Watching war films.......yikes

[BarryW]

I take it it is due to the dog being called Nigger. I am sure that it was not in any way a colour issue in a racialist way. So what is the problem. The colour brown was referred to as nigger brown in my youth in the same way as yellow ochre etc . I certainly used it but had not at any time thought of it as a derogatory racialist term.Laurie

I totally agree Laurie. It certainly is pathetic. Context is important but the p.c. crowd just do not see context.

[stona]

You beat me to it Joe!

I couldn't care less what they call the bloody dog! They'll have to change the code word which indicated a breach in the Mohne dam and instructed the remaining aircraft with mines to attack the Eder dam. Gibson used his dog's name for that too

What I would really like is a decent film that tells a remarkable story well. It is well known that Jackson has a genuine interest in aviation history so he might just be the man for the job.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I'm not a great lover of remaking films ,there are plenty of other stories out there that could be made instead.

That way we get a totally new film and we don't have to run comparisons of which one is better.

Its not like there's a shortage of written work

Just think of all the Commando comics for one endless source of material.

Ridley Scott...mmm..... have you seen Robin Hood.

Norman landing craft and twice he loses his sword and has to do a ride by and call out "sword" so someone can throw it to him.

Shades of Gladiator ......now that was a good film ."Quintus, sword"

Regarding the dog problem get a Pekinese and call it fluffy and move on ,the film is about bombing and mass killing and destruction and scorched earth policies. More critical things to worry about than a blinking dogs name.

(or do what John Wayne did in Hondo, call it dog.)

[spanner570]

With Adrian mentioning filums. Here's two low budget, but superb movies....

Saints and Soldiers, and another well worth a punt - Days of Glory (2006) naff title, but what a film!..Amazon, £3.85 free p/p. or a couple of quid or so on ebay. Two of the best war films of recent years. At least I think so!

[Guest]

What I would really like is a decent film that tells a remarkable story well. It is well known that Jackson has a genuine interest in aviation history so he might just be the man for the job.

Cheers

Steve

Could not agree more Steve. Have not understood why some one has not made a film of the White Rabbit, Le Lapin Blanc. The story of Yeo Thomas in the resistance in France in WW11. A remarkable story about a very brave man.

Another would by The Maquis. The adventures, some adventure !, of George Millar in the Besancon area in France organising the Maquis to fight at the time of & after the Normandy Landing period.

They are just asking to be made into films. Both, if factually driven, would provide films of depth, excitement & both remarkable stories.

Laurie

[stona]

Regarding the dog problem get a Pekinese and call it fluffy and move on ,the film is about bombing and mass killing and destruction and scorched earth policies. More critical things to worry about than a blinking dogs name.

I agree about the dog but surely the film is about the development of a remarkable weapon in a "bouncing" mine. It is also about a remarkable effort to deliver said weapon in a precision raid with an aircraft which, with the best will in the world, was hardly designed for low level precision bombing. It is also about the very high cost of the raid and its effects (or lack of) on the German economy. Time for a more realistic appraisal of the latter. It should not forget the people who were killed on the ground.

I feel Jackson might make a decent job because of his interest in aviation and because he is not an American. The latter comment sounds worse than it is intended to be, but my experience of recent US made war films has been less than inspiring.

As a Kiwi he must have a better chance of understanding the men of Bomber Command and particularly those who flew Operation Chastise. A couple were his countrymen (Chambers and Munro).

I also read somewhere that his dad was stuck on Malta during the "siege" of WW2.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I would also like to see some human interest here about the people themselves involved in the raid. Also the drive to get all these new bombers & equipment together to form the new squadron.

I also thing that we should get in touch with this Jackson fellow & tell him that Scale Models has available a whole host of experts on the Lancaster, how to make a film & strive to have maximum authenticity.

He should also be told that the dog's name is "NIGGER". That should do the trick I can already see credits here "Expertise provided by Scale Models" and a definite Gong at the BAFTAS & all of that lot, sweep the board. Fly high.

Laurie

[Guest]

I actually think some of the best 'War' movies are the ones that follow a human story amidst the conflict and horror. They may not even contain much in the way of action or fighting but the stories of how we can overcome such horrors and hardship are those I think we remember best. I've already mentioned "Schindler's List", which I thought was an amazing film as well as the obvious "Saving Private Ryan", but movies such as "The Pianist" or "The Great Escape" are the best ones for me.

What do we think of "Valkyrie", I think it is probably the only Tom Cruise Movie I have ever enjoyed. I'm sure the historical accuracy is questionable but it did give an interesting insight to the feelings at the time.

[stona]

I think that a good "war" film has first and foremost to be a good film. I think that is pretty much what Richard is saying above.

"Valkyrie" was not as historically wide of the mark as some films. There was a much more interesting and better story of failed German resistance that was entirely missed. Sometimes I think that a mainstream Hollywood film has to be "dumbed down" for fear of alienating its audience. Stauffenberg was a man of his time, class and religion and yet as early as 1942 he had expressed his willingness to kill Hitler.

The biggest problem for me was casting a man who is vertically challenged in the role of the very tall Stauffenberg! That's the Hollywood system for you, put Cruise's name above the title and you'll sell tickets, even for a mediocre film like Valkyrie.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Harry on a scale of 1 to 10 with Ridleys Robin hood, id give it about 8, its a fictional story but with lots of fact in it, i.e. the death of Richard the lion heart, The barons uprising, King Johns affair and subsequent marriage to Isabella of Angouleme, and also my very favourite character William Marshal. As for the landing craft they are not a new invention, Ancient Egyptians had craft of a very similar design, mainly used to carrying horses, as did many other races including the Hyksos and Dacians.

Valkyrie, loved it, even with diddy Tom in it, at the end of the day they can only go on what facts they have for a story, but I think if you get the dates and sequences right and if all the gear, clothing, and hardwear is right then it should be an alright film

Paul

[BarryW]

I think that a good "war" film has first and foremost to be a good film. I think that is pretty much what Richard is saying above."Valkyrie" was not as historically wide of the mark as some films. There was a much more interesting and better story of failed German resistance that was entirely missed. Sometimes I think that a mainstream Hollywood film has to be "dumbed down" for fear of alienating its audience. Stauffenberg was a man of his time, class and religion and yet as early as 1942 he had expressed his willingness to kill Hitler.

The biggest problem for me was casting a man who is vertically challenged in the role of the very tall Stauffenberg! That's the Hollywood system for you, put Cruise's name above the title and you'll sell tickets, even for a mediocre film like Valkyrie.

Cheers

Steve

mmmm Steve... not as bad as casting that same 'shorty' as Jack Reacher!!!! OK Reacher is a fictional character, but still it was a travesty of casting.

[Guest]

Tom Cruise is the same height as me, about 171cm or about 5' 7" tall. I thought he was shorter, sadly enough.

[Guest]

Harry on a scale of 1 to 10 with Ridleys Robin hood, id give it about 8, its a fictional story but with lots of fact in it, i.e. the death of Richard the lion heart, The barons uprising, King Johns affair and subsequent marriage to Isabella of Angouleme, and also my very favourite character William Marshal. As for the landing craft they are not a new invention, Ancient Egyptians had craft of a very similar design, mainly used to carrying horses, as did many other races including the Hyksos and Dacians.Paul

That as maybe but I don't think the ancients would have put the loading ramp at the front and I don't see any landing craft in the Bayeux Tapestry. Even if it is 100 odd years later. And in any case I don't think they would have got one across the channel. The loading ramp if it had one, would be at the side for floating dynamics.

They cant even get these Dukw to stay afloat in the Mersey or the Thames.

Water is a funny old thing especially sea its a brave/stupid man that says yes that will be ok.

The best Robin Hood film still remains the one Errol Flynn was in. My Mum says so .

[Guest]

Forgotten one film which stands out against all others.

David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia. That had everything. Great acting. Scenery, filming, directing, story (true to it) & incredible music from Maurice Jarre.

I found it an incredible experience at the cinema with 6 sound tracks & the panoramic screen to be a film where you just thought you were in it. Never heard an audience so quiet. The first part was just captivating the sound both music & the background noise so real. The tenseness created especially when Lawrence meets Omar in the dessert & the absolute excitement & expectation when they cross the dessert & Lawrence goes back to rescue the lost Arab. The music in that scene is just out of this world the way it manipulates the mind.

That is a film like no other it broods & keeps you waiting. There is nothing superfluous it tells the story & in many places better than any words would which is testament to David Lean's artistic directing.

Laurie

[Guest]

Cruel Sea ......it was on filum 4 the other day in the afternoon just caught the end of it where they kill the sub.

And then it was immediately followed by Zulu I watched a bit of it. The best bit on the film is near the end and they are all in the redoubt and they fire in ranks ,fire ,fire ,fire, fire, fire cease fire.