132-512: War Horse is a 2011 war drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg , from a screenplay written by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis . It is based on Michael Morpurgo 's 1982 novel of the same name and its 2007 stage adaptation . The film features an ensemble cast that includes Peter Mullan , Emily Watson , Niels Arestrup , Jeremy Irvine (in his feature film debut), David Thewlis , Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch . Set before and during World War I , its plot follows Joey,
264-568: A bay Irish Hunter horse raised by English teenager Albert as he is bought by the British Army, leading him to encounter various people throughout Europe, in the midst of the war and its tragedies. DreamWorks Pictures acquired the film rights to the novel in December 2009, and Spielberg was announced to direct in May 2010. Having directed several films set during World War II , it was his first to tackle
396-547: A German soldier, and an old Frenchman and his granddaughter. "I won't kid you, it was more money [for the film rights] than I've ever been paid for anything I've ever written. But that wasn't the temptation. The temptation was the chance for an iconic film about the First World War, perhaps as great as All Quiet on the Western Front with its overpowering sense of waste." – Michael Morpurgo Morpurgo tried to adapt
528-465: A Russian officer who was trying to avoid the Russo-Ukrainian war. In 1919, 616 "hardcore" deserters of the total 837,000 draft dodgers and deserters were executed following People's Commissar Leon Trotsky 's draconian measures. According to Figes, "a majority of deserters (most registered as "weak-willed") were handed back to the military authorities, and formed into units for transfer to one of
660-604: A battlefield set on his Facebook page. The first ten official photographs were made public by DreamWorks in several releases between 11 and 14 March 2011, in Empire magazine and in an article in Entertainment Weekly . On 16 March 2011, a British blogger published an account of her unofficial visit to the War Horse set at Ditsworthy Warren House , and was able to take pictures of the set's interior and of Steven Spielberg despite
792-556: A bay foal filmed in California in March 2011. Spielberg commented on how he and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński developed the "look" of the film: "…it doesn't feel like Ryan at all … it has a much more daguerrotype feel, much more brownish. We're not using any of the techniques we used on Ryan . The only similarity is that it is war and it is handheld ." "The Michael Morpurgo book is ‘Black Beauty goes to war’. So if you’re English, two of
924-462: A better understanding of the film. According to the taxonomy, combining the type with the genre does not create a separate genre. For instance, the "Horror Drama" is simply a dramatic horror film (as opposed to a comedic horror film). "Horror Drama" is not a genre separate from the horror genre or the drama type. Crime dramas explore themes of truth, justice, and freedom, and contain the fundamental dichotomy of "criminal vs. lawman". Crime films make
1056-495: A big, holiday movie … It just became inevitable that we would move it. [Spielberg] feels great about it." Only a very few unofficial on-set images and clips of video footage were published in the press and online during the filming period. Due to the usual embargo on photos and videos being taken and made public during Spielberg shoots, very few images emerged, with the majority being snatched paparazzi shots. In October 2010, cinematographer Kamiński posted an on-set image of himself on
1188-510: A boy and his horse with saddlebags of heart and soul. We can't wait to see how he's brought the colossally popular stage play to the big screen." – Empire magazine War Horse was distributed in North America by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through its Touchstone Pictures label on 25 December 2011, making it the first Spielberg-directed film to be distributed through Walt Disney Studios . The film's North American release date
1320-466: A cameo role there, along with his wife Clare . Filming took place under the codename Dartmoor to maintain a level of secrecy during production, and took about 64 days in total. Scenes involving the cavalry were shot first at Stratfield Saye House in north Hampshire , the estate of the Duke of Wellington , where incidentally Wellington's war horse Copenhagen is buried; a cavalry charge involving 130 extras
1452-414: A colt and two as a foal; four horses played the other main equine character, Topthorn. Up to 280 horses were used in a single scene. A farrier was on set to replace horseshoes sucked off in the mud during filming, and the horses playing the main horse characters had a specialist equine make-up team, with their coats dyed and markings added to ensure continuity. Equine artist Ali Bannister was responsible for
SECTION 10
#17328442432011584-414: A credible intent to return may still be considered AWOL. Those who are away for fewer than thirty days but can credibly be shown to have no intent to return (for example, by joining the armed forces of another country) may nevertheless be tried for desertion . On rare occasions, they may be tried for treason if enough evidence is found. There are similar concepts to desertion. Missing movement occurs when
1716-400: A dozen drafts in three months, and has spoken of the close collaboration he had with Spielberg while working on the script. Having previously only been slated to produce the film, Spielberg decided to direct "the second [he] read [Curtis's] first draft. It happened faster than anything else we've [Spielberg and Snider] done together." On 3 May 2010, it was announced that Spielberg was to direct
1848-653: A member of the armed forces fails to arrive at the appointed time and place to deploy (or "move out") with their assigned unit, ship, or aircraft. In the United States Armed Forces , this is a violation of the Article 87 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The offense is similar to absence without leave but may draw more severe punishment. Failure to repair consists of missing a formation or failing to appear at an assigned place and time when so ordered. It
1980-548: A million horses died on the British side; he extrapolated an overall figure of 10 million horse deaths on all sides. Of the million horses that were sent abroad from the UK, only 62,000 returned, the rest dying in the war or slaughtered in France for meat. The Great War had a massive and indelible impact on the UK's male population: 886,000 men died, one in eight of those who went to war, and 2% of
2112-685: A more central component of the story, along with serious content. Examples include Three Colours: White (1994), The Truman Show (1998), The Man Without a Past (2002), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), and Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Coined by film professor Ken Dancyger , these stories exaggerate characters and situations to the point of becoming fable, legend or fairy tale. Examples: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Maleficent (2014). Light dramas are light-hearted stories that are, nevertheless, serious in nature. Examples: The Help (2011) and The Terminal (2004). Psychological dramas are dramas that focus on
2244-400: A particular setting or subject matter, or they combine a drama's otherwise serious tone with elements that encourage a broader range of moods . To these ends, a primary element in a drama is the occurrence of conflict —emotional, social, or otherwise—and its resolution in the course of the storyline. All forms of cinema or television that involve fictional stories are forms of drama in
2376-633: A person's life and raises their level of importance. The "small things in life" feel as important to the protagonist (and the audience) as the climactic battle in an action film, or the final shootout in a western. Often, the protagonists deal with multiple, overlapping issues in the course of the film – just as we do in life. Films of this type/genre combination include: The Wrestler (2008), Fruitvale Station (2013), and Locke (2013). Romantic dramas are films with central themes that reinforce our beliefs about love (e.g.: themes such as "love at first sight", "love conquers all", or "there
2508-614: A report for the French Ministry of Veteran Affairs recommended that they be pardoned. Conversely, France considered as highly praiseworthy the act of citizens of Alsace-Lorraine who during WWI deserted from the German army . After the war it was decided to award all such deserters the Escapees' Medal ( French : Médaille des Évadés ). During the First Indochina War (1946–54),
2640-648: A response to the harsh weather conditions of the winter and immense field work required in the summer. A significant jump in desertion in 1989 when the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan may suggest a higher concern regarding returning home, rather than an overall opposition towards the war itself. In the beginning of the Soviet invasion , the majority of Soviet forces were soldiers of Central Asian republics . The Soviets believed that shared ideologies between Muslim Central Asians and Afghan soldiers would build trust and morale within
2772-457: A specific approach to drama but, rather, consider drama as a lack of comedic techniques. Examples: Ghost World (2001) and Wuthering Heights (2011). According to the Screenwriters' Taxonomy, all film descriptions should contain their type (comedy or drama) combined with one (or more) of the eleven super-genres. This combination does not create a separate genre, but rather, provides
SECTION 20
#17328442432012904-464: A valid pass , liberty or leave . The United States Marine Corps , United States Navy , and United States Coast Guard generally refer to this as unauthorized absence. Personnel are dropped from their unit rolls after thirty days and then listed as deserters ; however, as a matter of U.S. military law , desertion is not measured by time away from the unit, but rather: People who are away for more than thirty days but return voluntarily or indicate
3036-403: A very light baton. He hardly had to wave it at all. I was in awe." Emily Watson also praised Spielberg's approach: "It was intimate, passionate and about the acting. And every single priority that as an actor that you would want to be there was there. It felt very real and focused." "On set, he'd come in, in the morning, and say, 'I couldn't sleep last night. I was worrying about this shot!' Which
3168-402: A week, and learned that he had the part when he was asked to read a piece of the script on camera in order to check his West Country accent , and the piece of mockup script that he read out was Albert telling Joey that Spielberg wanted him to play the part. The cast is European, with British, French and German actors playing characters of their respective nationalities. Robert Emms , who played
3300-447: A white flag and tries to free him. Peter, a German soldier, comes over with wire cutters, and together they rescue Joey. To decide who should take the horse, they flip a coin. Colin wins and guides the injured Joey to the British trench. Albert hears about Joey's rescue while recuperating. Just as Joey is about to be put down by a doctor who deems the horse too injured to recover, Joey hears Albert's owl call. Albert, his eyes still bandaged,
3432-526: Is a final fight to the death; the idea of the protagonists facing death is a central expectation in a war drama film. In a war film even though the enemy may out-number, or out-power, the hero, we assume that the enemy can be defeated if only the hero can figure out how. Examples include: Apocalypse Now (1979), Come and See (1985), Braveheart (1995), Life Is Beautiful (1997), Black Book (2006), The Hurt Locker (2008), 1944 (2015), Wildeye (2015), and 1917 (2019). Films in
3564-693: Is a lesser offense within Article 86 of the UCMJ. An additional duty status code — absent-unknown, or AUN — was established by the U.S. military in 2020 to prompt unit actions and police investigations during the first 48 hours that a service member is missing. During the First World War , the Australian Government refused to allow members of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to be executed for desertion, despite pressure from
3696-403: Is able to describe Joey in perfect detail, and the two are reunited. The doctor decides to nurse Joey back to health. World War I ends , and Joey is ordered to be auctioned because only the horses of officers will return home. Albert's comrades raise a collection to bid for the horse against the local butcher. The auction is won by Emilie's grandfather, who implies that she has died and the horse
3828-437: Is all he has left of her. However, after Albert pleads with him, the old man recognizes the strength of the soldier's bond, returning the pennant and Joey to Albert. Albert returns with Joey to his family's farm, embracing his mother and returning the pennant to his father, who extends his hand to him with pride, as Joey watches. Michael Morpurgo wrote the 1982 children's novel War Horse after meeting World War I veterans in
3960-455: Is born in Devon , England. At an auction, farmer Ted Narracott outbids his landlord Lyons for the colt , to the dismay of his wife Rose, because the family needs a working horse that can plough the field, not an Irish Hunter. Their son Albert, accompanied by his best friend Andrew, names the colt Joey, and teaches him to come when he imitates an owl's call. The pair form a close bond. Against all odds,
4092-519: Is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence ( UA ) or absence without leave ( AWOL / ˈ eɪ w ɒ l / ), which are temporary forms of absence. In the United States Army , United States Air Force , British Armed Forces , Australian Defence Force , New Zealand Defence Force , Singapore Armed Forces and Canadian Armed Forces , military personnel will become AWOL if absent from their post without
War Horse (film) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4224-676: Is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to less punishment". In Colombia , the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Spanish: FARC) insurgency were highly affected by desertion during the armed conflict with the Military Forces of Colombia . The Colombian Ministry of Defense reported 19,504 deserters from the FARC between August 2002 and their collective demobilization in 2017, despite potentially severe punishment, including execution, for attempted desertion in
4356-420: Is sent to the front lines, Gunther takes the horses and the four of them run away. The German army tracks down the boys, shoot them for desertion and leave without noticing the horses. They are found by Emilie, a French girl, the next morning. When German soldiers arrive at her grandfather's farm, she hides the horses in her bedroom. For her birthday, Emilie's grandfather allows her to ride Joey, but they run into
4488-421: Is someone out there for everyone"); the story typically revolves around characters falling into (and out of, and back into) love. Annie Hall (1977), The Notebook (2004), Carol (2015), Her (2013) , and La La Land (2016) are examples of romance dramas. The science fiction drama film is often the story of a protagonist (and their allies) facing something "unknown" that has the potential to change
4620-622: Is that in a documentary it uses real people to describe history or current events; in a docudrama it uses professionally trained actors to play the roles in the current event, that is "dramatized" a bit. Examples: Black Mass (2015) and Zodiac (2007). Unlike docudramas, docu-fictional films combine documentary and fiction, where actual footage or real events are intermingled with recreated scenes. Examples: Interior. Leather Bar (2013) and Your Name Here (2015). Many otherwise serious productions have humorous scenes and characters intended to provide comic relief . A comedy drama has humor as
4752-507: Is trained for his military role. The horses are deployed to Flanders with a flying column under the command of Nicholls and Major Stewart. They lead a cavalry charge through a German encampment, but the unit is decimated by machine gun fire. Nicholls is killed along with almost all his fellow cavalrymen and the Germans capture the horses. Gunther, a German soldier, is assigned to the care of Joey and Topthorn. When his younger brother Michael
4884-528: The 2022 Russian mobilization , the Putin-controlled State Duma of Russia adopted amendments to include the concepts of mobilization , martial law and wartime in the Criminal Code , and introduced several articles related to military operations. Desertion during a period of mobilization or wartime will be punished by up to 10 years in jail. In December 2022, Kazakhstan deported back to Russia
5016-622: The American Humane Association were on set at all times, and the Association awarded the film an "outstanding" rating for the care that was taken of the animals during production. An animatronic horse was used for some parts of the scenes where Joey is trapped in barbed wire; the wire was rubber prop wire. Unlike the play, which used puppet horses, the film uses a combination of real horses, animatronic horses and computer-generated imagery . Editor Michael Kahn spoke of his work on
5148-547: The Canadian Expeditionary Force passed over 200 death sentences on desterters. Only 25 men were actually executed. Per the National Defence Act , "every person who deserts or attempts to desert is guilty of an offence and on conviction, if the person committed the offence on active service or under orders for active service, is liable to imprisonment for life or to less punishment and, in any other case,
5280-588: The French Foreign Legion was deployed to fight the Vietnamese insurgency. Some of the legionnaires, such as Stefan Kubiak , deserted and began fighting for the Việt Minh and People's Army of Vietnam upon witnessing torture of Vietnamese peasants at the hands of French troops. During the First World War, only 18 Germans who deserted were executed. However, the Germans executed 15,000 men who deserted from
5412-637: The Minister for Justice and Equality Alan Shatter issued a pardon and amnesty to all World War II-era deserters from the Irish Defence Forces . During World War I , 15,096 Italians served life sentences and around 750 were executed (391 by firing squad) for deserting from the military; the Roman punishment of decimation was claimed to have been used. In 1918, Italy agreed to pardon all deserters, who, after their conscription in their military , joined
War Horse (film) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5544-558: The Shot at Dawn Memorial . Of these, 25 were Canadian, 22 Irishmen and five New Zealanders. "During the period between August 1914 and March 1920 more than 20,000 servicemen were convicted by courts-martial of offences which carried the death sentence. Only 3,000 of those men were ordered to be put to death and of those just over 10% were executed." Throughout the Second World War, almost 100,000 British and Commonwealth troops deserted from
5676-497: The Soviet–Afghan War explain their reasons for desertion as political and in response to internal disorganization and disillusionment regarding their position in the war. Analyses of desertion rates argue that motivations were far less ideological than individual accounts claim. Desertion rates increased prior to announcements of upcoming operations, and were highest during the summer and winter. Seasonal desertions were probably
5808-599: The Touchstone Pictures label, War Horse became a box-office success (earning $ 177 million on a $ 70 million budget) and was met with positive reviews. The film was named one of the ten best films of 2011 by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review , and was nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture ), two Golden Globes and five BAFTAs . In 1912, a bay Irish Hunter
5940-620: The United States Army , affecting thousands. In total, about 128,000 desertion cases took place due to the First World War in Italy. In Italy during the Napoleonic Wars , about 40,000 soldiers deserted from the military, with Alessandro Trivulzio [fr] [it] , Italy's Ministry of War of the Kingdom, describing desertion as a "destructive worm". To halt desertion, in 1808, the Italian government created
6072-554: The War Horse shooting schedule accordingly. Although Devon rural locations were used, scenes in the main village in the story were filmed at the Wiltshire village of Castle Combe near Chippenham , despite the vernacular architecture of Devon (predominantly cob walls and thatched roofs ) being very different from that of Wiltshire (stone walls and stone tiled roofs). Filming began there on 21 September 2010, and continued until 1 October. Some residents of Castle Combe were angered by
6204-871: The Wehrmacht during the Second World War . In June 1988 the Initiative for the Creation of a Memorial to Deserters who deserted the Wehrmacht came to life in Ulm . Ireland was neutral during the Second World War; the Irish Army expanded to 40,000 men, but they had little to do once it became clear in 1942 that invasion (either by Nazi Germany or by the British Empire) was unlikely. Soldiers were put to work cutting trees and peat; morale
6336-514: The consigli di guerra speciali , a group of military courts. During the First World War, 28 New Zealand soldiers were sentenced to death for desertion; of these, five were executed. These soldiers were posthumously pardoned in 2000 through the Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War Act . Those who deserted before reaching the front were imprisoned in what were claimed to be harsh conditions. During
6468-503: The stately home Luton Hoo between 13 and 14 October 2010. Filming was also scheduled to be undertaken at Caerwent in Wales. Studio filming was undertaken at Longcross Studios , Chertsey in Surrey, and at Twickenham Film Studios . The film shoot was completed in the last week of October 2010, with the entire film, French scenes included, being shot in the UK, apart from some pick-up shots of
6600-755: The western super-genre often take place in the American Southwest or Mexico, with a large number of scenes occurring outdoors so we can soak in scenic landscapes. Visceral expectations for the audience include fistfights, gunplay, and chase scenes. There is also the expectation of spectacular panoramic images of the countryside including sunsets, wide open landscapes, and endless deserts and sky. Examples of western dramas include: True Grit (1969) and its 2010 remake , Mad Max (1979), Unforgiven (1992), No Country for Old Men (2007), Django Unchained (2012), Hell or High Water (2016), and Logan (2017). Some film categories that use
6732-538: The "hair and makeup" of the horses, as well as drawing the sketches of horses that are featured in the film. Extra filming involving a bay foal took place in California in March 2011. Working with horses on this scale was a new experience for Spielberg, who commented: "The horses were an extraordinary experience for me, because several members of my family ride. I was really amazed at how expressive horses are and how much they can show what they're feeling." Representatives of
SECTION 50
#17328442432016864-522: The Afghan language and converted to Islam. The criminal code of Ukraine states that "desertion in state of martial law or in a battle, shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years". In early 2023, a new law was signed into the Ukrainian Parliament which stated that desertion or "failure to appear for duty without a valid reason" would result in a 12 year prison sentence. Critics of
6996-489: The Apes (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Blade Runner (1982) and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Children of Men (2006), Interstellar (2014), and Arrival (2016). In the sports super-genre, characters will be playing sports. Thematically, the story is often one of "Our Team" versus "Their Team"; their team will always try to win, and our team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption;
7128-544: The British Government and military to do so. The AIF had the highest rate of soldiers going absent without leave of any of the national contingents in the British Expeditionary Force , and the proportion of soldiers who deserted was also higher than that of other forces on the Western Front in France. In 2011, Vienna decided to honour Austrian Wehrmacht deserters. On 24 October 2014, a Memorial for
7260-685: The Devon village of Iddesleigh where he lived. One had been with the Devon Yeomanry and was involved with horses; Captain Budgett, another veteran in his village, was with the British cavalry and told Morpurgo how he had confided all his hopes and fears to his horse. Both told him of the horrific conditions and loss of life, human and animal, during the Great War. Morpurgo researched the subject further and learned that
7392-586: The FARC. Organizational decline contributed to FARC's high desertion rate which peaked in the year 2008. A later stalemate between the FARC and government forces gave rise to the Colombian peace process . Many individuals who were conscripted by the French First Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars deserted. There were rough estimates to the number of individuals that deserted during
7524-582: The Germans who confiscate the horses. Emilie's grandfather keeps the pennant. By 1918, Albert has enlisted and is fighting alongside Andrew in the Second Battle of the Somme . After a British charge into no man's land , Albert and Andrew make it across to the German trench, where a gas bomb explodes. Andrew is killed while Albert survives, temporarily blinded. The Germans use Joey and Topthorn to haul artillery, under
7656-450: The Soviet army by the elimination of a field commander or officer. Resistance forces were locally based, more ready to address and mobilize the Afghan population for support. The Soviet army was centrally organized; its regime structure emphasized rank and position, paying less attention to the well-being and effectiveness of its army. The initial Soviet plan relied on Afghan troops' support in
7788-589: The Soviet army, serious drug and alcohol problems significantly reduced the effectiveness of soldiers. Resources became further depleted as soldiers pushed into the mountains; drugs were rampantly abused and available, often supplied by Afghans. Supplies of heating fuel, wood, and food ran low at bases. Soviet soldiers often resorted to trading weapons and ammunition in exchange for drugs or food. As morale decreased and infections of hepatitis and typhus spread, soldiers became further disheartened. Interviews with Soviet soldier deserters confirm that much of Soviet desertion
7920-507: The Soviet intervention as a necessary means of protecting the Communist uprising from outside opposition. Propaganda declared that Soviets were providing aid to villagers and improving Afghanistan by planting trees, improving public buildings and "generally acting as good neighbors". Upon entering Afghanistan, Soviet soldiers became immediately aware of the falsity of the reported situation. In major cities, Afghan youth that originally supported
8052-546: The Soviet invasion, which attracted Central Asian deserters. By March 1980, the Soviet army made an executive decision to replace Central Asian troops with the European sectors of the USSR to avoid further religious and ethnic complications, drastically reducing Soviet forces. Soviet soldiers entered the war under the impression that their roles were primarily related to the organization of Afghan forces and society. Soviet media portrayed
SECTION 60
#17328442432018184-692: The Soviets' atheism, demanding support for the Muslim faith from civilians. The hostility shown towards soldiers, who entered the war believing their assistance was requested, grew defensive. The opposition circulated pamphlets within Soviet camps stationed in cities, calling for Afghan freedom from the aggressive Communist influence and a right to establish their own government. The native Afghan army fell from 90,000 to 30,000 by mid-1980, forcing Soviets into more extreme combative positions. The mujahideen's widespread presence among Afghan civilians in rural regions made it difficult for Soviet soldiers to distinguish between
8316-600: The Victims of Nazi Military Justice was inaugurated on Vienna's Ballhausplatz by Austria 's President Heinz Fischer . The monument was created by German artist Olaf Nicolai and is located opposite the President's office and the Austrian Chancellery . The inscription on top of the three step sculpture features a poem by Scottish poet Ian Hamilton Finlay (1924–2006) with just two words: all alone . During World War I ,
8448-519: The World War I-set BBC comedy series Blackadder Goes Forth along with Ben Elton . Spielberg was a fan of Blackadder but had never met Curtis, who was initially reluctant to take part, but on meeting Spielberg, he rethought and committed to work on the script. Curtis stated that the screenplay is closer to the book than the play, and that "the existence of the play itself helped [him] "be brave" about [his] own adaptation". Curtis produced over
8580-507: The appeal of the story: "In cinema we've told very few stories about World War I and I think that's one of the things that attracted us to this … It's a forgotten war in the United States, and that had a very powerful effect on Steven and I." David Kenyon and Andrew Robertshaw of Battlefield Partnerships were military advisors on the film. After some speculation, the cast for War Horse was announced on 17 June 2010. It had been rumored in
8712-527: The armed forces. Capital punishment for desertion was abolished in 1930 so most were imprisoned. On 28 May 2006, the UK military reported over 1,000 absent without leave since the beginning of the Iraq War , with 566 missing from 2005 and that part of 2006. The Ministry of Defence said that levels of absence were fairly constant and "only one person has been found guilty of deserting the Army since 1989". According to
8844-454: The army. However, Central Asians' longstanding historical frustrations with Moscow degraded soldiers' willingness to fight for the Red Army. As Afghan desertion grew and Soviet opposition was strengthened within Afghanistan, the Soviet plan overtly backfired. The personal histories of Central Asian ethnic groups – especially between Pashtuns, Uzbeks, and Tajiks , caused tension within the Soviet military. Non-Russian ethnic groups easily related
8976-407: The audience jump through a series of mental "hoops"; it is not uncommon for the crime drama to use verbal gymnastics to keep the audience and the protagonist on their toes. Examples of crime dramas include: The Godfather (1972), Chinatown (1974), Goodfellas (1990), The Usual Suspects (1995), The Big Short (2015), and Udta Punjab (2016). According to Eric R. Williams ,
9108-406: The book into a film screenplay , working for over five years with Simon Channing-Williams , which would ultimately go unproduced. The book was successfully adapted for a stage play by Nick Stafford in 2007. From 2006 to 2009, Morpurgo, Lee Hall and Revel Guest worked on a proposed film version of War Horse , which Morpurgo and Hall would write and Guest produce. Lack of finances meant that it
9240-412: The broader sense if their storytelling is achieved by means of actors who represent ( mimesis ) characters . In this broader sense, drama is a mode distinct from novels, short stories , and narrative poetry or songs . In the modern era, before the birth of cinema or television, "drama" within theatre was a type of play that was neither a comedy nor a tragedy . It is this narrower sense that
9372-439: The care of Private Friedrich Hengelmann. He cares for them as best as he can, but the severely worn Topthorn succumbs to exhaustion from overwork and dies. Devastated over this loss, Hengelmann rebels against his commanders and is detained, but not before freeing Joey from his reins. Joey escapes and gallops into no man's land and evades a tank , but is entangled in barbed wire. Colin, a British soldier, makes his way to Joey under
9504-533: The characters' inner life and psychological problems. Examples: Requiem for a Dream (2000), Oldboy (2003), Babel (2006), Whiplash (2014), and Anomalisa (2015) Satire can involve humor, but the result is typically sharp social commentary that is anything but funny. Satire often uses irony or exaggeration to expose faults in society or individuals that influence social ideology. Examples: Thank You for Smoking (2005) and Idiocracy (2006). Straight drama applies to those that do not attempt
9636-468: The civilians they believed they were fighting for and the official opposition. Soldiers who had entered the war with idealistic viewpoints of their roles were quickly disillusioned. The structure of the Soviet army, in comparison to the mujahideen , set the Soviets at a serious fighting disadvantage. While the mujahideen structure was based on kinship and social cohesion, the Soviet army was bureaucratic. Because of this, mujahideen could significantly weaken
9768-473: The course of the film. Thematically, horror films often serve as morality tales, with the killer serving up violent penance for the victims' past sins. Metaphorically, these become battles of Good vs. Evil or Purity vs. Sin. Psycho (1960), Halloween (1978), The Shining (1980), The Conjuring (2013), It (2017), mother! (2017), and Hereditary (2018) are examples of horror drama films. Day-in-the-life films takes small events in
9900-406: The entire country's population. After observing a young boy with a stammer forming a fond relationship with and talking fluently to a horse at a farm run by Morpurgo's charity Farms for City Children , Morpurgo found a way to tell the story through the horse and its relations with the various people it meets before and during the course of the war: a young Devon farmboy, a British cavalry officer,
10032-476: The events of World War I. Shot in England over 63 days, the production used 5,800 extras and 300 horses. Several longtime Spielberg collaborators—including producer Kathleen Kennedy , cinematographer Janusz Kamiński , editor Michael Kahn , production designer Rick Carter and composer John Williams —worked on the film. Produced by DreamWorks and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through
10164-403: The falsity of Soviet propaganda from the beginning. Unable to legitimize the unnecessary killing and mistreatment of the Afghan people, many deserters could not face returning home and justifying their own actions and the unnecessary deaths of comrades. Upon deserting to the mujahideen, soldiers immersed themselves into Afghan culture. Hoping to rectify their position as the enemy, deserters learned
10296-481: The family as a whole reacts to a central challenge. There are four micro-genres for the family drama: Family Bond , Family Feud , Family Loss , and Family Rift . A sub-type of drama films that uses plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. Melodramatic plots often deal with "crises of human emotion, failed romance or friendship, strained familial situations, tragedy, illness, neuroses, or emotional and physical hardship". Film critics sometimes use
10428-477: The family's crops, forcing Ted to sell Joey to the army . Albert is heartbroken and tries to stop the sale, to no avail. Captain James Nicholls sees Albert's attachment to the horse and promises to look after Joey. Albert tries to enlist but is too young, and before the company departs, he ties the pennant to Joey's bridle and promises Joey he will find him. Joey bonds with Topthorn, a black stallion with whom he
10560-409: The film and television industries, along with film studies , adopted. " Radio drama " has been used in both senses—originally transmitted in a live performance, it has also been used to describe the more high-brow and serious end of the dramatic output of radio . The Screenwriters Taxonomy contends that film genres are fundamentally based upon a film's atmosphere, character and story, and therefore
10692-544: The film digitally on an Avid rather than on film, a first with this technology for Spielberg; "He decided that he'd like to try it", Kahn commented. After filming, further editing was undertaken at the UK's Twickenham Film Studios, with the production moving back to the U.S. in November 2010. Kahn also said of his work on the film: "We put together here in Hollywood. It worked well … Those English actors are awfully good and so were
10824-589: The film were released in the U.S. on 24 November 2011, shortly followed by others. War drama In film and television , drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction ) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-genre, macro-genre, or micro-genre, such as soap opera , police crime drama , political drama , legal drama , historical drama , domestic drama , teen drama , and comedy-drama (dramedy). These terms tend to indicate
10956-400: The film: "We have some shots in War Horse that are just fantastic … We shot it in Devon, and you know it's gorgeous down there, and the horses are beautiful and the farms are beautiful, beautiful scenery and every shot is gorgeous, and eventually you get to the war part of it and it's really, really something." Kahn had a trailer on set and edited the film during filming. Kahn and Spielberg cut
11088-562: The film; the cast was announced on 17 June. Speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2011, actor Peter Mullan said that he took the part not just because Spielberg was directing, but also because of the "beautiful, really nice script". Within weeks of hearing from Kennedy about the London theatre production, Spielberg had seen the play, and decided this would be his next film. Spielberg
11220-556: The first year of the Soviet invasion. In these areas, strong ethnic clashes and cultural factors influenced desertion. As Afghan soldiers continued to desert the Soviet army, a united Islamic Alliance for the Liberation of Afghanistan began to form. Moderates and fundamentalists banded together to oppose Soviet intervention. The Islamic ideology solidified a strong base of opposition by January 1980, overriding ethnic, tribal, geographic and economic differences among Afghans willing to fight
11352-416: The future of humanity; this unknown may be represented by a villain with incomprehensible powers, a creature we do not understand, or a scientific scenario that threatens to change the world; the science fiction story forces the audience to consider the nature of human beings, the confines of time or space or the concepts of human existence in general. Examples include: Metropolis (1927), Planet of
11484-406: The habit of watching the horses in the morning, and I began to see how they connect to each other and how they became curious about me. That's when I really began to get the sense that horses are very special creatures. They have been magnificent and trusted friends for such a long time and have done so much for us with such grace." The score was recorded by a 90-piece orchestra and Williams compared
11616-416: The hallmark of fantasy drama films is "a sense of wonderment, typically played out in a visually intense world inhabited by mythic creatures, magic or superhuman characters. Props and costumes within these films often belie a sense of mythology and folklore – whether ancient, futuristic, or other-worldly. The costumes, as well as the exotic world, reflect the personal, inner struggles that the hero faces in
11748-510: The horse and boy plough a rocky field, which lets them grow turnips and thus saving the family's farm. Rose shows Albert his father's medals, including a Distinguished Conduct Medal , from the Second Boer War , and gives him Ted's regimental pennant , confiding in Albert that his father carries physical and mental scars from the war. In 1914, as war with Germany is declared , heavy rain ruins
11880-406: The horse involved: "That's the thing I'm most proud of. Everything you see on screen really happened." Kathleen Kennedy elaborated, stating "We really did it very naturalistically. There isn't a lot of blood. Steven wasn't interested in bringing Private Ryan into it, but we did want to make a PG-13 movie." Actor Tom Hiddleston said that Spielberg had "seen the stage play and he wanted to retain
12012-411: The horses. The horses were beautifully trained. For an editor there were a lot of match [frame] problems with the horses but the shooting was so good that I got everything I needed." Visual effects for the film were undertaken by London-based company Framestore . According to Spielberg, the film's only digital effects were three shots lasting three seconds, which were undertaken to ensure the safety of
12144-500: The imposition of tightened security within the village, claiming they could not enter without waiting at perimeter barriers until breaks in filming. Production moved on to Wisley Airfield in Surrey , where no man's land battlefield scenes were filmed. Shooting of wartime camp scenes also took place at Bourne Wood near Farnham in Surrey, a frequent location for filming, for about two weeks beginning on 4 October 2010. Scenes were shot at
12276-408: The labels "drama" and "comedy" are too broad to be considered a genre. Instead, the taxonomy contends that film dramas are a "Type" of film; listing at least ten different sub-types of film and television drama. Docudramas are dramatized adaptations of real-life events. While not always completely accurate, the general facts are more-or-less true. The difference between a docudrama and a documentary
12408-673: The law argued that the law punishes soldiers more harshly rather than try to deal underlying causes of desertion. Per the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General, more than 60,000 criminal cases have been opened for desertion with almost half occurring between January 2024 and September 2024. This number rose to 80,000 by October 2024. For Ukrainian penal battalions , if a soldier of a penal battalion attempts to desert or retreat without authorisation, an additional 5 to 10 years would be added to their sentence. Historically, one who
12540-558: The lead of Albert Narracott in the West End production of the play, was cast as David Lyons. Casting for extras took place in Devon in late July 2010. In all, some 5,800 extras were used in the film. The granddaughter of Captain Budgett, one of the World War I veterans who had inspired Morpurgo to write the story, acted as an extra in scenes filmed in Castle Combe, and Morpurgo himself filmed
12672-421: The leftist movement soon turned to Soviet oppositional forces for patriotic and religious reasons. The opposition built resistance in cities, calling Soviet soldiers infidels that were forcing an imperialist Communist invasive government on Afghanistan's people. As Afghan troops continued to abandon the Soviet army to support the mujahideen, they became anti-Russian and antigovernment. Opposition forces emphasized
12804-419: The legal system. Films that focus on dramatic events in history. Focuses on doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and ambulance saving victims and the interactions of their daily lives. Focuses on teenage characters, especially where a secondary school setting plays a role. Desertion Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass , liberty or leave ) and
12936-451: The magic and heartbeat of that … It's a moving, powerful story you can take children to see, but it is still very upsetting … People die, and it is war." John Williams composed and conducted the film's musical score, the second score composed the same year by Williams for Spielberg after The Adventures of Tintin . Williams took inspiration by visiting a horse farm in California and observing horses and their behavior, saying that "I got in
13068-496: The morality of their actions was debated; on the one hand, they had illegally abandoned their country's armed forces at a time when it was threatened with invasion — indeed, it was argued that their acts were treasonous at a time when Britain may have been planning to seize control of Ireland's ports (see Plan W ); on the other hand, they chose to leave a safe if tedious posting in order to risk their lives fighting against fascism, and many were motivated by genuine idealism. In 2012,
13200-434: The most emotive subjects you could touch on are Black Beauty and the First World War. The crew were constantly in tears, as there were war memorials and everybody had a story in their family ... for English people, everyone is touched by that war." –Emily Watson on World War I's enduring emotional legacy. Michael Morpurgo, the author of the book on which the film is based, visited the set several times while filming
13332-452: The mountainous regions of Afghanistan. The majority of the Afghan army support crumbled easily as forces lacked strong ideological support for Communism from the beginning. The Afghan army, comprising 100,000 men before 1978, was reduced to 15,000 within the first year of the Soviet invasion. Of the Afghan troops that remained, many were considered untrustworthy to Soviet troops. Afghans that deserted often took artillery with them, supplying
13464-805: The mujahideen. Soviet troops, to fill Afghan soldiers' place, were pushed into mountainous tribal regions of the East. Soviet tanks and modern warfare was ineffective in the rural, mountainous regions of Afghanistan. Mujahideen tactics of ambush prevented Soviets from developing successful counterattacks. In 1980, the Soviet army began to rely on smaller and more cohesive units, a response to mirror mujahideen tactics. A decrease in unit size, while solving organizational issues, promoted field leaders to head more violent and aggressive missions, promoting Soviet desertion. Often, small forces would engage in rapes, looting, and general violence beyond what higher ranks ordered, increasing negative sanctions in undesirable locations. Within
13596-591: The official trailer and synopsis, and two of the ten previously released official images. Further footage introduced on film by Spielberg was shown at the Empire magazine "Big Screen" event in London in August 2011. Jeremy Irvine talked about his experiences making the film at the same event. The full theatrical trailer was released on 4 October 2011, and more on-set pictures were released on 17 November. The publicity strategy for War Horse unusually featured preview screenings for
13728-416: The previous week that Eddie Redmayne had been cast in the lead role as Albert Narracott; however, relatively unknown stage actor Jeremy Irvine was chosen instead. Spielberg commented that after seeing hundreds of young boys reading for the role, Irvine had come in and done a cold reading and that "his performance was very natural, very authentic." Irvine auditioned for two months, going in two or three times
13860-474: The public in U.S. heartland areas before either the critics were shown the film or it was screened to the public in major metropolitan areas. The first preview screenings of War Horse were held at various locations across the United States on 1, 2 and 10 November 2011. More preview screenings in the U.S. took place on 27 November, with Spielberg attending a question and answer session at the New York screening that
13992-454: The rear armies or directly to the front". Even those registered as "malicious" deserters were returned to the ranks when the demand for reinforcements became desperate". Forges also noted that the Red Army instituted amnesty weeks to prohibit punitive measures against desertion which encouraged the voluntary return of 98,000-132,000 deserters to the army. Order No. 270 , dated 16 August 1941,
14124-413: The recording sessions more to a concert piece rather than a traditional film score, as it relied more on the individual performance of the musicians. It was recorded in late March and early April 2011. Tuba player Jim Self reported in May 2011: "For John Williams I recently finished recording for the film War Horse . It's a war movie so the score has a lot of brass—but it was gentle music often." The score
14256-463: The security on set. On 29 March, DreamWorks presented behind-the-scenes footage introduced on film by Spielberg to theatre owners at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Spielberg was unable to attend in person as he was still working on post-production. On 29 June 2011, the film's first official teaser trailer was released, and the official website was launched. On its launch, the website was rather sparse, with only
14388-624: The situation in Afghanistan to Communist takeover of their own states' forced induction into the USSR. Ethnic Russians suspected Central Asians of opposition, and fighting within the army was prevalent. Upon entering Afghanistan, many Central Asians were exposed to the Qur’an for the first time uninfluenced by Soviet propagandist versions , and felt a stronger connection towards the opposition than their own comrades. The highest rates of desertion were found among border troops, ranging from 60 to 80% during
14520-530: The story does not always have to involve a team. The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual playing on a team. Examples of this genre/type include: The Hustler (1961), Hoosiers (1986), Remember the Titans (2000), and Moneyball (2011). War films typically tells the story of a small group of isolated individuals who – one by one – get killed (literally or metaphorically) by an outside force until there
14652-514: The story". Dartmoor locations included the small villages of Meavy and Sheepstor , Burrator Reservoir , Bonehill Rocks and the surrounding area near Widecombe-in-the-Moor , Ringmoor Down, Combestone Tor and the surrounding area, Haytor , Hexworthy Bridge, and Cadover Bridge/Brisworthy. Ditsworthy Warren House , an isolated Grade II listed building near Sheepstor on Dartmoor, served as the Narracott family's farmhouse, and many scenes were filmed in
14784-514: The story." Examples of fantasy dramas include The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), and Life of Pi (2012). Horror dramas often involve the central characters isolated from the rest of society. These characters are often teenagers or people in their early twenties (the genre's central audience) and are eventually killed off during
14916-592: The surface of the visual opportunities that were offered to me". Spielberg felt that the landscape was very much a character in the film. When actor Peter Mullan won the Golden Shell Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain for his film Neds , Spielberg insisted that Mullan should attend the ceremony to accept his award in person on 26 September 2010, and rearranged
15048-485: The surrounding area. On 11 September 2010, the annual Dartmoor Yomp was rerouted to allow filming to continue undisturbed. Spielberg praised the Dartmoor countryside's beauty: "I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor… And, with two-and-a-half weeks of extensive coverage of landscapes and skies, I hardly scratched
15180-578: The term "pejoratively to connote an unrealistic, pathos-filled, camp tale of romance or domestic situations with stereotypical characters (often including a central female character) that would directly appeal to feminine audiences". Also called "women's movies", "weepies", tearjerkers, or "chick flicks". If they are targeted to a male audience, then they are called "guy cry" films. Often considered "soap-opera" drama. Focuses on religious characters, mystery play, beliefs, and respect. Character development based on themes involving criminals, law enforcement and
15312-524: The time of the Levée en masse , but due to many factors, like the inability to manage and keep track of all the armies or differentiating between men with similar names, the exact number is unclear. In 1800, the Minister of War (Carnot) reported that there were 175,000 deserters based on the number of individuals that sought the benefits following the amnesty put in place. From 1914 to 1918 between 600 and 650 French soldiers were executed for desertion. In 2013,
15444-488: The word "comedy" or "drama" are not recognized by the Screenwriters Taxonomy as either a film genre or a film type. For instance, "Melodrama" and "Screwball Comedy" are considered Pathways, while "romantic comedy" and "family drama" are macro-genres. A macro-genre in the Screenwriters Taxonomy. These films tell a story in which many of the central characters are related. The story revolves around how
15576-487: Was a film I wanted DreamWorks to make … Its heart and its message provide a story that can be felt in every country." Spielberg saw the London production of the play on 1 February 2010, and met some of the cast afterwards. He admitted to being moved to tears by the performance. DreamWorks executive Stacey Snider suggested Richard Curtis to work on rewrites for the screenplay; she had worked with Curtis during her time at Universal Pictures , and Curtis had previously written
15708-473: Was able to act so quickly because he was on a hiatus, waiting for the animation on his other 2011 film The Adventures of Tintin to be completed. Spielberg had previously worked on numerous projects with World War II themes. In contrast, War Horse is Spielberg's first foray into World War I storytelling, as he admitted that, prior to learning about the War Horse book and play, "I had never been that interested in World War I". Kathleen Kennedy elaborated on
15840-494: Was amazed that no one had already bought the film rights to the book. Steven Spielberg was told about War Horse by several people, including Kennedy, his colleague at Amblin Entertainment . After discussions with Revel Guest, on 16 December 2009, it was announced that DreamWorks Pictures had acquired the film rights to the book, with Spielberg stating: "From the moment I read Michael Morpurgo's novel War Horse , I knew this
15972-427: Was an informal arrangement, with the film rights not formally sold by Morpurgo to Guest's production company and no one being paid for the work they undertook. In 2009, film producer Kathleen Kennedy saw the critically acclaimed production of War Horse in London's West End with her husband, fellow producer Frank Marshall , and their two daughters. They were very impressed by the story, and Marshall recalled how he
16104-473: Was beamed to the other screening cinemas and shown live on the internet. Press screenings for critics were first held in New York and Los Angeles on 24 November 2011, although there was an embargo on official reviews being published at that time. On 27 November, there was a special screening in London for the crew and cast, the first time anyone involved with the film (apart from Spielberg and his close collaborators) had seen it. Three television advertisements for
16236-403: Was being undertaken: "Spielberg's a wonderful storyteller and a kid. He adores stories and that's what he's best at. It's extraordinary to meet someone with that kind of enthusiasm, utterly unspoiled … When I went to visit him on set, he was clearly enthralled by the countryside. He fell for Devon in a big way. He was warm, kind and open, and utterly without ego … Spielberg was like a conductor with
16368-473: Was doing and understand its feelings. It was a whole new experience for me." –Steven Spielberg The pre-production period only allowed for three months to train the horses before shooting commenced. The main horse trainer was Bobby Lovgren, and other horse trainers included Dylan Jones, Bill Lawrence, and Zelie Bullen. During filming, fourteen different horses were used as the main horse character Joey, eight of them portraying him as an adult animal, four as
16500-517: Was filmed here. Filming on location in Dartmoor , Devon , started in August 2010. Initially, Spielberg was only going to have four or five days' worth of second unit material shot in Devon, but after Kathleen Kennedy sent him photographs of the various locations she had scouted, he decided to cut other elements of the story to enable more filming to take place in countryside that Kennedy described as "so extraordinarily beautiful and absolutely perfect for
16632-409: Was great! He's human and he's still working in an impassioned way, like a 21-year-old, trying to make the best out of everything". "When I'm on an Indy movie , I'm watching Indiana Jones, not the horse he is riding ... Suddenly I'm faced with the challenge of making a movie where I not only had to watch the horse, I had to compel the audience to watch it along with me. I had to pay attention to what it
16764-429: Was in response to widespread Afghan opposition rather than personal aggravation towards the Soviet army. Armed with modern artillery against ill-equipped villagers, Soviet soldiers developed a sense of guilt for the widespread killing of innocent civilians and their unfair artillery advantage. Soviet deserters found support and acceptance within Afghan villages. After entering the mujahideen, many deserters came to recognize
16896-440: Was issued by Joseph Stalin. The order required superiors to shoot deserters on the spot. Their family members were subjected to arrest. Order No. 227 , dated 28 July 1942, directed that each Army must create "blocking detachments" ( barrier troops ) which would shoot "cowards" and fleeing panicked troops at the rear. Over the course of the war, the Soviets executed 158,000 troops for desertion. Many Soviet soldier deserters of
17028-676: Was low and pay was bad. Of the 60,000 men who passed through the army in 1940–45, about 7,000 men deserted, about half of them deciding to fight on the Allied side , most joining the British Army . Once the war was over, the EPO 362 order meant deserters were allowed to return to Ireland; they were not imprisoned, but lost rights to an army pension and could not work for the state or claim unemployment benefits for seven years. They were also seen as traitors by some Irish people in their homes. Decades after,
17160-479: Was originally set for 10 August 2011, but after a meeting in London between DreamWorks and Disney executives in early October 2010, when some footage was screened, the decision was taken to move its release to 28 December in the holiday period, and in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2012. DreamWorks executive Stacey Snider said, "The reaction to the footage—which [Spielberg] usually never shows—was that it feels like
17292-582: Was paid to enlist and then deserted could be arrested under a type of writ known as arrestando ipsum qui pecuniam recepit , or "for arresting one who received money". During the Napoleonic Wars desertion was a massive drain on British army resources, despite the threat of court martial and the possibility of capital punishment for the crime. Many deserters were harboured by citizens who were sympathetic to them. "306 British and Commonwealth soldiers were executed for...desertion during World War I," records
17424-407: Was released by Sony Classical Records on 21 December 2011 to critical acclaim. "To round out the year, Steven Spielberg's War Horse appears in time for the festive period. If you're thinking that nothing says Christmas like the bloody trench warfare carnage, you may be in luck. But while Spielberg isn't one to sugarcoat the horrors of war, he's just the director to fill this Great War-set story of
#200799