David Thomson, film critic and historian, discusses his latest book, “The Fatal Alliance: A Century of War on Film” with host Richard Wolinsky.
Author of over forty books, most of which deal with film and film history, David Thomson here discusses how movies have influenced how our society sees and understands war. He is hosting war films at Pacific Film Archive on March 13 (Paths of Glory), March 20 (They Shall Not Grow Old) and March 27 (1917).
In the interview, he talks about how war films rarely focus on the reasons why individual wars are fought, the soldier mentality, the two World Wars on film, fascism and resistance on film, along with such films as Black Hawk Down, The Deer Hunter and A Man Escapes.
Special thanks to AJ Fox and Susan Oxtoby of Pacific Film Archive, where the interview was recorded. Photo of David Thomson: Richard Wolinsky.