Worst modern war film of all time

[AW1Steve]

I'm surprised that no one named "The Movie that Shall NOT Be Named". [:D]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I agree that Kelly's Heroes wasn't really about war, but I liked the movie as a comedic bank heist/treasure hunt using a tank as the quest horse.

The Thin Red Line literally put me to sleep with it's long, slow "nature" insertions. I read the book when I was a teenager and I remember a gritty story set in the Guadalcanal Campaign that featured both soldier and naval aviator characters. They were all green at the start of their journey and the book depicted their change from the innocence of youth to the grim kill-or-be-killed attitude to combat. There was not quarter given in RL Guadalcanal and no distracting sentimentality about beautiful nature and normal life. I don't recall any stuff about incompetent commanders seeking their own glory/promotion. I hated the movie because I could not see any of the book in it.

In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

I'm surprised that no one named "The Movie that Shall NOT Be Named". [:D]

warspite1

Pearl Harbor? Yes it's been mentioned once or twice....

[Lecivius]

Ack, he Named it!

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I agree that Kelly's Heroes wasn't really about war, but I liked the movie as a comedic bank heist/treasure hunt using a tank as the quest horse.

The Thin Red Line literally put me to sleep with it's long, slow "nature" insertions. I read the book when I was a teenager and I remember a gritty story set in the Guadalcanal Campaign that featured both soldier and naval aviator characters. They were all green at the start of their journey and the book depicted their change from the innocence of youth to the grim kill-or-be-killed attitude to combat. There was not quarter given in RL Guadalcanal and no distracting sentimentality about beautiful nature and normal life. I don't recall any stuff about incompetent commanders seeking their own glory/promotion. I hated the movie because I could not see any of the book in it.

In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

Are you thinking of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead? I don't know if that's ever been filmed.

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I agree that Kelly's Heroes wasn't really about war, but I liked the movie as a comedic bank heist/treasure hunt using a tank as the quest horse.

The Thin Red Line literally put me to sleep with it's long, slow "nature" insertions. I read the book when I was a teenager and I remember a gritty story set in the Guadalcanal Campaign that featured both soldier and naval aviator characters. They were all green at the start of their journey and the book depicted their change from the innocence of youth to the grim kill-or-be-killed attitude to combat. There was not quarter given in RL Guadalcanal and no distracting sentimentality about beautiful nature and normal life. I don't recall any stuff about incompetent commanders seeking their own glory/promotion. I hated the movie because I could not see any of the book in it.

In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

Are you thinking of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead? I don't know if that's ever been filmed.

Actually it was in 1958.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: mind_messing




In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

Are you thinking of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead? I don't know if that's ever been filmed.

Actually it was in 1958.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I agree that Kelly's Heroes wasn't really about war, but I liked the movie as a comedic bank heist/treasure hunt using a tank as the quest horse.

The Thin Red Line literally put me to sleep with it's long, slow "nature" insertions. I read the book when I was a teenager and I remember a gritty story set in the Guadalcanal Campaign that featured both soldier and naval aviator characters. They were all green at the start of their journey and the book depicted their change from the innocence of youth to the grim kill-or-be-killed attitude to combat. There was not quarter given in RL Guadalcanal and no distracting sentimentality about beautiful nature and normal life. I don't recall any stuff about incompetent commanders seeking their own glory/promotion. I hated the movie because I could not see any of the book in it.

In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

There was a group of fighter pilots on a transport going to the Solomons who were nervous about subs. At one point someone thought they spotted a torpedo and everyone panicked, one of the pilots even pooped his pants. It was a false alarm. Later there was some descriptions of aerial combat and one of the newbie pilots (perhaps the one with the messy pants) beat a Japanese Ace on his tail by dropping flaps and landing gear to slow his fighter suddenly so the Zero overshot him and he could riddle it with his own guns.

Most of the book was indeed about the land battles on the fictitious "dancing elephant" ridge. If you did not see the other stuff I suspect you read a paperback abridged version of the book? I read a hardcover from the library.

[pontiouspilot]

Rome was wonderful...even more so if you had the version with historical sub-titles. In the same vein, if you were also a Deadwood fan they are releasing a movie at end of May to finally close off that truncated mini-series 12 years later.

[trojan58]

For truely terrible War Movies, it’s hard to find any worse than:

u 571 anf the movie that shall not be named

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Ack, he Named it!

Named what? PEARL HARBO(U)R?

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Rome was wonderful...even more so if you had the version with historical sub-titles. In the same vein, if you were also a Deadwood fan they are releasing a movie at end of May to finally close off that truncated mini-series 12 years later.

Very cool. Deadwood is a classic.

Definitely a Rome fan too.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Strangely enough nobody mentioned the "fury" as really historically bad move except me... [8D]

IMHO the utter tactical stupidity depicted by both sides in that movie is almost unsurpassed... it surely looks good for big screen (i.e. "Hollywood") but historically it is plain stupid and 100% unrealistic... [:(]


Leo "Apollo11"

[jdsrae]

I’m with you on fury, far king ridiculous. figured you’d said it all but will publicly back you

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I agree that Kelly's Heroes wasn't really about war, but I liked the movie as a comedic bank heist/treasure hunt using a tank as the quest horse.

The Thin Red Line literally put me to sleep with it's long, slow "nature" insertions. I read the book when I was a teenager and I remember a gritty story set in the Guadalcanal Campaign that featured both soldier and naval aviator characters. They were all green at the start of their journey and the book depicted their change from the innocence of youth to the grim kill-or-be-killed attitude to combat. There was not quarter given in RL Guadalcanal and no distracting sentimentality about beautiful nature and normal life. I don't recall any stuff about incompetent commanders seeking their own glory/promotion. I hated the movie because I could not see any of the book in it.

In that case, the book you read was not The Thin Red Line, the characters all come from the same Army company.

There was a group of fighter pilots on a transport going to the Solomons who were nervous about subs. At one point someone thought they spotted a torpedo and everyone panicked, one of the pilots even pooped his pants. It was a false alarm. Later there was some descriptions of aerial combat and one of the newbie pilots (perhaps the one with the messy pants) beat a Japanese Ace on his tail by dropping flaps and landing gear to slow his fighter suddenly so the Zero overshot him and he could riddle it with his own guns.

Most of the book was indeed about the land battles on the fictitious "dancing elephant" ridge. If you did not see the other stuff I suspect you read a paperback abridged version of the book? I read a hardcover from the library.

You've not recalled it exactly. C-for-Charlie watch some air-to-air combat as they disembark on to LCI's in the first chapter of the book. I think you've got the detailed air-to-air combat mixed up with another book with a similar setting.

Either that or the hardback is vastly different to the paperback, but I doubt that's the case.

[Yaab]

My favourite worst movie is "Battle of the Bulge", 1965.

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

My favourite worst movie is "Battle of the Bulge", 1965.

What, are you kidding?!? Best one liner, ever!

"It can be done!"

[:D]

[Macclan5]

I tend to agree with most the sentiments on this list....

In fairness the challenge is difficult.

1) An informed audience such as ourselves tend to prize historical accuracy. Of course this is frankly best presented as a documentary

2) The majority of movie ticket buying viewers do not emphasize nor appreciate historical accuracy. They are interested in one of (i) character development (ii) action - blood and gore (iii) both (iv) moral or philosophical juxtaposition. Not nearly as much 'buying interest' in documentaries.


Thin Red Line has been mentioned many times here / Dunkirk as well.

I tend not to pan them as bad war movies for historical inaccuracies; although they are fairly open for critic as they somewhat sold themselves on the basis of historical accuracy.

The 100 foot cliff if an excellent example. I am quite certain that even the USArmy would understand attacking a fortified position immediately after climbing a 100 foot cliff might be a bad idea.

Red Line is in category (i) and (iv)

Dunkirk is 'vignettes' in category (i) and (iv)

If I want good - I look for documentaries / investigative journalism.

If I want beer and chips... Netflix / Movies are available. [8D]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: Yaab

My favourite worst movie is "Battle of the Bulge", 1965.

What, are you kidding?!? Best one liner, ever!

"It can be done!"

[:D]

Oh, that movie was a stinker. But Lecivius is wrong. The best line from that movie, when "Pieper" is rolling into the untouched American fuel depot:

"No shooting please". [:D]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Best one liner, ever!

warspite1

Never rub another man's rhubarb....