New war movies....

[Frank W.]

i have seen "we were soldiers" and "windtalkers".

What´s up with WORLDWIDE movie makers?

70-80% of these movies are senseless
battlescenes and slaughter.

okay, many here in this forum might like war
themes,but did really anyone enjoy these films
in cinema??

i think i would get sick after a while and leave.....

[Marc von Martial]

senseless battlescenes and slaughter.

That´s what war´s about

[Frank W.]

Originally posted by Marc Schwanebeck


That´s what war´s about

yes, but i in movies there sould be some story
elements,too. look at "the longest day" or
"a bridge to far" that were good war
movies,not to mention "das boot" or " a thin
red line" or even "platoon" or "apocalypse now"
for the vietnam themes. of course there are slaughter
and death scenes in this movies,too. but everyone
should see the difference in athmosphere,storyline
and quality of the actors compared with the most
newer films...........

[KG Erwin]

...that hasn't already been said? There is much yet to be seen, recreated and relived. The lessons of such classics as "All Quiet on the Western Front" have to be relearned by succeeding generations. The newer films are still "period pieces", which, to my mind, are fine. "Gods and Generals", the prequel to Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" (seen in theaters as "Gettysburg") will be released in a few months. I spoke to a friend who participated as an extra in "Gods and Generals", and it appears that Ron Maxwell (who directed "Gettysburg") , is going to pull out all the stops and present American Civil War combat a la "SPR" and give us all the blood & gore that previous Civil War films downplayed. It's high time that the Civil War got the "full Monty" treatment. "Glory" gave us a good peek at the realities of 1860s combat, but "Gods and Generals" will show the whole horrific style of warfare in the pre-WWI era. The portents for the future 20th century style of mass killing first showed in the battles of the American Civil War.

[Marc von Martial]

Well, wasn´t there a storyline in "We were soldiers", at least I remeber one

[Frank W.]

i agree. i liked the gettysburg movie quite a lot.

so there is a similar movie in progress?

will look out for it.

Originally posted by KG Erwin
[B. "Gods and Generals", the prequel to Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" (seen in theaters as "Gettysburg") will be released in a few months. I spoke to a friend who participated as an extra in "Gods and Generals", and it appears that Ron Maxwell (who directed "Gettysburg") , is going to pull out all the stops and present American Civil War combat a la "SPR" and give us all the blood & gore that previous Civil War films downplayed. It's high time that the Civil War got the "full Monty" treatment. "Glory" gave us a good peek at the realities of 1860s combat, but "Gods and Generals" will show the whole horrific style of warfare in the pre-WWI era. The portents for the future 20th century style of mass killing first showed in the battles of the American Civil War. [/B]

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Well I DO love to sit down and watch my collection of old black and white war movies back when acting was all the had to work with.

And it's cool to watch films like Gung Ho and know it was made "during" the war with actual serving marines not actors.

But in defense of say Saving Private Ryan, a modern film with horrendous special effects (note, horrendous if used correctly means the images were of scenes that evoke horror).

I was impressed to watch it a second time, so I could watch the audience sit totally stunned by the magnitude of carnage and violent death dealt to the men of Omaha the horrible day. Never seen a more effectively stunned audience before.
Because frankly, 9 out of 10 movie goers today, don't know the slightest thing about WW2 let alone the Gulf War.
They have no real capacity to tell, that the special effects in most action films today are entirely bullshit visuals meant to entertain not educate.

So while I might not watch most modern films of a military nature, because they do more to insult me than entertain, I have to come out and say that Saving Private Ryan earned the Normandy medal the vets gave Speilberg.

Now if you want to hurl insults, don't hesitate to hurl them at Pearl (it had non vilent scenes in it). The fact the film was a piece of garbage though, has to be included.

Now the fact that the Sound of Music was set in a military context, does it count as an acceptable example of a non violent war movie with distinct story line?
How about Lawrence of Arabia?
Doctor Zhivago?
Although in defense of the movie maker of today, once he has accomodated the typical modern movie moron that wants the action scenes or else, there is never enough money left over to hire that many really higher end capable actors.

I shudder to think what the price tag for The Longest Day would be today (probably the same sum as for the last 5 successful military theme films produced, excluding Saving Private Ryan of course).

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

One last comment

The Thin Red Line was crap, it was a mangled effort at best, a botched attempt, lacking in smooth continuity, pointless battle scenes, questionable directing.

I was able to watch it once, and glad I did it at home where the cost was lower. I wouldn't have watched it at all, if I hadn't been ambushed into thinking it might be as good as the book.

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Oh hell I have to mention this as well, Platoon was NOT a good movie, it was just more action tripe as well.

If you want to see Vietnam better, watch Good Morning Vietnam, because it truthfully showed the insanity of that conflict.

[jnier]

Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
The Thin Red Line was crap, it was a mangled effort at best, a botched attempt, lacking in smooth continuity, pointless battle scenes, questionable directing.

Oh hell I have to mention this as well, Platoon was NOT a good movie, it was just more action tripe as well.

If you want to see Vietnam better, watch Good Morning Vietnam, because it truthfully showed the insanity of that conflict.

Thin Red Line is without question one of the best war films of all time - and also one of the most original war movies ever. The fact that it's completely unconventional makes it a "love it or hate it" type of movie. I happened to love it - as did many others.

Platoon is also an excellent film - deservedly ranked as one of the top 100 films ever by the American Film Institute.

Good Morning Vietnam is the usual preachy, self-righteous drivel that we've come to expect from Robin Williams.

[U2]

Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
One last comment

The Thin Red Line was crap, it was a mangled effort at best, a botched attempt, lacking in smooth continuity, pointless battle scenes, questionable directing.

I was able to watch it once, and glad I did it at home where the cost was lower. I wouldn't have watched it at all, if I hadn't been ambushed into thinking it might be as good as the book.

I watched that movie at the Cinema. The horror, the horror:D Man my a$$ was hurting bad after almost 3 hours and I was bored as hell.

Dan

[Marc von Martial]

Originally posted by U2

The horror, the horror:D Man my a$$ was hurting bad after almost 3 hours and I was bored as hell.

Dan

War is hell.

[CCB]

From now on all I ask for in a movie is sharks with lazers attached to their heads.

[Raverdave]

You boys need to get a copy of the following two movies and sit down and watch'em:-


A Long Days Dying

Gallipoli

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Given that A Thin Red Line tanked at the box office (which means even the majority didn't like it).
To mention another grossly idiotic opinion that supports Platoon, doesn't make it suddenly a superior film (or do you actually think stuffy organizations are worth listening to?).
And the fact that Platoon featured actors no one liked then, and no one likes now nearly as much as Robin Williams.

Given that Good Morning Vietnam is not fiction, but the account of a real person made into film, by a man that can move me to tears as easy as make my heart sing.

And to call his comments during that film preachy and self righteous ?
Frankly I can't think of a suitable retort to something that insults the credibility of the source better than I can. So I will let your own comment do the damage itself.
Perhaps you "don't" think war is insane.

I am not normally so passionate in my responses, but some things just get to me.

[OKW-73]

I did like We Were Soldiers, one thing that did get my attention was scene when men did pee on mortar to cool it down...never heard that one before so it did feel quite unrealistic...can mortar heat up that much? I know MG can and it was more fact that in finnish winter war / continuation war men had to pee on MG's, but mortar...isnt it basicly just a tube?

And about Thin Red Line...i was very bored when watching it...i wouldnt call it war movie because even a street fight have more action, now im hearing a lot ppl to say "does good movie need action all the time?" IMO a good movie doesnt need action "all the time", but in this movie amount of action is ridiculous....

About Platoon, i think its best or at least very top of war movies made about Vietnam...someone said that Good Morning Vietnam did show a insanity of war better than Platoon...well, have to say that i dont agree, just watch the scene where they waste village in Platoon, isnt that realistic enough? and i think Good Morning Vietnam was more like war comedy...not bad movie, but its a comedy...

I like older War Movies too, like Kelly's Heroes, Eagle has landed, Dirty Dozen, etc.. and agree that older movies has a more "acting" than "action" if that what someone is trying to point out...

Hope no-one get offence these cause they are only my humble opinions...

[Frank W.]

yep.

i agree!!

perhapes "thin red line" is in the same hate or love
category as "life of brian" for comedy or "blade runner"
for science fiction...i love them.

grrrtinx

frank

Originally posted by jnier



Thin Red Line is without question one of the best war films of all time - and also one of the most original war movies ever. The fact that it's completely unconventional makes it a "love it or hate it" type of movie. I happened to love it - as did many others.

Platoon is also an excellent film - deservedly ranked as one of the top 100 films ever by the American Film Institute.

Good Morning Vietnam is the usual preachy, self-righteous drivel that we've come to expect from Robin Williams.

[jnier]

Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
To mention another grossly idiotic opinion that supports Platoon, doesn't make it suddenly a superior film (or do you actually think stuffy organizations are worth listening to?).

Sarge,

Below is how the "grossly idiotic opinion" about Platoon was determined. From the American Film Insitute website:

"The American Film Institute (AFI) invited more than 1,500 leaders from across the American film community - screenwriters, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers, editors, executives, film historians and critics, among them - to choose from a list of 400 nominated films compiled by AFI and select the 100 greatest American movies."

I think that's a pretty impressive set of opinions. I'm not trying to say that everyone should like Platoon because of what the AFI says about it, I'm just saying that most people disagree with you when you dismiss it as "action tripe."

I guess we have different tastes in film - as passionately you like Good Morning Vietnam and hated Thin Red Line, I felt the exactly the opposite way about these films - and just as passionately.

[Les_the_Sarge_9_1]

Well don't worry about it to much:D

I also think Combat Mission is a "baywatch" game, wargames should have hexes, and modern isn't nearly as interesting as WW2 heheh:)

I usually go against the flow of the stream routinely.

[rbrunsman]

Just my two cents but, as long as you keep out the idiotic "love interest" in a war movie then it won't be that bad of a movie. Pearl Harbor was made that much worse because of the "love interest." I hate that stuff in a war movie. Thus, Thin Red Line still gets a "good" rating from me although it was a little slow.

Different subject, I can't wait to see "Gods and Generals!" The book was excellent. I hope they also do a movie based on the "The Last Full Measure." Through Jeff Shaara's stories you get to see how the battles evolved from maneuvering columns of men in fields (bad enough) to the horror of trench warfare where the men were literally on either side of a earthen wall from each other for days on end. If this movie is anything like the reality of SPR, then we are in for some more jaw dropping doses of what war was really like in the 1860s.

Jeff Shaara has really picked up the torch for his father with these American war historic novels. I'm reading his new book "Rise To Rebellion" about the American Revolution and it is just as good as the Civil War series. Anyone who wants to be entertained as well a learn a little something about American history should read Shaara's novels.

KG Erwin, how do you know this movie is coming out soon? I haven't seen trailers for it anywhere. And I saw trailers for Windtalker a year before it was released.