World War 2 ended with victory for some and loss to others.  Among those facing a bitter and hard defeat was Japan.  There are a string of movies–all black and white and all focused on an individual soldier–that capture the shock and anguish of the end.  One of the most powerful is A Soldier’s Prayer which is actually the third part of the trilogy called The Human Condition.  The film set in Manchuria in the final days as Russian armies overrun areas fought over in the very early days of the war.  Swallowed by vast expanse and far from home, one man fights to hold it all together, only to meet his lonely end months after the war (and the dying) is supposed to be over.

Fire on the Plains is another movie where cohesion and humanity slip as days drag on, chased by hunger, disease, and hazy noble principles.  Stark loneliness and desperation make a pawn of an average Japanese GI in the Philippines.

Along the same lines, The Burmese Harp, is done by the director of Fire on the Plains, makes a different tangent.  Here the lone charcter Mizushima becomes consumed by the war’s destruction.  He becomes a harp playing monk dedicated to burying the dead in postwar Burma.  The Burmese Harp is in many ways ”creepy” as not all war casualties are physical.  And there are deep psychological losses uncounted.

War, as portrayed and often forgotten, is the unhinger, the great game changer, shaking things up far and wide.  World war 2 certainly scrambled up millions of lives.  The three movies above bring to life the fate of just three within millions.  They are anti-war, and pro-humanity, pointing only to the wanton destruction of the war.

Dawn is considered a positive word in English.  It generally has a good context.  Generally.  Here are some movies with “Dawn” in the title.

Red Dawn:  A Reagan era romp that is the epitome of  “get them Ruskies” genre.  The Commies invade and the high school jocks fight back. Lots of action and Patrick Swayze.

Zulu Dawn:  Another invasion–this time the (British) Commonwealth goes out to provoke the Zulus.  This is a case of “the natives are restless”.  Note Peter O’Toole, Bob Hoskins, and Burt Lancaster duke it out with the impis.

September Dawn:  Back to the American West.  This time Pioneers cross paths (and swords, guns, etc.) with Mormon Settlers or Indians.  Pioneers get the worst of it.  Indians blame Mormon Settlers.  Mormons blame Indians. Bad times for all and hey, call in the CSI unit.

Rescue Dawn: More downers, with a “happy” ending. Vietnam War and the American pilot goes down. Escape is impossible and imprisonment is a bummer. But Dieter (the pilot) is persistent (and lucky).  He gets his rescue or better put rescue dawn.  A nice dramatization done by Werner Herzog who also produced a companion documentary (Little Dieter Needs to Fly).

Similar in scope to Dr. Zhivago, but 100% Russian, Siberiade was a very difficult DVD to get a hold of.  Despite its epic breath and scope, the story is about two families in a small Siberian town–starting from chopping the forest to build the town. There is plenty of Russian emotional outbursts.  The story drags at times, but a century plus of Russian history can’t be shorted.  At over 3 hours, the movie takes some commitment.  Even if you can’t sort out who is who, you can be in awe of the cinematography and scenery (filmed in Siberia). This is an artsy, historical film, as overwhelming and mystifying as Russia herself.

The Balkans, particullarly Yugoslavia, are and were a diverse and complex part of the world. Filmaking here reflects both the pain and pride of this region. Underground is a movie spanning the 1940s to the 1990s. The story revolves around brothers–gallant, gaudy, good humored, and living life to the full.  The Nazis invade and the brothers go underground. Actually one brother stays on the surface, manipulating the growing community in his basement, even long after the war is over.  One day the gun in the tank in the basement (stay with me) goes off. Suddenly the community stuck in the 1940’s runs full tilt into the  1960’s. The filming of a war film gets interrupted by those who think the war is still on. Other things happen as the former undergrounders have issues with adjusting to the true reality. War comes again in the 1990s. The cycle continues, or does it. On so many levels it is brillant–allegorical, whimsical, cynical. Thus expect some heaviness to this film.

Based on a novel by Anton Chekhov and set in modern day Russia, this is the story of two Russian soldiers captured by break away mountain people aka Chechens.  One soldier is a crusty, cynical old soldier, the other is young, naive and scared.  The story centers around their confinement and the actions that result from the capture.  The ending is perhaps the best in cinema.  But the movie is loaded with greatness, conflict, abrupt twists, and some real top notch scenery footage.  It was filmed 50 miles away from where this same war was being fought (and is still I think). It was good enough for a Cannes.  And welcome to the Caucuses.

Growing up in the 1970’s I frequently heard about the Anti-Jewish Holacaust.  One theme, oft repeated, was the shock and disgust at discovering the horrible concentration camps by the liberating Allies.  And that theme stuck for years.  Yeah Allies. Boo Nazis.  Better late than never, at least you finally uncovered the monstrosities.

Fast forward to 2003.  One of the first Netflix movie I rented was To Be or Not To Be.  I rented it for Benny, Lombard, and the creative theater folk giving it to the Nazis.  Midway through there was a scene that referred to concentration camps again and again, clear idomatic English.  I checked to see when it was filmed.  Carole Lombard died in a plane crash in 1942.  So filming was no later than 1942.  The camps were “discovered” (I shutter to use the word, but that is how history describes it) in 1945.  Hollywood is a long way from Buchenwald.  Creepy, real creepy.

Filmed in 1942 was Sahara.  At one point Bogart was giving the Afrika Corps guy a deceny lecture.  And there was Bogart mentioning those concentration camps again.  The first time I saw it back in the 70’s I completely missing the reference.  But in 08′ it almost bowled me over.  And these wartime movies were US Government screened and certified.

The kicker and most graphic movies was Hitler Dead or Alive with Ward Bond.  Better than referencing, Bond and his cohorts were taken to a concentration camp in the movie.  Again no mincing words, “concentraion camp” was bantered about.  They even showed the camp entrance sign name Dachau and showed another inmate guarded by goons.  This movie was perhaps the earliest of the three and had the location spot on.

I know there are other movies that exposed the concentration camps long, long before they were “discovered” and liberated by the allies. What does it matter? Only the truth, only the truth.

This is a musical of sorts.  It is set after the Six Day War in Isreal.  The Troupe travels by bus, visting army camps, and singing.  The songs are gems (subtitled) both lyrically and musically, folksy and refreshing even to a very distant New Englander like myself.  Like M*A*S*H which it strangely resembles, there is lots of love, tensions, work, play, and pranks to subplot the premise. This movie is a classic in Isreal.

By nature, I am moderate on religion.  But I enjoy good music, and even more, music with a message.  That brings up Jesus Christ Superstar, a rock opera of, a-hem, biblical proportions, famous for Webber-Rice sound wall.  Produced in the same era was The Troupe, the jazzy Isreali “musical” picture that is in its own way both a cult classic and a national classic.  Both are moving, rousing movies set in the Holy Land and filled with catchy songs (the “Songs of Solomon reference).