Zitlalli Herrera Film and Culture Matthew Levi Whittaker Assignment: Essay One War Film Films have had a big influence on our society over the years. Old war films were different from the ones we see now. The older films give us a different kind of experience or emotion compare to the newer films. The films have had advance technology which we did not have back in the old days. As you can see war films have made a difference in society. However, I believe war film has a good and bad side to it.
War films have been progressing, the obvious differences would be clear images and in color. In war films around the year 1940’s there was no color film, for example in the movie British Intelligence in 1940 directed by Terry O. Morse. In this films you can only see black and white images, and some of the scenes do not look real. A lot of the older movies were based on a true events from cold wars from different countries. Older war films used a lot of media spin, which is convincing the audience to go against or in favor of a particular individual or group.
Older films gave you one point of view towards the enemy, which may have caused conflict in communities with diverse population. For example, it could of been because the films that had the Japan war against United States, any Asian would be treated like an enemy even if they are not from Japan. Back in 1940‘s we all know there was racism against African Americans, because there were films that showed African Americans being a bad race, and mostly everyone believed it. There were films that did not allow African Americans to be an African American in a film this also included Asians, the producers would paint a white person black or yellow to play the roll. Around 1943, United States need more soldiers, Hollywood and the federal government did a film about a black soldier called The Negro Soldier to convince African Americans to join the army and to stop racism. Older war films do not saw a lot of African American fighting in war.
During those times of film production you would also see less women involved in these war events, then you tend to see now. You would usually see women being nurses to help out the wounded soldiers or just be a take home wive waiting for her husband to come back. In older films they showed the big event not giving us stories about an individual or individuals. There was less violence involved, you can not see any blood on a soldier when they are hit, they would just fall to the ground. Our society was no use to seeing bloody movies.
With the progression of film production we see sharper images, with high definition and different sceneries. As you can see in the popular film Saving Private Ryan in 1998 directed by Steven Spielberg, there can be some common features between old films and newer films. This movie was based during WW II, but was given a taste of modern production by making it personal and emotional to the audience. There are still newer films that deal with racism, but at the end the minority come out has a victory. For example in the film Red Tails (2012) directed by Anthony Hemingway, we see how even though African Americans have joined the army and are great pilots they are looked downed on, want to prove that they also have the privilege to fight for their country.
With newer films we are more focus on an individual or group rather than the whole event itself. Has a new generation, I believe that is what attracts an audience the most. With a vast war film production we also get to experience newer point of views from different nations and we can even see how their people were influenced during these times of war. War films have even migrated to newer genre of action films where we can see women taking part during war and how they may have helped in these events, not just by being nurses but also doing hands on during the fights. Being newer films and with new technology we also experience life-like scenes of war which tend to be bloody and life changing to soldiers and even the audience.
The before, during and after emotions a producer wants you to take with yourself are very important. I have been watching these war films not too long, but I find myself being able to relate to characters in these newer films. Being a young woman it has caught my attention when I see another women involved in war, specially when she fights for something that is significant to her. These significant things can be loved ones, comrades and even pride of their home land. In the recent movie Pearl Harbor, we see how women were not so involved in the action of the wars but mainly in the medical field where they helped countless of wounded soldiers.
There is also the G.I. Jane film that was directed by Ridley Scott, was released 22 of August 1997. This film has a women that wants to become a soldier, to be treat no different from the men. The army lets her take the test and the male want to see her fail, but she sticks to her goal and reaches it. She passed the test shows not only to herself but the women that it is possible to become a soldier. I believe this war film affected society, because in the older films we only saw women as nurses, but now we get see them in hands on battles. I do not think most of society would of accepted this in the 1940‘s. These films have shown me how everyone plays a role in modern life and how we can all help each other even during times of crisis. I have yet to decide if I would ever participate in the field of war as I know a lot of brave heated women have, but I have not given up the idea of fighting for something significant.
Because of these films I have also become aware of the negative affects it may result on audience and true people of war. We can now witness how a person’s life can be change just by the experience of war. Many soldiers become handicapped and may never recover mentally or physically from these events. I also know that it would not only affect the soldier but their family members as well, leaving kids, wives, parents etc behind can be hard from both ends and we are allowed to witness this through newer modern films. I know for a fact that watching these films has an effect on our society and how we portray war, I feel that the main reach of these films are the youth of each nations. Education of war and events is important to our society to allow us to make a decision if we would ever partake in it.
Work cited Benshoff, Harry M., and Sean Griffin. "World War II and the Postwar Social Problem Film." America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. 2nd ed. Malden, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 85. Print.
Reflecting writing about the class! By taking the Film and Culture class I have become a more informed film consumer, by knowing the history of films that influenced society. Knowing how Hollywood was created and had different changes that were made from the old era to the present one. For example, in the old days we did not see as much blood scenes has we do now. Which is both good and bad, because we can at least know the reality of how a soldier suffers and not just get shot and immediately die. I have as well have sharpened my interpretive skills concerning the power of media and become more of an active viewer. For example, I notices there are still films that have stereotypes in race, gender, disabilities, etc. There is also media spin, it means that media it trying to make something or someone look cool or bad. These are just some of the things that I have learned in class that are useful to me.
This course has given me more awareness, sensitivity and respect towards cultural and human differences in the U.S.A. I am more aware of the history of film, which I never thought it would be interesting. When it came to culture I was really shocked on how films was a big part in influencing society in thinking a certain way, sadly we still see it now. Some of us want to become like the people on film or believe something false about a certain group. I respect any culture and human differences in the U.S.A., everyone has their own beliefs and should be respected. I believe anyone who lives in the U.S.A. has to accept the new changes and be open-minded, because it is a diverse country.