Best War Film Part 2

[Crumbso]

I do not think the music was period of the time the series was set in band of brothers it is actually quite a modern style rather like saving private ryan I like it alot.

My favourite film (has got a war in it) is The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I have read the books a few times and it is one of the best stories ever written and a damn good film. The soundtrack to that is probably the most sublime and varied I have ever had the pleasure to listen to.

[Professor Brensec]

Thanks Ozzy, I have been in and out of the forums a bit more recently.
Unfortunately, as far as the tea and rum is concerned, it's not that kind of feeling crook. Besides, I'm told the morphine doesn't mix well with alcohol............lol.

And Crumbso, I was disappointed with the score on Band of Brothers too. As you say, the score didn't seem to fit the period or story at all.
In fact, I think I've already said that I was entertained but not all that engrossed by the series. Worth a look, but definitely no Private Ryan (which really has become the yardstick by which we all measure war action now).

[Professor Brensec]

Well, "Windtalkers" has finally been released on video here, and I managed to have a look at it yesterday.

I must say, even though there has been some negative feedback here, I was quite impressed.
I think the story was good, there was plenty, yet not too much action. The casting was good, there was virually no time wasted on romantic crap (like in Pearl).
Overall I would say, a good, solid, manly war film.

The one unrealistic thing that struck me was that there were too many individual acts of bravery. The type where one man jumps up and charges into a large number of enemy, shooting left & right and dropping Japs all over the place with a sidearm, and ending up with a sprained ankle from jumping in the trench to save 100 marines.  ;D

[Professor Brensec]

I've done a search and I think I've found one that I saw recently that hasn't been mentioned.

"All Quiet on the Western Front". Not the one  from the '30's (although anyone who's seen it, please comment, as I could only watch the first 10 mins then had to switch off).
The one I'm referring to was made in the late '70's or early '80's. It starred Ernest Borgnine and The bloke who played John Boy in the Waltons.
Great WWI ground war movie. I think it was only intended to be a "B' class job but it was really good and the effects were great. Very true to the book also.
                                   

[HawkerTempest5]

Can't say that I've ever seen "All Quiet..." but it got me thinking about WW1 movies that I've seen. Here's a few, can anyone remember any of these?

The Blue Max (Starring George "The A-Team" Peppard)
Wings (British TV series from the late seventies or early eighties. Story of pilots in the Royal Flying Corps.)
Anzacs (Story of Australian troops in France in WW1. Another British (or maybe Australian) TV show from the eighties. Starred a guy who was in one of the Australian Soaps, but can't remember what soap it was and Paul Hogan.)

I've not been to this post for a while, but I'm glad it's stll alive and well!

[DougC-3]

Thanks, Brensec,  for the feedback on "Windtalkers."  We're planning on watching it tomorrow night.  I've learned a little about the Navajos from reading all of Tony Hillerman's mystery novels, which are set on the reservations at the "Four Corners" area (where the corners of 4 western states come together).  Navajos played all sorts of "Indians" in the early Hollywood westerns and now like to watch these movies to listen to the wry remarks, insults to the white actors, etc., these bit players made when they were supposed to be talking among themselves in their various native tongues .

Watched "Memphis Bell" tonight and thought it was pretty good...  it did have a dog, but he didn't have a pivotal role .  The movie reminds me of bomber movies I saw as a kid -- not very glamorous, everybody getting burned or shot, falling out of planes, blowing up on landing and so on.  Not a very good recruiting film in my opinion, but well worth watching.

[BFMF]

Just watched 'WindTalkers' again lastnight. It may not be 100% accurate, but I like it anyway.

I kind of want to see 'BlackHawk Down' Again..

[DougC-3]

Just watched 'WindTalkers' again lastnight. It may not be 100% accurate, but I like it anyway.

I kind of want to see 'BlackHawk Down' Again..

We watched "Wind Talkers" tonight -- I could have used a little more emphasis on the actual use of the code and the Navajo language (very interesting) and a bit less blood & guts.  But IMHO, I thought the acting was better than usual, and some of the battle scenes were pretty convincing.  The Navajo characters and Cage's character were convincing and appealing.

[Professor Brensec]

Anzacs (Story of Australian troops in France in WW1. Another British (or maybe Australian) TV show from the eighties. Starred a guy who was in one of the Australian Soaps, but can't remember what soap it was and Paul Hogan.)

I've not been to this post for a while, but I'm glad it's stll alive and well!

Anzacs was an Aust production and starred among others, Paul Hogan. I think the bloke you're thinking of is "Jon Blake". He was very popular and was well on his way to Hollywood and was touted as being the next "Mel Gibson".
Unfortunately, not long after this series, he had a car accident and is a virtual vegetable. Got a payout of $10 million because of his almost sure prospects in world films.

A great series which follows the entire war career of a platoon of Aussies from join up to Egypt, Gallipoli and France and Belgium.

[DougC-3]

Too bad about Jon Blake (though I wasn't familiar with him).

Watched a good war movie last night that I didn't even know was going to be a war movie, until about halfway through.  Brensec, I'm afraid it's a little heavy on the "romantic crap" for your taste .  It's actually a love story set in the midst of the Italian and German occupation of the Greek island of Cephalonia during WW II.  It is called Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and coincidentally is another Nicholas Cage movie.  

Cage makes a very good Italian; after all, he was born Nicholas Coppola, nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather, etc.).  This is a fact-based story, and the part about the occupation and what happened after Mussolini fell to the Allies is an interesting and surprising footnote to history.  

I won't tell enough to spoil it, though you, Woodlouse, and the other WWII scholars on the forum probably already know something about it.  It was filmed on Cephalonia and well-acted, and the scenery and antique military vehicles may make up for the mushy scenes .  There were no aircraft except a few low-flying Stukas.

I guess this movie pretty well bears out Woodlouse's notions about the fighting prowess of the Italians .

[Professor Brensec]

I've seen previews of the film you're talking about.

At first I thought it must be a revival of a movie I saw about 10 - 15 years ago which also starred Cage (before he was so well known, or was it Tom Conti, I mix them up) as an Italian soldier. I haven't seen the new one but I recall the older one involved him befriending a girl who was in some sort of trouble, pregnant or something?

[DougC-3]

I've seen previews of the film you're talking about.

At first I thought it must be a revival of a movie I saw about 10 - 15 years ago which also starred Cage (before he was so well known, or was it Tom Conti, I mix them up) as an Italian soldier. I haven't seen the new one but I recall the older one involved him befriending a girl who was in some sort of trouble, pregnant or something?

I can't find any other movie where Cage or Conti plays an Italian soldier except Time to Kill (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/click/movie-1036613/reviews.php?)critic=all&sortby=default&page=1&rid=25591) which doesn't sound much like Captain Corelli's Mandolin .  In the latter there was a strong (& successful) emphasis on depicting the culture and settings of the time and place accurately.  The only trouble the girl was in was her involvement with Cage .

[Professor Brensec]

Doug,

Maybe I dreamt it...................lol  ;D

[Hagar]

[quote]Doug,

Maybe I dreamt it...................lol

[DougC-3]

'It would be impossible for a parent to be happy about its baby's ears being put on backwards'. LOL

LOL...    If all they got wrong was the ears, that's a pretty good percentage for Hollywood .  

When asked about the Hollywood rendering of his own novels, John Grisham said something like this:  You just have to sign the contract then forget about it.  ....