Films reveal a lot about the fears, desires, and aspirations of a culture. Because war often intensifies these thoughts and feelings, films about war can be particularly insightful. Among other subjects, war films can highlight beliefs about politics, justice, patriotism, and views on the military and authority. As history is rich with material, war films have existed since the earliest years of the silent era and were cemented as a major genre after the start of World War I. War films have been created both as nationalist propaganda and to make strong anti-war statements.

The Bijou has selected four war films which we hope will spark or renew your interest in the rich cinematic history of the genre. They include Philippe de Broca's comic allegory "KING OF HEARTS"; Japanese director Kazuo Hara's fascinating documentary portrait of Kenzo Okuzaki in "THE EMPEROR'S NAKED ARMY MARCHES ON" (new 16mm print!); Gillo Pontecorvo's startling and critically acclaimed "THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS" (new 35mm print!), a documentary-style depiction of the Algerian struggle for liberation from France in the 1950s; and Carol Reed's classic post-WWII film noir "THE THIRD MAN," noted for its stunning cinematography and mesmerizing score.