1917 (WWI movie)
Discussion
Thought there was a thread on this, but however this is a new trailer that dropped today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqNYrYUiMfg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqNYrYUiMfg
Looks good,
some egghead was pontificating about the dearth of WW1 movies compared to WW2 ones, and the theory was WW1 was a static war in one main theatre, while WW2 was a war of movement on many fronts, so the options for drama were much increased.
Not so sure, it's more to do with for many years post WW1 the world was still in shock, and very few fictional books and films were
based on the conflict because not one wanted be reminded of the trauma.
It took until 1929 for All Quiet On The Western Front to be a best seller.
some egghead was pontificating about the dearth of WW1 movies compared to WW2 ones, and the theory was WW1 was a static war in one main theatre, while WW2 was a war of movement on many fronts, so the options for drama were much increased.
Not so sure, it's more to do with for many years post WW1 the world was still in shock, and very few fictional books and films were
based on the conflict because not one wanted be reminded of the trauma.
It took until 1929 for All Quiet On The Western Front to be a best seller.
I can't wait to see this on the big screen.
Here's a longer 'making-of' featurette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfybDxplPw
Here's a longer 'making-of' featurette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfybDxplPw
Can't see a thread for this yet.
I was expecting a Private Ryan reboot.
But I was absolutely blown away by this.
I can't remember the last time I sat in a cinema that was so quiet.
Even at the end, there was a kind of stunned silence.
This is one I'm going back to the cinema to see again. At an IMAX though.
Epic epic masterpiece.
I was expecting a Private Ryan reboot.
But I was absolutely blown away by this.
I can't remember the last time I sat in a cinema that was so quiet.
Even at the end, there was a kind of stunned silence.
This is one I'm going back to the cinema to see again. At an IMAX though.
Epic epic masterpiece.
Yeah certainly not the usual mix of cinema-goers at my screening tonight, and they were all sold out from this afternoon onwards.
You could hear a pin drop and the lady next to me covered her eyes for half the film! It's truly a mainstream horror movie.
The story is superb and it's a masterpiece on a technical level. Less cuts in 2 hours than you'd typically see in a single 30 second action sequence. Most we're fairly obvious but some must have been pretty cleverly hidden.
There is an entire minute behind the scenes shot online where two guys dressed in uniform physically remove the camera from a crane, run with it, then clip it onto a car, then run across frame as extras (in uniform, remember), as the car speeds off, camera still rolling. Impressive enough, but during all that hundreds of extras are running in front and behind the lead actor and many, many large explosions are being triggered. Oh and the lead actors gets knocked over by extras, twice, accidentally. They left it in.
You could hear a pin drop and the lady next to me covered her eyes for half the film! It's truly a mainstream horror movie.
The story is superb and it's a masterpiece on a technical level. Less cuts in 2 hours than you'd typically see in a single 30 second action sequence. Most we're fairly obvious but some must have been pretty cleverly hidden.
There is an entire minute behind the scenes shot online where two guys dressed in uniform physically remove the camera from a crane, run with it, then clip it onto a car, then run across frame as extras (in uniform, remember), as the car speeds off, camera still rolling. Impressive enough, but during all that hundreds of extras are running in front and behind the lead actor and many, many large explosions are being triggered. Oh and the lead actors gets knocked over by extras, twice, accidentally. They left it in.
Edited by ukaskew on Saturday 11th January 23:22
I thought it was superb. I don’t give a damn whether some bits were embellished or unrealistic.
The ending gave me the same chills that the Black Adder Goes Forth finale brought. The comments by Cumberbatch’s character and the previous sequence really hammered home the futility and horror of the whole war and I don’t think it’s something any generation should be let to forget.
The ending gave me the same chills that the Black Adder Goes Forth finale brought. The comments by Cumberbatch’s character and the previous sequence really hammered home the futility and horror of the whole war and I don’t think it’s something any generation should be let to forget.
1917 amazing technical film making - I found myself playing ‘guess the cuts’ as the film is edited to seem one take. But it veers between genres/ themes - sometimes a horror film, sometimes the Odyssey, sometimes a war action film, and ended up (for me) unsatisfying. Plus who knew that Flanders had white water rapids and waterfalls, which is odd when everything else tries for realism.
I watched it on Friday night with my dad, we both left the cinema speechless and walked in silence back to the car, I felt completely exhausted (but in a good way), the film was relentless. As per comments above, I was a little concerned that my experience would be ruined by people munching and rustling but there was genuine stunned silence throughout.
To anyone that I've spoken to about it I've simply described it as the most powerful movie I've seen and a film that everyone should see, regardless of age.
I'm not too sure what elements of the film are considered that unrealistic? Save perhaps for the apparent poor aim of the German soldiers!
I've read a fair amount on WW1 and the strategic withdrawal that the Germans made, in conjunction with their scorched earth policy and defence in depth, I thought the film did a good job of capturing the desolation although, of course I little to base this on, the ruined town scenes were terrifying.
It's made me more determined to do a WW1 memorial tour this year.
To anyone that I've spoken to about it I've simply described it as the most powerful movie I've seen and a film that everyone should see, regardless of age.
I'm not too sure what elements of the film are considered that unrealistic? Save perhaps for the apparent poor aim of the German soldiers!
I've read a fair amount on WW1 and the strategic withdrawal that the Germans made, in conjunction with their scorched earth policy and defence in depth, I thought the film did a good job of capturing the desolation although, of course I little to base this on, the ruined town scenes were terrifying.
It's made me more determined to do a WW1 memorial tour this year.
Speed1283 said:
I'm not too sure what elements of the film are considered that unrealistic? Save perhaps for the apparent poor aim of the German soldiers!
One minute he's in a destroyed town controlled by the Germans, a bit of river drifting, then up to behind the allied lines and being able to walk up to a group watching the guy singing without being challenged..where are the sentries?
Also, after the plane came down he's bumps into British troops in trucks...how did they get there crossing no man's land so quickly?
First thing that I thought of what booby traps when they entered the German trenches..pretty obviously there would be some if the enemy had planned the retreat,
Finally, at the beginning first scene with them behind the trenches but could walk to the front so quickly. In stalemate position in 1917 the trench systems were significantly larger.
CaptainSlow said:
One minute he's in a destroyed town controlled by the Germans, a bit of river drifting, then up to behind the allied lines and being able to walk up to a group watching the guy singing without being challenged..where are the sentries?
Also, after the plane came down he's bumps into British troops in trucks...how did they get there crossing no man's land so quickly?
First thing that I thought of what booby traps when they entered the German trenches..pretty obviously there would be some if the enemy had planned the retreat,
Finally, at the beginning first scene with them behind the trenches but could walk to the front so quickly. In stalemate position in 1917 the trench systems were significantly larger.
Anyone else wondering why they didn't just get one of the reconnaisance planes to drop the new instructions to the Colonel? (I don't think that's a spoiler to say that!). Or a guy on a horse or a motorbike for that matter?
Technically a fantastic film to watch and admire (and a great soundtrack too). The plot was garbage but I absolutely admire the portrayal of WWI. I think too often "we kids today" don't realise how "prehistoric" WWI was, with such dependence on horses and almost hand to hand combat with only the most basic of vehicles and planes and weapons having been invented by then. And the utter chaos of the whole thing.
Always nice to see so many British actors in one film as well.
More plot questions which I felt let it down ...
Technically a fantastic film to watch and admire (and a great soundtrack too). The plot was garbage but I absolutely admire the portrayal of WWI. I think too often "we kids today" don't realise how "prehistoric" WWI was, with such dependence on horses and almost hand to hand combat with only the most basic of vehicles and planes and weapons having been invented by then. And the utter chaos of the whole thing.
Always nice to see so many British actors in one film as well.
More plot questions which I felt let it down ...
- Schofield must have been pretty pissed off at being sent through no mans land on foot only to find trucks driving through on the other side, must have wondered why they didn't just send them on one of those? Unless that was to show quite how much in the WWI the left hand really didn't know what the right hand was doing?
- Why was there a bucket of fresh, safe milk just sitting there in what was clearly a long abandoned farm? Absolutely everything in the place was derelict and ruined yet there's a nice clean bucket and lid there? Hope he told the baby lady that the milk was unpasteurised, baby probably died next day from drinking it
- Why would Colin Firth be bothered about finding someone who had a brother at the target trenches? Seems a bit emotional, wouldn't you rather send the very best man for the job? In the end when he got there it didn't really matter so much about the brother thing anyway, since he went straight to the colonel to deliver the message, and then sought out the brother after to give him the rings.
- How exactly did the Brits dig all those new trenches and dugouts at the new German front line in just days anyway, given that the whole premise of the film was that the Germans had only left that area days before?
- Finally how come his brother was in an entirely different regiment to him. It's my understanding that in WWI two brothers from the same town would have enlisted together and stayed together, and that this was one of the major changes in WWII to split people up, having learnt from WWI that sending same towns to the same regiments/places left whole towns without their men afterwards. Also unlikely that one brother would have ended up officer class and one stayed a grunt surely? And then the random Sikh guy thrown in, huh?
gareth h said:
Going to see it this afternoon, the trench scenes were filmed about a mile from where I live, which hopefully won’t be too distracting.
Hope they cleared up all the dead bodies and rats after they'd finished!The geezer hanging over the wire fence was particularly nasty I thought.
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