In honor of our Independence Day, American Ferox is doing its best "USA! USA!" by profiling the five most American films of all time. These aren't the best American films of all time ('cause that list would look like this: Dawn of the Dead, Schindler's List, Night of the Living Dead, Ghostbusters, and Boogie Nights), but the five films that most embody the American spirit. These films live and breathe what America stands for, but they don't always paint us in a great light. Some of these aren't ones that immediately come to mind when thinking of "patriotic" or "nationalistic" films, but to me, this is a tapestry of what being an American means.
05. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
If one film reflected the can-do spirit of our worthy representatives, this is the film. Jimmy Stewart stars as Jefferson Smith, a handpicked stooge who turns into a champion of the people and the face of incorruptible American good. Our government is filled with profiteers and people willing to pervert our bedrock to make a few bucks, but every once in a while, you get a gem. The good sometimes is not as visible at first, but it is always there. Mr. Smith shows us that.
04. Forrest Gump
Yeah, I know. I've never understood the grimacing and the dismissive wank motions when the movie is mentioned, but whatever, fuck you guys. Forrest Gump is that cat's pajamas. Despite being an excellent Hollywood narrative and also making me cry three times during the whole thing, it also is the encapsulation of the American Dream. The story of a slow-man who somehow makes a path for himself in the world, influencing and inspiring those around him - just he does it several times on a national scale. Americana in its purest form.
03. Saving Private Ryan
Was your grandfather or relative in World War Two? If you said yes, then he's infinitely cooler and more badass than you will ever be. You know those guys with the barbed wire tattoos and the TapOut t-shirts? Pussies compared to the old guy down the street who fought on Iwo Jima or the veteran of the invasion of Normandy sitting next to you at the bus stop. These were regular Americans, united by a cause greater than anything anyone had ever witnessed, but they weren't super-soldiers - just Americans. Saving Private Ryan communicates the very American ideal that one life is worth a dozen more, and it really makes you appreciate all those men did during those horrific three years.
02. It's A Wonderful Life
It doesn't deal with politics or war, but this is a movie that is as American as apple pie. A staple of our cultural landscape, in the way that every Christmas, it just doesn't feel complete without a showing of It's A Wonderful Life. Love it or hate it, this movie is steeped in tradition and is essential in understanding the good that every American is capable of. The beautiful simplicity of the story, which deals with redemption in its flawless tone, is something that every American can relate too. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it looks like a Norman Rockwell painting every step of the way.
01. Red Dawn
WOLVERINES! C'mon, it does not get more gung-ho American than this 1984 classic. Some say its just teenage 80's schlock, others say it is right-wing propaganda, but I see a fun action-oriented flick that hits all the big American points. Patriotic? Hell yeah. Flexing military muscle? You bet. The average person rising up and being more than they are asked to be? You know it. But most of all, America is about choices and having fun - this is why we make movies. To feel better about ourselves and to create a fantasy. It just so happens to involve kicking some Communist ass.
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