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All Quiet On the Western Front *** 1/2
I think this movie hasn't aged that well. A lot of times the acting seemed really over-the-top in the typical way that older mainstream films can be. A lot of the characters seemed a bit too jovial at times, considering the tragedy and horror around them. Still, it is an interesting and effective statement about the horrors of war, much like Johnny Got His Gun.

One of the most convincing anti-war films ever made, Lewis Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front is a stirring and powerful adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel. The horror of war is reduced to an individual scale as the story focuses on young German soldiers who are more than willing to "fight for their country" until they realize the reality of combat. The film opens with the recruitment of the young schoolboys, and Milestone broadly portrays the naivete and over-eagerness of the young boys, who want to help their nation to victory. These opening passages are the weakest in the film...the quality of acting has dated badly and the movie occasionally seems quite garish and melodramatic. However, the film improves significantly as it progresses. The scenes in the trenches, as the soldiers begin to experience the terror of war, are still as powerful as ever. Naturally, this movie does not contain battle scenes that rival Saving Private Ryan for dread and realism. Instead, it focuses on the psychological changes of its principal soldiers. The message is clear during the final scenes in the movie when the soldiers return home. Although they are treated well, their souls have forever changed, and those that experienced emotional breakdowns during battle will probably never recover. One of the strengths of All Quiet on the Westert Front is that it was a Hollywood production that dared to view war from the point-of-view of America's World War I enemies (the Germans). The lack of credible German accents is one of the major flaws in the film and a constant distraction, but the movie still represents a noble, compassionate gesture that recognizes we are all human beings regardless of nation. The acting in the film may have dated, but the movie's style is still successful in mixing quiet understatement with powerful melodrama. And of course, the film's message will continue to endure through the ages...hopefully long enough for it to finally be heard.

(BASIC)

***.5/****

Pro: The final shot...powerful. The standard set for future war films. The passing from idealism to despair. The war scenes.

Con: The visit home. The sentimental dialogue. The lead actor. The lead up to the ending.

IL POSTINO (Michael Radford, 1994) - 6.0 / mixed (+)

The message "Everybody can be a poet" is evident, but the story of the ordinary, slightly dumb postman-turned-poet, is presented in a way too simple manner.
The film ultimately turned out to be more like a fairy tale than a realistic story. Yet there a few nice moments. The part where the postman collects sounds like a poet collects impressions is very nice and it would take a heart of stone not to be touched by the final sequence. It's obvious that this scene will be there, but it's nicely held back for a couple of minutes.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (Lewis Milestone, 1930) - 10.0 / PRO (+)

I wouldn't go as far and say that this film is without minor flaws, but no movie is. On the other hand, the film offers great things in all aspects that great films have to offer. The message is clear and the story is well-told. Although there is a main character, it's the situation that makes the story and not so much what happens to the main character. The characters are pawns pushed forward through a storyline by the situations. The cinematorgraphy is also pretty great. The attack, when the German soldiers hide in the ditches, in the middle of the film is amazingly thrilling. The last scene of the film, where the story of the soldier ends in act of innocence, is unforgettable.
The most amazing aspect of the film, however, how watchable the film 75 years after its release still is. A few tweaks here and there and someone could immediately do a remake.
This film already says what all its precedessors tried to say. I'd say, if you only see one war movie in your life, make sure it's this one. Wars come and go, but the impact on the people involved in them remains the same and there are very few things that would have to be added to the statement this film makes.

DOWN BY LAW (Jim Jarmusch, 1986) - 8.0 / pro (+)

I guess, whether you'll like this film or not, depends on whether you like the part Roberto Benigni plays. Tom Waits and John Lurie are pale, when confronted with Benigni.
I'm not that much of a fan of Jim Jarmusch, but this might be the most entertaining films of his, that I have seen. This one is much funnier than his later works and not as slow. On the other hand, this film really gives a good impression of Jarmusch's style. The film is leisurely paced, told in a laconic manner, funny here and there in unexpected ways and also strikes a poetic note based on the poems Jarmusch likes to quote in all of his films.
However, "Down by Law" is light as a summer breeze. I liked it while it lasted, but it when it was gone, nothing was left. This film is like a shallow pond, but, at least, the water has the right temparature.

P.S.: Is Tom Waits really like he appears to be in this film or was he on drugs all the time? I mention this, because to me this felt a little akward at times.

Again, my History teacher presents to me a piece of crap. This time, it's an undeniably old piece of crap. It's ancient crap. The movie might have been gold, but with it's short half-life, it's been reduced to crap over 75 years.

Allow me to explain the movie to you : a teacher tells his students to go out and live the honor of dying for your country. So, the students go and they die. A-jigga-what? Here's a highlight from the movie :

Paul : Kat!
Kat : Paul!


Okay, that scene was so poorly written, it was funny. Got a good response from the class, too (Those who weren't sleeping or reading).

Maybe "classic" movies aren't my thing. Feel free to criticize. I've taking enough crap from giving Citizen Kane a 0/10.

.....

La Plan

It's pretty good.

A REALLY INCREDIBLE FILM, IT'S ANTI-WAR MESSAGE IS NOT DATED AT ALL. LEWIS MILESTONE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB DIRECTING, THE CAST IS FINE. IT IS A VERY MEMORABLE AND UNFORGETTABLE MOVIE. WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME

All Quiet on the Western Front



All Quiet on the Western Front is officially the oldest movie I've ever seen. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous going into it, as I was not sure what to expect from a movie that is 75 years old. However, despite its age many of the themes and scenes are still resonant today in today's post world war, post cold war society.

The anti war themes present are the most powerful thing that holds All Quiet together. I can't really blame All Quiet for this as it is a matter of when it was made, but it is very aged in many technical aspects. The acting for example, while sometimes good, is usually a bit 'staged' and sometimes downright bad. The cinematography and editing is also sometimes a bit rusty, and I found certain scenes to be a bit unbelievable. For example, in the end what the main character and his friend are talking they are singled out by a single bi plane to be bombed, but the characters never really seem to frightened and try to escape. Instead they just duck then continue talking. Then, when a bomb goes off far away from the characters, one of them just sorts of dies. It just seemed fake to me, as is with a few other scenes, but I can't hold it against the movie too much because it simply is so old, which is not its fault.

The one thing that has kept All Quiet around all these years, as I've mentioned, are the themes though. The simple anti war subject matter is still a very real subject matter today, meaning you can still find something in the movie where as others will have had their 'point' diminished by now. It also has some good scenes, such as when the main character goes back home and finds no one understands what the soldiers are going through, or the ending with the iconic butterfly.

Overall, I think it's just a bit too old in many respects to truthfully give it full marks, but the simple fact that the movie still has value to it in terms of subject matter is amazing and makes it worth watching at least once at some point in your life.

7/10


Next up:
Paths of Glory review
Watching next:
Psycho (1960)