1941: Special Edition
Los Angeles, just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor: fear of a Japanese invasion throws the city into a state of pandemonium. Screwball characters run wild on Hollywood Boulevard as manic servicemen, zealous store owners, teary-eyed girls and bickering Nazis are thrown together in this fast-rising comic soufflé that even features a sendup of Spielberg's own Jaws opening.
Member Reviews
Overlooked gem - RobBC
Spielberg’s sparkling goofball comedy was unjustly maligned by many critics when it was first released but its humour has withstood the test of time. Based on a few wartime anecdotes and then blown up to big screen proportions it takes place in southern California just a few days after Pearl Harbour. At that time the entire west coast was on the lookout for a potential Japanese attack and civilian paranoia was running at an all-time high. Amidst all the conspiracy theories and false sightings Spielberg focuses his camera on a handful of characters (including dozens of wonderful celebrity cameos) whose separate stories provide a tongue-in-cheek pastiche of the time; from Dan Aykroyd’s straight-laced Sergeant and John Belushi’s mad dog gunner pilot to a pair of star-crossed lovers and a hapless couple who play unwilling hosts to a military squad stationed on their front lawn (Ned Beatty and Lorraine Gary....hilarious!). Add to this a leaky Japanese submarine full of incompetents off the coast of Long Beach and the stage is set for some silliness on a grand scale. Filmed in hazy wide angle shots, 1941 has the look of a classic war film, but its humour is definitely of the "Animal House", "Porky’s", "Naked Gun" variety with a few subtle nods to "The Russians Are Coming" and "Dr. Strangelove". There’s even a wonderful Little Rascals reference that you’re bound to miss if you blink at the wrong time and the whole thing starts with a side-splitting spoof of "Jaws". Things eventually come together for a brilliantly overdone pyrotechnical finale involving an aerial dogfight through the streets of Los Angeles and an amusement park bombardment as Spielberg plasters every square inch of the screen with foolishness and mayhem. Despite the impeccable special effects and big name cast this is not a sophisticated film, nor does it try to be. The smiles, however, are consistent throughout!Fond Memories - Mr_Humidty
This film doesn't have a great reputation, but I have fond memories of watching it. There's a lot of funny moments: "That's a big gun. I've got a Winchester!" And of course, he escapes from the sub that underwater. Spielberg's spoof of his own film, "Jaws." Good stuff.A Young Zemeckis, Gale and Spielberg - And No Brakes! - ZetaC
In the 140 minute documentary Spielberg admits he had no vision for this film - but he made it anyway. 1941 is the obvious result of highly creative minds given a nearly limitless budget and left to follow their respective muses - even if the Greek Goddesses were insane. Part screwball comedy, part revisionist history, part remorseless social commentary and part American musical/Busby Berkley spectacular 1941 is as entertaining as it is uneven. Predating the punk/new wave/30second sound byte generation it seems more at home in that sensibility than anywhere else. If you don't like a gag no problem, there'll be another one along right away, just like Ramones chord changes. Several of the actors rise above the material in places and as the scope of the movie unwinds you find yourself just gaping in wonderment that Spielberg and his collaborators pulled this off without alienating all of Hollywood, or at least blowing most of it up. Sure it's a guilty pleasure, but if you don't want to think and you like screaming and explosions this is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
Member Reviews
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Overlooked gem - RobBC
Spielberg’s sparkling goofball comedy was unjustly maligned by many critics when it was first released but its humour has withstood the test of time. Based on a few wartime anecdotes and then blown up to big screen proportions it takes place in southern California ...Fond Memories - Mr_Humidty
This film doesn't have a great reputation, but I have fond memories of watching it. There's a lot of funny moments: "That's a big gun. I've got a Winchester!" And of course, he escapes from the sub that underwater. Spielberg's spoof of his own film, "Jaws." ...A Young Zemeckis, Gale and Spielberg - And No Brakes! - ZetaC
In the 140 minute documentary Spielberg admits he had no vision for this film - but he made it anyway. 1941 is the obvious result of highly creative minds given a nearly limitless budget and left to follow their respective muses - even if the Greek Goddesses ...