I watch a lot of war movies around this time of partly because of Remembrance Day but mostly it's something I used to do with my Dad. We'd watch dozens of war movies, some of them over and over during these times. It's a very deep memory for me. Anyway...tonight I'll be watching yet again ' The Dirty Dozen '. Looking forward to it too. What war movies have been on your radar lately?
I want to see the movie 1917 when it comes out. I always did like reading, learning and watching documentaries and movies about WW I. I had more interest in learning about it than I did WW II. There are very few WW I movies compared to WW II movies. WW I always seemed to get glossed over in history classes too in HS in order for the teachers to have enough time to cram in all the other history that came afterwards before the school year ended, especially WW II and Korean War (Vietnam got glossed over too because school year was almost over by the time they got to it.) Hell even in college, the general World and American History classes seemed to gloss over WW I. If you wanted to learn more about it, you had to take an upper level History class that only specialized in it.
Speaking of ' Catch 22 ' , have you seen the new mini-series? I had little hope for it at first but it quickly grew on me. I'm on the fence about the movie. Great cast, amazing cast. But the movie got lost somehow for me.
I too am a big fan of war movies, but my current favorites would be.. The Longest Day Saving Private Ryan Hell To Eternity (true story) and We Were Soldiers (extremely realistic and violent retelling of the US Military's first major battle of the Vietnam War) Hell To Eternity is calling out for a major remake. The true story of Guy Gabaldon, who single handedly got the entire Japanese forces on Saipan to surrender. Plus, it was the first war film to show realistic war violence (for 1960). Here's the trailer (from 1960)...
Some I like are Kelly's Heroes, Saving Private Ryan, From Here to Eternity, The Devil's Brigade, Bridge on the River Kwai
The short list includes Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan. Both have extra impact and realism in 4K.
' Paths of Glory " is my favourite war -- or should that be anti war? --movie. Saw it the first time at a drive-in ( with my Dad ) when I was about eight. I remember whining to my Dad that it was black and white. He said : " Just watch it " And so I did and so I loved it and still do.
Love war films. I watched one recently that I'd never seen before, When Trumpets Fade. I think this may have been a TV movie but it plays very well.
Judging from the title I assumed this would be an anti-war film thread. War is stupid, imo, regardless of the so-called rationale. So I tend to favor war flicks that reveal its inevitable futility. I recently watched Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957). Kirk Douglass stars as an Allied colonel during WWI who has to lead a regiment on an uphill charge that hr discovers was destined to fail. Right now I'm in the middle of watching Ken Burns' Civil War on Netflix. One of the more creative docs on the American Civil War, including great commentary from an array of first rate scholars.
[QUOTE="ando here, post: 22536636, member: 78154" Right now I'm in the middle of watching Ken Burns' Civil War on Netflix. One of the more creative docs on the American Civil War, including great commentary from an array of first rate scholars.[/QUOTE] Great documentary. Have you seen the Civil War movies ' Gettysburg ' and ' God's & Generals ' ?
Just on a whim , I checked to see if this was on YouTube. It is. On your recommendation , I'll watch it tomorrow. I realize YouTube is a poor way to watch a movie but I can' t be a choosy beggar.
I'll say FULL METAL JACKET because I had the good fortune to see it with my grandfather, a WW2 vet, amidst a full theater with plenty of Vietnam vets, recognizable from their heavily embroidered vests and jackets. During the movie, especially the training scenes, the vets talked back to the screen, stuff like "You done f****d up now, m**********r, shoulda flown y'ass to Canada!" They absolutely howled at the drill sergeant's insults and humiliations. Ordinarily this kind of behavior would be an annoyance, but when the entire theater is chatty, it kinda doesn't matter. Afterwards my grandfather said that was the first realistic war movie he'd ever seen. I asked why and he said war movies always make it look like everyone from the generals to the grunts knows exactly what's going on on the micro and macro levels: this is our specific mission and why we're doing it, and why it is critical to the entire war. In reality, very few people on the ground know what's going on except what's right in front of them. When the sniper on the city of Hue picked off the platoon leader, no one knew where the shot had come from, or if it had even been fired by the enemy. And they were already lost when it happened. He said that was his experience of war. You might also remember the scene after the sniper shot when the rest of the platoon struggles to say something over the body. Eventually the character Animal says, "Better you than me." My grandfather said that's exactly what everyone's really thinking at that moment but doesn't say.
Great documentary. Have you seen the Civil War movies ' Gettysburg ' and ' God's & Generals ' ?[/QUOTE] Yes, Gettysburgh is impressive in its recreations. Haven't seen Gods & Generals. Recommend it?