Worst Propaganda movie?

Discussions on WW2 and pre-WW2 related movies, games, military art and other fiction.
Post Reply
PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#76

Post by PF » 19 Jan 2010, 14:02

Victory at Sea was great-except when they included the John Ford propaganda about Pearl harbor {model airplanes and reenactments of airbases being attacked!}

User avatar
Klaus Yurk
Member
Posts: 1373
Joined: 15 May 2004, 04:15
Location: Lincoln, Ne.

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#77

Post by Klaus Yurk » 19 Jan 2010, 16:10

Agreed. That footage is a joke and actually detracts.

I watched it several times before I really completely noticed the music aspect. Often when the Japanese are on the screen the music is what I would describe as a "fingernail scratching on a blackboard." Very irritating, unpleasant, etc.

A superb series. Propaganda, but superb propaganda.

K


cstunts
Member
Posts: 607
Joined: 17 Aug 2006, 05:45
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#78

Post by cstunts » 19 Jan 2010, 22:17

1.) "The Alamo" (1960) directed by and starring John Wayne (someone I admire otherwise quite a bit). Hate to say it, but it's dreck... :( Laurence Harvey's performance is far & away the film's highpoint, and that isn't particularly flattering.

2.) Also, another film I loved & was inspired by as a youngster, but now see as largely rubbish: "The Story of Dr. Wassell" by C.B. DeMille. Really inane nonsense, and in no wise faithful to the unflattering facts. I'll leave off comments about the actual facts, but the movie's representation was pure bunk... :roll:

In both cases, Falsified History isn't necessarily bad--because it can succeed in inspiring--but as an accurate reconstruction of events, and in our blinkered, literal-minded times, seems largely to be a failure.

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#79

Post by PF » 21 Jan 2010, 23:56

LAst night saw BOTH "NORTH STAR" AND "MISSION TO MOSCOW" :P :P :P

User avatar
Pax Melmacia
Member
Posts: 354
Joined: 01 Sep 2006, 02:26
Location: Philippines

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#80

Post by Pax Melmacia » 23 Jan 2010, 08:41

I think i will get few arguments when I say that the absolute worst WW2 Propaganda movie ('propaganda' being the presentation of the Allies, especially Americans as squeaky-clean underdogs and the Nazis as irredeemable monsters) would be any movie that has demons, gargoyles, vampires, mad scientists, etc. We have a combination of ludicrous premise and writing plus I-don't-give-a-fig production values.

Polynikes
Member
Posts: 2229
Joined: 03 Jan 2004, 03:59
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#81

Post by Polynikes » 13 Feb 2010, 21:35

To me a "propaganda" movie is one made with a political edge - either to increase antipathy for an enemy or more usually, to increase support/morale for the producer's forces or allies:

By "worst" you could mean the most offensive or the most badly made.

The mst offensive would be propaganda made by the Nazis - I've only seen a part of one: The Eternal Jew and it is pretty offensive.
The USA made some offensive "information" movies for its own troops...I saw one where (white) soldiers were warned that when in England, they should be prepred to see English people treating negro soldiers as equal to white soldiers - the message was just accept it (while you're there) & things will be normal once you're home again.

In the early part of the war there were many pro-allied war movies like In Which We Serve, Sahara, The North Star, The Commandos Strike at Dawn...all cheaply made but basically OK (the I'm sure there was much embarrasment in Hollywood about The North Star a decade after its production).
In 1940 the UK were making movies that tried to boost morale (Commandos strike at Dawn) but also movies to warn people of the perceived threat from "Fifth Column" - such a movie was "Went The Day Well". Amateurishly done, it had a blunt message for a paranoid nation.

For me the worst Western propaganda movie EVER was John Wayne's The Green Berets - it's so bad I still can't watch it. It's toe curlingly awful, excrutiatingly corny and the political message feels like it's plopped in your lap like army stew from a drunken cook.

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#82

Post by PF » 02 Mar 2010, 17:38

Not exactly Worst propaganda but runner up to badly flawed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Guy_Named_Joe

the Flaw being a GERMAN aircraft carrier in the Atlantic!! {Pity they couldn't have made this fantasy beleivable by this
being a IJN Aircraft carrier-although IJN would be lost until Midway-it was US Carriers that were sunk in 1942-Hornet and Wasp!} :P

User avatar
WOLF1
Member
Posts: 1037
Joined: 28 Sep 2004, 23:35
Location: Brentwood ,N. California

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#83

Post by WOLF1 » 02 Mar 2010, 20:26

Polynikes wrote:For me the worst Western propaganda movie EVER was John Wayne's The Green Berets - it's so bad I still can't watch it. It's toe curlingly awful, excrutiatingly corny and the political message feels like it's plopped in your lap like army stew from a drunken cook.

Oh God it is almost embarrassing to watch how corny it is and with lousy acting thrown in to boot. 8O

Wolf1(John)

Curious George
Member
Posts: 62
Joined: 31 Jan 2010, 06:54

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#84

Post by Curious George » 02 Mar 2010, 20:36

I'd have added U-570 but that is more revisionist than propaganda... :-)

Someone mentioned 'Will Hay', I'll see your 'Will Hay' and raise with a George Formby.

My entry is 'The Battleship Potempkin': Just writing the tiltle gives a political spin to this post. ;-)

And yes, 'The North Star'... such a happy village in a happy, self-contented country, and here come the Gerrys taking the blood from the kids! :-(

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#85

Post by PF » 20 Nov 2010, 17:50

More of a post war W W II movie-but painfully unbelievable http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy%27s_War :P
A World War II version would have the hero act like trazan and survive the ending!! :lol:

paolosilv
Member
Posts: 296
Joined: 14 Jun 2009, 02:48

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#86

Post by paolosilv » 18 May 2011, 03:51

This only proves that taste is relative. I happen to like "Sahara", "Lifeboat", and some of the flicks mentioned.
I was going to nominate Goebbels's films as the "worst propaganda films" made, but I can't, because I have never had a chance to view them since they rarely or never show these films in the US.

It raises the question of whether films made by the Third Reich should be shown to the general public. The only one I've watched is "Triumph of the Will."

best,

Paolo

User avatar
matthew hainer
Member
Posts: 253
Joined: 30 Mar 2011, 21:13

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#87

Post by matthew hainer » 20 May 2011, 14:40

Hello,

I once seen a movie released during wartime on United States stand at Bataan. Unfortunatly, I do not know the name of it, but I remember how innacurate it was, I nominate this (currently unknown) movie as worst propoganda film.

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#88

Post by PF » 20 May 2011, 17:56

You must mean http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataan_%28film%29

I' m tempted to say a poor movie storyline--but there are others even worse.....! i.e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salute_to_the_Marines :P :P

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#89

Post by PF » 04 Jun 2011, 00:51

Night train to Munich??? :P

Sickendly unbelieable!!!! Shooting 20 shots apeice from a 8 shot automatic without reloading................. :lol: :lol:

nobodyofnote
Member
Posts: 388
Joined: 02 Jun 2011, 14:39

Re: Worst Propaganda movie?

#90

Post by nobodyofnote » 04 Jun 2011, 13:59

My Japan (1943)

Presented by a Caucasian actor using a fake Japanese accent and taped-back eyes. Designed to scare using base racist stereotypes, just doesn't cut mustard. Claims that the Japanese have been waiting for decades to destroy the United States. Ending is bizarre - it shows beautiful Japanese gardens and countryside and invites Allies to come. What? You want us to destroy your beautiful gardens or want us to enjoy it? It needed desperate editing.

The Green Berets (1968)

Quite possibly one of John Wayne's worst films. In between the stilted anti-communist dialogues, Wayne's Colonel Mike Kirby character ordering "move out, move out" numerous times just grates on the nerves. And why oh why did they leave Sergeant Petersen behind up on that bamboo rack boobytrap at the end? Aren't they going to bring their fallen comrade home? Ouch. If it was designed to show that Vietnam was a just cause it wasn't very convincing.

They Saved Hitler's Brain (1968).

B&W film was originally shot in 1961, then there was a seven year gap and more footage was shot before it was released - and the gap between different footages shows. Plotline was as you expect unbelievable. It was intended as a horror/sci-fi film but ended up more like a bad comedy. Hitler's head in a glass bell jar screaming out "mach schnell!". If anyone hadn't noticed btw, the animated television series Futurama, sent up the film's bell jar head caper with eg. Richard Nixon et al. Was rated by a number of critics as the worst film ever made. I kid you not but the same film plot is being remade this year. It's currently in pre-production with principle shooting to commence in the fall. Zsa-Zsa Gabor's husband Prince Frederic von Anhalt is reportedly playing the role of the chief Nazi scientist.

Post Reply

Return to “Movies, games & other fiction”