Nils Luehrmann
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2001
- Messages
- 3,513
(list will be continually updated as suggestions are posted)
In light of current events, and my fondness for satirical films, I thought it might be nice to put together a TOP 10 list of war related satires. I'm sure there are plenty of similar films that deserve to be on this list and bump a few of mine off, but either I can't recall them, or I have not heard of them yet. So just as I did for my 'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS of Hollywood Celebrity/Film Making Satires!' list, please feel free to add your own recommendations of films of the same genre.
Current TOP 10 LIST:
Link Removed
1) Link Removed
IMDB currently rates it as the 2nd best War movie of all time, and the 11th best movie of all time. Regardless of how you feel about it's IMDB ranking, for me it is a fantastic film and quite poignant. It also features Peter Sellars at his peak.
2) 'The Great Dictator'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
This Chaplin masterpiece was and is the best satires ever made about dictatorship.
3) 'Bananas'
I can't believe I forgot this earlier as it is one of the better wartime satires and easily deserves to be on the Top 10 list!
4) 'Stalag 17'
Billy Wilder's wonderful satire on POW life gave birth to a huge TV series hit "Hogan's Heroes", but in comparison is far more impressive and meaningful. It is not only a classic, but is surely a must see if you enjoy the genre.
5) 'To Be or Not to Be'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
I have not seen this film so I'll leave it to those that nominated it to describe it.
6) 'M*A*S*H'
Yet another great classic that lead to one of the greatest TV series of all time.
7) 'Catch-22'
I loved this film. Mike Nichols truly captured the bureaucratic insanity of war, and Alan Arkin gives one of his finest performances on film.
8) 'No Man's Land'
This gem of a film could have easily slipped through the cracks were it not for the publicity it got after winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002 and deservedly so.
9) 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'
This Norman Jewison classic gets me each and every time I watch it! It is more of a satire on the paranoia that many felt during the early part of the cold war rather than war itself, but even so I feel it deserves to be on the list.
10) 'Buffalo Soldiers'
Gregor Jordan made this highly regarded satire on war back in 2001 starring Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Dean Stockwell, Elizabeth McGovern, Gabriel Mann, and others, unfortunately its release has been plagued by untimely catastrophic world events, but it is now finally getting a limited release in the states starting July 25th!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
'Duck Soup'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
You know you will never see war in the same way after you watch this classic Marx Brothers flick!
'Le Roi de Coeur' (King of Hearts)
(submitted by: Joseph DeMartino)
This is a wonderful French satire of WWI and offers a tremendous performance by Alan Bates.
'Mister Roberts'
John Ford has made some excellent films, but this is one of my favorites of his. He put together an amazing cast, but who could have imagined those actors performing together considering how different their previous roles have been? Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, and Jack Lemmon all worked brilliantly together easily making this an appropriate addition to the list.
'The Mouse That Roared'
This is a better book than a movie, but Peter Sellars still puts on a worthy performance in this grand twist to the classic David vs Goliath tale.
'South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut'
(submitted by: Lyle_JP)
OK, I'll have to admit that I have never seen this film, but reading the reviews and the strong nominations on this thread, I guess at the very least it should go near the top of the honorable mentions list?
'Love and Death'
This is another Woody Allen satire on war, but as I have never actually seen it I'll put it in the honorable mentions list. The reviews I have read make me think that perhaps it deserves to be on the Top 10, but I'll wait to hear what you all think.
'The Americanization of Emily'
(submitted by: Joseph DeMartino)
I have no opinion of this film as I have not yet seen it, but from the nominations it would appear to be a worthy addition.
'Wag the Dog'
This film is not my favorite, but I know of many others who really enjoyed it so I am adding it to the list. I normally enjoy most of Barry Levinson's films, but I felt that the film tried to be realistic and thus exposed too many flaws and logistic holes in the plot that distracted me from otherwise enjoying the film. I haven't screened this film since its release which was over five years ago so maybe I should give it another look.
'Operation Petticoat'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
This is a fun movie, and a great cast and certainly pokes fun at the US Navy brass.
'Oh! What a Lovely War'
(submitted by: James Lambert)
Yet another film that seems to be a popular recommendation on this thread and so for now I'll place it in the honorable mentions.
'La Grande Vadrouille'
(submitted by: Eric Berger)
I have not seen or heard of this film before, but from the reviews it appears it may very well deserve to be on the list?
'Castle Keep'
I had never heard of this Sydney Pollack film before until I saw a trailer for it on Bravo, and I am glad I did. Burt Lancaster and Peter Falk were marvelous in this unique satire on war being played out during WWII and a battle over a 10th century castle.
'Top Secret!'
(submitted by: John Williamson)
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about adding this film to the list. While I think its very funny, I always thought it was a satire of spy movies - but I'll included it and see how folks react.
'How I Won the War'
(submitted by: Jay E)
You just have to know that any war movie featuring John Lennon must be a satire!
'Starship Troopers'
OK, before you commit me for adding this film to the list, let me just say this. As a satire on neo fascism and war, it's actually a bloody darn good film. I think those that disliked the film often disliked it for the wrong reason as they didn't realize it was meant as a satire, and was not meant to be taken seriously.
'Start the Revolution Without Me'
Is a quirky satire on of all things, the French Revolution and thank to the over-the-top performances by Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland this movie could have easily been unbearable.
'1941'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
A flawed yet watch-able film full of great satire, just not well organized.
'Canadian Bacon'
(submitted by: Wes C)
Not one of Michael Moore's or John Candy's better films, but it does have a place here on the honorable mentions list.
Well there is the list as it stands now, but please feel free to comment and add to it.
Here are a few other 'TOP 10 LISTS':
'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS LIST of Films Featuring Poker'
'Top 10 War Related (comedic) Satires'
'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS of Hollywood Celebrity/Film Making Satires!'
'Favorite Recent Phychological Horror/Thriller Films & those made in the 60's'
'Favorite Classic Detective Film-Noirs'
'Favorite Modern Detective Film-Noirs'
'Favorite "Guy's Guy" Movies/Games' (pt1)
'Favorite "Guy's Guy" Movies/Games' (pt2)
'Favorite Horror Films on DVD - Classic & Modern'
'Favorite Horror Films on DVD - Classic & Modern' (continued)
(for more just scroll down the page from that post)
In light of current events, and my fondness for satirical films, I thought it might be nice to put together a TOP 10 list of war related satires. I'm sure there are plenty of similar films that deserve to be on this list and bump a few of mine off, but either I can't recall them, or I have not heard of them yet. So just as I did for my 'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS of Hollywood Celebrity/Film Making Satires!' list, please feel free to add your own recommendations of films of the same genre.
Current TOP 10 LIST:
Link Removed
1) Link Removed
IMDB currently rates it as the 2nd best War movie of all time, and the 11th best movie of all time. Regardless of how you feel about it's IMDB ranking, for me it is a fantastic film and quite poignant. It also features Peter Sellars at his peak.
2) 'The Great Dictator'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
This Chaplin masterpiece was and is the best satires ever made about dictatorship.
3) 'Bananas'
I can't believe I forgot this earlier as it is one of the better wartime satires and easily deserves to be on the Top 10 list!
4) 'Stalag 17'
Billy Wilder's wonderful satire on POW life gave birth to a huge TV series hit "Hogan's Heroes", but in comparison is far more impressive and meaningful. It is not only a classic, but is surely a must see if you enjoy the genre.
5) 'To Be or Not to Be'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
I have not seen this film so I'll leave it to those that nominated it to describe it.
6) 'M*A*S*H'
Yet another great classic that lead to one of the greatest TV series of all time.
7) 'Catch-22'
I loved this film. Mike Nichols truly captured the bureaucratic insanity of war, and Alan Arkin gives one of his finest performances on film.
8) 'No Man's Land'
This gem of a film could have easily slipped through the cracks were it not for the publicity it got after winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002 and deservedly so.
9) 'The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'
This Norman Jewison classic gets me each and every time I watch it! It is more of a satire on the paranoia that many felt during the early part of the cold war rather than war itself, but even so I feel it deserves to be on the list.
10) 'Buffalo Soldiers'
Gregor Jordan made this highly regarded satire on war back in 2001 starring Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Dean Stockwell, Elizabeth McGovern, Gabriel Mann, and others, unfortunately its release has been plagued by untimely catastrophic world events, but it is now finally getting a limited release in the states starting July 25th!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
'Duck Soup'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
You know you will never see war in the same way after you watch this classic Marx Brothers flick!
'Le Roi de Coeur' (King of Hearts)
(submitted by: Joseph DeMartino)
This is a wonderful French satire of WWI and offers a tremendous performance by Alan Bates.
'Mister Roberts'
John Ford has made some excellent films, but this is one of my favorites of his. He put together an amazing cast, but who could have imagined those actors performing together considering how different their previous roles have been? Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, and Jack Lemmon all worked brilliantly together easily making this an appropriate addition to the list.
'The Mouse That Roared'
This is a better book than a movie, but Peter Sellars still puts on a worthy performance in this grand twist to the classic David vs Goliath tale.
'South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut'
(submitted by: Lyle_JP)
OK, I'll have to admit that I have never seen this film, but reading the reviews and the strong nominations on this thread, I guess at the very least it should go near the top of the honorable mentions list?
'Love and Death'
This is another Woody Allen satire on war, but as I have never actually seen it I'll put it in the honorable mentions list. The reviews I have read make me think that perhaps it deserves to be on the Top 10, but I'll wait to hear what you all think.
'The Americanization of Emily'
(submitted by: Joseph DeMartino)
I have no opinion of this film as I have not yet seen it, but from the nominations it would appear to be a worthy addition.
'Wag the Dog'
This film is not my favorite, but I know of many others who really enjoyed it so I am adding it to the list. I normally enjoy most of Barry Levinson's films, but I felt that the film tried to be realistic and thus exposed too many flaws and logistic holes in the plot that distracted me from otherwise enjoying the film. I haven't screened this film since its release which was over five years ago so maybe I should give it another look.
'Operation Petticoat'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
This is a fun movie, and a great cast and certainly pokes fun at the US Navy brass.
'Oh! What a Lovely War'
(submitted by: James Lambert)
Yet another film that seems to be a popular recommendation on this thread and so for now I'll place it in the honorable mentions.
'La Grande Vadrouille'
(submitted by: Eric Berger)
I have not seen or heard of this film before, but from the reviews it appears it may very well deserve to be on the list?
'Castle Keep'
I had never heard of this Sydney Pollack film before until I saw a trailer for it on Bravo, and I am glad I did. Burt Lancaster and Peter Falk were marvelous in this unique satire on war being played out during WWII and a battle over a 10th century castle.
'Top Secret!'
(submitted by: John Williamson)
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about adding this film to the list. While I think its very funny, I always thought it was a satire of spy movies - but I'll included it and see how folks react.
'How I Won the War'
(submitted by: Jay E)
You just have to know that any war movie featuring John Lennon must be a satire!
'Starship Troopers'
OK, before you commit me for adding this film to the list, let me just say this. As a satire on neo fascism and war, it's actually a bloody darn good film. I think those that disliked the film often disliked it for the wrong reason as they didn't realize it was meant as a satire, and was not meant to be taken seriously.
'Start the Revolution Without Me'
Is a quirky satire on of all things, the French Revolution and thank to the over-the-top performances by Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland this movie could have easily been unbearable.
'1941'
(submitted by: George Kaplan)
A flawed yet watch-able film full of great satire, just not well organized.
'Canadian Bacon'
(submitted by: Wes C)
Not one of Michael Moore's or John Candy's better films, but it does have a place here on the honorable mentions list.
Well there is the list as it stands now, but please feel free to comment and add to it.
Here are a few other 'TOP 10 LISTS':
'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS LIST of Films Featuring Poker'
'Top 10 War Related (comedic) Satires'
'TOP 10 & HONORABLE MENTIONS of Hollywood Celebrity/Film Making Satires!'
'Favorite Recent Phychological Horror/Thriller Films & those made in the 60's'
'Favorite Classic Detective Film-Noirs'
'Favorite Modern Detective Film-Noirs'
'Favorite "Guy's Guy" Movies/Games' (pt1)
'Favorite "Guy's Guy" Movies/Games' (pt2)
'Favorite Horror Films on DVD - Classic & Modern'
'Favorite Horror Films on DVD - Classic & Modern' (continued)
(for more just scroll down the page from that post)