WWII films - what is your favorite?

[Latka]

I was recently browsing the list of "war" films over at www.imdb.com (Internet Movie Database) and thought I'd ask you folks for your thoughts.

Which films do you like?

I know that many were made with less than accurate details, so I'd like to see which ones hold up to the scrutinizing bunch that y'all are

On the same subject - I caught "Mister Rogers" on American Movie Classics (AMC I think it is) a couple weeks ago. They had footage of MCAS Kaneohe Bay (where I served in the Marine Corps, and now... I live right across the bay from it) from the late 50s or early 60s. Quite a hoot to see the very hangars I walked around thousands of times at night in film!

-Andy

[Wild Bill]

I have always been a war movie addict. It began as a kid. I've been around so long I saw "Sands of Iwo Jima" when it came to the Paramount Theatre back in the late 40s. And some earlier than that.

Without trying to sound pompous or bragging, I have been able to collect over 250 videos of war movies from through today. This includes nearly all the episodes of Tour of Duty.

Now after more than 50 years of watching war movies, which is my all time favorite?

Wow, hard choice! Some stand out for authenticity, some for their entertainment value.

I'm still trying to decide. Right now it would appear to be Saving Private Ryan.

I have to recommend one other that stands out so strongly in my mind. There is no real combat in the film, but it is a gripping tale of Admiral Bull Halsey when he relieves Admiral Ghormley to take over the battle for Guadalcanal. "The Gallant Hours."

Another very gripping one, and apparently little known, is one called "The Victors," following an infantry unit from North Africa to post-war Germany. The ending will stun you!

Oops, more than one. At the moment, however, it's still SPR. I can't get that movie out of my mind.

Wild Bill


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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

[Drake]

Will for me

1. Des Boot
2. Stalingrad
3. Glory

Will could add a lot more to this list but for all time favorite and I dont see that changeing and that is Des boot. Cant remember how many times I have seen it.


Seen Wild Bill list Saving Private Ryan as his, I found that mavie ok but I cound not see what all the fuse was about it. Gess you got to be an amarican to really like that one.

As for war related movies I would have to list Shenlers List. First time I seen that I could not move from my seat.

[Latka]

I have always been a war movie addict. It began as a kid. I've been around so long I saw "Sands of Iwo Jima" when it came to the Paramount Theatre back in the late 40s. And some earlier than that

Wow. I guess you've seen *all* the war movies then, eh?

SPR was quite a movie. The shock of the beach landing when we saw it in the theater...man. That was the first (and only to this point) movie where people walked out at the end in total silence. Even with the techical innacuracies (I know of a few, and I'm sure there are more) it was quite a powerful movie.

I mentioned in another post that I picked up "A Bridge Too Far(1977)" the other day on DVD. I had forgotten just how many "big" names there were in that movie! Jeez... after looking at the cast again, I wonder how much it'd cost them in salaries alone to do the duplicate today!

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0075784

<UL>
[*]Dirk Bogarde .... Lieutenant General Frederick 'Roy' Browning</LI>
[*]James Caan .... Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun</LI>
[*]Michael Caine .... Lieutenant Colonel Joe Vandeleur</LI>
[*]Sean Connery .... Major General Roy Urquhart</LI>
[*]Edward Fox .... Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks</LI>
[*]Elliott Gould .... Colonel Bobby Stout</LI>
[*]Gene Hackman .... Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski</LI>
[*]Anthony Hopkins .... Lieutenant Colonel John Frost</LI>
[*]Hardy Krüger .... Major General Ludwig</LI>
[*]Laurence Olivier .... Doctor Spaander</LI>
[*]Ryan O'Neal .... Briragier General James M. Gavin</LI>
[*]Robert Redford .... Major Julian Cook</LI>
[*]Maximilian Schell .... Lieutenant General Wilhelm Bittrich </LI>
[*]Liv Ullmann .... Kate Ter Horst</LI>
[*]Denholm Elliott .... RAF Meteorological Officer </LI>
[/list]

[Ismael]

Cross of Iron
Gunga Din
300 Spartans
Gettysburg
The Beast
12 O'clock High
Kelly's Heroes
Lawrence of Arabia
The Battle of Austerlitz
War and Peace
The Deer Hunter
The Battle of Britain
Saving Private Ryan
Das Boot
A Bridge Too Far
Zulu
The Longest Day
Lion of the Desert
The Dirty Dozen
The Blue Max
Sahara
Fail Safe
Dr. Strangelove
Sink the Bismark


[This message has been edited by Ismael (edited October 22, 2000).]

[dox44]

Which films do you like?

"a midnight clear"
"geronimo"
"rough riders"

[Hauptmann6]

In no order

Winter War
Zulu
Gettysburg
Hamburger Hill

[degen]

I've always liked The Longest Day. The movie covers the invasion from many different vantage points and tries to show what the people felt during it. The humor is also great, especially the German officer getting blown to smithereens in the pillbox while his HQ is doubting the existence of the invasion.

[Maelstrom]

WW2...
The Longest Day
The Guns of Navarone
SPR
Midway

Modern..
The Beast (Hey tank boy!)
Hunt for the Red October

[JN]

My alltime favorite would be "The Unknown Soldier", the old version from '55.

And the other great finnish war movie "The Winter War" (There is a longer TV series version that was shown on finnish TV which is really cool)

[Fredde]

JN, I agree.. the old version of 'The unknown soldier', the most realistic war movie i have seen.. the newer version isn't bad either. Winter War is also very good.

Saving private Ryan, i had big hopes for that movie after watching the first couple of scenes.. but unfortunately, it fell down to the usual hollywoodish heroistic tradition in the latter part. Too bad..

[Lars Remmen]

As for WW2 movies:

Das Boot
Stalingrad
Die Brücke



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Lars
Nec Timide - Nec Temere

[Red Baron]

1): Das Boot
2): Gettysburg
3): Platoon
4): Kelly's Heroes
5): The Deer Hunter
6): Saving Private Ryan
And in the odities dep. Not of it´s qualities but, more because of CE. I just love the scen where he sit´s on top of the hill after the battle and smoking his cigar
7) :Suddenly i can´t remmeber the English title?? It´s the one with the US invasion on Grenada.Tranlated from Danish "Elite Soldier"
Well, there could many more films to that list, but those above was the first ones to pop up in my mind.

Regards..Red Baron.

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"SEMPER PARATUS" An Old Hawk Soldier Is Allways Ready!!

[This message has been edited by Red Baron (edited October 20, 2000).]

[Red Baron]

1) as Boot
2):Gettysburg
3):Platoon
4):Kelly's Heroes
5):The Deer Hunter
6):Saving Private Ryan
And in the odities dep. Not of it´s qualities but, more because of CE. I just love the scen where he sit´s on top of the hill after the battle and smoking his cigar
7):Suddenly i can´t remmeber the English title?? It´s the one with the US invasion on Grenada.Tranlated from Danish "Elite Soldier"
Well, there could many more films to that list, but those above was the first ones to pop up in my mind.
Regards..Red Baron.

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"SEMPER PARATUS" An Old Hawk Soldier Is Allways Ready!!

[Latka]

Dang, Red Baron... I can see the movie you're talking about. Clint Eastwood as a US Marine. Heartbreak Ridge (1986)...that's it!
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0091187

[silentsurfer]

Saving Pvt Ryan-best and hardest hitting war movie ever made. Amoung the other good ones:

Stalingrad
cross of iron
midnight clear-little known movie, well worth the rental
Most war movies I've seen are at least in the "fair" catagory. One noteable exception:

In the "Holy crap, that sucked" departement...Thin red line. I'm not even going to go into one of my rants on how much I hated that movie. Sufice to say, I walked out about half way through, I think it was about the 7 hr mark, so that would put it about half way, wouldnt it?

Cheers

Surfer

[Red Baron]

Originally posted by Latka:
Dang, Red Baron... I can see the movie you're talking about. Clint Eastwood as a US Marine. Heartbreak Ridge (1986)...that's it!
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0091187

Yep!..That´s the movie..Just love CE in that movie
Red Baron.



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"SEMPER PARATUS" An Old Hawk Soldier Is Allways Ready!!

[TheOriginalOverlord]

One nobody has mentioned.....Attack Force Z.

Mel Gibson in the Pacific, not too bad of a flick. His whole team is running around behind enemy lines with silenced "Grease Guns", there are some good scenes in there.

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Semper Fi!

Overlord

[Heartland]

Originally posted by Fredde:
Saving private Ryan, i had big hopes for that movie after watching the first couple of scenes.. but unfortunately, it fell down to the usual hollywoodish heroistic tradition in the latter part. Too bad..

Have to agree here. The first twenty minutes are just brilliant, then it's downhill. The final fight could just as easily have taken place on the Death Star...and in fact reminds me of Star Wars to some degree. Had it been marketed as such it would have been okay, but it was supposed to be super-realistic.

My list:
- Thin Red Line. Numero uno, probably favourite movie all categories. Got it on DVD and it's just stunning.
- Das Boot
- Piece of Cake. Eexcellent British mini-series about Spitfire pilots.
- Cross of Iron
- Stalingrad
- That Australian mini-series about WW1 which I can never remember the name of, with Paul Hogan among others!
- The Beast
- Kelly's Heroes
- Dr Strangelove

Ooops, that's not WWII movies, but war movies in general. Oh well!

[This message has been edited by Fredrik Rask (edited October 20, 2000).]

[xavier]

1) Stalingrad.
2) Cross of Iron.
3) first twenty minuts of SPR.
4) Das Boot.
5) others...

I never saw "winter war". Where can I find it ?


XAAL.