Paul Verhoeven's 1997 sci-fi war film "Starship Troopers," based on the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein, is a vicious satire that lampoons the aggressive, unthinking language used to bolster unjust, fascistic wars. The main characters are all young, attractive, empty-headed grunts inducted into a meaningless 24th-century intergalactic war with a distant species of giant intelligent arachnids.
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
The most notable feature of Verhoeven's film, however, is the propaganda videos that periodically fill the screen. Clear-voiced, boldly preachy short films announce to the audience that the war needs to be fought and that the government needs as many able-bodied youths as it can wrangle to feed them into the soul-hollowing combat machine. "The only good bug is a dead bug," people growl. Anti-bug sentiment is high.
Also, the film is a comedy. Screenwriter Edward Neumeier ("RoboCop") strikes a broadly cynical tone, playfully dissecting the American war machine and the politicians who spoke of war as a grand,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
You'll have to get your scrolling finger ready to review the illustrious career of visual effects maestro Phil Tippett. From the gnarly (and LSD-tinged) conjuring of the Rancor in the far, far away galaxy of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" (for which he would earn a Best Visual Effects Oscar) to his contributions to the ever-popular fantasy "Willow" under the umbrella of the Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm) team, the award-winning designer and stop-motion artist is responsible for some of cinema's most breathtaking sights.
This year sees the 25th anniversary of "Starship Troopers," a satirical joyride erected on malicious compliance with its source material and buttressed with spectacular creatures crafted under Tippett's care. By the time he came onto the project, Tippet was still moving on the momentum of his VFX creature showcase (credited as "Dinosaur Supervisor") alongside effects titan Stan Winston in Steven Spielberg's 1993 adventure excursion "Jurassic Park.
This year sees the 25th anniversary of "Starship Troopers," a satirical joyride erected on malicious compliance with its source material and buttressed with spectacular creatures crafted under Tippett's care. By the time he came onto the project, Tippet was still moving on the momentum of his VFX creature showcase (credited as "Dinosaur Supervisor") alongside effects titan Stan Winston in Steven Spielberg's 1993 adventure excursion "Jurassic Park.
- 12/3/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
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