War Movie Theatre | for Fans of Classic War Films and Cinema History

A commercial flop on release in 1933, Duck Soup is now considered the Marx Brothers' masterpiece. The tale of a narcissistic madman who takes over a country and leads it into war on a whim, it was intended as a satire on Mussolini - and indeed was banned in Italy - but John McKie, the former editor of Smash Hits, argues that it works well as a picture of Washington in 2026.
Rob has a lot of questions, but Duncan is delighted to explain why this really might have been a movie that changed the course of World War 2.
John's new book is Prince: A Sign O' The Times
Next week: Godzilla Minus One.

Definitely Not Vietnam Month comes to a frankly confusing conclusion with a movie that everyone thinks is about Vietnam, but which Duncan argues is actually about something else.
Apocalypse Now is Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 exploration of the madness of war. Making it turned into its own craziness, as costs spiraled, Martin Sheen had a heart attack and Marlon Brando was difficult even by his own high standards.
Joining us is Nick Dent of the Brisbane Times.
Next week: Duck Soup.

Definitely Not Vietnam Month rolls on with The Wild Bunch, a 1969 film so violent it had viewers throwing up in the foyer. Director Sam Peckinpah was clear that he wanted to bring the violence of war, especially the war in South East Asia, into cinemas, and if he had to fire live ammunition at his crew to do that, then he would. The film pioneered a wealth of new techniques, with fast cuts and slow motion evoking the chaos of combat. Is it a war film? Did it chance the course of a different 1969 Western? And will Duncan ever tell his friends about his podcast?

Next Week: Apocalypse Now.
Drop us a line! Send comments and suggestions to warmovietheatre@gmail.com.
Would you like to know more? See the list of films we'd like to do? Buy merch? Visit our website: https://warmovietheatre.com

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Definitely Not Vietnam Month rolls on with a film about a US force with superior equipment and training going into a swamp, upsetting the locals, and being killed them. Yep, definitely not about Vietnam. Is this the first time that Nastiest Nazi has been won by a piece of geography? And who exactly are the baddies here?

Next week: The Wild Bunch.
Drop us a line! Send comments and suggestions to warmovietheatre@gmail.com.
Would you like to know more? See the list of films we'd like to do? Buy merch? Visit our website: https://warmovietheatre.com

Visit us at facebook.com/WarMovieTheatre or on Bluesky and Twitter or at our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Definitely Not Vietnam Month takes us to a galaxy far, far away as we discuss a 1977 film about a small resistance movement taking on and beating a powerful empire.

Joining us to explain that Darth Vader isn't actually in Star Wars is historian of the universe Chris Kempshall, while zipping by in his X-Wing with memories of the shoot is actor Jack Klaff, who played one of the pilots to take on the Death Star.

Rob wants to know whether anyone involved in the film understood what they were making, but Duncan's big question is about Imperial health and safety policies.

Next week: Definitely Not Vietnam Month continues with Southern Comfort
Drop us a line! Send comments and suggestions to warmovietheatre@gmail.com.
Would you like to know more? See the list of films we'd like to do? Buy merch? Visit our website: https://warmovietheatre.com

Visit us at facebook.com/WarMovieTheatre or on Bluesky and Twitter or at our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.