You mean 'Escape from the Cinema?' Jim :-) :-) :-) :-)

The first two are on my personal top ten list. Great Escape was a great movie, despite Hollywood not because of it. Dambusters shows what the British film industry was capable of in the 50s.

I think it was called The Heroes of Telemark in the US. A decent action movie, though I haven't a clue how accurate it was.

I loved the book The Eagle has Landed but I didn't care at all for the movie. I thought Michael Caine and Donald Sutherland did there usual excellent job but I didn't much like the changes that were made to the script.

That's the one Jim.

Rodger, 'the Heros of Telemark' sounds about right, I saw it many years ago, but what I remember of it, it seems to be a reasonable portrail of what happened, I suppose that it is one of those events which, although crucial to the way the war evolved, was not 'sexy' or 'explosive' enough to make it into everyday history. I think, but am in no way certain and await to be corrected, that the 'Telemark' movie was actualy quite close to to mark. It seems that some of the low budget movies of that time where more on the ball than the big production, big company releases.. But then again, the same seems to be true today..(U-571, Pearl Harbour)

On a side note, what about movies and their sequels like First Blood? Stop laughing at the back. Al joking and bad acting and script writing aside, I think First Blood did try to highlight some valid points. They then went and spoiled it all by jumpng on the bandwagon and releasing the two sequels ( the names of which I have forgotten) which where spectacularly bad. There don't seem to be to many movies tackling the subject of soldiers returning from a conflict to a society which doesn't understand or appreciate their plight.

Henk

Just a short list of a few of my favorite films...
in no particular order, or worrying too much about nut's and bolts, and rivets.... but for entertainment value.
1. Breaker Morant--- got me reading a little on that era of history.
2. Gallipoli--- Rekindled an interest in WW1
3. Cain Mutiny---- (the Bogie one) I still watch it, still love it, and don't care.....
4. Sahara---- (The Bogie one)... I still watch it, I still love it, and I don't care.....
5. Casablanca----- (the Bogie one).... I still love it, still watch it, and I don't care....... :-) :-) :-) Anyone getting the idea I'm a Bogie fan???? And that "this maybe the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Frenchy!"
6. The 4 Feathers..... (the old one... black and white)
7. Gunga Din----- He's still a better man that me......
8. Go Tell The Spartens---- Burt at his best.
9 The Cruel Sea----- wore out my tape...... still could watch it every day.
10. 10 years before the mast..... Keel haul the Bastard....
11. Billy Budd..... Keel haul him again
12. Midway----- Now why would I pick this stupid, moronic film...... :-) :-) -- because it was shot on one of the ships I was on, and featured a scene from the engineering space I worked....... sweet memories of youth.....
13. CastleKeep.... Burt at his best again.......
14. Battle of Britain---- TAKA---TAKA---TAKA----
15. 633 Squadron..... The blonde still gets my blood pressure up...... :-) :-) :-)
16. The Silent Enemy.... Commander Crabb's frogmen....
17. The Immortal Battalion.... David Niven.... YES he was young once.....
18. Corvette K225... great shots of Corvettes being built, and at sea.....
19. A Midnight Clear.
and last but not least the GREAT....
Sacha Guitry's CLASSIC---- Napoleon......

I've never thought war movies were there to learn history from. That's what books are for. I love the advent of DVD technology because I can just watch the scenes that I want to watch. Pearl Harbor in my opinion had great flying and combat scenes, the rest of it was boring to me. I don't watch the boring parts.

Private Ryan had some of the greatest combat scenes I have ever scene . Parts of it made you flinch. The same with Band of Brothers. Das Boot I can always watch from start to finish because I think it is the most realistic war movie that has been made to this date.

Well there have been a few classics metioned and i'll list a few that havent been metioned here

Taras Bulbas was a neat historical epic set in time period which most lay people no nothing about so who knows if its accurate, but its still hella cool.

The Devil's Birgade is still one of my favorite WW2 movies for the simple reason that i think it is the only one to feature Canadians. The national sterotypes are hilarious and the movie still shows how comrarade is formed during wartime. I think its time for a remake with better equipment (More CGI) and an eye for historical accurcracy. Every time the Canadians metion they were at Dunkirk, I cringe.

Another Movie which NEEDS to be redone with the full benefits of modern technology is the Longest Day. The original is a great film, but the ability to show the D-day landings from all sides with today's technology would be breathtaking, and yes, they should put Canadians in that too.

Is that the silent one? If it is a friend of mine and I went to the Shrine auditorium in LA to see it when it premiered after being restored. It was shown like it had originally been shown, with a full orchestra. It was hot, the air wasn't working, the seats were too close and my legs were cramped, and it was about four hours long if I recall, but I sat there riveted watching that movie. They literally don't make them like that any more.

Yep... sure is....
I saw it in NYC.... the same way....
except if I recall it was Cariggie Hall....
AC.... nice seat, and most folks in their tuxedos and gowns... real mucky muck type of affair.....

Got it on tape... except no orchestra...... LOL :-) :-) :-)
and I can wear my BVD's...... :-) :-) :-)

First, I must agree with you on Pearl Harbor, the greatest waste of film footage in history.

In regards as to the usefulness of "historical" movies, they do in an almost twisted way serve their purpose. I view even the biggest stinkers, for those who viewed it, a primer to delve even deeper into the subject.

This is and has been, a subject for debate within historical circles and most likely will continue to be.

As far as accuracy, I've caught a lot of misinformation in History Channel programs. Shame on them. However, it too serves as a primer. So, history wins in the end, one way or another.

Rule of thumb at my house. SWMBO never gets to pick historical based movies....for the same reason as you cited.

So I take it that you guys don't think Star Wars was historically accurate :-) Haven't seen Pearl Harbor, Can't say I want to after hearing from some good friends their take on it. The older movies like Great Escape etc are among my favorites. Recent additions include the Band of Brothers collection. I love just listening to the actual guys that were there relay their thoughts. Makes you go, "hmmm".

While assigned to the 82nd ABN, I had the great opportunity to meet with the guys who made the jumps in WW2 that Ft. Braggs drop zones are named after. Sicily, Rhein Luzon, St Merelgise (Sp?) etc. I met with these guys for four years. The stories they told might have been embelished a little, but to talk with the guys who made history was a lifetime experience. I'm drifting off topic I know, so I'll shut up now. "Q"

I take movies for what they are....entertainment, good or bad and nothing more.

Seeing as StarWars is set in the future, it would be difficult to class it as 'historicaly correct'. Now Battle Star Galactica is a different matter....

Cheers
Henk

Like Dave, I like Breaker Morant as well as:

Zulu
Zulu Dawn
Rodger's- Dam Busters (think what that would be like now with CGI)
The Longest Day
The Great Escape
Cross of Iron
The Bridge
A Bridge Too Far (Wish they would have made Ryan's "The Last Battle" into a movie)
Gallipoli
Odd Angry Shot
Patton
Strategic Air Command (great Cold War propaganda movie and fantastic B-36 footage)
Bombers B-52 (same as above except fantastic B-36 footage)
Full Metal Jacket
Gardens of Stone (Book was excellent)
Flight of the Intruder (mostly for a couple of scenes, the book was much better)
In Harms Way
Of Course, Tora Tora Tora
Midway
Eventhough there's little to do with historical accuracy, I like Final Countdown (Just for the F-14 footage)

heheheh Dr. Strangelove...We can't have a mine shaft gap!


This is to name only a few. Most are inaccurate, but they do as I said, serve well as a primer.

Hmmm- but would it make it a better film. Plus, we're back to the British film debacle.

Speaking of which, I took the first born to see 'Valiant' yesterday, which highlights the little-known role of the Royal Carrier Pigeon Service in averting disaster on D-Day. The cast was brilliant- how they got those pigeons to do some of those stunts I'll never know! :-)

THAT is an excellent question. It comes down to the director. If they are only concerned with making a CGI extravaganza then no, it wouldn't improve on the film in the slightest. Oh, there would be those who thought it was the better movie, just like there are those who think you have to colorize black and white movies to get the kiddies to watch them.

I think any movie comes down to the script. Screenwriters don't get near enough credit. A great cast and director can make a decent movie from a week script, but if you want a truly great film you need it all, great director, great cast, great script.

Movies are designed to make money for the movie studios. The argument that "At least it gets people interested" is bogus as the tinkering with historical fact eliminates them as a historical source.

I did think that "Glory" was a good movie. "The Red Badge of Courage" (The Audie Murphy version, not the John-Boy version - eew) is my personal favorite. I look past the Span-Am War era gear to see the personalities of the troops under the stress of combat. Some people have nit-picked "Saving Private Ryan", but it is the most authentic view of combat ever presented. The opinion isn't necessarily mine, but that of WWII vets who have seen the movie. I'll give "Band of Brothers" a close second.

I can't wait for the Clint Eastwood version of "Flags of our Fathers."

-Charlie

How about Anzacs with Paul Hogan?

I thought it was quite accurate portrayal of WWI life.

I still think Gettysburg is one of the best I've seen.

I have never considered a movie to be historically accurate. It's just an action movie. I mean some of you who do the research know that characters and "based" on real people hardly ever portray the actual character. Plus the battle has to be packaged up nice and neat within a couple of hours whereas in history we know things go on long after.

There are plenty of documentaries on History Channel that give you better, still not perfect, information as they focus on historical events

Indeed, movies are designed to make the maximum amount of money for the studio that produces them, but to dismiss their ability to generate interest out of hand is a bit premature. Outside of those who tend to read historical works often, how many people heard of Stephen Ambrose until Saving Private Ryan? (Which by the way his most noted work was produced while he was a Professor at K-State.."Rise of Globalism") Yet, after that movie and the subsequent interest in WWII history it generated, the sales of his works skyrocketed and in the wake of it all, there was a noticable increase in interest in historical subjects....period. So much so, there were several historical conferences over the presentation of historical matter to the "masses" and the benefits of movies such as Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc etc.

On a note that hits closer to home within Armorama, after the "made for TV" prodcution about the Hunley, how many of us were drooling over the prospect of a Hunley model? Ditto on any other modeling subject?

It's a visual society like it, or not. Movies do serve as a primer. It's up to those who use them to temper the Hollywood spin with the facts.

Awaiting the release of Gates of Heaven.

(hoping it's not like "Troy")

Steve

Later Edit: I meant "Kingdom of Heaven" sorry.