How and Why we are Drawn to War Movies The thought of war always seems to catch the interest of Americans. War is what people think of when they think of America, isn’t it? Mcdonald’s and machine guns, right? When people think of war many things pop into their heads such as, guns, explosions, death, fear, blood, dirt, bombs, and bravery. These are just some of the many things people associated with war. Many people in America enjoy all things war because of the bravery and manliness of it. They like everything that has to with war.
Just like Anthony ‘Swoff Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) says in the movie Jarhead “Every war is different, every war is the same”(IMDb 2005). Many Americans join the force for the intense training, as well as the overall experiences. People may join the Military for “fun”, or maybe even the honor they achieve, but majority of people don’t join the Military out of fear of death. Americans across the country are always extremely curious about anything war related, that’s why many would like to see and experience war as much as they can without the worry of death. The closest people can get to war like experiences is, video games and movies.
Why is that, why are we drawn to this horrible thing called war? Death, bombs, fear, explosions, and guns all describe war. Death occurs to both men and women of all colors, and both sides of the battle field. Majority of Americans would never want to be caught in a war scenario, if that’s true why are Americans so drawn to it? War is a horrible concept, with massive consequences, and negative outcomes.
Why do we want to experience it so much? Why do we enjoy watching movies about death and war? Why are some of the best and most memorable movies about war? Why is it hat Americans are so interested in war, and why do we want to see it so bad? There are countless American movies about just the vietnam war–Apocalypse Now (1979), Full Metal Jacket (1987), The Deer Hunter (1978), and Forrest Gump (1994), to name a few–as well as WWI and WWII. Every year there is a new war movie that does phenomenal in the box office, and even gets nominated for an Oscar–and may even win it. For example when American Sniper Came out in 2015 it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing.
The movie ended up winning the Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing. Americans loved this movie because it was three of the things Americans love most. The main character (Chris Kyle) was the best sniper, with more kills than any other war hero/soldier. The American Sniper was a movie about war and based on a true story, no wonder the movie had multiple Oscar nominations it was everything America loved. Americans quickly fell in love with the movie because it gave them everything they wanted to see in a war movie. War movies are popular to see because it’s what the people want to watch.
Americans love seeing the best of the best which is why this movie did great, Chris Kyle was the best sniper America had ever seen. American movie watchers love the that this movie portrayed a real life story of what our soldiers experienced. Americans love the fact that they can experience a war without being in harm’s way. Which is what movies can do; if you have a great surround sound get a great experience from the movie you may feel as if you are their really experiencing the war itself and are really there at the place where the war is taking place.
Which is why people enjoy it so much they are getting an almost real experience out of the movie. War movies always are trying to appeal to their main audience; men. It’s obvious why, the stereotypical man loves guns, explosions, blood, dirt, bombs, bravery, and manly man. War movies always try to add a bit of humor for the guys as well. For example when Chef(Frederic Forrest) in the movie Apocalypse Now is riding in a helicopter on his way to fight the viet cong he asked a soldier sitting next to him “Why do all you guys sit on your helmets?
Soldier: So we don’t get our balls blown off”(IMDb). Which all men could relate to because majority of men wouldn’t want their balls shot off; period. War movies can have their audience laughing just by making simple dirty jokes such as the daily routine of Anthony ‘Swoff Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he describes the “Suggested techniques for the Marine to use in the avoidance of boredom and loneliness: Masturbation. Rereading of letters from unfaithful wives and girlfriends. Cleaning your rifle. Further masturbation. Rewiring Walkman. Arguing about religion and meaning of life.
Discussing in detail, every woman the Marine has ever fu**ed. Debating differences, such as Cuban or. Mexican, Harleys and. Hondas, left- vs. right-handed masturbation. Further cleaning of rifle. Studying of Filipino mail order bride catalog. Further masturbation. Planning of Marine’s first meal on return home. Imagining what the Marine’s girlfriend and her man Jody are doing in the hay, or in the alley, or in a hotel bed”(IMDb). War movies all have the same thing in common, they all try to generate laughter, and glorify the war experience for their audience.
War movies always find a way to keep their audience entertained with simple immature middle school comedy that everyone secretly loves. The men and women who join the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy, join for many reasons, such as building a better character, training, gaining the overall experience, to make “battle buddies”, and the honor of serving their country. People may join the military so that they can find a purpose for life. A lot of people find a purpose of life and enjoy being apart of something bigger than themselves by joining the military.
These are all the same reasons why people enjoy watching war movies they enjoy seeing the character in the movie make all of these experiences, they like seeing them being honored, they enjoy their bravery, and they enjoy seeing them become a war hero. These are all things that people can do all by themselves. They can be who they see in war movies. They are just afraid of death, injuries and life long mental disabilities. Which most of all people understand, which is why we honor and praise and thank the soldiers that take this risk defending us and this contry day after day.
The soldiers have put their life on the line to defend us and defend a country that they care about. Some soldiers may have signed up just for the experience and training of gunfire, yet they also signed up for everything else including possible death. Which is why we honor them. In conclusion people enjoy war movies because of all the explosions, shootings, the hard training witnessed, the build up of character, and watching t characters succeed in scary life threatening situations.
People enjoy watching war movies because they like watching the experiences they could’ve had joining the military, and the possibility that they could’ve become a war hero. Many people want to join the military for the great benefits it serves, great experiences you may get, all of the and free training, yet people do not want to chance of death and the chance of being injured. And so they turn to the closest they can get for the military/war experience.
