Technically it is a great film and as a comedy it is riotous and crazy, yet I look at this as being the point. The paranoia of getting attacked and the confusion and pandemonium of what war entails, not to mention the hysteria, is all part of the package. I also see Spielberg as taking a nostalgic slice of life as well for many people who lived through this era and embracing what it had to offer.
As for scare mongering aspect of the submarine not being shown, then you would have to have people swimming on the ocean to represent this and Spielberg covered this in the opening scene. The rest of it with the Japanese and German Captain I found to be entertaining and relevant, since the whole films premise revolved around their ambition to attack Hollywood and to honor themselves...not to mention attempting to find their way home. I also didn't find the film mean-spirited in representing the Japanese and German, only that they were just as idiotic as the Americans portrayed.
The film did get very zany and way slapsticky over the top with the renegade tank, when Aykroyd's Sgt character got concussed and lost his marbles—we already had Belushi's psychotic routine—it was just plain silly when they ended up in the paint warehouse. Apart from that sequence—I don't really care for the extended edition—I think overall, there is a very enjoyable film in here, if you don't mind being visually and aurally assaulted, and even awed in parts.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
Destinata:💩
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haasing1986
8 years ago
I do agree that Jawsing it would probably be stupid.
I think we will agree to disagree on the effectiveness of the portrayals German/Japanese and the submarine scenes in general.
Love the point about nostalgia - it's strange that we can feel nostalgic for World War II but we can and do.
Remarkable that the guy who directed this also directed Saving Private Ryan.
Also, I forgot to mention it but John Williams' score is another gem.
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rascal67
8 years ago
Spielberg was born just after the war and I think much of what developed in his life would have been entrenched in WWII anecdotes and stories and not to mention patriotism. I think this is where the nostalgia might stem from. He has allusions to WWII in many of his films and even set some during the war like you mentioned, Empire Of The Sun-87' and Saving Private Ryan-98'.
Your idea about the Japanese\German characters playing it serious, might have been a bit jarring to the overall tone of the film. It sounds like an interesting notion though.
Yes, the score is excellent and in the trivia, Spielberg is quoted as saying that William's march theme is his favorite of all the march themes Williams has composed for his films. A musical would have been interesting; but we still got a fun and exhilarating musical\dance\brawl scene which has always been the highlight of the film for me. Next would be the dogfight sequence, followed by the ferris wheel destruction.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
Destinata:💩
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