We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:05:40 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Cowboy Blob has posted his Top Ten War Movies list, after reading Acidman's. I visited this subject almost a year ago. The monthly readership of this blog has tripled since then, so mebbe it's time to revisit it, since it's a theme running around. This is my list. I have no discipline, I didn't limit it to 10. Patton Zulu Zulu Dawn Cross of Iron Tora! Tora! Tora! Saving Private Ryan Full Metal Jacket Glory Richard III Bridge On the River Kwai The Thin Red Line (1998) Braveheart (1995) Das Boot (1981) Henry V (1990) The Rough Riders (1997) Black... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:47:38 -0600 Mr. Roberts! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9372 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9372 Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:18:07 -0600 One of the things I've learned while blogging is that if you want comments, you have to leave some holes for people to fill. As I am risk-averse, I tend (tend, mind you) to blog things I know, and I like to think I cover 'em pretty thoroughly, so I don't get a lot of comments on a lot of things - and the crowd that visits the Castle aren't of the 'dittohead' variety who chime in with a lot of, "Yeah! What you said!" kinda comments. Which is good. So, for example, I didn't mention the fact the Whitworth, in a post above, was the man who caused Great Britain to adopt uniform thread standards - leaving the door open for Monteith to show his erudition in supplying that bit. Which is what makes blogs fun. With this list, I stuck to what I have seen - and that left gaps, which I can now pick and choose from to add to my library or list. My evil plans are working! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9286 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9286 Tue, 23 Nov 2004 11:04:26 -0600 Checking in late, good list but... Two that I'm surprised were missed, Wake Island (back-order from Amazon, sonsomabatches) tells a powerful tale of victory within defeat. And one of the finest war movies of all time, To Hell and Back. Bataan,the Fighting Seabees(for Duke fans) and Wing and a Prayer from during WWII. I also agree about the Beast. Assuming it's the same one I saw about a Soviet tank cut off from its column while cruising through Afghanistan. Very good. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9285 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9285 Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:20:42 -0600 One that I haven't seen mentioned that you should check out. It's a German flick (my copy is subtitled) simply called "Stalingrad." I'm sure you can figure out the topic. Excellent flick. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9283 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9283 Tue, 23 Nov 2004 07:43:24 -0600 Bf-109's (more here if you're really masochistic, scroll down), but not mention the Merlin-engined He-111's! ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9209 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9209 Mon, 22 Nov 2004 06:40:06 -0600 Interesting the original list included "Battle of Britain" but not Twelve O'Clock High...the latter being a staple of Squadron Officers' School for years as a leadership training flick. BTW, I met Adolph Galland (Chief of Fighter Command during the Battle) shortly before he died. He was one of the prime technical advisors on the "Battle of Britain" (imagine that). About 5 minutes into his first flight on the BoB movie "set" since the end of the War, he was doing aileron rolls about 10' feet off the deck. Consummate fighter pilot (couple that with a wife 40 years his junior and he made for an interesting addition to an evening at the local gasthaus). When they were starting production on the movie, the producers put him in one of those funky post-WWII Spanish Bf-109s...you know, the ones with the bulbous engine cowling that made a fine airplane look like a pregnant guppy between the prop spinner and the windscreen...to see if he could be of help in composing the battle scenes. He managed. Heh. For those of us who know what a Bf-109 is supposed to look like it sort of took something away from the movie. Bloody purist, I know. But, dammit, mod the airplane to look right! Anyway, Galland was well regarded in post-war Germany as one of the few who told Hitler to go f**k himself, and live. He went from Chief of Fighter Command to line pogue by the end of the war for telling too many people what Germany was doing was bad. He also got some of the first combat jet time in history in the Me-262. Interesting guy. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9204 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9204 Mon, 22 Nov 2004 06:19:11 -0600 Dang! Sir. Concur with all above. Haven't seen all of yer list, but agree with your taste. Hey, did you think that "Zulu Dawn" went a little too far toward accuracy and lost some dramatic qualities, as I did? I mean, it's a *War Story* and yer never gonna get the facts ex. actly. right. Some Kewl&Manly guys on both sides in that Zulu War. There's an impressive book about it, "Like Lions They Fought," whose title is descriptive of Zulus and Brits both, and what impressions they made on each others' thinking. The Zulus do have the last word. Snork. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9178 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9178 Sun, 21 Nov 2004 17:48:36 -0600 Band of Brothers. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9175 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9175 Sun, 21 Nov 2004 15:50:04 -0600 "Heaven and Earth" ? No not the Oliver Stone flick but a movie set in fuedal Japan. Has some great battle scenes, and great moments such as when a revolting general's family is caught and shown to him with threats that they will be killed if he doesn't surrender. He replies that if he was worried about his family he wouldn't have revolted in the first place..... Also, "Attack" starring Jack Palance and Eddie Albert is a rather good movie too. Good personal story and good action scenes. I live in Andersonville, so "Andersonville" is a favorite. Gettysburg & Glory are 2 more of my favorites, mainly because I'm in them...barely...I'm the guy in grey with the 1855 Enfield, you can't miss me... I agree with Monteith about "When Trumpets Fade". It was my favorite modern WW2 movie until "Saving Private Ryan" Pearl Harbor? Thank goodness for the scene selection feature on DVD players... John Wayne movie? "In Harm's Way". Seeing those cool giant model ships getting blown up made me sad though....Which reminds me, "Sink the Bismarck" is good too. And last, the very first movie I can remember my dad taking me to see-- "Midway" ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9150 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9150 Sun, 21 Nov 2004 07:43:33 -0600 If you ever find the Odd Angry Shot on DVD on this side of the planet, do drop me an e-mail, I'm looking for it. Seriously. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9113 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9113 Sun, 21 Nov 2004 02:04:58 -0600 The Red Badge of Courage (1951) Night of the Generals (1966) The Lost Patrol (1934) The Story of GI Joe (1945) Wings (1927) Dawn Patrol (1930) Sahara (1943) The Blue Max (1966) The Young Lions (1958) 55 Days at Peking (1962) The Train (1965) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9079 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9079 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 23:33:12 -0600 "The War Lover", if only for the B-17 flying sequences. The saga of getting those B-17's to Britain twenty years after the war was the subject of a book, "Everything But The Flak" by Martin Caidin. And I do concur with "Kelley's Heroes". My driver installed an eight-track tape player in our M60A1. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9071 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9071 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 22:09:18 -0600 Oh wait, & of course - Memphis Belle!!! - Excalibur - Empire of the Sun That should do it I think http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9070 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9070 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 22:04:56 -0600 This is what I can recall off the top. Very Similar to ya'lls, but with some additions & deletions. I am sure more will come to mind. I am going to cut and paste your lists, though so I'll know what to get myself for Christmas. --- Gettysburg (Only parts of it) Saving Private Ryan (same here) We Were Soldiers Platoon Full Metal Jacket Patton (mostly the speach) Zulu Tears of the Sun Tora! Tora! Tora! Glory Bridge On the River Kwai Braveheart Black Hawk Down Kelly's Heroes Gallipoli A Walk in the Sun The Bridges at Toko Ri Schindler's List great Escape Stalag 17 Breaker Morant Jeremiah Johnson Lawrence of Arabia The War Wagon Sparticus Pearl Harbor (the recent one) The 300 Spartans Gladiator Patriot Exodus Red Dawn 1941 (Sorry, but I love it) --- http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9068 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9068 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:55:22 -0600 John, To supplement your list consider these military themed movies that capture an era quite well "Tunes of Glory" is a great post-war (ca 1947) peacetime battalion-level command and leadership case study starring Sir Alec Guinness. Also gives a great insight into the British regimental system (quite helpful here in India where the Indian Army has become socially locked in 1947). "Gardens of Stone" is great all around because it is anti-war (specifically not peace at any cost but in that if we ain't there to win, quit fooling around and getting guys killed for nothing) yet very pro-military. The book is incredible and naturally fleshes out the characters much better adding a lot more depth to Clell Hazard and 'Goody' Nelson. A SGM I served with a few years ago recommended the book when he heard me talking about the movie. I picked up a PB copy in a used bookstore while at CAS3 in 1999. "The Odd, Angry Shot" is a good exposition of the Australian SAS serving in Vietnam. If you ever work with an Aussie soldier, tell the 'Digger' you like this movie and he'll probably buy the first few rounds as it is Australia's Platoon and SPR rolled into one. Unfortunately, currently only available as a used VHS and difficult to find at that. The inclusion of "Blackadder Goes Forth" is as cunning as a fox who has just been appointed professor of cunning at Oxford University. You get a lot of cool point with a Brit or Aussie officer if you can drop an Blackadder reference to them. One of my good friends in the RAF is the modern Lord Flashheart. He even signs his emails to me Flash. Hurrah!!!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9065 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9065 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:40:25 -0600 You missed "When Trumpet's Fade". An amazing rendition by HBO of the Battle of the Hurtgenwald. It's become my key reference point for newsies that don't have any clue as to what a bad battle is... Personally my short list is : Das Boot Private Ryan When Trumpet's Fade The Light Horse A Bridge Too Far http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9064 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9064 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:04:42 -0600 Another excellent movie which the Air Force used for years as a training movie on leadership... Command Decision. Your list and those mentioned above are great. If you include Westerns as war movies I suggest the classic "The Searchers" with John Wayne. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9060 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9060 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 20:03:27 -0600 I noted you have Talvisota, but not the more recent fine Finnish film: Ambush. Also, The Bridge. And of course, Enemy at the Gates. Fine films in your list though. And, oh yes, that great film about Canadians and Americans: The Devils' Brigade. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9055 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9055 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 19:44:21 -0600 What?!? Where's "The Beast"??? A squid like me shouldn't have to remind you members of the Big Green Machine about such a fine tank movie. Kindly consider "They Were Expendable" for the list. Several other nautical titles belong on the list, but I'm not here to bust anyone's balls...good list. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9047 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9047 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 18:34:16 -0600 They aren't in any particular order, simply because my tastes vary over time. Even within a month or so. If I'm reading memoirs of Airborne soldiers in WWII, A Bridge Too Far and Band of Brothers would percolate up higher. As for The Great Escape, it's just never been a fave - which in no way (d-uh) diminishes it's appeal. I would prefer Colditz, I think. As for Hell Is For Heroes... seeing as how I've been searching for it and finally found a copy... you're right. It shoulda been there. There's a new (to the US market) movie about Soviet Partisans, Come and See, that I'm getting soon. We'll see if it joins the list. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9045 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9045 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 18:10:01 -0600 Good list, with the comments already noted. But frankly, you should have "Gettysburg" higher in the standings. A magnificent work! (I'm assuming that they're listed in order of your preference.) I agree with placing "Patton" on top, by the way. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9044 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9044 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 17:08:17 -0600 How could you forget The Great Escape For you.... cooler. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9043 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9043 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:59:32 -0600 Fortunately, I read my original post and deleted it before posting a spoiler. The Sands of Iwo Jima is very good. There. Now I haven't ruined the end of the movie for you. Eric: I've got a Johnny Cash "best of" album that I listen to regularly that has a song on it about Ira Hayes. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9039 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9039 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:41:13 -0600 Well, Doc's right - I missed The Longest Day. Pure oversight there. As for Sands of Iwo Jima, I'll have to admit I've never seen it! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9038 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9038 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:27:52 -0600 .. I'm with Doc... what about the Sands of Iwo Jima?... I met Ira Hayes' Newphew in Newark last week... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9037 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9037 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:02:24 -0600 Not even a gratuitous John Wayne title? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9036 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9036 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 15:18:13 -0600 i'm waiting for "The Lighthorsemen" to come out in dvd format. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9035 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9035 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 15:17:13 -0600 ZZ News Portal occasionally scan the web manually for interesting news feed content and we came across your site today. We would like to invite you to submit your site's url to our OpenRing as your material appears both interesting and aligned with our readership. If you are interested you can find further information at ZZ OpenRing and at the ZardozZ OpenWeb. Hope you'll join us...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9029 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9029 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 14:14:53 -0600 You forgot Hell Is For Heroes! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9027 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9027 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 13:19:58 -0600 ...Twelve O'Clock High...dammit. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9025 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/war_movies_and_such.html#comment-9025 Sat, 20 Nov 2004 12:40:48 -0600