Today is Independence Day in the United States, which in my neighborhood will mean booze, barbeque and the repeated detonation of small pyroclastic devices well into the early morning hours. (Of course, with the exception of the firecrackers, that’s pretty much par for our hometown course.) In that vein, the radio stations will be blasting any music with the words “America”, “flag” or “proud” in ’em, regardless of whether they’re actually appropriate or not. Regardless of where you live in the world, though, there are moments that remind you of your home, be it the playing of the Marseilles in ‘Casablanca’ or Captain America punching a dictator in the nose, and because Major Spoilers is an international going concern, we’re not going to tie ourselves to just American culture, leading us to today’s nationalistic query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) wonders if Dangermouse racing through Traflagar square in his Mark III might count for British folk, but that’s mostly because it’s one of my first interactions with the UK, asking: What’s your favorite patriotic entertainment, wherever you are in the universe?
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The 1980’s G.I. Joe animated series, animated movie and Marvel comics based on the series.
Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown Soldier), a movie about finnish soldiers defending Finland against Soviet Union during World War 2. A country of 5 million people against one of 100 million, only non allied country not occupied by foreign army, it wont get much more patriotic than that.
The Winter War deserves a lot more attention than it gets just for the sheer badassitude of Finland at the time.
For full on chest thumping flag waving bravado it’s hard to beat Shakespear’s Henry V. Either the technicolour spectacle of Larry Olivier or Kenneth Brannah’s muddy bloody romp through history.
The Uncle Sam graphic novel(s) were good and interesting
I’m not sure there are many of those inspired by my corner of the universe. I guess it would have to be Zombies en La Moneda, a comic about zombies taking over our government palace and our political personalities trying to stay alive. Or 1899 another comic about our history taking a steam punk turn after a war won in the 19th century. Or… wow, surprisingly, it looks like our comics are really patriotic, so that: chilean comics in general.
School House Rocks: “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World” and “No More Kings.” Educational, fun, and all-American. Sing ’em every year at this time.
For over-the-top hoo-hah, it’d be the original “Red Dawn” movie. Ludicrous Cold-War era American jingoism at its finest. When Harry Dean Stanton spurred his kids on into rebellion through the concentration camp fence… pure gold.
-Dan’L
“Gallipoli” celebrating the creation of the Anzac spirit or “The Odd Angry Shot” our vietnam war movie that highlighted mateship as our best characteristic.
“Sounds of Then” by Gangajang is a great australian song or “We come from a land down under” by Men at Work.
Not to bring the mood down but I haven’t been feeling really patriotic due to our new shameful government.