Watched Saving Private Ryan, 1917 aswell as The Dam Busters and a documentary World War 2 in Colour.
It can never touch the real experience but gives an idea what was going on at the time, the technology and the people and stages leading up to such monumental events.
Do you watch films and/or documentaries in commemoration of this solemn time of year. |
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World at War is a great series, no dramatisation, all actual footage.
Band of Brothers is a great series, made off the back of Saving Private Ryan.
For movies, Hacksaw Ridge is a must, based on a true story too.
The Longest Day, another classic.
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I love all of the classic war films, and could and do watch them when they are on TV repeatedly, and always have done.
With an additional avid history passion, I also realise now that most that are based on true event or person have a correlation with the actual truth of the story, but are usually way off the mark in terms of accuracy …. but that is Entertainment for you!
Again, what very very few films do show is the visceral reality of warfare, and its effects on humans …. I suspect it would turn off most viewers if it did!!
R xx |
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"
With an additional avid history passion, I also realise now that most that are based on true event or person have a correlation with the actual truth of the story, but are usually way off the mark in terms of accuracy …. but that is Entertainment for you!
"
Agree d.
Check out the Israeli film Lebanon (2009) a little different in that respect ! |
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"I love all of the classic war films, and could and do watch them when they are on TV repeatedly, and always have done.
With an additional avid history passion, I also realise now that most that are based on true event or person have a correlation with the actual truth of the story, but are usually way off the mark in terms of accuracy …. but that is Entertainment for you!
Again, what very very few films do show is the visceral reality of warfare, and its effects on humans …. I suspect it would turn off most viewers if it did!!
R xx"
While probably true of modern audiences, when the classics were made, most of the audience and many of the actors were veterans with direct personal experience.
Some lesser known films worth a look:
Theirs is the glory: battle of Arnhem, made on location just after the war using the survivors as cast.
The odd angry shot: Australians in Vietnam. |
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"I like good war film or series. One of my favourites is the classic anti war film - Oh! What a Lovely War. The music is from songs soldiers and civilians sang during WW1
"
Again … a film I love … such a parody!, and soooo enjoy the songs. have the DVD somewhere, and may get it out, and watch with a nice bottle of red!
R x |
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By (user no longer on site) 13 weeks ago
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I divide war films into ‘real’ and ‘entertainment’. For all its realism I don’t like Ryan because of the trite ending and some poor historical references in it. Band of Brothers is immeasurably superior in both regards - I defy anyone to watch the episode “Why we fight” and be unmoved.
Real films - Cross of Iron, All quiet on the western front are both excellent
Paths of Glory is a true story too
Entertainment (if war could be seen as such)
Ice Cold in Alex
Lawrence of Arabia
Zulu
A bridge too far
You’ve gone and awakened my inner history nerd now! |
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"Watched Saving Private Ryan, 1917 aswell as The Dam Busters and a documentary World War 2 in Colour.
It can never touch the real experience but gives an idea what was going on at the time, the technology and the people and stages leading up to such monumental events.
Do you watch films and/or documentaries in commemoration of this solemn time of year."
Think private Ryan does a pretty good job , especially the beach landing . Veterans have said it was pretty much spot on with how brutal it was  |
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By (user no longer on site) 13 weeks ago
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Quo Vadis Aida? Is a great film on Bosnia genocide and failures of bureaucracy.
Civil War a good one from this year
Paths of Glory and Colonel Blimp my favourite of the classics |
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The World at War documentary is almost permanent on one t v channel or another, really concentrates the mind about the reality and in some cases the futility of war.
Favourite film however is War Horse, a WW1
based film. |
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My go to TV/film to explain the futility of the Great War has to be Blackadder Goes Forth.
I have never forgotten watching that final scene for the first time with my family, when it cut to Poppy fields we were all struck silent. All the laughter that had gone before wiped out.
It is a shame that as we approach Remembrance Sunday the world refuses to Remember, the world refuses to change. We have such appallingly short memories.
One other war film that lives long in the memory is Flag of Our Fathers, I still have never got round to watching the companion/sister film Letters from
two Jima told from the other side. |
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There's a series on Apple TV called Masters of the Air about American bomber crews based in East Anglia during the war. It's based on real people. It was absolutely outstanding and we highly recommend it.
It's about the people as much as it's about war. It's a very human story.
It was made by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and is part of the trilogy that also includes The Pacific and Band of Brothers.
There is an accompanying documentary about the squadron it tells the story of. |
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Come and See
Volhynia
El Alamein - The Line of Fire
Stalingrad
To End All Wars
Films that try and realistically portray how fucking horrible war actually is rather than the slick Hollywood or British stiff-upper-lip versions |
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"There's a series on Apple TV called Masters of the Air about American bomber crews based in East Anglia during the war. It's based on real people. It was absolutely outstanding and we highly recommend it.
It's about the people as much as it's about war. It's a very human story.
It was made by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and is part of the trilogy that also includes The Pacific and Band of Brothers.
There is an accompanying documentary about the squadron it tells the story of."
I know a lot of this was filmed at ad airfield nr Abingdon, and is based upon an Aerodome at Thorpe Abbotts that was in Norfolk … there is still a really good museum there.
I have yet to watch this series …. I guess I’m being tight in not paying for the Apple TV subscription just to watch it!! … maybe it will be free sometime.
R xx |
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By (user no longer on site) 13 weeks ago
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I don’t really watch films (but don’t watch films full stop) but All Quiet on The Western Front was one of the best books I’ve ever read, I still think about it now |
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My grandfather was a prisoner of war and was very forthcoming for many many years with his war stories and tales of his experience fighting and being captured.
Certainly better than most films however he was known to errrmmm be generous with the details  the way he went on you'd have thought he killed Hitler himself .
RIP grandad  |
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"My grandfather was a prisoner of war and was very forthcoming for many many years with his war stories and tales of his experience fighting and being captured.
Certainly better than most films however he was known to errrmmm be generous with the details the way he went on you'd have thought he killed Hitler himself .
RIP grandad "
My grandmas brother was a POW under the Japanese. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors he suffered. |
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"My grandfather was a prisoner of war and was very forthcoming for many many years with his war stories and tales of his experience fighting and being captured.
Certainly better than most films however he was known to errrmmm be generous with the details the way he went on you'd have thought he killed Hitler himself .
RIP grandad
My grandmas brother was a POW under the Japanese. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors he suffered. "
my grandad was legendary at work telling his war stories the guys would intentionally get him talking in the afternoon knowing that they wouldn't have to do any work once he got going |
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"My grandfather was a prisoner of war and was very forthcoming for many many years with his war stories and tales of his experience fighting and being captured.
Certainly better than most films however he was known to errrmmm be generous with the details the way he went on you'd have thought he killed Hitler himself .
RIP grandad
My grandmas brother was a POW under the Japanese. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors he suffered. my grandad was legendary at work telling his war stories the guys would intentionally get him talking in the afternoon knowing that they wouldn't have to do any work once he got going "
I had a very close relative who fought in the desert, Sicily and up through Italy in WW2 . He NEVER spoke about anything to any of his family about his experience.
When I came back from a number of places I have been … we sat and talked. Sometimes it’s difficult to talk about things with people who simply can’t and don’t understand.
R x |
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One of the most powerful places I have visited is the Anti-War museum in Berlin
I've also visited Karlshorst where the second German surrender was signed (the Russians decided the German military staff who signed the initial surrender in France weren't senior enough)
It's how ordinary these places are that stuns |
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By *eavilMan 13 weeks ago
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One of my uncles was in the Merchant Navy and was torpedoed three times in WW2 before he was 20. After the third time bobbing about in mid Atlantic he decided to join the Army as he thought it would be less dangerous.
What really annoyed him though wasn't the Germans but the shipping companies he worked for automatically stopped sailors pay upon the sinking of their ship. |
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"One of my uncles was in the Merchant Navy and was torpedoed three times in WW2 before he was 20. After the third time bobbing about in mid Atlantic he decided to join the Army as he thought it would be less dangerous.
What really annoyed him though wasn't the Germans but the shipping companies he worked for automatically stopped sailors pay upon the sinking of their ship. "
The East Anglian Regiment didn't get paid post WWI and burnt the town hall down.
Too right too.
Vietnam vets got a rough deal too.
Merchant Navy so often taken for granted. |
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