy the Silence,” also off the Violator album. But thanks to covers by Johnny Cash and Marilyn Manson, “Personal Jesus” is arguably their most famous. Gore’s lyrics were inspired by Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me. “It’s about how Elvis was her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships; how everybody’s heart is like a god in some way,” Gore told SPIN. “We play these god-like parts for people but no one is perfect, and that’s not a very balanced view of someone, is it?”
9. Dave Gahan nearly became a rock ‘n’ roll casualty.
In the mid-’90s, Dave Gahan became enamored of the burgeoning alternative rock scene in L.A. He grew his hair long and developed a serious drug problem that nearly claimed his life on more than one occasion. In 1995, he attempted suicide by slashing his wrists, and the following year, he overdosed on a speedball—cocaine and heroin—at the Sunset Marquis Hotel. His heart stopped for two minutes, and he felt his soul leave his body. Fortunately, the courts allowed him to pick drug treatment over jail, and he’s been clean ever since.
10. Depeche Mode are huge in Eastern Europe.
From their first shows in Hungary and Poland in 1985, Depeche Mode has enjoyed a special relationship with Eastern Europe. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, when it was illegal to own Western music, fans behind the Iron Curtain somehow got their hands on Depeche Mode tapes and even copied the band’s fashions. According to some, the appeal lies in the melancholic, industrial nature of Depeche Mode’s music. The fact that it was banned made it all the more enticing to young people beginning to question authority. Eastern Europe’s love affair with The Mode continues to this day: One of the six superfans profiled in 2019’s Spirit In the Forest hails from Romania.
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
