The "Actual" Greatest War Movie ever

[Ivan]

i must agree
kellys heroes has to be one of the funniest movies ive ever seen. sure its a war movie, but **** ive laughed that hard only on few occasions.

[Zoltar DEXTER]

I would have not seen the beaches of Normandy and the cemetaries along them, I would have answered Das Boot (such a generic).

But I have seen the alignment s of graves... and I remember this small German graveyard, with the age of each victim indicated... 17 years, 18 years,....And Omaha's US cemetarry...very impressive and moving...

So, because D-Day represent so much for us, French (BTW, thanks again Folks ! we will never forget !), I choose The Longest Day.

One more time, you have our deepest gratitude.....


If I have children, I will show them the beaches of Normandy...

And the Longest Day.....

[Noodleboy]

Pre-20th Century (war that is): ZULU which i think is as epic as 'Waterloo' and a hell of a lot more entertaining.

WWI: ACES HIGH -screenplay airborne version of the play Journey's End -very dashing with fine aerial shots. Very grim with a high casualty rate and psychological breakdown.

Not quite a Film but i could watch ALL six episodes back to back repeatedly of this: BLACKADDER GOES FORTH which i know some of you guys have seen. You will never go on a course in the British Army without seeing an excerpt from this comedy.

WWII: ATTACK! -Jack Palance; he da boy! Real life war hero in a film that was banned for about five years in the USA 'cos it showed that even American troops under fire could crack.

Post-War: WARRIORS -sorry if this is a bit obscure but it's a Brit- Flick about the British Army's nightmare in Bosnia 1994. The contacts were fairly sporadic but the stresses involved in this seminal peacekeeping op seem to have ben fairly well portrayed.

[Frank W.]

Originally posted by Zoltar DEXTER
I would have not seen the beaches of Normandy and the cemetaries along them, I would have answered Das Boot (such a generic).

But I have seen the alignment s of graves... and I remember this small German graveyard, with the age of each victim indicated... 17 years, 18 years,....And Omaha's US cemetarry...very impressive and moving...

So, because D-Day represent so much for us, French (BTW, thanks again Folks ! we will never forget !), I choose The Longest Day.

One more time, you have our deepest gratitude.....


If I have children, I will show them the beaches of Normandy...

And the Longest Day.....

hello!

i visited normandie and belgium some weeks ago.

and i must say you are absolutly right!

one not think of the bloody battles that happened
in this nice countyside.

i stood at omaha beach and enjoyed the great sight
from "point du hoc", but always with a sad feeling of
all these brave men (of both sides) that died there.

[drwho007]

I think that Cross of Iron was a splended great show about the eastern front.

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

You are French Zoltar? I only ask due to your location.

I recall the horrible cost of France's liberation, and it all comes down to that French guy waving proudly his tricolour as his world is being shelled, because he knows the Nazi's days are numbered (scene from the Longest Day).

I wish more people could realise this simple detail when we see in the news of yet more people caught in the cross fire.

If Canada was invaded by a ruthless hostile vicious nation, and my life was subject to possible internment in forced labour camps or worse, you can bet I would be glad to see my liberators come, even if my town was flattened in the process.

All the suffering, all the death, all the horrors I place at the feat of the person or persons, nation or nations that orginally invaded me.
I would not hold responsible, the actions of my liberators, if they were risking their own peoples lives to drive out those of my captors.

War is indeed hell. People get killed in war. War is great at making people suffer.

There is just so little appreciation in media and film, for those that try and save us from the nastier people of the world.

I cry each November 11 as I recall all the people that stayed young forever, so we could rid ourselves of Nazis and all their allies.
And I am not to friendly to people that can't suffer a few minutes out of an entire year, to remember them.

"Lest we forget" means something to me at least.

Its why I study war and examine in detail. I have no intention of ever forgetting.

[Ezikel]

Originally posted by Noodleboy
Pre-20th Century (war that is): ZULU which i think is as epic as 'Waterloo' and a hell of a lot more entertaining.

WWI: ACES HIGH -screenplay airborne version of the play Journey's End -very dashing with fine aerial shots. Very grim with a high casualty rate and psychological breakdown.

Not quite a Film but i could watch ALL six episodes back to back repeatedly of this: BLACKADDER GOES FORTH which i know some of you guys have seen. You will never go on a course in the British Army without seeing an excerpt from this comedy.

WWII: ATTACK! -Jack Palance; he da boy! Real life war hero in a film that was banned for about five years in the USA 'cos it showed that even American troops under fire could crack.

Post-War: WARRIORS -sorry if this is a bit obscure but it's a Brit- Flick about the British Army's nightmare in Bosnia 1994. The contacts were fairly sporadic but the stresses involved in this seminal peacekeeping op seem to have ben fairly well portrayed.

"Stop throwing those bloody spears at me"
-Michael Cain

Ok... so he didn't really say it, but i would have been funny anyway *G*

I remember Black adder goes forth, unless im mistaken thats WW1? On the last episode they all charge out of the trench only to get nailed by a machine gun. Kinda brought the realism of what happened despite it being a comedy.

I thought Warriors was more of a short series than a film, some of the soliders in it were driving UN Peacekeeping APC's i think.

ABout enemy of the gates, well i havn't seen it and proberbly wont in the near future but my impression was it was the story of a Sniper Vs Sniper type of thing. I saw/read (cant remember) it was based on an acctuall event im sure everyone knows, but it was i think the one famous German sniper bassicly being hunted down (like a dog *G*) by numerous russian snipers and killed.

My fave tho' is 'A Bridge to far' for its scale and how it switches between people in the different bridges/locations/battles. One of the best scenes was i think when the air force was dropping supplies just outside a british stronghold (if it can be called that) one of the Paras was fed up and run out, picked up a container and made his way back. I think he got to the small foot bridge only to be gunned down before he got there. The irony being that the container that he picked up was a fresh supply of red berets.

Of course SPR has got to be up there for the realism of the beach assault and the alamo type battle at the end.

Worst film tho has to be Dam Busters... because ive been made to watch it at Christmas so many times i cant stand to see it again. Stupid film.

[Belisarius]

Originally posted by Ezikel

I thought Warriors was more of a short series than a film, some of the soliders in it were driving UN Peacekeeping APC's i think.

ABout enemy of the gates, well i havn't seen it and proberbly wont in the near future but my impression was it was the story of a Sniper Vs Sniper type of thing. I saw/read (cant remember) it was based on an acctuall event im sure everyone knows, but it was i think the one famous German sniper bassicly being hunted down (like a dog *G*) by numerous russian snipers and killed.

Warriors is a TV-minseries, and a quite good one at that. It depicts, as Noodleboy said, the situation for the UN troops in 1994 Bosnia. Special props to Ioan Gruffud for his performance. It's also interesting, as I've had quite a few friends going down there as part of the UN mission, and their stories are in line with the series. Lots of frustration, although I suspect it's a bit partial with the Bosnians.

[Ivan]

Warrios was good.With ron livingstone from band of brothers in it right?

[Belisarius]

Originally posted by Ivan
Warrios was good.With ron livingstone from band of brothers in it right?

Almost there. Damian Lewis, who played Major Winters in Band of Brothers, also stars in Warriors (as Lt. Loughrey). Ron Livingstone plays Capt. Nixon in BoB. I think you meant Lewis, anyway.

[Ivan]

yeah thats what i meant

see i just asssumed it was Livingstone who was Winters cos everyone said Livingstone was the best actor in band of brothers. And see i thought the winters dude was the best actor so i naturally assumed he was livingstone.

make sense?:D


anyway Warriors was very good.

[Zoltar DEXTER]

Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
You are French Zoltar? I only ask due to your location.

Hello Les,

sorry for my late answer, I am just back on line.

Yes, I am from this part of the world (the center ?) called France.

I am currently in Russia for professional purposes.


You are right Les, we should remember gallant men, the ones who stood up to fight evil. The fight against evil is a tough one, and sacrifices are usually necessary.


Zoltar

[Ironfist]

I would have to vote for "Cross of Iron". I just bought a new copy last week. It was like $30.00 but well worth it. Sadly I just heard on the news tonight that James Coburn has died of a heartattack at age 74. Truly a great actor.
Sgt. Stiener, " Come with me Captain and I will show you how Iron crosses grow!".

[Belisarius]

It's James Coburn. Credit where credit is due.

Truly a great actor, who will be missed. He recently rated "Cross of Iron" as one of his top 3 favourite performances.

I have to agree.

[Ironfist]

Speaking of his favorites. Did you ever see him in " The Presidents' Analyst" ? Very funny movie. Exspecially at the end where the Phone company ends up being the secert government agency.

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

So far off topic it can't even be made out with binoculars, but last night I saw Harry Potter 2.

And it made me think. There are sooooo many movies that try to be something, and do it the flashy popular way. And then there are a few that do it the right way, and they stand out so well for having done it just that way.

Compare the movie Dungeons and Dragons to the film Harry Potter 2.

With a name like Dungeons and Dragons you expect a certain type of film. After a lifetime of roleplaying games, I know, I expected a film that looked like the game, mostly.
That Dungeons and Dragons looked nothing like that game was a major disappointment. Don't get me wrong, the film was good, it was just not worth making a fuss using the name of the game on it.

There is more of the Dungeons and Dragons game in Harry Potter 2 actually. Magic, monsters, scary places, mysteries, dark forbidden secrets, nasty people. This is what I wanted when I went to see Dungeons and Dragons.

Essentially Dungeons and Dragons was more or less the same as Pearl Harbour. The battle scenes were great I am sure, how can you go wrong with all those "special effects".

Then again, I recently saw Windtalkers. The movie was based on a goood story notion, and then ruined with horribly inaccurate "special effects".

There must have been "special effects" in Harry Potter 2, but you know, I was busy being impressed with how they made the movie "look right" to notice anything that jumped out as a "special effect" (well the flying car is of course cool, but that was hardly a diffficult stunt to film I am sure).

That's why I get turned off with so many war movies that others are surprised I would slag. The film maker has essentially sold out to the lowest common denominator one to many times in the film in some cases.

I have heard many complaints about Enemy at the Gates, for accuracy this and accuracy that. I think the film was done reasonable over all. I gave it 4 out of 5 though for only one reason. The producer "sold out" when he filmed that lass pulling down her pants. Lovely bare butt she had eh, but it was grossly out of place when measured against the rest of the film.

I for one wish they would either make a movie all one way or the other. Either give me a man's war movie or a couple's war movie. But not both. I for instance will only watch Pearl Harbour if I have a woman with me. Otherwise, it will just not be worth my war movie dollar.

[Ironfist]

I would have to say I aggree. Personally I liked enemy at the gate but same as you I thought the "love" scene was not needed for the story to succeed. if I were to pick the second best movie I would have to say " a Bridge too Far" also it may not have been all historically accurate but the battles and the humor made it good. Paratrooper with leg blown off, " Morphine ! I need Morphine!" Sgt. ," No you dont son. It's only a flesch wound" Paratrooper ," Really Sir ? " Sgt. " Yeah, they only give that to the really wounded.":p But I will tell you what Battle I am looking forward to seeing. The battle of Helm's Deep. "Two Towers" JRRT.
Now there's a true dungeons and dragons movie. About Pearl Habor. I think if they would have called it by any other name It would have done/been better. It didnt seem to be about pearl at all. And most the scenes were taken from "Tora, Tora, Tora" which is by far the best of the two. Maybe if they had titled it "FlyBoy's" or mabye "Those men in their flying machines" I could have enjoyed it more. Heck I thought the best part of the movie was the Battle of Britain. On a another note maybe they could have called it " American Pride". Since that seemed to be the main theme. The movie I would vote as the worst ever would be "Thin Red Line" great cast, story line to nowhere. I've seen better battles in Godzilla......

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Hmm I was wondering if any others out there shared my view that Thin Red Line sucked.

[rbrunsman]

Originally posted by Ironfist
But I will tell you what Battle I am looking forward to seeing. The battle of Helm's Deep. "Two Towers" JRRT.

I wholeheartedly agree with my fellow Cincinnatian on that topic! Helm's Deep is the best chapter in an already awesome book and if "Two Towers" is as good with the special effects as "The Fellowship of the Rings" was then this movie is going to be one hell of a war movie! The second book of LOTR is all action, all the time.

Look at that. The censors didn't bleep out "hell." I hope no one has been offended.

[Belisarius]

As a cinematic experience and a lesson in the Art of Film, I guess Thin Red Line has some value to it. The photography is great.

As a War Movie? Sucks donkey's b*lls through a garden hose. :rolleyes: It was even boring, whatever the message was it was completely lost on me.

For special effects, let's all go back and chant about Band of Brothers some more. OK, I've not been in a war and can't really say what a grenade explosion should look like, but - there's a lot of earth-throwing stuff going on, and it looks realistic to me. Loud bang, lots of dirt flying around, less flames. I'm sick and tired of special effects depts blowing up a tanker worth of gasoline everytime a jeep blows up. :rolleyes: