Matrix Games Forums

I have asked about this movie before in a other topic (Best war movies), but got only a fev ansers(3), so i wonder if anybody
have seen the movie "Unknown soldier"
(i prefeer non fin coments becose every fin vould give it at least 9 points)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

User Comments:
User Rating: 8.4/10 (275 votes)

Basilius
Helsinki, Finland

Date: 27 September 1999
Summary: A Finnish infantry company with machine guns fights against the Red Army.

The movie is based on a brilliant and realistic book (Unknown soldier) about the "Continuation War" between Finland and Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944.

After the initial fast attack phase the war turns into sleepy trench warfare (1942-44), then (1944)the company has to retreat and finally stop the storming Red Army forces. There exists a wide spectrum of characters from cowards to heroes, from peasant rank-and-file soldiers to cocky officers. The scale in personalities and changing situations of war, which are credibly described, makes the movie a spectacle.

It helps a lot if one knows some of the underlying history, but the story is rather universal tale of the cruelty of war and the men who have to live and die for their country and different motives. The language with dialects is versatile, but in Finnish only. This old version (1955) is in my opinion better than the later one (1985).



[This message has been edited by Tortfeasor (edited October 30, 2000).]

I have heard of it, but never seen it. That one and Winter War are two I would really like to have.

WB

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

Comment from a non-fin (although one of their swedish neighbours).. 10/10. Best war movie i ever seen (especially if it's the older version you are talking about).

10/10 is the scoore for that movie.
It really get to you.If hollywood would only learn to make warmovies like the finns then they would be worth seing!

I am looking for a english version of the "Unknown soldier" from 1955,
i have found a france,Finnish and swedish version of the movie but not yet english ver.
If anybody knows were to get it, please tell us/me!!

[This message has been edited by Tortfeasor (edited October 30, 2000).]

I found the "Winter war" movie(english version)in this address http://allocine.imdb.com/Title?Talvisota+(1989)

User Rating: 8.8
Dreemer
Finland

Date: 7 January 1999
Summary: The most expensive finnish movie ever made...

It tastes real and it even sounds real. Everything starts from finnish country side when russians are attacking Finland. Men are called up to defend the country from superior enemy. The crisis situation, the men meeting the president, taken by train to the warzone and the fights. Everything done in style, with good special effects.

This may be part of finnish history and doesn't open to foreigners as well as the Vietnam war, because it caught a global attention and everybody's heard of it. So little piece of regional and national history. Never won an oscar, but would've deserved it one time.

One of the best finnish movies ever made, beats most movies by Kaurismäki brothers' french, comedic, black/white style and all the Renny Harlin's action movies made in Hollywood (and before that in Finland).

Definately worth seeing if you're interested in history. Also this movie introduces the history of Molotov cocktail and some other great finnish inventions.

Even if this isn't for the young viewers I saw this first time in my teenage and it made a great impression since this was something I mostly had heard from my grand-dad. This is the finnish Apocalypse Now and Platoon.

I have made the military in sweden in the Marines (kustjägarna)in vaxholm 1984-1985 and in the begining of the training they show us the movie "Unknown soldier" from 1955, not Platoon or Rambo.
That should tell you something.

I confess, it`s black and wite butt they used more dynamit than hollywood uses under 10 year`s of filming.

Originally posted by varjager:
10/10 is the scoore for that movie.
It really get to you.If hollywood would only learn to make warmovies like the finns then they would be worth seing!

I read the book, and it's awesome, but I havne't seen the movie. "Winter war" was really good, though, especially the realistic "artillery barrage" feel.


------------------
Mats 'Rickenbacker' Nylund
--------------------------
rickenbacker@innocent.com

In Finnish military we also watched the movie (unknown soldier), to analyze the leadership capabilities of potrayed Finnish officers.

Originally posted by hmusto:
In Finnish military we also watched the movie (unknown soldier), to analyze the leadership capabilities of potrayed Finnish officers.

Yikes! Indeed we do.

We also watched the "Taistelukenttä" ("Battlefield"?) which IIRC won some military movie award. It's a pretty nice modern warfare mini-film. Trying to be as realistic as possible with limited budget.

I wish they would've shown more movies, weapon advertisements and effect demonstrations .



------------------
Markku "Mac" Rontu

"Understanding is a three-edged sword,
your side, their side and the truth."
- Sheridan in B5

I liked "Taistelukenttä", didn't they show it on TV too few years back? Very effective, the patriotism in the beginning with music and emotional images of Finnish scenery and real TV news announcers talking about increasing tension in foreign relations. I think it was one of the best war movies I have seen, even if it only was a training video. Awards for it were in my opinion well deserved.
I remember well the part about air strike, similar thing happened to us too;
along the music comes coordinates of closing jets and we stupidly just ignored them. Just like in the movie. Then, in the misty winter: "What plane flies there? Oh shit! It's coming at us!". Our engineer platoon was somewhat more careful after that incident. In real life we would of course have been decimated.

Hi all,

For all you Finns (and why not those coming to Finland), I deeply recommend a trip to the Artillery Museum in Hämeenlinna, in Finland. There's a new multimedia-show about the "Tali-Ihantala"-battle, mostly from the artillery's point of view.

The video (some 25 minutes) is AWESOME. It costed a few million to shoot, which is a lot by Finnish standards, and it mixes old WW2 footage with new acted footage (in B&W of course). It's well worth the trip, and you'll see the upgraded museum halls also!

Cheers,
SAKO

Is there anybody how knows where i kan get english version of the "Unknown soldier" from 1955.
I have searcht for it in everywere.
please.........help me/us!!