Must see war films?

Author
Discussion

Pesty

42,655 posts

255 months

Wednesday 24th June 2009
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Goatboy said:
Tears of the Sun (cheesy in some places but mindblowing in others)
Yes has the usual cheese in it but if you ignore that its a good film. Worth it for the music alone.

minimatt1967

17,089 posts

205 months

Wednesday 24th June 2009
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one of my favourites, not a war film per sé, is Night of the Generals. Some great actors and great back drops.

DBSV8

5,958 posts

237 months

Thursday 25th June 2009
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minimatt1967 said:
one of my favourites, not a war film per sé, is Night of the Generals. Some great actors and great back drops.
great performance from O Toole / Courtney

effkay

737 posts

188 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Didn't want to start a new thread, but 'Hell in the Pacific' is available to watch on 4OD and I couldn't see it mentioned on here previously.

Consists of four 45min documentaries - very sobering stuff and incredible footage. Reminds you how lucky we are. Just thought I'd add the link if people hadn't seen it before - its the sort of thing they should show in schools:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hell-in-the-pac...

timbob

2,096 posts

251 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds has jumped right up into the top few of my favourite war films list. Not your typical war film, but well worth a watch.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Add "The Hurt Locker" to the list, great movie!

minimatt1967

17,089 posts

205 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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I did enjoy Inglourious and also Valkyrie, probably one of the best films with Tom Cruise I've seen.

Jon951

248 posts

186 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Most of the above, plus a slightly less well known one "The Bridge at Remagen" - good story and action plus an excellent Bernstein score.

Emsman

6,919 posts

189 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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saints and soldiers is a little known one, but is a vey good story (with the exception of the plucky brit-acted like he fell out of the pages of a commando comic)


Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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For the guys that liked band of brothers, I've been slowly working my way through various books,

Dick Winters put a book out a while ago, it covers alot of the same events you see in the series, but with added insight from his perspective - the responsibility he felt as CO.

Don Malarkey (Sgt bcensoredt if you remember !) Tells a good story, the book starts with him contemplating a self inflicted injury to escape the cold forests of Bastogne, showing the confusion and mental torment of war, the book ends full circle with the realisation of why he and the rest of easy would never do that.. Malarkey is known as a rather emotional guy, apparently he was always the first to cry at the reunions!

The last one I've just finished was basically a transcript of chats by Bill "Wild Bill" Guanerre and Ed "Babe" Heffron. Heffron was a replacement who came in for Market Garden, they worked out that they had grown up blocks away from each other and were the same age. The book was released in 2008 - these two either see or speak to each other every day. The book covers their upbringing in the depression to enlisting and fighting in Europe and a little bit about reunions and their lives since 1945. There are several stories and incidents that are not in the tv series, the overwhelming message is the same as the series though - the close bond between the men. There is a fair bit of humour and banter but the serious side also comes across well.

I know Buck Compton wrote a book, he became a policeman after the war in Los Angeles, eventually becoming D.A. and prosecuted Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert Kennedy. Not got that one yet.

One of the most contraversial members of Easy was David Webster. Webster was a Harvard man, a keen writer he turned down a officers commission to enlist, he thought the men would give him inspiration for his writing. He wrote a diary in the early 60s and this is available now to buy, he died in the 60s, a keen sailor he went out in his boat and never returned. Apparently Webster never really got or understood the bond between the men and for the most part he didn't think too much of the others who were all working class, as opposed to his priviledged upbringing.

nascarrules

597 posts

182 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Breaker Morant is one of my favourites

Lancs Jag Boy

437 posts

185 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Eric Mc said:
I would agree with all the films (and TV programmes as well) listed above with the exception of "Kelly's Heroes" - which has f'all to do with war - especially WW2.

I also don't rate "Where Eagle's Dare" as a proper "war" movie.

Not seen in the lists above was "Memphis Belle" which is not that bad at all.
Eric, Where Eagles Dare not a proper war film? What is it then? It's got all the right ingredients, come on it has!

williamp

19,214 posts

272 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Crafty_ said:
For the guys that liked band of brothers, I've been slowly working my way through various books,

Dick Winters put a book out a while ago, it covers alot of the same events you see in the series, but with added insight from his perspective - the responsibility he felt as CO.

Don Malarkey (Sgt bcensoredt if you remember !) Tells a good story, the book starts with him contemplating a self inflicted injury to escape the cold forests of Bastogne, showing the confusion and mental torment of war, the book ends full circle with the realisation of why he and the rest of easy would never do that.. Malarkey is known as a rather emotional guy, apparently he was always the first to cry at the reunions!

The last one I've just finished was basically a transcript of chats by Bill "Wild Bill" Guanerre and Ed "Babe" Heffron. Heffron was a replacement who came in for Market Garden, they worked out that they had grown up blocks away from each other and were the same age. The book was released in 2008 - these two either see or speak to each other every day. The book covers their upbringing in the depression to enlisting and fighting in Europe and a little bit about reunions and their lives since 1945. There are several stories and incidents that are not in the tv series, the overwhelming message is the same as the series though - the close bond between the men. There is a fair bit of humour and banter but the serious side also comes across well.

I know Buck Compton wrote a book, he became a policeman after the war in Los Angeles, eventually becoming D.A. and prosecuted Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert Kennedy. Not got that one yet.

One of the most contraversial members of Easy was David Webster. Webster was a Harvard man, a keen writer he turned down a officers commission to enlist, he thought the men would give him inspiration for his writing. He wrote a diary in the early 60s and this is available now to buy, he died in the 60s, a keen sailor he went out in his boat and never returned. Apparently Webster never really got or understood the bond between the men and for the most part he didn't think too much of the others who were all working class, as opposed to his priviledged upbringing.
I think whats also interesting is that so many wrote books- were you to read them all and watch the programme (I know...I know...) you will get a real insight from almost every perspective. Usually only one person in a regiment/squadron/airbase/battle has written a book, so you only have their perspective. When I read books about the RAF/USAF (my own personla intreest), I always try and find a book written from the opposition on the same aerial battle.

Halb

53,012 posts

182 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
quotequote all
The 300 Spartans
Children of Men
Little Big Man
Aliens
Zulu
Hotel Rwanda

Went The Day Well
Cromwell
How I Won The War

Kellys Heroes derserves multipe mentionsbiggrin

The Keep

Edited by Halb on Wednesday 17th February 22:36

Cooky

4,955 posts

236 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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saw a Russian film about the occupation of Afghanistan, it was called Company C, it was awesome, very realistic and gripping.

also love Von Ryan's Express, whenever its on I scream at the telly...."Frank, if you set of now you'll make it, Go on frank...Go now, do it now"....Oh sh!t too late!



drivin_me_nuts

17,949 posts

210 months

Thursday 18th February 2010
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Stallingrad (subtitled)
Battleship Yamato (subtitled)

both are quite interesting. Yamato, especially the scenes post sinking of the ship.

norby1

472 posts

172 months

Thursday 18th February 2010
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The Keep (soundtrack by Tangerine Dream is awesome)
Black Hawk Down
Threads and Z for Zachariah...more post apocalypse than actual war, but extremely thought provoking none the less
Downfall
Generaton Kill

bint

4,664 posts

223 months

Thursday 18th February 2010
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maddog993 said:
FlossyThePig said:
It was made in 1930 in B&W
All Quiet on the Western Front
yes One of the few films that does the book justice
Was about to suggest and ask what it was like, book was amazing (as is Flotsam by the same author) and wondered if the film did it justice as I've not seen it.

ETA - Holy thread resurrection! :O

Edited by bint on Thursday 18th February 20:22

Nom de ploom

4,890 posts

173 months

Saturday 20th February 2010
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Gargamel said:
hugo a gogo said:
Come and See
I certainly would have order the mind bleach after watching that one. Good film though.

The Four Feathers (the original)
Zulu
Reach for the Sky
Guns of Navarone
In which we serve
Hope & Glory
Schindlers List
Charge of the Light brigade
at last a vote for guns of navarone - one of my favourite films of all time. strong anti war message. love the niven / peck stand off scene.

black hawk down does stand up to repeated viewing and the colouring and confusion add to the experience.

das boot total classic but the german not dubbed version - the book is excellent too.

platoon feels a tad dated now but probably due to the copies / parodies etc. still an excellent film.

i never really liked FMJ but thena gain non eof kubrcks films are easy viewing per se. i just didn't like the styling of it.

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Saturday 20th February 2010
quotequote all
williamp said:
I think whats also interesting is that so many wrote books- were you to read them all and watch the programme (I know...I know...) you will get a real insight from almost every perspective. Usually only one person in a regiment/squadron/airbase/battle has written a book, so you only have their perspective. When I read books about the RAF/USAF (my own personla intreest), I always try and find a book written from the opposition on the same aerial battle.
Too true, Guarnere doesn't hold back either, he thought Market Garden was a total mess and blamed most of it on old Monty and believes had the yanks been in control it wouldn't of failed! Its just the sort of book you'd like to counter the TV Series, tells a few things that were left out..

Have you read Geoffery Wellums book ?

Oh and to stay on topic, this could well be worth a look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pacific_(miniseri...