Movies like "Das Boot"?

[Canoerebel]

That reminds me of Zulu. Two daughters were dismayed by the movie's portrayal of their father, who I think is the character portrayed as the miscreant drunk. (At least he wasn't the preacher!)

[StK]

@Biggus63:
A very good thing you bring up, but as I understand that people who lived through those things will have objections to the movies I don't feel that the reason he gave "glorification" is valid. I have read this from several German critics too ... but I just don't see it.
But then again one of the critics said "It's hard to really feel with the crew" and that's just bs. Anybody who can't feel for this crew has a heart of stone.

[RevRick]

ORIGINAL: StK

@treespider I was originally speaking about movies about Naval warfare/the Pacific Theater, but it soon went in another direction.. (^^,).
I know all the others and have enjoyed most of them.

Private Ryan.. hmm.. I might get stoned for this, but I think its overrated. My reason for saying this is, if i think about the really good movies there are immediately scenes coming to mind that left an impression. All I remember about Pvt. Ryan are some very nice pictures even though I saw it several times.

I don't know about that... In the opening sequence, the GI getting his legs blown off sure was memorable to me; or the scene with the Tiger making the ground literally rumble around the shell hole. There were a number of such scenes which made the movie difficult for me to watch. Sort of like the Cold War movie "The Bedford Incident" or "Gray Lady Down."

To be honest, one of my favorite films about the war is "The Gallant Hours."

[StK]

@RevRick: There might be a difference in point-of-view considering war that I have (maybe as a European, and as citizen of a country on the loosing side of WW2 edit: my parents had definitely a huge influence on that, they are both pacifists) but going into that would completely derail the topic.

Another great movie that I just remembered while thinking about this is "Die Brücke", which was produced in Germany in 1959.

[Canoerebel]

My father came ashore at D Plus 5. He was a sergeant with the OSS. He speaks very, very highly of Saving Private Ryan. That's a pretty credible comment on the movie's authenticity. To me it's one of the late 20th century's great movies that "put the audience in a position of experiencing history about as accurately as possible." Titanic fits in the same category, though I bet there will be plenty of criticism of that move. It exaggerated a few things, but overall did a marvelous job of accurately portraying an amazing event and putting the viewer in the position of understanding what it might have been like to be aboard that ship.

[StK]

@Canoerebel: I did not say it was a bad movie I said it in my opinion is overrated. It still is a fine movie and I don't dispute the realism.. I said I can't recollect a scene that I would call truly exceptional (.. I worded it horribly.. English is not my primary language). Also that the German side is only (at least to my memory) represented by this lunatic of the Waffen-SS was something that put me off.
My grandfather was a FlaK Gunner in Normandy and seeing that lunatic of a Waffen-SS as only representation of well.. him (He wasn't SS he was a 19 year old Wehrmacht conscript)didn't sit right with me.

[Panther Bait]

I think one thing that leads to the perception that there are less and less movies of quality (of any genre) is that there are fewer movies being made now than in the past.  That probably goes double for war movies. 
 
Mike

[StK]

@Panther Bait: As I was born 1984 its maybe also a fact that mostly good old movies where recommended to me.
The bad ones simply didn't stand the test of time.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Titanic............... though I bet there will be plenty of criticism of that movie.

Warspite1

Yep you got that right. That excuse for a film is right up there with TFTSNBN in the steaming pile of dung stakes. Packed full of every cliche in the book...hideous.

[StK]

@Titanic: I'm with warspite1 on this one

edit:@warspite1:
My friend (whos house I'm sitting) owns the dvd "Conspiracy". The movie and especially the acting is astonishing

[Dixie]

I thought Das Boot was great when I first watched it, although it was on the BBC as a mini-series rather than a single film. It also helped me when I was learning German all those years ago. In fact I was encouraged to watch it by my German teacher.

The sheer futility of it all as they come through everything just to fall when they're safe was also a surprise the first time I saw it. We watch the crew go through so much and then they're gone. [:(] In some ways it's a similar feeling to Aces High.



Battle of Britain is right up there IMO, although I may be biased on that for a number of reasons!

It's not always a popular choice, but I really liked Letters from Iwo Jima as well.

[StK]

@Dixie: Did you watch the English version of it too and if yes what did you think of it?

[Empire101]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

A bridge too far, Battle of Britain, Letters from Iwo Jima come to mind.

ORIGINAL: Dixie
It's not always a popular choice, but I really liked Letters from Iwo Jima as well.

Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our Fathers are two thoughtful and enjoyable films from Clint Eastwood. I enjoyed them both immensely, as they showed both sides, not as stereotypes, but people like us going through something awful.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: warspite1
That excuse for a film is right up there with TFTSNBN in the steaming pile of dung stakes. Packed full of every cliche in the book...hideous.

Yup, it's got its warts. Nevertheless it is a great movie.

[Empire101]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

That reminds me of Zulu. Two daughters were dismayed by the movie's portrayal of their father, who I think is the character portrayed as the miscreant drunk. (At least he wasn't the preacher!)

ZULU!!

Now you're talking. A GREAT film.[8D]

I seem to be the only fan of 'Apocalypse Now' so far.....I'm a bit suprised[X(]

[warspite1]

Has anyone seen Operation Daybreak? One of my favourite war films. Great soundtrack, tragic story, superb film.[&o][&o]

Sadly the soundtrack is not available [:@]

[Encircled]

You can never tire of watching Zulu

The mini-series of Das Boot is probably a bit better than the film, but the film is fantastic.

"Cross of iron" is excellent as well

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

"Cross of iron" is excellent as well

warspite1

Yep [:)]

[Dixie]

ORIGINAL: StK

@Dixie: Did you watch the English version of it too and if yes what did you think of it?

Das Boot? I tried to watch the English version, but I just couldn't get into it and switched the DVD back to German. Possibly because I knew it should be in German, it's strange but there you go.

[StK]

I don't recollect ever seeing the miniseries anywhere.
Is it the same like the directors cut (which is the best version of the movie I know... in fact its a lot better in my opinion then the normal one)

@Dixie: Not really... If I can understand the original language (German and English.. French I'd like to but my French simply isn't good enough) in which a film was made in I will watch the original. I avoid translations where I can because no matter how well they are made something will always get lost on the way.