Comments on: Memorial Day Special: Best Pop Culture Sergeant [Think Tank]

By: Matthew Wrather

Matthew Wrather — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:04:44 +0000

So, um, not exactly “totally wrong”, but rather “totally right, but missing the point”?

EPIC NUANCE FAIL!

I agree that Starship Troopers is awesome. Do you want to know more?

By: Matthew Belinkie

Matthew Belinkie — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:00:02 +0000

@Lee – Totally wrong! What makes Starship Troopers so clever is that it makes extreme militarism look AWESOME. The whole movie is basically a propaganda film for this fictional future army, and by the end, you can’t wait to run out and enlist. Don’t forget, Paul Verhoeven is Dutch, and grew up in Nazi-occupied territory. He’s admitted to using this movie to satirize films like Triumph of the Will. Starship Troopers SHOULD make you uncomfortable, but it’s also a lot of fun. Seriously, see it.

By: lee

lee — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:53:51 +0000

I just watched the knife-in-hand scene. It’s truly horrific. Without having seen Starship Troopers, I’m guessing this movie really plays up the sadistic nature of extreme militarism in a big way, and that it’s an exceedingly uncomfortable movie to watch.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:13:49 +0000

No love for Sergeant Pepper?

By: Gab

Gab — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:05:41 +0000

What about Klinger from _M*A*S*H_? He gets promoted to sergeant in… uh… I can’t remember what season specifically. But I know he ends up a sergeant eventually. Wiki tells me so, at least.

And I couldn’t help but think of this, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TA-QJ2d3kk

By: Darin

Darin — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:43:58 +0000

I love Starship Troopers. It’s one of those movies that I could watch over and over if the missus wanted to go to sleep early. Sgt. Zim has the brainwashed rationale that works so well for his world (w/ great accompanying video).

Sgt. Zim doesn’t have what Mr. T/ B.A. Baracus which is that personality as character.

R. Lee Erney as “that drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket” has both. He spews hate to make Marines, it is his way, his rationale; and, he is personality as character on screen. His intensity trumps the faux world of wrestling and plays to type much better than Beetle Bailey’s Sarge plays against it.