JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonThe Big Red One: The Reconstruction (1980)
August 29th 2006 00:40
Category: War
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction-2 Disc SE
DVD Cover
Starring:Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Cicco, Stephan Audran
Picture:Widescreen-Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital
Length:155 Mins
Genre:War
“A quarter of a century later that piece of cloth from a dead Hun's hat had become famous all over the world. It was the insignia of the First Infantry Division. The Fightin' First. The Big Red One.” - Zab (Robert Carradine)
Grizzled Director Sam Fuller (Shock Corridor, Naked Kiss, Pick-Up on South Street) helms this semi autobiographical WWII film with a realists eyes. The Big Red One, so named for the U.S Ist Infantry in which he served is a thoughtful, authentic war film that is filled with blood, bullets and Bodies.
This epic opens with stone faced Lee Marvin during the final moments of WW1, the surrealism of war is immediately front and centre with the “cease fire” going into effect. Enemies who were murdering each other minutes earlier are now pacified.
“Finish it. The Armistice was signed, at eleven o'clock this morning. The war's been over for four hours. You didn't know it was over.”
A few years later WWII begins and Lee Marvin is now the Commanding Sergent of a group of doe eyed, teens fresh out of boot camp. Innocence is lost, friends are blown apart and the futility of war is constantly present as they soldier through North Africa, Europe and the history changing Normandy beach.
“By now we'd come to look at all replacements as dead men who temporarily had the use of the arms and legs.”
Coming full circle the film ends with the inevitable cease fire of WWII, while murderous, bloody battle rages elsewhere, wealthy men around a table sipping tea and drinking wine decide that enough life has been lost.
John Doe Says: (9/10)
One of the finest and most believable war films I have seen. The original edit felt flat and rushed but this new edit is essential viewing.
Lee Marvin is at his finest, bringing depth and compassion to a violent man. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and the rest of the young recruits all become real people that we care about. Thrust into combat they show us the personal toll killing for a living takes on their humanity.
Jumping from absurdist to brutal realism in a blink, fans of Apocalypse Now and Johnny Got his Gun will appreciate the sheer scope of the film and the ideas about the combat experience it raises. Top shelf entertainment that stands tall.
The DVD:
This reconstruction offers an extra 40 minutes of footage within the film. (Including a tank battle that will leave you reeling)
Id seen the hacked up VHS many times, but it didn’t take long before I realised this DVD lifts the film to near perfect standards. The picture and sound are sublime and the extra features on disc 2 are very informative.
A fantastic interview with the legendary Sam Fuller and another that goes into his years of struggle to get the film made. The Anatomy of a scene; Reconstruction shows just how much work goes into delivering these beautifully transferred classic that resurrect lost footage.
Length:155 Mins
Genre:War
“A quarter of a century later that piece of cloth from a dead Hun's hat had become famous all over the world. It was the insignia of the First Infantry Division. The Fightin' First. The Big Red One.” - Zab (Robert Carradine)
Grizzled Director Sam Fuller (Shock Corridor, Naked Kiss, Pick-Up on South Street) helms this semi autobiographical WWII film with a realists eyes. The Big Red One, so named for the U.S Ist Infantry in which he served is a thoughtful, authentic war film that is filled with blood, bullets and Bodies.
This epic opens with stone faced Lee Marvin during the final moments of WW1, the surrealism of war is immediately front and centre with the “cease fire” going into effect. Enemies who were murdering each other minutes earlier are now pacified.
“Finish it. The Armistice was signed, at eleven o'clock this morning. The war's been over for four hours. You didn't know it was over.”
A few years later WWII begins and Lee Marvin is now the Commanding Sergent of a group of doe eyed, teens fresh out of boot camp. Innocence is lost, friends are blown apart and the futility of war is constantly present as they soldier through North Africa, Europe and the history changing Normandy beach.
“By now we'd come to look at all replacements as dead men who temporarily had the use of the arms and legs.”
Coming full circle the film ends with the inevitable cease fire of WWII, while murderous, bloody battle rages elsewhere, wealthy men around a table sipping tea and drinking wine decide that enough life has been lost.
John Doe Says: (9/10)
One of the finest and most believable war films I have seen. The original edit felt flat and rushed but this new edit is essential viewing.
Lee Marvin is at his finest, bringing depth and compassion to a violent man. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and the rest of the young recruits all become real people that we care about. Thrust into combat they show us the personal toll killing for a living takes on their humanity.
Jumping from absurdist to brutal realism in a blink, fans of Apocalypse Now and Johnny Got his Gun will appreciate the sheer scope of the film and the ideas about the combat experience it raises. Top shelf entertainment that stands tall.
The DVD:
This reconstruction offers an extra 40 minutes of footage within the film. (Including a tank battle that will leave you reeling)
Id seen the hacked up VHS many times, but it didn’t take long before I realised this DVD lifts the film to near perfect standards. The picture and sound are sublime and the extra features on disc 2 are very informative.
A fantastic interview with the legendary Sam Fuller and another that goes into his years of struggle to get the film made. The Anatomy of a scene; Reconstruction shows just how much work goes into delivering these beautifully transferred classic that resurrect lost footage.
Okay men, lets go to war
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Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
All the reviews Im doing at the moment are films I love that just dont get the viewership or Kudos they deserve.
Im a big Sam Fuller fan too, Bill collins played Underworld USA about 6 months ago, amazing movie.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Mark Hamill co starred in this after he did Star Wars. Its a serious dramatic role, he does Ok with it, but dammit he never pulls out his lightsabre.