Catch-22 (1970)

I don't want to fly anymore, I want to go home

Catch-22 DVD

Catch-22 is based on Joseph Heller's novel about an American air base in the Mediterranean during World War II. Again, if you are a reader IMHO the book Joseph Heller's Catch-22 (Barron's Book Notes) is better, the movie quicker, Starring Alan Arkin and Martin Balsam.

Recommended for fans of Alan Arkin and Martin Balsam.

Gunner February, 2008
February 9, 2008

Go Around!

Here goes another review of another movie but this time I would like to include the shock I had at the first time I ever saw this one. Not at all like any movie before or after it....
War is the same no matter who what where when why and how it happens and this war movie takes place during the second World War. WWII. The whole world has gone mad and is bent on killing as many people as possible in the shortest time available.
From an American's view the movie has all the right stuff as far as locations and folks involved but more it gives characters that seem to square peg the typical people you would expect from America.
In theory this is a war movie but in fact it's about the only take we can expect from the world at war.... There's some Psychiatry involved here that may leave you a little out of the loop a couple of times but I'm sure if you search long and hard enough you'll come up with your own enlightenment like I did.
The story goes thus... there's this guy that gets a real good look at the madness and chaos and conspiracy of flying bombing missions for the current United States Air Force and takes his own take on the foolishness of having to fly more and more dangerous missions with no proper replacement. This movie is named about a very touchy subject and thus the reason for my vague review....
My take is there's Catch 1 through one hundred and Catch 22 is the 22nd book in the series... that's my own opinion after years of studying this movie for a basis in my own practice as a Hypnotherapist.... fortunatly I've come up with my own way out of the most difficult situation but not until years after my first look at Catch 22.

Everybody should see this movie at least once and if it doesn't make sense see it again... and again until you come up with at least a better review than mine. Sorry but I love this movie.

February 3, 2008

Military madness

Heller's black comedy about the absurdities and the variegated kaleidoscopic insanities that you may find out, after four years of combat. A bombardier group stationed in Italy during the WW1.But there's just a golden rule Catch 22, you may not certify you re mad juts to stop flying missions. On the contrary, you must be mad to fly in more than the usually assigned number of missions.

In this state of things, every man creates his own world of desperation and isolation, one of them Milo (Jon Voight) finds the golden opportunity to establish fruitful trades exchanging invaluable war supplies by silk or statues. But in this sense every man creates his own paradise of evasion and illusion as striving's device.

After "Dr. Strangelove", we had not watched such gallery of lunatic characters absolutely alienated by the War. The only minor default is the film works out as a surrealistic collection of brilliant and acidic vignettes, but the entire film lacks cohesion. However, the presence of Yossarian (Alan Arkin) as the only soldier who tries to see clearly the events, makes this movie a worth seeing.

One of my everlasting cult movies ever made.
January 10, 2008

Unwatchable.

Gorgeously photographed in grainy, sun-drenched CinemaScope, and peopled by some of Hollywood's finest actors, it is incredible what an absolutely grating experience Catch-22 is.

We are supposed to be watching a parody of leadership in war and the absurd paradoxes that one faces given such inhumanity. Unfortunately, Catch-22 makes a mockery of mockery. This is a film that tries so hard to be hip and subversive that it winds up being the worst kind of pandering, preachy tripe. If it were GENUINELY absurd then it would be a masterpiece -- but the Buck Henry/Mike Nichols "ironic" touch ruins any chance at that. September 14, 2007

italy is a weak country

Film is similar to the following review--takes a bunch of material, edits until bored and releases the product.

Film repeats two flash backs--primary character Yossarian gets stabbed with a knife and another scene in which airman named Snowden having been injured in flight receives comfort from Yossarian. I do not understand why those two scenes are important.

weather conditions have improved. you will have no trouble seeing the target. of course that means they will have no trouble seeing you. anyone who wants out of combat duty is not crazy. at 5 cents a piece, and clear profit of 2 cents an egg. oranges, olive oil, blankets. what will be good for M&M enterprises will be good for the country. cotton is a particularly liquid commodity. we'll trade for it. silk. a hell of a good deal in Alexandria.

the syndicate is organized by an acting mess officer named Milo who trades his unit's supplies for other commodities. in one scene, the home airfield is being destroyed by the unit's own bombers. Milo had made a deal with Germans who would buy Milo's oversupply of indian cotton in exchange for making it appear that the Germans successfully attacked the US base. the syndicate theme extends to silk parachutes, airplane's morphine stolen and sold by the syndicate. as one prostitute says "everyone works for Milo."

Capt Major is promoted to squadron commander--rank of major. Maj Major will only see people in his office when he is not there. if he is in his office, he wants the sgt to ask people to wait until he is not there. he does not want the sgt to enter his office unless he is not in and then the sgt should do whatever needs to be done. comedy writing in 1970 did not have to be funny, the writers merely had to pretend it was funny.

Catch-22 principle is stated by an old Italian woman in the ruined brothel: "they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing." September 14, 2007

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