Introduction and Alignment When is war also entertainment? Should it be entertainment? What is the role of Hollywood in American wartime? What is the role of the government in Hollywood films during wartime? Before the Vietnam War, most people in this century saw war through the eyes and cameras of Hollywood filmmakers. Hollywood defined the visual and cultural parameters of war. From combat films, one can gain a clear understanding of how broad cultural myths are created, how they may be used to serve contemporary political goals, and how Americans saw themselves during the period in which the United States became a world superpower. Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to: Analyze the characteristics of war films. Resources: 1.) Chapters 9 & 13 in your textbook. Belton, J. (2012). American cinema/American culture (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 2.) The Combat Film (55:14 ) CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND PEOPLE SMOKING https://snu.instructuremedia.com/embed/3a7416e7-caa6-487e-89cc-a5bbf2b6354b 3.) Choose 1 combat film from the list provided below. Assignment Instructions Choose any combat film from the list below. Note: The content and/or rating of some of these films might be offensive to you. Use your own preferences and discernment when making your choice for this assignment. After choosing and watching your film, write a 3-4 page essay answering the questions below: Who were the director and the stars of this film? What effect did their presence have on this film and the public’s view of it? What were the combat or battle scenes like? Describe them. What did they look like and how were they shot—in rapid cuts, or in long takes? How were they lit? How did these combat or battle scenes affect the overall tone of the film? How was the enemy characterized in this film? How did American characters describe and/or talk about the enemy? How did the enemy look and behave? What cultural influences were present in the film? Was there a portrayal of the “ideal platoon”? How were different races, religions, ethnic groups, and genders treated? How did the film define the main characters? Was there one central hero or a community of heroes? Did they want to fight, or were they really pacifists who were forced to fight? How did they feel about war? Was there any propaganda presented in this film? How was it depicted? Were there any mixed messages regarding the war presented in this film? Describe the way they were presented. For example, in The Sands of Iwo Jima, the harshness of the story contrasts with the heroic spectacle of the film. How was war itself depicted in this film? The glory of war? The tragedy of war? In a romanticized way? In harsh reality? How did this film leave you feeling at the end? Patriotic? Disillusioned? Why? Combat Films: Sergeant York (1941) Bataan (1943) Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) Twelve O’Clock High (1949) The Longest Day (1962) The Great Escape (1963) The Dirty Dozen The Fatal Mission (1967) Patton (1970) Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) The Deer Hunter (1978) Coming Home (1978) Apocalypse Now (1979) Platoon (1986) Born on the Fourth of July (1989) Saving Private Ryan (1997) The Thin Red Line (1999) Black Hawk Down (2002) Windtalkers (2002) Tears of the Sun (2003) War Horse (2011) Hacksaw Ridge (2016) Dunkirk (2017) Greyhound (2020) Devotion (2022)