Kurt Vonnegut's War in Reverse

[FISRTCHOICE]

I will be voting for Billy Pilgrim next November for President. I love Kurt Vonnegut. One of the worlds greatest writer.

[Pluckyxo]

So it goes

[EYDstudios]

According to the Tralfalmadorians, Kurt Vonnegut has always lived, and will always live. Forever. <3

[RookofIvory]

So it goes.

[Jcolinsol]

The world makes a lot more sense backwards.

[kevinmarkfilms]

Great video! Check out my short film "NUMERICA" if you have some time. Inspired by Kurt Vonnegut's public domain short story "2 B R 0 2 B".

In response to growing fears of overpopulation, a new law has been passed. For every person born an adult must volunteer to die. NUMERICA.

[TomUltranova]

Happy Birthday Mr Vonnegut. 11/11/22. You always said that the eleventh day of the eleventh month be remembered as Armistice Day, the Day when the end of the First World War was declared at the eleventh hour. Yet also known as Remembrance Day, we pay tribute to you Mr V. on your birthday, as a true visionary of Peace and Justice. Gone but never Forgotten. May the Universe hold you in the warmth of its one-ness and completion. *** ** *** **

[falstaffswims]

One of the few beautiful things about human beings is that we have the capacity to BE ASHAMED OF THINGS WE'VE DONE... AND WISH WE COULD REVERSE OUR ACTIONS. And among the many, many awful things about human beings is that we KEEP fucking up, declaring wars on each other, irreversibly hurting and killing each other. Shame on us... but: Hooray for us! We've spawned the likes of Kurt Vonnegut and Explosions in the Sky!!

[binoche2]

The two people who disliked this: Fuck You. In no way could I mean that more.

For the likes, you already know what, and how, to think. So it goes :)

[RookofIvory]

@binoche2 How do you know they weren't just disliking the poor editing of the video? That's why I'm about to dislike it.

[max2right]

A graet man

[ezestc]

It pains me to get to know that this great man passed away more than three years ago before I ever got to hear about him. This man was in Biafra to see first hand the genocide that was committed by Nigeria against Igbo people during the war of extermination brought upon the young Nation State of Biafra by Nigeria and her allies. May Kurt rest in peace and may there be more like him here.

[TheTopBloke]

Very cool tribute.

[legend145]

this puts a tear in my eye everytime i watch it. the same goes for the passage in slaughterhouse-five which is perhaps even more startling as the words alone colour the depiction. it fills me with tears of sadness; sadness because the inherent irony shows man's weakness in full view, but also tears of humour and laughter; vonnegut's ability to craft such a beautifully ironic and back-handed piece of prose derives a very warm smile.

[falstaffswims]

Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

[superextremelaser]

good choice of music too

[soccom8341576]

Unfortunately, time does not share this sense of humor.

What's done has been done.

Just don't fight them in the first place. 

[x4vampriss4x]

So beautiful.

[slushieman]

This is the most beautiful video I have ever seen.

[angeurbain]

I went twice to Dresden in my life just because of the book and the movie. Today it is still a wonderfull city. Thank you for this touching video

[AivasovskyHeifetz]

The American fliers turned in their uniforms, became high school kids. And Hitler turned into a baby, Billy Pilgrim supposed. That wasn't in the movie. Billy was extrapolating. Everybody turned into a baby, and all humanity, without exception, conspired biologically to produce two perfect people named Adam and Eve, he supposed.

[Jcolinsol]

@AivasovskyHeifetz

When your a baby you go back up inside your mother, and then she goes back into her mother, and so forth until we all become one glorious hole.

[ShaktiLIfe]

As we look into the maw of nuclear conflict in the middle east, yeah, this video has lots of appeal to me. I wish....

[rajuncajun865]

i saw the title and i knew exactly what you were referinng to. i love it.

[rajuncajun865]

loved the book and this passage. also liked the video.

[bcindahouse1]

good call on the explosions in the sky.

[joesomenumbers]

American planes, full of holes and wounded men and corpses took

off backwards from an airfield in England. Over France, a few German

fighter planes flew at them backwards, sucked bullets and shell

fragments from some of the planes and crewmen. They did the same for

wrecked American bombers on the ground, and those planes f...lew up

backwards to join the formation...

[joesomenumbers]

When the bombers got

back to their base, the steel cylinders were taken from the racks and

shipped back to the United States of America, where factories were

operating night and day, dismantling the cylinders, separating the

dangerous contents into mineral. Touchingly, it was mainly women who

did this work. The minerals were then shipped to specialists in remote

areas. It was their business to put them into the ground, to hide them

cleverly, so they would never hurt anybody again.

[Ocelotte]

@joesomenumbers That passage it so immensely powerful-- every time I read it it brings tears to my eyes.

[peashiee]

Great youtube film A+ 10/10

[funkyalfonso]

@Mushdisaster Me too and tonight is the first time I've seen the movie since it's first release. What a mind he had and what compassion.

[Matt482942]

Great book.

I laughed and cried.

[calisoldier414]

Beautiful.

[munchies1234]

damn eco-forums extreme posting AND a very good video editor

damn

[Zignal62]

Unstuck in time, Billy Pilgrim Lives :)

[checkmate83]

Wow.  I'm a grown man and this made me cry this morning. Bravo.

[TomUltranova]

KV would have been 87 yesterday. It is so awesome that a man who hated war was born on

Armistice Day 11/1122, the closest thing to an international day of Peace.

You are missed Mr Vonnegut. My life feels very different without you on this blue green planet. I miss our walks and chats near that big shiny rectangle on the East River, the privilege of walking with you, talking with you was such a miracle to me. Rest in that wisp of undifferentiated nothingness--who knows what comes next?

[sewerface]

So beautiful. Thank you. Perfect track for it too.

[diogeneslaertius666]

gone, but never forgotten.

[Ihatederick123]

slaughterhouse- five. amazing book

[GMann43]

brilliant. this should have way more views.

[crashpointXzero]

Beautifully shot. The background score holding hands with the movie. Thank you for doing this.

Listen:

Kurt lives forever. And the little birdie says "Poo-tee-weet?"

[snardlefarb]

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.

thanks for posting this.

always knew it could be done.

just needed the right person.

bravo!

well done!

s.

[garyhosty]

Thanks for this. Interested folk who don't already know may enjoy the great man reciting the piece from slaughterhouse 5 set to music..er amazon'll have it mp3 look for kurt. its good.

[wildwildwitek]

Well done. Impressive.

[Zeld1122]

Soldiers getting their camouflage wiped off, troops unloading machine guns, bullets being sucked back to their champers, tanks reversing and eventually being torn to parts... The concept is so beautiful. I cried. RIP Kurt.

[legomanyeh]

Ive only recently finished reading Slaughter House 5 and found this concept amasing how we have it all backwards it's tragic ......... thank you for making the video

[iLEE]

This was amazing. Both Vonnegut and Explosions in the Sky.

[imogensparks]

Beautiful :)

[MrPASHproductions]

wouldnt it be great?

[pinkietows]

excellent piece of work

[T538]

Kurt is up in heaven now.

[youthuprising101]

lol, :,-(

[theot337]

awesome

[NiceguysCayne]

War in Reverse... so we've already won it =D

[doctorsanchiz]

A war in reverse!....wait a minute, why not?

[murf1992]

This is one of the most beautiful pieces I've seen on YouTube in quite a while.

[planetoperator]

cool..

[RogerKaputnik]

Nice work!

[funkyalfonso]

Wonderful.

[melissanikol]

Um, no it wasn't. It was based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which was published a year before Vonnegut was born.

[TomUltranova]

Rest in peace? No. Rest as you are able, as a wisp of undifferentiated nothingness Mr Vonnegut, for that is what you believed about the so-called hereafter; you said so one winter day across from the Secretariat. You are so missed on this blue and green veil of tears. Work toward peace in his name.

[MisterNnamdi]

@TomUltranova

Well, I can confidently say this is the only Youtube comment I've ever read that had any merit of literary skill.

[TomUltranova]

@MisterNnamdi thanks!

[MomSaysImCool]

Weirdly enough, I didn't feel all that bad that Kurt died until now. Absolutely gorgeous.

[Matt482942]

nm. its important to read the video descriptions :-P

[Matt482942]

curious, what song are they playing?

i play the piano and think its cool.

[NYNYMatt]

Heady, I know you aren't figuring that this can compare to the work of KV himself, but this is a brilliant video you have put together. It is the best on Youtube, and I have forwarded it more times than any other. I had the honor and great fortune of having met and spoken with Kurt Vonnegut many times and I am certain he would have been proud of what you did here.

[garbagemankm]

this is the best song/video combination on youtube.

[smillar98]

At 2:57 they show airborne units putting on face paint. The soldier has an "E" on his helmet. The soldier in the front has the 101st emblem on his shoulder. It's very likely that this is EZ CO. The Band of Brothers, preparing for "D"-Day.

[smillar98]

Has anyone read his short story about German American translators in WWII? I think its in Bagombo Snuff box.

How many artilleries do you have? What is your unit?

[Wacek4444]

Actually headysauce, you've surpassed every anti-war statement Vonnegut made in his books with this short, simple yet stunning video and I'm saying this as a long time KV reader. As Smoky says below, you should at least send the clip to Explosions. Don't hesitate. Life, you know, goes, and I bet lot of people here would agree with me that you've got Taste,Talent&Testicles destined for arts;)

[ChrisGrape]

i agree that the video is amazing; it's one of my favorites on youtube.

but to say that it surpasses every anti-war statement Vonnegut ever made is dangerously ill-advised.

[sideaches]

Absolutely beautiful tribute to one of America's (and the world's) greatest writers.

I wonder--Has anybody else heard the Simon Heselev track "Tock Tick"? It's a strange sort of house beat thing with Vonnegut reading the passage from Slaughterhouse-Five that this video is referencing...really a very cool track.

[smokypoppy]

my favorite video on youtube. you should send it to explosions in the sky.

[TlR6]

Brilliant, Vonny would have enjoyed. I thank you. Forget all those granfalloons.

[sararaye]

Happy Birthday Kurt!

[Shdwtaxi]

Fantastic, beatifull

[DreamEater042]

fantastic. just fantastic.

[smillar98]

It makes the most sense to any living being to take the bullets out of the back of the gun, when you have the choice.

[SuchADork77]

whoa.....that video was beautiful....this is the best tribute to slaughterhouse five i've seen. thank you

[vicepresidentfru1tly]

I cant believe youtube just made me cry. Kurt would be proud. See you all on Tralfamadore...

[jws54]

thanks, saw the film "slachthaus funf"(sp),

back in the 60's. very impactful. first exposure to anything Vonnegut.

thanks for posting

[hurinsbane]

I'll see you guys on Tramalfador

[pscghrt]

Cats Cradle ftw!

[salsebin]

great

[evilweevil321]

beautiful. when the music changes and he's un-dealing the cards! spectacular.

(i made a vid inspired by that same idea, check it out if u want)

[socmg14]

blows my mind.

RIP kurt vonnegut

[boreale33]

wow ...

[IlliniGuy108]

God bless you, Mr. Vonnegut

[hendrixman1515]

Hey could a few people help me out? I've read cat's cradle and im pretty sure I'm going to read Slaughterhouse Five. I was wondering, in you're opinion, what are his other great novels. Which Kurt Vonnegut's do you love? Please reply and help me out.

[Jackscarab]

Breakfast of Champions and Galapagos will round out his greatest four novels.

After that, my next few favorites are Slapstick, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, and Mother Night.

If you don't quite have time for his novels, though, read A Man Without a Country.

[Frantotti6226]

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

[themafia006]

A great one is The Sirens of Titan...its one of the best books I've ever read.

[ColinGWood]

I am IN LOVE with Welcome To The Monkey House, a collection of short stories

[MORBIDbEAUTY87]

As am I...The BarnHouse Effect came into my mind when i read this...this is amazing.

[ChrisGrape]

simply, they're all great.

read them all before you die.

on top of what has already been said, don't forget hocus pocus, deadeye dick, mother night, jailbird, etc.

[cackhandedchimp]

Breakfast of Champions

[stephanjestrebi13]

thank you Mr. Vonnegut

[Wacek4444]

Geoff, you bastard, you made me cry with this clip. It's a pity only cinema can turn back time (I mean, literally). I wish more people were reding KV books, perhaps the world woudn't be so fucked up then. I wish they could find way into politicians heads. Yeah, I wish many things. It was sad time when I learned about KV's death (so it goes, right). But I believe that as long as people read his stuff, he's alive and kickin'. Cheers, people!

[poetworm]

"The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a person dies he only APPEARS to die." -Billy Pilgrim, Slaughterhouse-Five

you are a hero to me, Mr. Vonnegut. as long as people cherish your works, you will always live on.

[dseecs]

Kurt Vonnegut truly is an inspirational writer, I recommend his works to all of you.

In particular Sirens of Titan has changed my life.

[IndyRLM]

It is because of people like you were are all alive. Thank you.

[piotr321]

You know those movies that send shivers down your spine.....

[LPalizza]

amazing...

[NearNothing]

Thanks so much for the video

[compc4]

i've never commented on a video... but this one isn't like the rest is it? Truly Powerful

Thank you

[Tralfamador5]

Beautiful piece of video. I love it!

[Jman0086]

this video is amazing. Kurt Vonnegut is my idol as well, and that passage in Slaughterhouse V is one of the reasons why. The thought of war moving in reverse is such an evocative image, and you did a great job capturing that concept here.

[ChiDynasty12]

whenever i watch this i get the chills. i wish everybody could see this, most influential video i've seen on youtube. love it

[Britt1944]

I loved slaughterhouse-five and I love your video.

Could you tell me what the name of the song is? It is so peaceful and yet so powerful as well. Great choice of music

[himynameisduh]

lol he wrote in with the details of the video.

[himynameisduh]

i just finished finally reading slaughterhouse five. it was such a perspective changing book. i hate how i see my generation being told that war is good. look at all the videogames now which tell us its fun to kill the "enemy". beautiful video tho

[john66]

this really should end with kissinger belittling nixon, rove whispering in bush's ear, and truman looking at his penis.

[christophergian]

great work!

nice editing and music.

this really beats the hell out of a lot of those other sh-5 usermade videos here.

check out my sh-5 based short film.

[Phatheading]

He came unstuck in time. He wasn't making stuff up, by the way. Doesn't really matter but whatever.

[rumputuski]

Well, Phateading, that's sort of the beauty part, that the reader is left to wonder if these things Billy says happened actually did (the Tralfamodorean experience, that is), for we might see him as shell shocked.

[rumputuski]

(continued) I'm writing my BA about Mother Night and, going through stuff about Vonnegut, I saw one critic argue that Billy got this idea from Kilgore Trout, which I see as as good an interpretation as any. Plus the narattor repeats at the beginning (1st page, second chapter) that this is what Billy "says". In the end it's up to the reader, how one chooses to interpret it.

[poetworm]

beautiful.

[profuselyx]

This is the most beautiful video Ive seen on YouTube, I cant think of the appropriate word to express the way it made me feel, so it goes...

[calmclam123]

sweet

[disfunktedfish]

Ah yes, Kurt Vonnegut. I read the title and thought of Slaughterhouse Five instantaneously. What a great book, standard reading material. He has become my hero, I hope he is to many after his great wake. We miss you Kurt.

[utterflynet]

If only it were as simple as pressing rewind on a device to make all that go away. Billy Pilgrim had the right idea though, it was quite beautiful.

[chocobo236]

Indeed war is tearfully beautiful in reverse!

maybe that's why I cried.

[BARE456]

regardless of any philosophy anyone has of war that is a beautiful video.

[jesselangham]

Absolutely lovely. Kurt would be proud.

[punkrico]

Man, i cried. darn it!!!! Kurt you changed my life and i thank you from the center of my heart for it. thank you for everthing!

[Thrak0z]

Thank you.

[JontheDoc82]

Well done. I'll always remember that scene from SH5. Puts a lot in perspective.

This would be a perfect visual aid in a classroom, too!

[vaporpaper]

My god that was beautiful. Made me a little teary.

[slamco]

what's the song?

[symbolicmilk]

i joined to tell you how perfect this is. thank you.

[captsuprawesome]

brilliant