The most interesting films about the war

“War” is a terrible word, because it means not just a confrontation between the parties, but also the destruction of everything human in them in the name of victory. Despite this, filmmakers around the world love to make films on this subject. In most of them, war is presented as something great and noble. Among thousands of such projects quite often there are really interesting films about the war, which create a real picture of the audience about it. Let's look at what kind of paintings.

The most “popular” wars in the cinema world

Before you consider the list of interesting films about the war, it is worth finding out which battles are most often filmed about movies.

In the United States, the North and South Civil War, as well as the struggle for independence, are the “favorites”. In addition, Americans often make pictures of World War II, however, most often they portray themselves in them as almost the only saviors of mankind from fascism. At the same time, Hollywood directors do not often recall Vietnam and Iraq.

The most popular war among Europeans is the First and Second World War, and even among the Germans.

In the USSR and the Russian Federation, the militaristic theme in the film industry has always occupied a special place. At different times, the films about the Civil War, the Great Patriotic War and even the Afghan were popular.

The most interesting films about the war of 1941-1945. (american)

In the modern world, champions in the number of military paintings are directors of the United States. Therefore, it is best to start with them.

In this aspect, it is worth clarifying why the palm remains for the Americans, and not for the Russians. The fact is that there is a clear distinction between movies and TV shows about the war. If Americans are more likely to shoot full-length films, then Russians are the undisputed world leaders in the number of military series filmed.

What movie production pleased the audience in Hollywood? First of all, it is worth noting that although many American projects about World War II are rather superficial (for example, Treasure Hunters in 2014), there are some very interesting films about the 1941-1945 war (a list of the most famous of them is below).

First of all, it is worth mentioning the picture of Charlie Chaplin "The Great Dictator". Although it is considered a comedy and talks more about fascism than about war, this tape is one of the best of its kind. Behind the curtains of jokes and grimaces of Chaplin, the wrong side of any armed conflict is clearly shown, as well as the change in the psychology of the warring parties.

Also known is the drama Thin Red Line (1998). In the center of the plot are several soldiers who find themselves in a military cauldron. Although each of them went to the front for their own reasons, now they are all driven by one desire - to survive.

The painting "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) is a unique phenomenon in American cinema. Despite the fact that the plot and heroes are completely invented, the battle scenes and soldiers' equipment are shown with such incredible accuracy and reliability that you can study the history of military affairs from this picture.

But Pearl Harbor (2001), despite the high box office, dramatic plot and a galaxy of talented actors, is significantly inferior to the three projects listed above. Although the creators of Pearl Harbor struggled to show the reasons why the Americans took part in World War II, it was somehow done carelessly. It is ironic that the mass of Pearl Harbor flaws did not prevent him from becoming one of the most beloved viewers in the whole world.

Listing the most significant tapes on military subjects, one simply cannot ignore Quentin Tarantino's “Inglourious Basterds”. Although this film is more likely to be a parody movie (depicting an alternative version of the development of history), it very naturally shows the senselessness and ruthlessness of military luck.

American Wartime Drama: Schindler's List

It is worth noting that not all Hollywood films about World War II feature American soldiers - the liberators of Europe (as they like to call themselves). They have very interesting films about the war, describing the life of Poles and Jews in the occupied territories.

Such is the Steven Spielberg tape Schindler's List (1993). It practically does not show the horrors of hostilities, but it depicts very vividly what it leads to and what fate could befall the whole world if fascism were not destroyed.

At the center of the story is the German entrepreneur O. Schindler, who initially plans to get rich through war, but then repents and spends his fortune on saving the Jews.

German films about World War II

Considering the most interesting films about the war with fascist Germany, it is worthwhile to pay attention to German-made projects.

The most famous in this genre is the painting "Submarine" (1981). She talks about the everyday life and battles of the crew of a German submarine at the beginning of 1941. It is worth noting that this is one of the most reliable tapes on military subjects and still has no analogues.

When you watch the most interesting films about the war shot by the Germans, you often get the impression that they are trying to justify themselves to the whole world for fascism. A vivid example of this is the drama Academy of Death (2004).

It tells of a talented German boxer boy who fell into the academy, where the future elite of the new Germany is being trained. For 110 minutes, we are shown the evolution of the hero and his moral insight and a further conscious refusal to belong to the cream of German society.

German films about the post-war period in the history of Germany

However, not all German cinema about the Second World War is repentant. So, there are several tapes in which the soldiers of the allies are shown as real animals cruelly tormenting the unfortunate conquered inhabitants of Germany. In fairness, it should be noted that although some of these pictures are really based on real events, they often show the situation too one-sidedly.

Among the most democratic projects in this regard, it is worth mentioning “4 days in May” (2011) and “Nameless - one woman in Berlin” (2008).

They show how the valiant victors of fascism in the liberated territories behaved. Moreover, it is honestly depicted that there were good and bad people among them. It is worth adding that in these pictures remarkable Russian artists starred: Alexei Guskov, Andrey Merzlikin, Evgeny Sidikhin and others.

Interesting films about the war of 1941-1945, filmed in other countries

In other European countries there are also some really well-shot projects about World War II. Among them, the European counterpart of Schindler's List is The Pianist (2002) by Roman Polanski.

This tape (shot on the basis of real events) tells the story of the fate of the Polish-Jewish composer and pianist Vladislav Shpilman. The hero does not participate in the war and does not see it. But he feels his influence on himself, and also gradually loses all his loved ones, and only a miracle allows him to survive without losing his mind.

Apart from all the other tapes of this genre is the Italian psychological drama of 1974, The Night Porter. Its plot focuses on the memoirs of a former prisoner of a concentration camp who accidentally meets her tormentor in peacetime. Unlike The Pianist and Schindler's List, this picture lacks an optimistic ending. After all, it turns out that the most important executioners manage to escape punishment.

More optimistic is another Italian tape about World War II. This is a picture of Roberto Benigni "Life is Beautiful." She tells the lyrical story of a Jewish father, who is trying his best to protect his son from the horrors of Nazi concentration camps.

Considering the most interesting films about the war, it is worthwhile to pay attention to “Enemy at the Gates” (2001). This picture describes the fate of the Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev (a real person) and his "silent" confrontation with the German "colleague" Major Kening.

British motion pictures

Studying the most interesting films about the war, it's time to pay attention to the directors of Misty Albion.

One of the most famous British projects about World War II is recognized as the "English Patient" (1996). This story is about how war affects people and cripples their destinies, depriving the dearest.

Also of interest is the 2007 tape “Atonement”. Like the previous one, she talks more not about hostilities, but about their impact on people's lives, as exemplified by two lovers.

The best Soviet films about the Great Patriotic War

The theme of the fight against fascists in the USSR was devoted to a lot of film projects. Considering the most interesting films about the Great Patriotic War, it is worth stopping only at the most famous.

Even when it was several years before the victory, the movie “Two Fighters” (1943) starring Mark Bernes in the lead role was shot at the Soviet film studio in evacuation. In addition to the story of the heroic soldier’s friendship, she attracted the attention of the audience with beautiful songs that Bernes sang in her.

Films about the work of the underground during the Great Patriotic War in the USSR were also shot. The most famous of them is The Young Guard (1948). Is it worth clarifying that the script for this project was written on the basis of real events?

The Georgian film “Father of a Soldier” (1964) was one of the most moving phenomena in Soviet cinema of the post-war period. Perhaps this was facilitated by the fact that the script was written based on the recollections of a real war veteran.

As the name implies, the main character is the father of a young man fighting at the front. Upon learning that the son is in the hospital, the man goes to him and soon he sets off to fight.

In 1967, another Soviet emotional tape about the Great Patriotic War was published - "Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha." It described the adventures at the front of a young intellectual soldier.

In 1972, Boris Vasiliev’s novel “Dawns Here Are Quiet ...” was filmed in the USSR. Although subsequently this work was twice transferred to the big screen, the first tape remained the best.

The plot of the picture “The Dawns Here Are Quiet ...” is simple and tragic: this is the story of the heroic death of young front-line girls in an unequal battle with the Nazis.

Leonid Bykov's painting “Only Old Men Go Into Battle” (1973) has become a real phenomenon in Soviet cinema and still rightfully bears the title of one of the best. She talks about the life of frontline fighter pilots. For greater credibility, frames from a real military chronicle are inserted in the tapes.

Among the film production of the USSR devoted to the theme of war, there is simply nothing to compare the drama “Go and See” (1986).

She talks about the life of the teenager Flera during the Nazi occupation of Belarus. In terms of its tragedy and naturalism, “Go and See” can only be compared with the “Schindler's List” and the “Pianist”.

American paintings of other military conflicts

After listing the most interesting films about the 1941-1945 war (list above), it's time to pay attention to the tapes about other conflicts filmed in the United States.

Although Vietnam is a topic not very beloved by Americans, several outstanding films are devoted to it. The first of them is the brainchild of Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Today (1979).

This picture tells about the special operation of American troops to eliminate one of their colonels. At the same time, Coppola masterfully shows the whole sickening horror of the war and its destructive effect on the psyche.

The second outstanding American tape about Vietnam is “Born on July 4th” (1990). She talks about how a young man who has become crippled due to injury, rethinks his ideals and begins to fight for peace.

In 1996, the drama "Courage in Battle" was released in the United States. This story is about investigating the death of Captain Karen Walden at the front, posthumously presented for the award. The main character is trying to find out if she was a heroine or is this a falsification.

Soviet projects on other military conflicts

Having studied what the most interesting films about the war (the Great Patriotic War) were shot in the USSR, another militaristic movie will honestly be considered.

The film “Two Comrades Served” in 1968 is an exciting story about the Civil War. Unlike many paintings of the Soviet period, it does not have a single right side, since both individual Red Army soldiers and White Guards are shown noble.

The painting "Officers" (1971) is dedicated to the events of the 1920-1960s. In the center of the plot is a military officer Alexei Trofimov and his entourage. All of them have to survive several wars and lose far from one loved one, but at the same time remain honest and courageous people.

Modern Russian military films

With the beginning of the 2000s, a large number of militaristic projects began to be filmed in the Russian Federation. Unfortunately, not all of them are worth attention. At the same time, there are some interesting films about the war (Russian), which you can safely be proud of.

For example, the picture of 2008 "Admiral" about the fate of the tsarist officer Alexander Kolchak. This is not only an interesting, but also a very beautiful film about noble people who managed to remain so until the end.

In 2005, Fyodor Bondarchuk removed the 9th Company war film in Afghanistan. Despite some historical and technical inaccuracies, this project was not only one of the most expensive, but also the most worthy in this category.

Considering new interesting films about the war, shot in the Russian Federation, one cannot but mention “We are from the future” (2008).

This fantastic film tells how four black archaeologists from the XXI century. they find themselves in 1942. Having fallen into the conditions of real hostilities, each of the "guests from the future" revises his life position.

This picture has a sequel - "We are from the future-2", but it turned out to be much less successful. One of the reasons for this was the refusal of many actors from the first part to star in the sequel. In addition, the ardent anti-Ukrainian mood of the project scared away many potential viewers.

Modern foreign paintings about the war

Among the foreign film production about World War II, only two films can be noted. This is “Rage” (2014) about the fate of the crew of the Sherman tank. As well as the tape "For reasons of conscience" (2016), which tells about an American orderly who was the first in history because of religious beliefs refused to take up arms.