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1941 is a unique movie. 1 part of it is animal house-esque lowbrow humor, 1 part is B-movie love story, and 1 part stoic war movie, and 2 parts insane hilarity.

It is a weird mix to say the least.

First, the problems: 1. The first half of the movie is slow. It grinds on making you wonder why you're watching this movie.

2. The "Love story" subplot is poorly executed for what this movie is trying to do.

3. many of the actors are not used to their fullest potential (especially Dan Akroyd and John Candy) while others receive excessive screen time. (see: The slow moving love story sub-plot) But then there are the good aspects: 1. John Belushi is hilarious. He would have been funnier had he interacted with more characters rather than appearing in many solo shots, but he was funny.

2. The "Epic Battle" was great. It had me laughing as my sides hurt.

3. Slim Pickens: His appearance in the movie was truly where the movie stopped being slow, and the fun really started. He was great in his scenes and between the dialogue and his visual scenes, you can't help but laugh.

There's more, but in short, if you don't mind sitting through a slow build up, the payoff is worth the wait.

It's not the best movie ever, but in the barren entertainment landscape that is Weekend Television: Finding this movie can be like an oasis in the desert. It's solid Saturday afternoon fun.

Any movie that features the following....:

1. The Geek from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" torturing The Mayor from "Jaws" 2. A bunch of Japanese soldiers disguised as walking Christmas Trees 3. A hilarious USO dance sequence that boils over into an inter-service street fight 4. the film debut of Mickey Rourke and the big film debut of John Candy

and last but not least

5. Tough guy Robert Stack crying and singing along to songs from the Disney classic "Dumbo".....

CANNOT BE ALL BAD!!!!!

I was really excited to see 1941 when it turned out to be on Bravo's 100 Funniest Movies, not to mention that when I looked at the cover at Hollywood Video, this movie had Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, John Belushi, among some of Hollywood's greatest actors. Now the fact that Steven Spielberg directed the movie got me more excited. When I checked out the rating for 1941, I got scared, I mean 5.5 isn't that exciting. Especially for a Spielberg film, usually most people get excited and love the film. Now granted, Spielberg was never the king of comedies, but 1941 is a decent film that gives you a few laughs, it's just a screw ball comedy, I admit some jokes are a little random, but over all this is a film that works and is just plain fun. Yes, it's a bit long and sometimes a little odd, the story though was something that was fun because sometimes we just need a little fun with history.

It's 6 days after the Pearl Harbor bombing and now the Japenese are coming after United State's pride and joy, Hollywood, lol. Basically, we just go through California citizen's lives and what they are going through. We have the wacky couple who can't seem to stay together. A silly guy with huge pride for his country. An army who seems to have a hard time getting how to actually fight. A crazed air pilot, crazy German captains, along with the Japenese who invaded the country are dressed up as Christmas trees. Well, let's just hope that they'll be alright with this silly invasion.

1941 is at times very random and doesn't know wither to be a mental comedy or a screwball comedy, but it still delivers a good laugh to those who are just looking for a fun movie. Don't go by the rating here on IMDb, I actually had fun watching this film and I'm not sure why people are giving it a hard time. But it looks like the cast had a genuinely good time making this film. The story is a bit much to follow, but it's worth a watch at least. 1941 is all in good fun, so just grab the popcorn and have a few laughs, I'm sure you'll get it with at least John Belushi's character.

7/10

Steven Speilberg once asked a friend of mine, "Why didn't anyone like this movie?" Well, I think that I can answer that - "1941" is a gigantic in-joke. The people who are in on the joke are people who, like myself, have an oversized love and knowledge of the city of Los Angeles and it's history. I think that in the vast, world-wide movie-going public, this group probably comprises 1%. For that group, "1941" has a wonderful nostalgia value. And for the people in that 1% that have a twisted sense of humor and enjoy seeing nostalgic L.A. blown to bits, this movie really delivers. By the way, the folks with that twisted sense of humor probably account for about 1% of the original 1%.

I don't know why, but having grown up in L.A. and being an aficionado of it's history, I find it funny to see planes in a dogfight over Hollywood Blvd, the ferris wheel rolling off the end of Santa Monica Pier, and aircraft crashing into the La Brea Tarpits. But for non-locals and people unfamiliar with the paranoia that gripped Southern California in the wake of Pearl Harbor, this movie will likely seem confusing and silly. To the history buff with a twisted sense of humor (like me, proud member of the 1% of the 1%), the movie is not only amusing, but sometimes surprisingly accurate, historically. Robert Stack plays General Joseph Stillwell - a very real historical figure in L.A. history. Stack even bears a striking resemblance to the real General Stillwell. The whole movie is based upon a few real-life incidents of panicky anti-aircraft fire that occurred over L.A. in 1941/1942, as well as a Japanese sub that actually shelled an oil refinery near Santa Barbara. Like "Chinatown" (a film mistakenly thought to be an accurate account of L.A. water politics in the 1930s), "1941" borrows from real-life history and distorts it into pure fabrication. The difference is that while "Chinatown" is a noir drama, "1941" is an over-the-top comedy. Both films appeal to the historian, but as it is often said, comedy is much harder to pull off than drama. You either love "1941", or sit though it, saying, "huh?".

This film is hilarious. And it has the most dynamic and exciting demolition-swing dance number I have ever seen on film. Overproduced to almost overspend it opened in 1979 to raspberry reviews and cinemas full of thoroughly entertained crowds. The sheer insanity of the tone and the massive set pieces, expansive model work layouts, spectacular and epic crowd madness and the sheer relentless comic book feel of the whole thing really appealed to me and many thousands of others I saw it with at my cinema. 1941 is Mad Mad Mad World and 3 STOOGES madness rolled into a colossal demolition derby and I for one just love it. Terrific teen actors like Bobby Di Ciccio, handsome under rated Treat Williams and the sadly recently passed Wendy Jo Sperber add enormously to the marquee names of Belushi and Akroyd. Stallwart stars like Slim Pickins and Warren Oates and especially Robert Stack crying thru DUMBO just make me love the nuttiness behind every idea pelted at me. I would like to see the longer version. I suspect most people who admire this massive production would too.....for any one of 100 reasons from casting to design to music to set construction to the fantastic model work... and especially the runaway ferris wheel. Pricessless! well, $40,000,000 actually.

In Spielberg's first Second World War movie he takes a rather unusual look at the period, especially when now we know what emotional brilliance he later brought to the screen. 1941 is a crazy slapstick comedy! It is a combination of 3 young filmmakers full of energy and excitement as they brace the film industry. The screenplay is written by Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and John Milius, of which separately created films such as Back To The Future, Apocalypse Now, and Forrest Gump. I do personally think that 1941 is a good film that is very harshly rated. It is on the same comedic format of films like Airplane and Naked Gun.

Industry folk in the late 70s seemed to desperately want Spielberg to fail. This fresh filmmaker created the summer blockbuster and cinema's highest grossing movie ever made (at the time), surely he couldn't keep going? For me I believe he does, it is not an exceptional movie but it is definitely entertaining. Spielberg's movies tend to linger around or above the 2 hour mark, however, this one would have benefited from a shorter length. Around the 90 minute mark would have knitted the story more tightly together and took out any of the unnecessary loose ends.

There are a plethora of characters involved in 1941, which maybe adds to the dislike of this film. Some characters feel like a recurring joke from a sketch show, simply being used for a quick laugh before the story continues. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are tagged as the big stars on the DVD cover but neither of which contribute to the story nor are exceptionally funny. John Belushi's character was supposed to be very minor at first but when Belushi was cast they decided to make his role more prominent, however, I feel this was a mistake. Belushi does a couple of comedy gags here and there but he is possibly the most unnecessary character of them all, destroying the flow of any story that there is in this film. Dan Aykroyd is also very forgettable, playing another questionable character in regards to his contribution to the story.

Spielberg himself later stated that what killed the comedy from 1941 was the amount of destruction and the noise level that drowned any humour out of it. Originally, the character of Wally (Bobby Di Cicco) was supposed to make an impact on everyone else within the story, which would have created a structural link, however, Bob Gale (screenwriter) said that this was lost in post production. This unfortunately leads us with a mix of differing characters that do not really have any relation to each other leading us to question their purpose. In the end we do not particularly care about what happens to the characters, which shows the lack of character depth implemented, but they are enjoyable to watch and mostly all likeable. We are only watching for the comedic set pieces, which it does deliver on.

Parts of the film were apparently based on real events according to Bob Gale. It is true that Los Angeles believed that there was a Japanese plane above in '41, so they started shooting into the sky, but in fact nothing at all was there! I like the idea of this as it keeps the comedy, knowing that some parts actually happened. The special effects are also brilliant as with any Spielberg film, especially considering it is without CG, however, as Spielberg himself said in later years this may be its downfall. Too much effects and too many explosions!

Altogether, the film did get some bad reviews, but it was NOT a box office flop. Columbia and Universal both came away happy with the profits it made, and I think it's a rather good, fun, and crazy film too. For any haters of this film at least you can surely admit that Spielberg made it up to you by bringing out a cinema classic just two years later with Indiana Jones...

...and they rarely destruct on screen quite as badly as 1941. This was Steven Spielberg's Edsel, from a script by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, and it is remarkable that it didn't kill off their careers right then and there. (For Speilberg, it was sandwiched between two praised hits: Close Encounters and Raiders).

The story is of a slapstick war comedy imagining what chaos would have erupted if the Japanese had tried to attack LA after Pearl Harbor and how the Americans would have fought back. The problem is that every single character in the film, American and Japanese alike, is depicted as a total and complete idiot. (No wonder why so many people were offended in 1979, as WWII is still preserved in amber as the bravest moment in American history) It's kind of like watching the biggest, longest, noisiest Three Stooges routine around. These characters bear no resemblance to any recognizable human behavior. The actors are helpless, and I am not going to list their names here because to do so would feel like blackmail at best, revealing a war crime at worst. And the film they appear in is the most cluttered and incoherent major studio production made prior to the Summer "blockbuster" dingalings that Hollywood foisted on unsuspecting audiences beginning in the late 90s.

The film actually begins with a hilarious gag, and the opening scenes show a bit of a spark, but by the time it moves into nighttime and the main attack begins, it becomes a miserable wall of screaming and noise (even the credits feature most of the cast screaming). What little can be said for this is that it is well-photographed and has some handsome sets, but that is little to go on.

I'm reminded that Zemeckis and Gale had scripted another noisy comedy the year before, I Wanna Hold Your Hand (many of its cast members have roles in this as well). That film actually was extremely funny and focused; perhaps if they had been in charge of directing this on a smaller budget, it might have worked. But on a mega-budget, with Spielberg, it is muddled, heavy, loud, inept, and virtually unwatchable. The notorious and underrated Ishtar was a far better film than this one. 1941 is a dead zone.

This is a crazy slapstick movie. Jim Belushi at his best. Ackroyd, Williams all fun.

The whole time I was watching I was thinking how Trump would run a real war. A fantastic simulation!! 😅

I vividly recall the (packed) audience's reaction at the end of 1941: eerie stunned silence... then some guy yelled "what the hell WAS that?" and laughter erupted. I'm a huge Spielberg fan, but 1941 is just wretched excess. It's loud, destructive, unfunny and plot less (it's strictly situational). It's also a bit painful to watch all the now deceased wasted talent (Murray Hamilton, Lionel Stander, Wendy Jo Sperber, Belushi, The great Slim Pickens, Toshiro Mifune, Samuel Fuller, Bob Stack & others...). The film's uncredited cameos are strange (Penny Marshall? James Caan? Lenny & Squiggy from Penny's series??? C'mon...) This was a monumental waste of time, talent & piles of money. (1) unfunny star/10.

Very loud, very big and very funny fictional account of a supposed Japanese invasion of Los Angeles in 1941, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There are many plotlines throughout the film--too many to summarize here. Basically, this is the most unusual Spielberg film I've ever seen (and his only bomb). It's from the bigger is funnier school of humor--Spielberg's only big comedy. There's lots of gunfire, lots of fights, lots of screaming (in full stereo) and tons of destruction (an entire amusement park is destroyed, a few city blocks of Los Angeles and a big beautiful house). As for the acting--it varies wildly. Tim Matheson plays a lt. who has the hots for Nancy Allen who only gets excited in moving planes--they're both cute and funny. Dan Aykroyd is wasted. John Belushi is annoying. Robert Stack is amusing. Ned Beatty and Lorraine Gary are funny, but underused. Treat Williams is violent and very unfunny. And where else can you see Christopher Lee play a German? The film is too long (I saw the 2 1/2 director's cut) and it doesn't always work...but when it does, it's hilarious! A definite highlight is the jitterbug sequence--unfortunately, it has a violent conclusion in which a very likable character is punched out three times. Terrific John Williams score too. The ending credits are quite interesting--it shows each cast character screaming! You may hate this film, but it's definetely a one of a kind. It's a cult classic in Europe.

While I have a middle of the road attitude about this movie, like others I respond more often to individual scenes rather than whole movies, of which there were a few here. One that sings in my memory is General Stillwell (Robert Stack)discovering that "Dumbo" is playing in in the theater of the town that he has just entered, then seated we see him reacting to the song "When I See and Elephant Fly" by mouthing the words, then looking around a little sheepishly to see if anyone has seen him doing this. The scene is precious, and the part was perfect for him in that, not being noted as a comic actor, he is able to counterpoint his Untouchable image with one that is both untouchable and vulnerable.

Steven Spielberg was, like many people, part of my childhood, and to this day 'Jaws', 'ET', 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' are still favourites. 'Schindler's List' is also a masterpiece, and 'Jurassic Park' still leaves me awestruck with the revolutionary dinosaur effects.

Despite being widely regarded as Spielberg's biggest disaster, am personally not of the opinion that '1941' is quite his worst film. It's one of his worst, and on reflection his most disappointing considering the ideas and the talent, but to me 'The Lost World' (both that and the third were a disgrace to the original 'Jurassic Park') gets that dishonourable title.

'1941' has its moments where it succeeds. Technically, it looks fabulous, being beautifully shot (wasn't crazy about the dance scene in general but the cinematography in the scene was impossible to find fault with) and audaciously designed. John Williams delivers yet another rousing music score, not one of his better efforts but a very good and perfectly fitting within the film one all the same.

A few good scenes and standout performances. The ferris wheel and house destruction scenes are technical marvels, are wonderfully anarchic and extremely funny, and even more so the opening of the Coke and Slim Pickens scenes. Mustn't forget the 'Jaws' parody either. Of the cast, faring best are a wonderfully crazed John Belushi (a nothing part but Belushi makes the most of it), a hilarious Slim Pickens, Robert Stack as an army general who loves Dumbo, a nerdy and madcap Eddie Deezen and a wonderfully stoic Christopher Lee.

Others don't fare so well though. John Candy has nothing to do and looks bored, Dan Aykroyd is similarly wasted in a slapstick that is far too over-the-top and busy to find much entertainment value in, Treat Williams overdoes the aggressive condescension of his character and comes over as an irritating bully, Tim Mattheson and Nancy Allen are pretty bland and while good Lorraine Gray and Ned Beatty are underused.

Furthermore, '1941' suffers from being bloated and trying far too hard. It has too many characters, most of which either have very little to do or are sketchy at best or feature too much with not much interesting at all. Likewise there are also too many plot-lines, which gives the film a too busy and sprawling structure at times, the worst faring one being the love story subplot that just grinds the film to a halt and is truly dull.

Humour wise, '1941' has moments where it's funny, but too much of it is too loud, too over-egged, sloppily timed and gratuitously vulgar (this kind of humour has worked very well in other films like 'Animal House' but in those instances the timing was much sharper and less manic). The film takes far too long to properly get going, with the appearance of Slim Pickens being where it properly shows signs of coming to life. Despite the dazzling cinematography and a suitably intense brawl, the dance scene is not that interesting and goes on forever. The dialogue is crass and left me stone-faced rather than crying my eyes out laughing.

Spielberg shows expertise on the technical and visual front, but when it comes to momentum and keeping control of the too many plot strands and characters he fails and shows himself less than natural with comedy.

Overall, not a complete disaster but a lesser Spielberg effort that tries far too hard. While it succeeds in a few areas it fails badly in many others. 3/10 Bethany Cox

A spectacular , sprawling comedy in which hysteria grips California , it is packed with a big cast , entertainment and amusement . Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor . Chaos erupts all over the state in the wake of the bombing , as a family , formed by a father (Ned Beatty) , mother (Lorraine Gary) and sons prepare for an imagined invasion . An assorted misfit group of soldiers (sergeant : Dan Aykroyd , Privates : Treat Williams , John Candy , Frank McRae , among others) attempt to make the coast defensible against an possible Japanese invasion . Crew of a Japanese submarine under command a stiff captain (Toshiro Mifune) scout out the L.A. coast , along with a German officer (Christopher Lee) and they have picked Hollywood as their own target . An Army General (Robert Stack), civilian defenders , deranged Privates , a nutty pilot (John Belushi) and many others all end up on the way of a lost Japanese submarine .

This big budget brought by great Production Companies as Universal and Columbia is starred by an all-star-cast and proved to be the most expensive comedy of all time , 35.000 dollars . This lavish film combines rip-roaring , noisy action , adventure , tongue-in-cheek and lots of action and undisciplined humor . The movie gets entertained and hilarious moments here and there , with some side-splitting situations . This slapstick contains funny scenes , though slowdown and laughters come quickly . The depiction of L.A. in the chaotic after the bombing of Pearl Harbor blends elements of black humor , action and fantasy . However , it contains some flaws , gaps and humorous set-pieces are badly developed . Spielberg here shows he could bomb out the best of them when he made this uneven comedy with regular sense of staging and average pacing , including the silly scenes between Tim Matheson and Nancy Allen . Top-of-the-range star cast who includes veteran secondaries as Toshiro Mifune , Christopher Lee , Elisa Cook Jr , Slim Pickens , Lionel Stander ; furthermore cameos of notorious filmmakers as Samuel Fuller , John Landis and Penny Marshall . Special mention to John Belushi as an absolute disaster pilot , everything he touches turns to ashes . Superbly orchestrated comedy/adventure by the maestro John Williams , as always . Colorful and evocative cinematography by William A Fraker . The picture was nominated for three Oscars but achieved none . In spite of ¨1941¨ was a flop and failed at the box office , very few filmmakers can boast a string of successes as gigantic as Steven Spielberg , an excellent director with his knowledge of the mechanics of cinema gets entertainment and amusement who placed him right at the top of Hollywood tree such as ¨Jaws , Close encounters in third phase , Raiders of the lost ark and its sequels , Empire of the Sun , Purple color , Saving Private Ryan , Munich ¨ and many others .

1941 is the only comedy movie I've ever seen that was utterly and completely devoid of humor of any type. Jaws was much funnier than this movie. Carrot Top is funnier than this movie. Staring at a pile of sand is funnier than this movie. I sat stonefaced, completely numb while the noise and crashing images cascaded down upon me. The effect was weird, like watching the last episode of Seinfeld. A dentist could have removed my wisdom teeth without anesthetic and I would not have felt a thing.

Stupefyingly awful.

The coloring, the comedy, just a movie filled with Tom foolery and ballyhoo. A refreshing change of pace. Great dance scenes and fights. And John Belushi was priceless!!! ...."Wake up, wake up"

There may be a list of the most expensive films ever made. There may be a list of the most stupid films every made.

This film is a kind of magical coalition. I am not sure if it is the most expensive stupidest film every made. Or the most stupid expensive film ever made.

The cost of paying just the lead actors for one day on the set would have been more than the total budget of many Australian feature films. Perhaps if I were ten years old I may have thought the film funny.

Perhaps if I had fallen asleep 30 seconds after the opening and woken up thirty seconds before the end I may have thought the film enjoyable.

The film is so bad that it is memorable. If you are the kind of person who has had a tooth pulled and then can't resist continually poking the hole with your tongue then this may be the film for you.

"1941" is a fascinating, if wildly uneven, cinematic time capsule. Steven Spielberg's ambitious attempt at a sprawling, comedic war epic is a spectacle of non-stop, chaotic action. It's a film that throws everything at the screen, and while not all of it sticks, the sheer audacity of it all is undeniable.

Here's a breakdown of what makes "1941" such a unique, and often perplexing, viewing experience:

* Over-the-Top Chaos:

The film's energy is relentless. From John Belushi's manic portrayal of a rogue pilot to the countless, elaborate set pieces, "1941" operates at a fever pitch. It's a barrage of sight gags, explosions, and general pandemonium.

The movie is a very loose interpretation of the panic that gripped Los Angeles after the Pearl Harbor attack. It takes that kernel of historical anxiety and amplifies it to absurd levels.

* A Dated Aesthetic:

This is where the film's charm, for me, resides. It's a product of its time, reflecting the late 1970s sensibility. The large cast of comedic actors from that era is a huge draw for me.

* It is a film that is very much of its time, and the comedy style reflects that.

* Problematic Elements:

It's important to acknowledge that "1941" contains elements that are now, and were then, considered problematic. The film's portrayal of certain ethnic groups is rooted in stereotypes, and its comedic treatment of wartime anxieties can be seen as insensitive.

* A Spielberg Curiosity:

"1941" stands as a notable outlier in Spielberg's filmography. It's a rare foray into broad, farcical comedy

Despite its flaws, the film showcases Spielberg's technical prowess, particularly in its elaborate action sequences and visual effects.

In essence, "1941" is a messy, but undeniably memorable, cinematic experience. It's a film that demands to be seen, if only to witness its sheer, unbridled chaos. If you can appreciate dated humor and are willing to overlook its flaws, you might just find yourself entertained.

I grew up on Spielberg flicks, love his style ET, Jaws, Close Encounters, Jurrassic Park, etc.

Just saw this movie for the first time. I was completely shocked at how bad it was.

The storyline, the characters, the whole thing is just BAD. I was bored out of my mind.

No redeeming qualities, unbelievable amounts of money spent on NOTHING.

Not funny.

Speillberg blew it big time on this one.

It was cool to see all the old, 80's comedians when John Candy & Belushi were still alive.

You are not missing anything here

I have a sneaking suspicion that Steven Spielberg must have seen and loved It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World as a sixteen year old kid and resolved that if he became as big a movie name as Stanley Kramer he'd do a film just like it. In 1979 Spielberg succeeded admirably creating a chaotic classic about a very serious time.

I doubt we're ever going to be ready for decades for a film like this about the days following the Twin Towers. Those were pretty scary days, especially on the Pacific coast where our fleet with the remarkable exception of the carriers was at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and who really knew where and how many the Japanese were following the attack in Hawaii.

It should give you cold chills to think that if it was more than Toshiro Mifune lost submarine with German observer Christopher Lee on it that they would have been met with what we see in 1941. At the time our home defense on the Pacific Coast was commanded by Major General Joseph L. Stillwell known to all as Vinegar Joe. But he could be moved as we see as he takes in a screening of Dumbo which did come out around that time.

Like It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World the cast it populated with some of the great comedians and comic players of the time. At some point or other they all intersect in their comic defense of California under attack from the Japanese as surely as the world was under attack from Orson Welles's broadcast of War Of The Worlds.

There are a lot of memorable performances where some serious players got to show a comic side and really get unrestrained. One example would be crazy National Guard colonel Warren Oates meeting up with equally crazy would be air ace John Belushi. Slim Pickens saves California by his Faux constipation, he really goes unrestrained. Tim Matheson as Stilwell's aide is as horny as he was in Animal House as he maps out a campaign to nail aviation buff Nancy Allen and winds up midair in a plane he knows not how to fly.

Robert Stack plays Vinegar Joe Stilwell the only true character in 1941 and he plays it straight as a string. If he survived this bunch of lunatics, how come he couldn't get Chiang Kai-Shek off his duff and fight those Japanese who were really invading his country? Maybe duty in the Far East was a welcome relief for Stilwell, but not for long.

Be eternally grateful that this was NOT the way it was in 1941 and sit back and enjoy.

We can safely say Spielberg is not one for a semi-raunchy war comedy, he doesn't know how to direct it and setting it in the background of this serious of an event works only if you are Kubrick and make the comedy dark.

And of course, the best parts are still the ones regarding cinematic spectacle or action. Another issue is that Spielberg tried to cram in too many jokes per minute where it would have worked better if it had fewer better jokes. And maybe it would have worked as it is but the actors were not all funny. I mean, it's a mess of things.

Anyway, if this is the worst Spielberg can come up with its still commendable and worthy of a watch.