Often cited as the first Korean war movie, true to Fuller’s standard operation- shot in 10 days Starts with a trademark Sam Fuller close-up (often uncomfortably close seeing characters’ sweat) during the credits—on the titular steel helmet with a bullet hole
Gene Evans is the hard-boiled, world-weary soldier wearing the helmet- he chews a cigar, hazes rookies, colorful language- it’s like if Tom Sizemore’s character in Saving Private Ryan was in charge
visceral – under fire from an unseen enemy in the fog
A great frame at 38 minutes of the platoon in the ornate temple
A great frame at 38 minutes of the platoon in the ornate temple
Very low-budget, not uncommon at the time but uses doc newsreel footage during some of the action
A strong overhead shot at 55 mins
A strong overhead shot at 55 mins
Unlike many films that glorified war during WWII this is the seedy, ugly underbelly- Fuller’s dedication to uncovering truths, exposing lies. This is about the grunts in the platoon
the story of the collective platoon- certainly an influence on Oliver Stone- films like Saving Private Ryan telling the story of war through in a micro level
Fuller has these 180-degree shots swinging around the platoon that are nice touches
Typical of Fuller he exposes and discusses racism- the enemy captive is grilling the black medic in the platoon about white American hypocrisy
70 minutes a stunning close-up, shot here- the head of Evans and the helmet title after his buddy “short round” (yep Spielberg would use in Temple of Doom) passes
70 minutes a stunning close-up, shot here- the head of Evans and the helmet title- one of Fuller’s greatest image in his body of work
Certainly a companion (ugliness of war, story of a platoon, visceral action, cynical) to Fixed Bayonets! Which would come out just after this in 1951 and The Big Red One in 1980
Fuller uses one of his patented tracks in at the 83 minute mark pulling in for a close-up of the three survivors in the frame (spaced perfectly)—they talk about how they’ll get medals and say they’d rather have something to eat — to Fuller’s suspicious worldview
Fuller uses one of his patented tracks in at the 83 minute mark pulling in for a close-up of the three survivors in the frame (spaced perfectly)—they talk about how they’ll get medals and say they’d rather have something to eat — to Fuller’s suspicious worldview
End with the “there is no end to this story title”
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