I always thought the 2022 version lacked authenticity compared to the original book or 1930 movie. Where the originals were written and produced by real soldiers who had been there and done that, the 2022 version was made by a bunch of millennials who just decided to parrot the message that “war is bad, or something.” German officers outside of Brühl’s character are cartoonishly evil because of course they are. Can’t decide if it wants to be an action movie or a serious antiwar film and fails at both.
There is also a Latvian film from this genre, called in English "the Rifleman", which is an adaptation of the seminal Latvian novel of the Great War, "Blizzard of Souls" by Aleksandrs Grīns. It does suffer from a similar problem to the new Dune movie in that it's basically a companion peace to the book (as it is a serious brick and the movie is rather short), but I enjoyed it so I do reccommend it.
There is also an Epic written on this by a Latvian author named Aleksandrs Čaks called "Touched by Eternity" that has been translated.
For me I happen to live near the site of the most legendary battle of our front and have gone on excursions there more times than I can count, and even played in the reconstructed trenches as a child, so I have always felt a connection to that period, I should definitely read more on it and in it.
I did recently discover that I have the Remarque in a shelf, so might get around to reading it.
I believe it was a matter of ego. When many in hollywood are adapting a story, their changes are saying "I can improve this thing". See Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, which does minimal changes because he believes he is not better than Tolkien. I bet I know which will remain in the public consciousness for longer
Not all volunteers are made equally either, though. Paul and his friends technically volunteer, but the book does a good job of laying out that any other option was social suicide. See also the "White Feather girls" of Great Britain during WWI.
I think wars should be limited in scope and yes confined to volunteers or even mercenaries.
The reader may keep his principles, I shall keep my practicality and the cynical approach will keep the butchers bill lower than the Holy ideologue.
I don’t think wars of nations or God save us “ideas” should continue; for they will be nuclear, and even conventionally they have become far too costly.
To continue with my humane cynicism (that lessens the suffering) I strongly advise any potential combatants;
>Reduce every war to resource conflict and proceed so in war and diplomacy and peace. <
Yes. Because they ARE resource conflicts and tangible resources can be grasped, struggled over, settled, divided or destroyed.
Intangibles CANNOT; let this be the lesson of the 21st century.
We have suffered enough for purity.
…and there’s the awful truth under all these airy words that they ARE resource conflicts.
To anoint with God or The Holy Oil of Ideology is to profane the former and expose the latter as vanity…. For it was.
This was a great read! I’ll have to circle back and check out the older versions of the film. Curious about the Russian stuff you’ve seen and didn’t like, I found a few things like The Dawns There Are Quiet, Life and Fate, and The Road to Calvary pretty compelling with the Battle of Sevastopol being less so.
I like Soviet Era Russian films. Should have been clearer. The new stuff is all (cheesy) special effects. I think it was Stalingrad (2013) that had some scenes that looked like Bollywood action
Excellent article. WW1&2 aka the Great European Civil War was the worst and most destructive things to happen to Western Civilization. Regardless which side has your sympathies, the fact that it happened is a travesty. Peace ✌🏻
Good review but a bit too long, we don’t need to know about Storm of Steel for this review. As for why the film is so anti German it is because Germany is still occupied by people who hate them. Good point about why ending the movie on the last day is slop that misses the point of the story.
I always thought the 2022 version lacked authenticity compared to the original book or 1930 movie. Where the originals were written and produced by real soldiers who had been there and done that, the 2022 version was made by a bunch of millennials who just decided to parrot the message that “war is bad, or something.” German officers outside of Brühl’s character are cartoonishly evil because of course they are. Can’t decide if it wants to be an action movie or a serious antiwar film and fails at both.
Yes, I wish I had said so as clearly as you've laid it out!
There is also a Latvian film from this genre, called in English "the Rifleman", which is an adaptation of the seminal Latvian novel of the Great War, "Blizzard of Souls" by Aleksandrs Grīns. It does suffer from a similar problem to the new Dune movie in that it's basically a companion peace to the book (as it is a serious brick and the movie is rather short), but I enjoyed it so I do reccommend it.
There is also an Epic written on this by a Latvian author named Aleksandrs Čaks called "Touched by Eternity" that has been translated.
For me I happen to live near the site of the most legendary battle of our front and have gone on excursions there more times than I can count, and even played in the reconstructed trenches as a child, so I have always felt a connection to that period, I should definitely read more on it and in it.
I did recently discover that I have the Remarque in a shelf, so might get around to reading it.
I'll need to check those out! Thanks for the recommendation
An excellent piece.
For some reason, as much as I read and know about WW1, I have always avoided films about it.
Why did they 🎬have to change it up?
The Book is so moving and profound.
I believe it was a matter of ego. When many in hollywood are adapting a story, their changes are saying "I can improve this thing". See Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, which does minimal changes because he believes he is not better than Tolkien. I bet I know which will remain in the public consciousness for longer
Wars are actually fought often enough by professional warriors, contract soldiers even now.
It is cruel to conscript unless absolutely necessary, in the Ukrainian- Russian war now both nations have their fate at stake.
It’s better to have volunteers or contractors.
(The Ukrainian war should have never happened, and should stop, but that’s tangential).
Not all volunteers are made equally either, though. Paul and his friends technically volunteer, but the book does a good job of laying out that any other option was social suicide. See also the "White Feather girls" of Great Britain during WWI.
I agree.
I think wars should be limited in scope and yes confined to volunteers or even mercenaries.
The reader may keep his principles, I shall keep my practicality and the cynical approach will keep the butchers bill lower than the Holy ideologue.
I don’t think wars of nations or God save us “ideas” should continue; for they will be nuclear, and even conventionally they have become far too costly.
To continue with my humane cynicism (that lessens the suffering) I strongly advise any potential combatants;
>Reduce every war to resource conflict and proceed so in war and diplomacy and peace. <
Yes. Because they ARE resource conflicts and tangible resources can be grasped, struggled over, settled, divided or destroyed.
Intangibles CANNOT; let this be the lesson of the 21st century.
We have suffered enough for purity.
…and there’s the awful truth under all these airy words that they ARE resource conflicts.
To anoint with God or The Holy Oil of Ideology is to profane the former and expose the latter as vanity…. For it was.
Amen
This was a great read! I’ll have to circle back and check out the older versions of the film. Curious about the Russian stuff you’ve seen and didn’t like, I found a few things like The Dawns There Are Quiet, Life and Fate, and The Road to Calvary pretty compelling with the Battle of Sevastopol being less so.
I like Soviet Era Russian films. Should have been clearer. The new stuff is all (cheesy) special effects. I think it was Stalingrad (2013) that had some scenes that looked like Bollywood action
Excellent article. WW1&2 aka the Great European Civil War was the worst and most destructive things to happen to Western Civilization. Regardless which side has your sympathies, the fact that it happened is a travesty. Peace ✌🏻
Thank you
Goebbels said the same about the OG lol.
Good review but a bit too long, we don’t need to know about Storm of Steel for this review. As for why the film is so anti German it is because Germany is still occupied by people who hate them. Good point about why ending the movie on the last day is slop that misses the point of the story.
Tell us how you really feel.
I love that version too