War Film - How To Improvise
 "Banzai!” —Japanese War Cry
IntroductionMovies set to the backdrop of war, dealing with the glory and / or horror of human conflict.
Essence
- The battles are violent; and between them is often tense.
- Wartime brings out them best in people and the worst.
- Different eras bring different sorts of movies. During WWII, the films tended to be patriotic. From the 60s they have tended to show the futility and senseless waste of war.
- There are a few comedies, and these tend to be dark; most movies are Action, Adventure or Drama movies
at heart.
Characteristics
| Where | At the battle front: in tanks, aircraft, ships, submarines or trenches;
Behind enemy lines;
Behind your own lines in the training camps, command posts, headquarters and hospitals;
Bombed-out cities;
Far away from the battle in the country the soldiers left behind.
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| When | Mostly around 20th Century conflicts, especially the First and Second World Wars, but can also be from any war in any century. Can also be a fictitious war or battle. |
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| Who | People from any country; All branches of the armed services.
Raw recruits (willingly volunteered or reluctantly called up); career servicemen; officers, cruel Sergeant-Majors, inspiring leaders; enemy soldiers; intelligence officers, spies; civilians; wives, children, parents left at home; black marketeers and other men not called up; technical wizards, explosives experts, snipers.
It’s a well known fact that the characters most looking forward to going home are the
ones who are going to die first. |
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| What | Training; planning battles, preparing defences; fighting; attacking, being attacked, dying; being captured. Air raids, sniper attacks, firing squads.
Regretting; justifying; looking forward to going home.
Back home, things are also tough. Perhaps peaceful or maybe there are frequent air raids. Food may be rationed and there is a black-out after nightfall. |
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Examples (from Amazon)
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