laxx Posted December 2, 2002 Share Posted December 2, 2002 * disclaimer, I am not affliated in anyway to movieflix.com * Came across this while browsing on the net, apparently, this is a free movie for viewing (http://www.movieflix.com/movie_info.mfx?movie_id=1506) but you have to register it first (free). Battle of Russia, Part I Starring: Adolf Hitler, Ion Antonescu & Galeazzo Ciano Director: Frank Capra & Anatole Litvak Length: 36 min. Synopsis: In this installment of the "Why We Fight" propaganda series, we learn about the events on the Russian front of World War II. We learn about Russia's heroic resistance to invasion in the past and how those qualities were called upon in the current war. We also learn about Russian tenacity and their determination to win against the seemingly invincible forces of Nazi Germany in the bloodiest fighting of the war. [ December 03, 2002, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: laxx ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted December 2, 2002 Share Posted December 2, 2002 I own it - if you can get it cheaply it is worth getting, if only for the scene from Alexander Nevskyi at the start. Also look out for 'Battle of the Volga', Soviet documentary on Stalingrad produced in 1962. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laxx Posted December 3, 2002 Author Share Posted December 3, 2002 ** Copy the rtsp URL, Open RealPlayer, Go to File->Open Location and enter the URL. A collection of War Movies I discovered this evening. The Battle of Russia Part I & II Made in 1943. Why We Fight Series, by Frank Capra Propaganda but interesting. Explains (from the side of the Allies) on Hitler's strategy in Russia and what actually happened. ** What is interesting is to see an American Film and quotations by US Military leaders praising Russia. ** A little "Gamey" but interesting rtsp://g2.movieflix.com/flix/ww2rus3_b.rm rtsp://g2.movieflix.com/flix/ww2rus23_b.rm Artkino: Our Russian Front Russian Propaganda Movie made in 1942! Actor Walter Huston narrates this documentary about the Russian people who staved off Hitler's forces. rtsp://g2.movieflix.com/flix/rusfront3_b.rm Battle of the Volga Made in 1962 B&W State Movie, made by 150 Army Camera men translated in English. A little jerky coz a mixture of slides and moving pictures. Another explanation of Battle of Stanlingrad. rtsp://g2.movieflix.com/flix/volg3_b.rm Famous Generals of World War II: George S Patton ** Cough Cough ** Not exactly Barbarossa-Related but a blatant sell-job on Patton. Watch like an advertisment for a US politician. rtsp://g2.movieflix.com/flix/genrl4_b.rm ** Regarding the Russian Movies, Play Spot the Russian AFV contest. I saw T-34s, KV-1s and even a BT-2! [ December 03, 2002, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: laxx ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnergoz Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 Out of curiosity...what exactly is it that renders a film qualified for the category of "propaganda"? How is it some films become caegorized as such, and others do not? Curious to see how other's minds work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Panic Posted December 3, 2002 Share Posted December 3, 2002 Originally posted by gunnergoz: Out of curiosity...what exactly is it that renders a film qualified for the category of "propaganda"? How is it some films become caegorized as such, and others do not? Curious to see how other's minds work.Propoganda is anything that attempts to sway opinions through a one-sided presentation of the issue (my definition). It's not necessarily a negative term. "Why We Fight" is good propoganda because it never pretends to be anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agua Perdido Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Originally posted by General Panic: It's not necessarily a negative term. "Why We Fight" is good propoganda because it never pretends to be anything else.Plus it's also pretty good filmmaking. Capra's no slouch. I can still recall a striking animated sequence from one of the earlier films ("Divide and Conquer"?) of a handful of swastikas tossed to the ground, whereupon they scamper around like evil little spiders and chew away at the "foundation of civilization" or somefink (Disney's animators worked on these flicks, too). It IS propaganda, but it's also a reasonable overview of the first half of the war (I've seen worse on cable history shows...). (The version I saw also had a post-war disclaimer at the beginning of each film to the effect of "The U.S. Gov't re-released these films for their historical interest and does not necessarily believe anything portrayed in them.") Agua Perdido Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 I bought the whole Capra series on tape and got it again on DVD for $7 each at BestBuy. I just enjoy the whole feel of these films to get into the WWII spirit of fighting. They are repetitive and use the same clips over and over. Also, they switch scenes too often like WWII MTV, so you don't get to study what's going on in each scene. IMO, "Divide and Conquer" is by far the best as Agua Perdido explained above for its neat "spreading Nazi stain" graphics. I love the narration that repeats why we fight Germany: "Ask the Danes! Ask the Norwegians! Ask the Russians! Ask the Dutch!" etc. etc. Propaganda films have the same purpose as advertising. Good ads and good war films motivate people to do what they see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illo Posted December 4, 2002 Share Posted December 4, 2002 Originally posted by General Panic: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by gunnergoz: Out of curiosity...what exactly is it that renders a film qualified for the category of "propaganda"? How is it some films become caegorized as such, and others do not? Curious to see how other's minds work.Propoganda is anything that attempts to sway opinions through a one-sided presentation of the issue (my definition). It's not necessarily a negative term. "Why We Fight" is good propoganda because it never pretends to be anything else.</font> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laxx Posted December 4, 2002 Author Share Posted December 4, 2002 A revisionist definition: Propaganda is like Pornography, you can't really define it but you will know it when you see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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