World War II films may seem like a dime a dozen these days—virtually to the point of overkill. While many of them are mediocre or worse, there have been some modern-day World War II cinematic efforts that have paid off, such as the slickly produced modern classic “Midway” (2019), and the soulful and harrowing war drama “Waiting for Anya” (2020).
But back in 1980, there was also a very well-constructed and peppily paced World War II epic produced, which many have likely since forgotten, titled “The Big Red One.” And it’s a real shame because one of the things that make this film so unique is that it was written and directed by a World War II veteran by the name of Samuel Fuller. In fact, it’s an autobiographical piece based on Fuller’s experiences during the war. The film’s character “Zab” is based on him.
