I was led to the subject of Korean War movies by Lee Marvin.  As I was finishing Lee Marvin: His Films and Career and looking around for a second project to tackle, I kept returning to the fact that Marvin had appeared in three Korean War films, and I was very familiar with them, having just written about them.  A little research indicated that only one book (by Paul Edwards) had been written about Korean War films specifically, and the fiftieth anniversary of the conflict was about to arrive.  So I jumped in and decided that I would document Korean War films for my next project. There couldn’t be all that many, right?

Korean War films are, generally, obscure.  I quickly learned that most people cannot name more than five.  I could barely name ten when I began the project and I ended up with ninety-one!  I had to set parameters for the book, and so determined that in order to qualify a movie had to have at least a glimpse of war action — or be a dedicated “homefront” movie like I Want You or Three Wishes, where the war’s presence is constant and its effects are inevitable.  By doing so, I was able to include a host of movies that reference the war, illustrate all sorts of things about it, and encompass virtually every cinematic variance that could be imagined.

It was also important that because of the fiftieth anniversary, the Korean War was back in the news again.  Had I thought of the idea five years earlier I could have had the book ready by 2000, taken advantage of all the publicity and sold a few more copies.  But I was writing the Marvin book during that time.  So I finished KWF and had it ready for 2003, the fiftieth anniversary of the conclusion of the Korean War. That was better than nothing.

As I said, it was Lee Marvin who led me to the subject.  I loved writing the book and it has introduced me to a lot of great people, mainly Korean War veterans, whom I would not have met had I not written it.  I did some programs on the book at local venues (and am available for others) that not only informed the public of all the films they missed on this esoteric subject, but persuaded me that I had written something worthwhile and lasting.  They provided a forum for veterans to recall their own military service and contrast it against Hollywood’s perception of such service.  And since we have once again been embroiled in controversial action overseas, the book seems more relevant than ever.