The Cruel Sea
My father was in the Royal Navy & took part in the Battle of the Atlantic. Like the Compass Rose his ship was torpedoed with large loss of life. He was picked up two days later.
My Uncle was at Arnhem he was in the Border regiment (Gliders) and his glider was the first on the ground at Arnhem their platoon commander was killed before they hit the ground, he fought around the Brickworks at Renkum and was eventually seriously wounded by a morter round. He was taken prisoner and a German Army surgeon cut the shrapnel out of his back with no anesthetic and probably saved his life – he was 22 years old. We have much to be thankful for.
DezB – Member
Inglorious basterds ranks right up there with Fury as probably the worse war films ever made
I like them both. Became trendy to slag them off, but both have some great scenes. Definitely not “worst ever made” I wouldn’t think.
All about context and expectation.
Not seen Fury, but Inglorious Basterds is (IMO) a great war film. Not gritty, realistic or accurate but a great film (as are pretty much all of Tarantino’s films – always love to see the work of a director who is in love with cinema) set in wartime.
I really liked Clint Eastwood’s “Letters From Iwo Jima”. They say history is written by the winners, but this is history from the other side. Very good indeed, and much better than its sister film “Flags Of Our Fathers”.
Also, “A Midnight Clear” for the whole banality of war with a bit of ‘oh, for **** sake’ thrown in.
Special mentions to:
Good Morning Vietnam
The Railway Man
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence
Enemy At The Gates
Jakob The Liar
Schindler’s List
I ‘enjoyed’ Fury, if that’s the appropriate description. Thought the plot and reality of war was plausible and gave you a sense of what it felt like in a tank regiment.
The Longest Day, which remains (with the exceptions of John Wayne’s piss poor contribution playing a man who was half his age, and Sean Conneries lamentable attempt at an Irish accent) an utterly remarkable film for its ambition in telling different aspects of the story and its attempt at accuracy, employing so many of those who were really there as advisors.
Waterloo – for the sheer scale of the battle scenes “Raise high the black flags children, no pity, no prisoners…”
Come and See, for being just, well, haunting, in its portrayal of the work of the german death squads as they advanced in to Russia
Das Boot has to be the best, its just unbelievably atmospheric.
What about master and commander? not war filmy enough.
Battle of britain-so many aircraft it was by numbers the 35th largest air force in the world.
;:
Oh and Bridge to far has the best line in any war film:
Major Harry Carlyle: We haven’t the proper facilities to take you all prisoner! Sorry!
SS Panzer Officer: [confused] What?
Major Harry Carlyle: We’d like to, but we can’t accept your surrender! Was there anything else?
Kajaki was really good but so tense found I couldn’t watch half of it! 633 squadron and The Guns of Naverone. The start of Saving Private Ryan I thought was absolutely outstanding.