Kokoda Front Line! (1942) User Reviews

New Guinea on screen for the first time

[lee_eisenberg · 6/10 · 27 January 2016]

The first Australian production to win an Academy Award focuses on a platoon in New Guinea. Viewers nowadays will notice the casual use of racial slurs in reference to the Japanese, and a patronizing focus on the New Guineans. Aside from that, "Kokoda Front Line!" will be of interest to history buffs as a time capsule. I had never heard of Damien Parer before watching this, but it sounds as though he did a lot of important work during WWII (he fell victim to Japanese forces in 1944). The fact remains that no person who hasn't served in combat can truly know what it's like; we get only get a sense from the footage.

It's worth seeing as long as we understand the dated content. Another New Guinea-set documentary that I recommend is "The Sky Above - the Mud Below", which also won an Academy Award.

History Buffs Should Enjoy

[Michael_Elliott · 24 May 2012]

Kokoda Front Line! (1942)

*** (out of 4)

This Australian film was one of four pictures to get a Best Documentary Oscar in 1942, the first year of the category. Damien Parer was the photographer who was on the front lines and shot all of this footage and while this 9-minute short shouldn't be called a masterpiece, I think it's at least fair to say it's very important from just a historical perspective. I thought that we really got some terrific footage to view here including getting to see some soldiers as they were pretty much just standing around waiting to go into battle. There are some terrific shots of the men waiting around for their orders and we get some other exciting stuff as well. The most dramatic footage actually happens early on and it's when a plane takes off and is trying to clear a hill of trees. I won't ruin what happens but it's quite an image. I think this film is mainly going to appeal to those who enjoy these older WWII shorts and there's no doubt that history buffs should get a kick out of the footage.