Christmas TV Military Films

[Rotary Booty]

For those film buffs there are two war films being shown on BBC2 during the holidays that are unavailable on video in the UK for some reason.

Saturday 27th December, 1500hrs. 'The War Lover' with Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner. It contains some of the best actual footage of B17s over Germany during WW II.

New Years Day, 1445hrs. 'The Victors' with George Peppard. It follows a platoon of allied soldiers from Sicily to the Normandy landings. Judged to be the most realistic war film before Saving Private Ryan, and includes the scene of an American soldier being executed by firing squad in the snow while Frank Sinatra sings 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' in the background!

I wonder if they are as good as I remember them to be!

Aye, Derek

[Cronkilla]

Christmas isnt christmas without a beer and hurling abuse at the germans in The Great Escape

[Aldo]

Christmas isnt christmas without a beer and hurling abuse at the germans in The Great Escape

I see the spirit of good will to all men is positivley flowing throughout your home Cronkilla lol

[Frank S.]

Wow. Talk about apropos. I'd just PM'd Sticks about movies last night.
There are three or four which come to mind, although they're unlikely to be shown on (US) television:

1 - "the siege", with Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis and others. Made in '98 I believe. Very solid script about American response to terror attacks in New York City. I watched the vid again last night, and two years after 9/11 it's surreal.

2 - "Rules of engagement" with Samuel Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones. Very solid drama about the evacuation of the US embassy in Yemen (fictional) which goes bad as Marines take and then return fire. The ensuing court-martial of the colonel in charge is excellent drama. Written by a Vietnam vet who had a career at the State Department, it addresses topics such as why career soldiers get hung to dry by appeasing politicos.

3 - "the battle of Algiers". French semi-documentary, showing the Algerian rebellion from the Algerian perspective. Banned in France for years, it was viewed by military planners at the Pentagon prior to Gulf War II. Now, I haven't seen that one. But it's been said that the parallels between the movie and the occupation of Iraq are 'eerie'. Not the kind of flick I'd order at this time in the US: I don't want to end up on a watch list somewhere...

Sticks mentioned "enemy at the gates", the story of Russian snipers during the siege of Stalingrad and the German counter-sniper sent to eliminate their 'leader'. Excellent flick.

And "Das boot" by Wolgang Petersen about a U-boat crew in WWII. Long movie but quite good.

[bootneck]

another good film, not long been out on video/DVD, is, "We Were Soldiers," with Mel Gibson, obviously it is set in Vietnam, and our cousins across the pond are laying Napalm down all over the place, but its not just the vietnamese who get a slice. well worth a watch.

[Sisyphus]

- "Rules of engagement" with Samuel Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones.
And "Das boot" by Wolgang Petersen about a U-boat crew in WWII. Long movie but quite good.

Frank

I enjoyed Rules of Engagement as entertainment. I thought the Ambassador's change of story in the court room was farcical but it didn't quite ruin the movie. The prosecuting lawyer was a bit OTT, too. But, like I said, good entertainment for a cold, dark, winter's night.

Das Boot! Now you're talking. Probably, one of - no my all-time favourite TV drama. Was it a film [movie] in the US? Over here it was shown in 6 x 1 hr drama episodes. It's been on twice over here on TV. I've got 5 episodes on tape and have watched it a few times. No doubt it will be round again some time and I'll get the episode I missed.

Actually, it was a U-boat that killed my grandad {R.N. in WWI and Merchant Navy in WWII}. So it was interesting to see how the 'enemy' fared. Not well, as it turned out!

[Aldo]

Rules of Engagement was an excellent film, we get regularaly over here on sky movies but it's been on terrestrial recently too. If anyone gets a chance to watch this movie I recomend you do.

I didn't really care too much for we were soldiers. Too much emphasise on the emotional side and religion, it looked like a war movie that had been designed to be a chick flick.

[Aldo]

Das Boot! Now you're talking. Probably, one of - no my all-time favourite TV drama. Was it a film [movie] in the US? Over here it was shown in 6 x 1 hr drama episodes. It's been on twice over here on TV. I've got 5 episodes on tape and have watched it a few times. No doubt it will be round again some time and I'll get the episode I missed.

Are you talking about "we were soldiers"? Ther recent one with Gibson?

Incidently I swear I heard one of the vietcong speaking with an English accent

[Frank S.]

I've got the original version of "das boot" in German with subtitles. I don't know that it's been shown on TV here, possibly on cable. But the length of it makes it difficult to schedule (two tapes).
As to "rules of engagement", I hear you on the ambassador. However consider how... 'entertaining' the debriefing of April Glaspie must have been upon her return from Iraq!
These things happen.

[bootneck]

Are you talking about "we were soldiers"? Ther recent one with Gibson?

Incidently I swear I heard one of the vietcong speaking with an English accent

Aldo, thats the Actors name i used, Mel Gibson, there is only one i think. and the vietcong may have been speaking with English accents, but the Zulus in the film of the same name, were wearing watches. [/quote]

[Aldo]

Sorry I got a bit mixed up with what sisyphus said. It's a bit late to be putting the Christmas decorations up bootneck lol

[bootneck]

Aldo, just see nurse for some more medicine,

[Chris]

How about "A Bridge Too Far" one of the best films ever

[BenChug]

How about the Band of Brothers series about the 101st Airborne Easy Company, I really enjoyed that show. And then a personnal favorite - Kellys Heros just from that scene where he tells the Panzer commander whats in the bank makes me larf every time.

[dan1898]

I got to agree with A Bridge to Far, its cured many a boring Sunday duty down the mess and makes a welcome change from the normal dirty duty watch vids, only once in a while though.