In a film is it possible to portray the real horror of war adequately?.
These days film directors and film producers are prepared to shell out endless amounts of money for the latest special effects and gadgets to put in their movie in an attempt to get the audience that little bit closer to the action, to get you that little bit further into the killers mind or just to get the suspense, excitement and fear that little more intense.
No matter how hard they try can directors such as Ridley Scott and Stephen Spielberg ever recreate the real terror of war the sort of terror that can leave you paralysed with fear and anxiety? Saving Private took you closer than ever before when it followed the journey of a group soldiers venturing deep into the heart of German occupied France. The Sounds and special effects were formidable and the visuals and variety of camera angels made you really feel as if you were there. The amazing point of view shots and the tracking shots allowed you to see what the soldiers see, the exceptional sound effects for the guns allowed you to here what the soldiers hear and I really do feel that from that point of view, war can be very accurately portrayed in a film. Film directors will go cover every aspect of warfare meticulously in order to make the most realistic and lifelike war film possible.
In Full Metal Jacket the producers actually used an official drill instructor to play the instructors role in the film because no actor could get close to the fear that this man struck into the new recruits. Almost everything in a war film released today would pretty much be identical to the real life situation. Let's not forget though, that we are sat at home in our nice warm cosy house away from danger, fear and pain. We can take the journey that the soldiers take but even with the incredible actors we have today, there would be know way that the actor would be able to relay the sort of emotion that a soldier in a real life situation would be going through.