Spielberg's 1941

[Edward Brock]

OK, so I watched this movie the other day, knowing very well that it had the reputation of being the worst movie in Spielberg's career. After watching it, I read a couple more reviews and came to realize that a good deal of people actually HATE it with a passion.
Now, I'm not gonna say that this movie is a misundestood masterpiece or a diamond on the rough, because that's not what I think. The characters are papper thin, the story is non-existent. However, I still think it reached what the filmmakers were trying to acheive: grab a potentially dramatic situation an turn it into complete mayhem. I swear, I don't think I'd ever watched a movie moving at this pace and portraying so much destruction, confusion and silliness at the same time. The characters are completely ridiculous, the army is portrayed in such a pathetic way, from John Belushi's character, to pretty much everyone (except for the general. Even with the whole Dumbo thing, he seems to be the only one to realize what's going on around him). The movie's very last scene is the best example of all this. As on of the characters tries to open the door to his house, it all falls apart from a ravine and the door is the only thing standing. This description might sound kinda lame but, I swear, my jaw just dropped at the scene and stayed like that for a good 3 minutes.

So, after all this, I'd just like to know why exactly it is that people hate this movie so much.

 

[StarWarsAgent]

Steven is Genius!

 

[Edward Brock]

Er... right. Anything else to add...?

 

[jaydawg]

I'll add I hated this movie. It was incredibly pointless.

 

[Superman]

Got me, I liked it myself. I thought it was kinda fun.

 

[Cinemaman]

I haven't seen it yet.

 

[Flexo]

I felt it was very meh.

Belushi was the best part of the movie, but he was under-used.

 

[Superman]

Belushi was the best part of the movie, but he was under-used.

True.

 

[Edward Brock]

Actually, orignally the character's role was even smaller but once they cast Belushi they expanded it quite a bit. The scenes with that wild sargent from Dr. Strangelove, now those were pointless...

 

[Mr. Walters]

The only thing wrong with this film is that Steve Spielberg directed it. If Ivan Rietman or John Landis would have done it, it would be considered a comedy classic like Ghostbusters or Animal House. I think too many people were against Spielberg doing just a regular old fun movie. No, it's gotta be big and important Steve, or we don't care! Boo Hoo. I think it is a fine little movie...makes me laugh every time.

 

[Dr. Fate]

I liked it just for the scenes with Nancy Allen.

 

[C. Lee]

The only thing wrong with this film is that Steve Spielberg directed it. If Ivan Rietman or John Landis would have done it, it would be considered a comedy classic like Ghostbusters or Animal House. I think too many people were against Spielberg doing just a regular old fun movie. No, it's gotta be big and important Steve, or we don't care! Boo Hoo. I think it is a fine little movie...makes me laugh every time.

That's the truth. He was coming off of a series of hits and was being branded as the best thing since sliced bread...then in typical Hollywood fashion, someone decided that it was time to knock him down a peg...and the bad press started on this movie as soon as it was announced that he was going to make it.

I personally find it hilarious. The manic actions of everyone involved going so over the top reminds me of the great comedies of the past with Buster Keaton, the Marx brothers, Abbott and Costello, and thier likes. You have Toshiro Mifune judo throwing Christopher Lee off of a submarine...a ferris wheel rolling down the street with people on it....planes dogfighting through the streets of L.A.....a tank running amock through a succesion of buildings...a recreation of the Zoot Suit riots of the times....a ventriliquist dummy that's smarter than everyone around it....and a wide variety of objects "breaking through the perimeter".

Did any of you see James Caan....he has a cameo.

 

[Edward Brock]

He did? I only knew about John Landis'.

 

[C. Lee]

Go to the bar fight between the Navy and Army....he's one of the sailors sho throws the Army guy at the start of the fight.

 

[Dr. Fate]

That's the truth. He was coming off of a series of hits and was being branded as the best thing since sliced bread...then in typical Hollywood fashion, someone decided that it was time to knock him down a peg...and the bad press started on this movie as soon as it was announced that he was going to make it.

Something like that.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

i love this movie! i think it's a funny movie.

 

[Caliber]

So what is 1941 about?

 

[The Kid]

Belushi being drunk. That's really the ONLY reason to want to watch this movie ever again, to me anyway. It's basically a comedy set in 1941 I guess during some war and **** happens, there's some nice nudity, about a million cameos and attempts at comedy, but eh I didn't think much of it was funny or well done.

 

[C. Lee]

So what is 1941 about?

WWII started for us on Dec.7th 1941 when the Japanese bombed our naval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii.

This movie takes place a couple of weeks later, right before Christmas, in Los Angelos California and it's surrounding area.

The whole area is very nervous and under constant watch and alert for another sneak attack on us.

Toshiro Mifune is the commander of a Japanese submarine that wants to strike a blow at the American heartland that will destroy our moral...he wants to bomb - HOLLYWOOD!!! He also happens to have a Nazi officer on board as a liason between the Japanese and Germans...played by Christopher Lee.

John Belushi is an American pilot that sees Japanese and Nazi soldiers behind every cloud...and shoots at anything suspicious...and of course in his paranoid psychotic mind, everything is suspicious.

Tim Matheson is an American soldier trying to get into Nancy Allens's pants...she only gets amorous IN airplanes...he convinces her he is a pilot (as he says, a plane can't be too different from a Chevy)...and takes her up for a tryst in a bomber...not the right place to be with John "Wild Bill Kelso" Belushi cruising the skies looking for something to shoot down.

Throw in a cute USO girl being chased by her "Zoot Suited" not military boyfriend and psycho Army tank commander(Treat Williams), a riot in the streets of L.A. between hundereds of drunken soldiers, volunteer homeland defense civilian (Ned Beatty) with his very own anti-aircraft gun, dogfights over the city of L.A., Japanese ninja soldiers disguised as Christmas trees kidnapping "Hollis" Wood (Slim Pickens giving a hilarious parody of his survival kit checklist from Dr. Strangelove)...and Robert Stack as General Stillwell...the man in charge of the defense of the Pacific Coast, who only wants to watch "Dumbo" in peace without all of the above interruptions....and you have a zany movie.

 

[Lord]

Just watched it, it was very well directed and it must have really been a pain to film, but it wasn't very funny, and some times it was a little confusing. Out of all of Spielberg's films i watched up until now i think it's probably the weakest one, though it's a shame they don't get as inventive or crazy with the modern bad spoof films than they seemed to back in the day, seems like they in least tried, now they just put things on screen from other movies, i'm of course talking about the Scary Movie related movies.

 

[Teelie]

This is one of those movies I keep forgetting I've seen... then I check my IMDB history and see I rated it a 2/10.

 

[Octoberist]

I have a feeling that, despite me never seeing it, I would bet I would like it. It was hated at the time of Spielberg's PEAK and I'm sure now, it's probably better than most comedies/genre movies NOW.

 

[Schlosser85]

It's kind of "meh" but not nearly as bad as it's made out to be.

Christopher Lee plays a Nazi officer named, IIRC, "Klingenschmidt" and actually speaks German the whole movie. He ends up going on some rant calling the Japanese yellow dogs, and Toshiro Mifune throws him overboard.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I have actually never seen this film and have been meaning to since I was a kid, I hope I get to someday.

 

[Duke]

To me 1941 is an underrated Spielberg movie. A lot of people don't like it, but I find it hilarious especially the parts where Belushi & Warren Oates come out. Very good movie & the score by John Williams is just the icing on the cake.