The films Saving Private Ryan and Inglourious Basterds are both WWII films about American soldiers in France but could not be any more different from each other thematically. Saving Private Ryan follows a group of soldiers sent to find a private who has been ordered to return home because both of his brothers have been killed. Inglourious Basterds follows a group of Jewish soldiers who run around France trying to terrorize Nazis and spark fear within German Soldiers. Patriotism has a great deal to with the themes of both films. The soldiers in Saving Private Ryan are willing to risk their lives for their mission of saving one soldier. The soldiers in Inglourious Basterds are essentially taking out their aggression on Nazi soldiers, committing horribly gruesome acts of torture. I believe that America’s blind patriotism glorifies the Jewish soldiers in Inglourious Basterds as heroes, when in reality they could be viewed as soulless killers. My grandfather was a Nazi soldier against his will. What if he was one of the soldiers killed by these American “heroes.” Imagine all the Germans the Basterds killed. Surely some of them were forced to fight and did not support the Nazi Regime. I believe Inglorious Basterds shows that no matter how horrific Americans act, they will still be portrayed as heroes. Saving Private Ryan deals with the theme of whether or not the life on one soldier is worth several more trying to save him.
A very important personal comment. Not all German soldiers were nazis, and not all Americans were patriotic. No army is 100 percent good. You do, however, need to do mise en scene analysis.
ReplyDelete