War and Film

James Chapman

"War and Film discusses the representation of war as spectacle, considering the claims of realism and authenticity from front-line combat cinematography to the hyper-realism of contemporary films that are claimed to be 'more realistic than the real thing'. Chapman considers both the depiction of war as tragedy and the role of film in the commemoration of war. He explains how film has explored the legacy of conflict and how it has attempted to come to terms with warfare's brutal psychological scars. But he also argues that an alternative tradition can be identified in films that positively valorize war, presenting it not as a pointless tragedy but as the opportunity for heroic adventure and a testing ground for masculinity and nationalism." "A study of remarkable breadth and scope, War and Film demonstrates how war has shaped the history of cinema and how cinema has shaped our...

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