Like most fleshbags, I enjoy moving pictures. Like most people that have at least one Y chromozome, I enjoy war movies. Like most commie pinko pacifist iconoclyastic nazis, I seem to have a place in my heart for anti-war movies.

Before the neo-cons staple a Crescent Moon on my sleeve, I should mention I did enjoy Green Berets starring John Wayne. The Green Berets is the one (1) exception to the parade of anti-war Vietnam films. It was filmed in 1968, and cements a timestamp in cinima that echoed our national patriotic consciousness. Maybe thats why AMC plays this movie every frickin day.

Almost any movie of the WW2 genre is good in my book except for the horribly inaccurate "Battle of the Bulge"; They used circa 1960 spanish heavy tanks for Shermans for Marduk's sake - and there was no John Wayne.

Gallipoli was the boiling point of the failed Dardinelles campaign. The Australlians were sent amphibiously to distract the Turks, allowing the British army to land. Success would pave a shortcut to Istanbul.

The film is centered around two Australlian track stars, one Archy Hamilton (Mark Lee), and two, Frank Dunne (played by Mel Gibson). It follows them from thier walkabout across western australlia, thier parallel track careers, thier enlistment in the Australlian army, to the last quarter of the movie: Gallipoli.

The majority of the film is spent on character development. That focuses on the friendship of the two all-star track runners. The one wrench in the gear of thier comradere is the juxiposition of Frank, a pacifist, and Archy, a patriot. Mel grudgingly trades his plowsheers for a sword because his friend is resolute in his enlistment.

If you want a well written review, I suggest turning to the Internet Movie Database. If you're looking for a poorly-spelt spoiler, read on.

In Gallipoli, Frank becomes a messenger when the phonelines between the frontline and command post are shelled by the turks. Typical of WW1 British tactics, they shell the Turkish position, then they send infantry to capture thier trenches. Due to a miscalculation, the shelling stops two minutes early, allowing the turks to reposition thier machineguns. The British commander refuses to continue the shelling, forcing the infantry to drive headfirst into the Turkish machineguns. Wave after wave of Aussies are cut down. The last wave contains Mel's best friend. They find it rediculous to continue, so Mel steps over the commander, and runs to the command post to inform the General it's ludicris. He agrees. But by the time he makes it back to the front lines, the last wave of Australlian light horses are thrown into no-mans land. It ends with dude sprinting like a leapord into the machine guns. This is one-if not the only film that challanges my masucline ability to stifle tears.

The director Peter Weir, was a genius. He wanted to make a movie about the Australlian involvement in WW1, but most movies in this motif have a tendancy to depersonalize the characters. The suspect is probably the WW1 causualty rates; [The Battle of the Somme -> one million causalties]. He based the movie on two famous Australlian track runners, and spent close to the entirety of the film on character development. It was a very poetic and resounding approach, to examine that thousands of Australlians with rich, complex lives were snuffed out in seconds is almost unbearable. I also am suspicious that his intention was to fool the viewer into believing the ending would be heroic and glorious. He couldn't fool me, because this was a war where the only heroism was face-down in no-man's land and the only glory was nervously shaking in artillery batteries.

This movie has great signifigance to me. As a former track runner, I can identify with the traits that define the characters. My father was an Australlian citizen for three years. He carried his Aussie influence back home where I'm sure I've inherited trace amounts.

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