Significance of hummingbird and clock in benjamin button?
I saw this movie Christmas Day, it was fantastic. An epic movie similar to Forrest Gump. According to Wikipedia, "the hummingbird is known as a messenger and stopper of time due to its speed... The hummingbird is also able to fly backwards, teaching us that we can look back on our past." In the movie, the hummingbird appears during times that a hummingbird should not survive - out at sea and during a winter storm. Perhaps the hummingbird represents that these characters can learn from their trying experiences but move forward with energy like a hummingbird. Perhaps the hummingbird represents the need for these characters to also act as messengers and share their stories with others. As for the clock, it all comes together at the end, without ruining the ending for those who have not seen the movie. With the image of the clock in the background, Benjamin Button recalls the people who have impacted his life and their passions - the elderly woman who taught him to love music, Daisy who found a way to dance, and the captain, who became an artist in a unique way. I believe the clock theme symbolizes that we determine our youthfulness, not the ticking clock. Our passions make us feel alive, and we should always strive to live a life of passion.
What about WWI?
by 1914 Europe had formed into 2 armed camps. Russia and France on one side Germany, AustriaHungary and Italy on the other. The Russians had wanted to help the Slavic people when Bosnia Herzegovina were annexed by Austria Hungary as the old Ottoman(Turkish Empire) declined but were unable to do so. After Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand ( the Heir to Austrian throne)was assassinated by Gavrillo Princip a Serb, Austria Hungary declare dc war on Serbia. Russia then declared war on Austria Germany declared war on Russia France declared war on Germany and Austria. Britain kept out of this as she had no treaties with either side (except an entente cordiale with France but that did not include going to war) When However Germany invaded Belgium to split the french line get to Paris and fight a war on both fronts, Britain intervened as there was a treaty with Belgium dating back 100 years or may be even more. I think most of this is correct but it is almost 30 years since I did this at school. Just to let you know the Schiefflen plan was Germanys strategy to fight a war on both fronts which meant marching through nutral belgium towards Paris they actually missed Paris or the war would have been over 6 months. More people died from pandemic influenza than from the war
Germans: How many of you are still being punished for WWII (second Great War)?
I know there were plenty of atrocities committed by the Nazi's during the war, but the Nazis were a group, not Germans. I saw a few Nazis were Danish as well. Movies like Schinder's List, Saving Private Ryan, and so forth are important, but being that films about other war crimes through history are few and far between in comparison, I feel Germans in general are harassed from this. I have some German in me, and as such the connotation of Nazi, and German is the same as (n-word) and black, or poor white and trailer trash. Any others with German ancestry, or sympathetic to us feel this way
Many soldiers in WWI suffered devastating head and facial injuries. I've seen pictures. They were horrifying
even after surgery. There must have been thousands and thousands of them. My question is, what happened to the men with ruined faces after the war. True my post WWI reading is limited pretty much to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers and the like but nobody ever mentions bumping into guys who look like they came out of a nightmare. People have trouble getting good help and they're going broke from paying taxes but nobody ever mentions of thousands of ghastly damaged faces in the grocery stores or on the buses. Do you know of anything I can read that would describe the life of such a patient or what it was like to live someplace where such people lived in significant numbers?
What did the WW1 expression by pilots 'beware the hun in the sun' mean?
You can’t look into the sun without blinding yourself.Which means that if you fly with the sun behind you, you are simultaneously in danger and at an advantage.You can effectively sneak up on an enemy if you are between him and the sun, because he can’t see you coming.And the Germans were more likely to have this advantage because their bases were in the east, with the sun behind them in the morning, while the Allies were flying east into the sun. The higher pilot, and the one on the side of the sun, can see opponents below him and silhouetted, while they can’t see him. He can sneak up on them … in broad daylight!It’s deceptively difficult to see a far-off enemy plane even without the glare. The planet Venus was used as a standard target for aspiring pilots. If you can see it in broad daylight - and more importantly, look away, then snap your gaze back and see it again - you can spot an enemy coming. But glare will make it hard. More pilots were killed by opponents they never saw, “bouncing” them from above, than in classic dogfights.It’s also the reason why the lone wolf pilot became less and less a thing. Flights and entire squadrons were preferable for the extra eyes alone, and loners became “those crazy death-seekers.”The Germans held the advantage for most of the war in part because their bases were to the east, because between the beginning of the day and midday, they were coming out of the sun as they approached oncoming Allied aircraft. While this reversed itself in the evening, the Allies were usually the aggressive side, and evening wasn’t the best time to fly anyway (better not to land in the dark in planes of the period). The prevailing winds over Europe are also westerly, which meant that Allied planes tended to be blown over German lines (or couldn’t get back) rather than vice-versa. The Allies needed to be more cautious.
Why did they shoot horses on the beach in the movie Atonement?
During the first world war alot of horses were used on the battle field. These horses came from private stables, the army and many from private families, they were used for hauling machines and guns and also for soldiers. When the time came for the horses to be shipped home it was uneconomical and also in many cases the soldiers had to retreat quickly. It was quicker and easier to shoot these gallant animals that had served their country so well. This also included alot of donkeys also. Some horses were shipped back, but the majority were left behind.
Will there ever be a movie about the 1914 Christmas truce between British and German troops?
I can’t see it happening. It would just be too short a film.Imagine it now, the movie starts, both sides are sitting in their cold and wet trenches, occasional shots are being fired and the odd explosion appears. The next, everyone gets out of their trenches and starts playing soccer, giving each other food, gifts and singing songs. Then everyone goes back to their trenches, and then, the movie finishes.It would be very hard for a director to turn that one day into a full length feature film. But, I have a suggestion that may be able to cover this. A movie that covers the humanity demonstrated during the First World War.The movie examines how different people, from all sides of the war saw the war and how they reacted and played their part, showing how their humanity has changed for better or for worse. The 1914 Christmas truce could be on of the main themes of the movie showing how some men change in war versus how they act in peace time. (To be honest, that sounds cool).So yeah, I couldn’t see it happening as a feature film by itself, but maybe as a part in a overarching feature film.