War Movies: Is one viewing of a war movie your limit?

[Scout]

For me, one viewing of a war movie is enough. Don't think I've watched one twice, no matter how good it was, no matter which war. I have a friend on Goodreads who keeps encouraging me to watch The Deer Hunter again (her favorite movie), but I just don't want to.

[Koeeoaddi]

I can't think of a Vietnam movie I'd want to see again (maybe The Quiet American but I'm not sure that really counts). OTOH, I've seen A Very Long Engagement 3 or 4 times and Gallipoli twice, so I guess I'd have to say no.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

One viewing of almost any movie is my limit. I can't think of a war movie I've seen twice, unless you count Gone with the Wind.

[RandomAnthony]

I don't know that I like war movies. I don't actively dislike them, but when I go through my favorite movies, in my mind, no war movies are included.

[Kenneth P.]

It helps if there is humor as in The Dirty Dozen.

[Sally, la reina]

Huh. I love war movies. Apocalypse Now might be my all time favorite movie. MASH is excellent. I also love recent ones like Jarhead and A Very Long Engagement.

[~Geektastic~]

War movies aren't something I watch very often. I'd probably give Full Metal Jacket another watch, but I haven't even seen Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter or Saving Private Ryan. I'm a bit nervous about them, so I don't see myself really trying to check them off my watched list once, let alone twice.

[Sally, la reina]

I did *not* like the Deer Hunter.

[Scout]

I watched The Deer Hunter when it was first released in 1978. The images stayed with me for days. And I felt bad for days after seeing it. I can't say that about any other movie I've seen.

I have watched Gone with the Wind several times, but I wouldn't consider it a war movie -- just a movie set during the Civil War.

[Jammies]

Once is enough for me.

[Michael]

I like war movies. Bataan, Battleground, Where Eagles Dare, The Great Escape, The Pianist, Sahara are a few of my favorites. There are also a lot of good movies that take place during war that aren't really war movies. Like Casablanca, African Queen, To Be or Not to Be.

[Pat]

I don't watch war movies anymore. They are too disturbing.
Gallipoli haunted me for weeks.

[Lori]

Kenneth P. wrote: "It helps if there is humor as in The Dirty Dozen."

and Kelly's Heroes--good and funny.

[janine]

Apocalypse Now and The Great Escape are two of my favourite movies. I have no problem watching war movies, unless they're too much about reenacting historical events - I'm sorry, but those are usually boring.

[Kenneth P.]

Best of all: The Thin Red Line.

[Jim]

I watched plenty of war movies multiple times. The Deer Hunter is one of my favorite movies, Saving Private Ryan and Platoon I have seen many many times.

I like the Dirty Dozen, but haven't seen it more than 5 times.

[Michael]

Another good war movie I forgot is 36 Hours with James Garner.

[Tom]

Kenneth P. wrote: "Best of all: The Thin Red Line."

I was thinking The Bridge Over the River Kwai

[Kenneth P.]

Tom, Bridge over the river Kwai may very well be the best ever. I need to see it again-- it's been decades.

I remember when The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan were being filmed at the same time (late 90's), both with excellent casts, directors etc. They would be competing WWll movies.

Both movies are excellent but "Pvt Ryan" seems to have garnered more favor. I think it has to do with the focus of the Spielberg flick-- we were courageous, on the right side in history. We were bringing down an evil regime.

In "Red Line," however, there are neither good guys nor bad guys, just Japanese and GI's stuck on a jungle island, marooned, trying to survive. It's just ugly; there's nothing noble about any of it.

Two great films that came out at the same time (1998)-- two perspectives on war.

As your attorney, I advise you all to read the James Jones WWll trilogy.

[Heidi]

Bridge over the River Kwai is my fave war movie... I don't mind movies from the WWII era, but I'm not a fan of movies about WWII. I will not, willingly, watch a war movie ever again.

There's a BIG difference between movies made during the WWII era and movies that around about WWII.

Movies made during - like (generally)
Movies made about - avoid like the plague (always)

[Scout]

Anyone planning to see War Horse?

[Sally, la reina]

Have there been any good war movies lately? Some very political ones, I know I missed in the last year or so.

[Sarah]

Zero Dark Thirty, the Hurt Locker...

[CD]

Midway is a WWII move I've watched several times. It works, for me anyway, on the small screen as well as the large theater type experience.

That, the theater experience, is a limiting factor. Many great war films, such as Saving Private Ryan and Apocalypse Now, are entirely different when not seen on a large screen.

So some films I see more than once and some of those only at the theater. Of course there are many war movies that are so bad that once is more than enough!

[Dr. Detroit]

I don't have a good history with war movies. "Saving Private Ryan," "Full Metal Jacket," "The Deer Hunter," and "Schindler's List" all made me want to run a warm bath and tap a vein.

I left before "Schindler's List" was even over because I needed a drink. Pronto.

[Susan]

War movies make me want drinks, too.

If I want war stories, I just talk with my FIL about Vietnam. There isn't a movie that comes close to some of the things he went through.

[Laurin]

I think Schindler's List would be the only "war movie" I'd consider rewatching.

[Cynthia]

I'm pretty sure "Saving Private Ryan" was the only war movie I've watched more than once.

I grew up with a dad who had the soundtracks to "Victory At Sea" on numerous LPs. The whole military/war history is not my thing. One year we visited Civil War battlefields for a fucking week. Vacation from hell.

[Susan]

A week! Ouch.

[Cynthia]

We partied like crazy Lutherans from Iowa. Nothing like three whiny kids driving across Dixie.

[CD]

Bad War movies are a special breed I concur. And there are many that have been very popular, for whatever reasons, that fall in the "I wasted how many minutes on this crap"?

Then again, several of the best films ever made are 'war movies'.

Lawrence of Arabia
The Bridge over the River Kwai
Kagemusha
Casablanca
Life is Beautiful
Gone with the Wind
The Great Dictator
Napoleon(1927 Abel Gance version)
Twelve O'clock High
The Battle of Algiers

to name just a few of my favorite 'great movies'. Then there are various other Bogart films, Kubrick's masterpieces, and assorted must sees that are war films no matter what we may think. War is a powerful backdrop and theme for artistic statement.

You don't have to like 'em. Just appreciate and be aware of them and how this genre is one of the most important and powerful influences in the history of movies.

[Susan]

Cynthia wrote: "We partied like crazy Lutherans from Iowa. Nothing like three whiny kids driving across Dixie."

Ha!

[Dr. Detroit]

CD wrote: "Bad War movies are a special breed I concur. And there are many that have been very popular, for whatever reasons, that fall in the "I wasted how many minutes on this crap"?

Then again, several of..."

Wait. No "Kelly's Heroes"?

[CD]

Dr. Detroit wrote: "CD wrote: "Bad War movies are a special breed I concur. And there are many that have been very popular, for whatever reasons, that fall in the "I wasted how many minutes on this crap"?

Then again..."

Kelly's Heroes had already been mentioned. I'd include in a top 100 (or some number) list definitely as a favorite war film.

[Jim]

My BIL was in Nam, and he said that he thought Platoon was fairly accurate it some regards, but not completely. He didn't think that any of the others were very good, but it took him a long time to even want to see a movie about Vietnam. I guess 4 purple hearts will do that to a person.

Except for the long drug out wedding scene, I like "The Deer Hunter".

[L.F.]

"The Great Escape" is my all-time classic favorite; others I can watch over and again are "Black Hawk Down," and "Saving Private Ryan."

[Meels]

When I was a freshman in HS we had a Betamax player. Yeah, I think someone have it to us for free. Anyway, that meant there was only 1 rack at the video rental place for us to choose from. Every weekend dad would take me and the lil sissy to rent movies. She picked either Pollyanna or The Parent Trap every single time, and pop picked Purple Heart or Platoon. I have seen them way too many times and doubt I would ever choose to see them again. I do own Saving Private Ryan, but I never watch it. We also have an autographed copy of Brother's In Arms, really amazing. But, I think I would only watch it again of the mister really wanted to. In our house we call that "earning Philippians 2 points"...verse about putting other before yourself. :). There is a family joke about who has more points.

Basically, I don't really like to cry. And, if I do cry; I would prefer it to be a happy cry.

[[deleted user]]

I watched The Deer Hunter twice. Platoon three times. Full Metal Jacket twice.

If they're good quality war films, I enjoy watching them more than once.

[Annette]

My husband has watched "The Battle of Britain" so many times he knows it off by heart. I am a sucker for some of the old war movies like "Dunkirk" and "In Which We Serve" but don't like films where they mess with the history too much ("Pearl Harbor" - give me "Tora, Tora, Tora" any day!) And I was just suggesting watching "Memphis Belle" again the other day (view spoiler)[- just in case they don't manage to land the plane safely on one wheel this time... (hide spoiler)]