why a remake of Red Dawn wouldn't work today
Red Dawn the 1984 movie set during the height of the Cold War, set during the time when the United States and the Soviet Union were waiting for the feared nuclear exchange.
So when a movie came out about Soviet Paratroopers landing in a small town in Colorado and taking it over along with several other parts of America it was believable.
As the movie progresses a group of teenagers from a local high school retreat up into the hills and lead a guerilla offensive against the occupying Russian and Cuban forces calling themselves the Wolverines.
While the first hour of the movie has little direction apart from what we saw and that was Soviet paratroopers landing in the middle of a football field in the Wolverines local high school!
But about an hour into the movie a downed F-15 pilot who joins with the Wolverines explains how a handful of nuclear strikes against main points of communication were carried out, destroying Kansas City and Washington DC and destroying ICBM bases in Montana and the Dakotas.
At the same time Cuban and Nicaraguan troops march through the border as this is happening up south and the Soviets crossed the Bering Strait disguised as commuter planes (as they done in Afghanistan in real life back in 1980).
This then results in a conventional war fought across the midlands since each side doesn't want to use nuclear weapons, the plot was simple for the time and I doubt there was anybody at the time who doubted that what was shown in the movie was possible.
Director John Milius was inspired to some degree by the Afghan insurgency in Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion.
That fact is another reason why remaking Red Dawn in a post 9/11 world is a terrible idea!
The Soviets are gone and are now a capitalist society, Afghanistan of course is occupied, yeah by the US itself and the Taliban are the ones running to the hills!
And what exactly does post 9/11 world mean, Arab terrorists as the bad guys?
Remember The Siege, a film where Arab terrorists simply make constant attacks in New York resulting in the declaration of martial law.
As stupid as it think a Red Dawn version of that, how would it work, its just a stupid prospect, and the ruining of a classic that that was made in a time that was relevant to the story!
So when a movie came out about Soviet Paratroopers landing in a small town in Colorado and taking it over along with several other parts of America it was believable.
As the movie progresses a group of teenagers from a local high school retreat up into the hills and lead a guerilla offensive against the occupying Russian and Cuban forces calling themselves the Wolverines.
While the first hour of the movie has little direction apart from what we saw and that was Soviet paratroopers landing in the middle of a football field in the Wolverines local high school!
But about an hour into the movie a downed F-15 pilot who joins with the Wolverines explains how a handful of nuclear strikes against main points of communication were carried out, destroying Kansas City and Washington DC and destroying ICBM bases in Montana and the Dakotas.
At the same time Cuban and Nicaraguan troops march through the border as this is happening up south and the Soviets crossed the Bering Strait disguised as commuter planes (as they done in Afghanistan in real life back in 1980).
This then results in a conventional war fought across the midlands since each side doesn't want to use nuclear weapons, the plot was simple for the time and I doubt there was anybody at the time who doubted that what was shown in the movie was possible.
Director John Milius was inspired to some degree by the Afghan insurgency in Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion.
That fact is another reason why remaking Red Dawn in a post 9/11 world is a terrible idea!
The Soviets are gone and are now a capitalist society, Afghanistan of course is occupied, yeah by the US itself and the Taliban are the ones running to the hills!
And what exactly does post 9/11 world mean, Arab terrorists as the bad guys?
Remember The Siege, a film where Arab terrorists simply make constant attacks in New York resulting in the declaration of martial law.
As stupid as it think a Red Dawn version of that, how would it work, its just a stupid prospect, and the ruining of a classic that that was made in a time that was relevant to the story!
Labels: cold war, nuclear war, red dawn, the siege
posted by Paul Iddon @ 8:05 PM
2 Comments:
At August 12, 2009 7:35 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I have read a number of comments on the internet regarding this upcoming movie. Personally, I do not care when people question the writing, the acting or other aspects of the film making process. However, I must object when the subject of feasibility is questioned.
It is my understanding that the movie will depict not simply a Russian invasion, but a combined Russian and Chinese invasion of the U.S.
You may see this as "not working" today but in fact it does. If you study world politics, history and military science it is both feasible and possible. I am not a wingnut or conspiracy theorist. I am a federal agent for DHS. I have tracked these topics for years.
A study of Sun Tzu in relation to the actions of China over the past several decades illustrates their designs. It has been the core of Chinese military doctine for centuries.
The list of these indicators is far too long to elaborate on here. However it is clear that they have been developing and continue to develop their military to counter U.S. forces in both strategy and tactics. Nor is China a form of democracy that they attempt to portray.
China possess the largest shipping fleet in the world. A government sponsored study demonstrated that China would be able to deploy at least a reinforced division (armored or mechanized infantry) from each of their super-container transports which could be loaded with purpose built con-ex containers within days.
Incidently, the once bankrupt Russians are now rebuilding their military at a rapid pace now that they have the budget to do it with (they are the world's largest exporter of natural gas). Two Russian nuclear subs were conducting exercises off the US east coast last month.
The war on terror continues to threaten our nation. It has cost far too many lives already. Believe me when I say I know. I stood on the rubble of the WTC. But it is a distraction (both literally and figuratively) compared to the threat posed by a super-power across the Pacific.
I am not Chicken Little. I am not going around saying the sky is falling and the Chinese are coming next year. But I will say that as far as the premise being feasible, it is most certainly possible.
At August 13, 2009 6:01 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Don't think its likely due to the simple fact that invasion would mean China would simultaneously lose all the debt the US owes it as well as lose the main consumer source that keeps its economic powerhouse running. Long history has shown that even with dictatorship, when people are unhappy in China they revolt. That has not happened in 60 years (Tienanmen and Tibet and stuff are small, sad parodies compared to the Chinese Civil War and the Taiping Rebellion)and the communists will sure as heck want to keep it that way.
As for Russia, it has trouble keeping its former satellites in check. Georgia and Ukraine are but a few of the many states that keep a weary eye on the former Soviet Union. If Russia militarizes, you'd expect to see it occupied with proxy wars for quite some time before it extends further.
On the other hand, a few terrorist cells unencumbered by politics and economics (though funded by Pakistan and the House of Saud), could easily accomplish far more harm against the nation than potential rivals to the US superpower status.
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