Watching war films.......yikes

[stona]

I didn't even know that "A Bright Shining Lie" had been made into a film. I have read Neil Sheehan's book of the same title and it is a devastating indictment of the US military in Vietnam.

If you only ever read one book on the conflict in South East Asia read this one........seriously.

Cheers

Steve

[rickoshea52]

If any of you are at all interested in the "Vietnam War" then a visit to the War Remnants Museum in Saigon will sober your thoughts on this conflict, or as it is known in Vietnam "The American War".

[stona]

If any of you are at all interested in the "Vietnam War" then a visit to the War Remnants Museum in Saigon will sober your thoughts on this conflict, or as it is known in Vietnam "The American War".

My daughter number 1 visited last year. I got an email asking "could you explain the Vietnam war in simple terms please?" I did my best, but didn't have time to write a book

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

"could you explain the Vietnam war in simple terms please?"

Some countries involving themselves unnecessarily in another's dispute....as per usual... As simple as that!

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Ok, what about Band of Brothers and Pacific? I think these are both great series

I heard they are looking at making one around the 8th army air force next is this true??

Adrian

[Guest]

Band of brothers ,yes very very good watched it 5 or 6 times now

The pacific not so sure about.

Hmv were selling band of brothers for £15

[Guest]

'The Pacific' series was excellent, but the books about Eugene Sledge & Co. are even more graphic - I highly recommend them.

The Pacific beaches were largely volcanic rock - not soft sandy beaches (of California) portrayed in many war films.

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Steve

This is a perennial topic! If you ask me the biggest offender is 'the Battle of the Bulge' - Patton tanks for tigers, shot in Spain with a half arsed attempt at recreating the winter conditions of the Ardennes - ludicrous.

Effects being what they were in the 60s and 70s this is all they could do (although why you can't shoot in the Ardennes, or any pine forest in winter is beyond me).

But to give some balance - check out the so called Tiger in 'Saving Private Ryan' - a converted T-34 (I think) seen more usually at reenactment meets. Still a big improvement on the 'Frankentank' seen in the 'Bridge too Far' scene.

Also, Red Tails. Now it's not the hardware (CGI sorts that) but the cartoon portrayal of the German pilot (I think he even had a duelling scar on his cheek!) what-the-hell? That was a damn shame because I think the true story needs no embellishment.

Anyway, that's my 2 pence.

Cheers P

[tr1ckey66]

Oh, before I forget. If anyone would like to see an Arnhem film with real WW2 hardware then check out 'Theirs is the Glory'. This film was shot one year after the battle, entirely on location, using the wrecks of German tanks left in the town after the actual battle. Some extra panthers were dragged in from elsewhere but I think everything else is actual Arnhem wreckage. Also, no actors were used in the film, all the men in the film are from the Parachute Regiment and a lot of them actually fought in Arnhem in Sept '44. It's a fairly unique film.

Cheers, P

[Guest]

To add my own favorites, these are dunkirk, band of brothers, saving private Ryan, Kelly s heros , ice cold in Alex. i guess that when they used to make these films they did not have access to the real kind of equipment so in a lot of circumstances they had to substitute what they could. i do agree that historical realism should not be substituted for the wow factor at all, if we distort the facts we end up distorting historical facts. just to add i watched stalingrad recently and found it extremely good.

Scott

[Guest]

I will tell you a good enjoyable ww2 film that being "Hope and Glory" not only does it remind you of being a kid its funny.

What life was like in Londons street during the blitz.

Kids Firing bullets with a vice and a 6 inch nail

women grabbing parachutes for stockings

Collecting shrapnel

playing in derelict houses

"you aint a spitfire pilot ,you aint got your top button undone". undoes button. "anyone could do that"

Added that's wrong that last bit is from the Battle of Britain

[Alan 45]

If CGI is done right then films like BoB would be brilliant but the fraise 'that'll do' is the big problem

[BarryW]

I have often wondered is they could take the existing BoB film and just edit it to use CGI to correct the errors in the aircraft and make it a much better film. The aircraft always jar with me when I watch it, a pity, an excellent film otherwise with an outstanding cast.

[Ian M]

A bit OT but these days they have the ability to make a CGI film that can be hard to tell apart from real live action. The film Final fantasy was actually toned down a bit as the makers thought that the people in it looked to real!!

I love CGI films and have been able to follow the advance in the quality of the graphics. The big advances have been physics engines that can generate unbelievably true motion. Look at a new CGI film with water/sea in it.. then look at one thats just four or five years old.

If you ask me the only thing thats stopping them is the money. They could make a whole new film of the classics, have the same "actors" and the correct props.

Ian M

[flyjoe180]

Some interesting views on some classic and not-so-classic films. One movie about the Vietnam War you should see which is very realistic in its portrayal, is "We were soldiers". It is based on the book by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/

Another classic WWII movie that has not been mentioned (or I haven't noticed it) is "Battle of the River Plate"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048990/