Band of Brothers... ruined my life

[Preacherman]

I second Lone Star's recommendation of "Battle Of Britain" as one of the finest air combat movies ever made. It can never be made again, either - almost all of the Heinkel 111's and Messerschmitt 109's used in the making of the film have been scrapped, and many of the Spitfires no longer exist, either.

To make the film, the producers gathered together the Spanish Air Force's about-to-be-retired fleet of German-sourced aircraft, and assembled virtually all of the privately-owned British WW2 warbirds within several thousand miles of England. At one time, they had so many aircraft in their fleet that IIRC, they were credited with being among the top ten air forces in the world - at least by number of planes!

Great acting, superb photography, and historically faithful - what's not to like? And right now, at my local Wal-Mart, the DVD is on a $8.88 special! I've bought three copies, one for me (to replace my tape) and two as gifts. Might go back and get a couple more...

Another truly great war movie, IMHO, is "Gettysburg". I absolutely love it, and will forgive Ted Turner a lot just for financing this film. What great performances! - and the historical accuracy was, again, outstanding.

 

[dog3]

Favorite War Flicks
In no particular order.
But Memorial Day appropriate ones first.


Galipoli
Breaker Morant
Blackhawk Down
We Were Soldiers
Cross of Iron


--

BTW, I saw Blackhawk Down in the theatre, having had comrades who were
in the 10th Mountain during that morning, I was really quite pumped.

I thought I was going to vomit at least 3 times in the theatre,
I was shaken pretty badly by the film, and was in a very very
strange mood when I left in the afternoon.

I stood around in the parking lot, watching the kids coming out of the
movie, all pumped up, ducking in and around the cars, chasing each
other around, doing the play war thing.

Adults standing around chattering at high speed, everyone in a really
great mood.

I felt they had all seen a different movie altogether. No, they had enjoyed
it, and I hadn't.

It scared me.

If you haven't seen it, it's a must see. Most of you have I'm sure, probably often enough
to know every line.

I tried to introduce it my better half, but she asked me honestly, and I told
her honestly. She loves our country, and has a deep weakness for those
who serve. She really wants to have seen the movie, but doesn't
want to actually see it.

I understand.

 

[rritter]

Another to add to the good list is Das Boot.

 

[Zip06]

Both Blackhawk Down and We were Soldiers are much better as books. Personally I did not think Mel Gibson was right for his part in the movie. They should have rounded up an actor as strong as Sam Elliott. BHD, while a great action movie, itemizes big time problems and then forges a heroic movie. I mean, a general who used the exact same plan of attack 5 or 6 times never deviating; no commo with other units such as 10th MTN DIV or the Pakistani's; NCO's not checking their chalks gear; allowing horrible deviation from the mission loadout; competing chains-of-command on the same mission and finally, Rangers having more confidence in Delta personnel than their own.

 

[Autolite]

twoblink ...

Just change your perspective. Don't think of it as 'Windtalkers' being a bad movie. Just rationalize it by acknowledging that Nicholas Cage is a bad actor ...

 

[COK]

Don't pass by" 12 O'Clock High" if you have a chance to see it.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I'll have to add a vote for Gettysburg too.The wife and I saw it at a theater in Tulsa and the effect was impressive.Intermission was right after the battle of Little Round Top and folks just stayed seated after the lights came up.I have the tape but seeing it on the big screen was an experiance.

 

[ThreadKiller]

Here's another vote for "12 O'Clock High". Superb!

Tim

 

[Sodbuster]

Windtalkers would have been a good movie if it had been about the Navajo code talkers. Too bad it was more concerned with the character of a Hollywood "star," and an unsympathetic one at that.

 

[Airedale1]

by twoblink.........Band of Brothers ruined my life!!

Band of Brothers is great but have faith and if you haven't seen them already try some of these.

A Bridge Too Far

Casualties of War

The Dirty Dozen

Hamburger Hill

Schindler's List

Platoon

The Great Escape

Lawrence of Arabia

The Last of the Mohicans

Red Dawn

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Zulu

 

[WhiteKnight]

Personally I thought Gods and Generals and Apocalypse Now were two of the worst movies, let alone war movies, that I've ever seen in my life.

 

[IRONFIST]

War movies I dig...

Most of the ones previously mentioned and also...


Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Task Force Z

The Guns of Navarone

Soldier of Orange

Stripes

Heaven knows, Mr. Aliison

Hell is for Heroes

The Great Escape

The Bridge at Remagen

Kelly's Heroes

The Boys from Company C

And many more that I can't remember by name right now.

 

[one45auto]

Try "Tears of the Sun" with Bruce Willis, "Dogs of War" with Christopher Walken, or - if you can find a copy, "Dark of the Sun" starring Rod Taylor - it's an awesome mercenary flick! (I keep waiting for it to come out on DVD so I can snap up a copy)

 

[M2 Carbine]

Looks like I'm the only one that liked Windtalkers.

It isn't a Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers but it's entertainment.

Besides it's worth watching just for the Thompsons.


What I hate is the way helicopters are used in movies.
It drives me up the wall when they have a helicopter chase a car at 10 feet.

It's like a dog chasing a car, what the hell is he going to do if he catches it.


OK, who saw the screwed up American flag in Windtalkers.

Hint, the stars were up side down.

Where do you get a flag with the stars inverted, unless you have it made on purpose.
No, nobody in Hollywood would do that to the flag.

 

[The Crazy Gobbo]

movie recommendation

Come and See

I haven't had the chance to see it, but my friends on the other side of the pond rave about it.

From what I remember it is about partisans on the Eastern Front, something like the movie Stalingrad. (another good foreign film!)
A very "gritty" and "dirty" movie, looks at the horrors of war in addition to the loud BANGS and BOOMS, one guy even put off a vacation to Germany.

 

[DRZinn]

Are we talking about the miniseries Band of Brothers, or was there a film as well?

 

[Steve in PA]

Lots og good movies mentioned, but I can't believe no one mentioned "The Lost Battalion", an excellent WWI movie.

 

[stevelyn]

The real history of the Navajo code talkers is one of unsung and dismissed heroism. These men were never given the honor they deserved. The movie Windtalkers didn't do them much justice, because as one poster put it the producers were too concerned with the Hollywood version.:banghead:

Another vote for 'Zulu'.

 

[BHPshooter]

Well, I saw Windtalkers... I didn't hate it, but it wasn't great either. But then, I haven't seen Band of Brothers or Blackhawk Down yet.

Really, it's a story that is worth telling (I'm referring to Windtalkers) that was mangled horribly by John Woo. Who let him loose on a serious movie? Please!

Anybody see Hart's War? It had it's holes, but still decent entertainment.

Wes

 

[sitkablacktail]

The lost patrol was pretty good

 

[TerryBob]

Ok, I'll chime in. I agree with most of what has been said and will add one more.

Flying Leather necks

I had it taped a while back and it got taped over :banghead:

TerryBob

 

[twoblink]

Some people mentioned "Way of the gun"??

Comments on that one?

Are we talking about the miniseries Band of Brothers, or was there a film as well?

Yes.

Well, I saw Windtalkers... I didn't hate it, but it wasn't great either. But then, I haven't seen Band of Brothers or Blackhawk Down yet.

It's like this:

Windtalkers = Pinto
Blackhawk Down = BMW
Band of Brothers = Porsche

I actually know John Woo, when I see him next time, I'll tell him I give Windtalkers a .

I'm sure the Navajo Indians were brave, but John Woo made them look like a bunch of chickens in the beginning who couldn't follow orders in the end, wild and uncontrolled...

Last of the Mohicans was great. Das Boot, and Tora Tora Tora also. Lawerance of Arabia also. And Bridge over the River Quai (sp??)

 

[priv8ter]

Since it has turned into a War movie thread...

I have nothing bad to say about Saving Private Ryan, or We Were Soldiers...both great movies. Dig Sam Elliot as the Sergeant Major.

My wife is a Nicolas Cage fan, and dragged me to save Windtalkers. She was especially excited to see it because the release had been delayed like 6 months.

What a mistake.

In the realm of older, maybe overlooked War Movies, I can second some other folks recommendations:

Loved the Big Red One. First war movie I ever saw...the scene in the concentration camp gives me goosebumps every time.

A liked A Bridge to Far...haven't seen it for while.

As a Submariner, Das Boot has a scary place in my heart. Makes you realize how brave those guys where during WWII(while we see the Germans as the 'Bad Guys' both them and the American Submariners were some brave individuals to put up with those conditions.)

greg

 

[Johnpl]

"The Bridges at Toko-Ri" starring William Holden...one of my favorites.

 

[BHPshooter]

Has anybody ever seen one called, "Who Dares Wins?" Obviously, it's about the British SAS, but I just wondered how it is.

Wes