Assignment
Chosen Combat Film YouTube Video: "The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission" (1967)
A. When is war also entertainment?
B. Should it be entertainment?
C. What is the role of Hollywood in American wartime?
D. What is the role of the government in Hollywood films during wartime?
E. 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?
F. 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?
G. 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?
H. 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?
I. 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?
J. Was there any propaganda presented in this film? How was it depicted?
K. 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.
L. How was war itself depicted in this film? The glory of war? The tragedy of war? In a romanticized way? In harsh reality?
M. How did this film leave you feeling at the end? Patriotic? Disillusioned? Why?
N. Include an analysis of The Combat Film. Note the application or differences in concepts from this and the movie you chose to analyze. Did it apply? Why or why not?