11 replies to this topic

[Lady Rarity Pony]

I'm curious as to what historical war films people would recommend for me to watch?

Other than Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot, and Braveheart.

[Little Miss Fluttershy]

Hmm here's a few:

• We were soldiers

Wow....that's really all I can think of right now. My bad dude. I thought I remembered watching a few more war films, but I can't remember what they were called. D:

[Dragonshy]

Oh man, I guess I can list a few of my personal favorites.

• Platoon
• Full Metal Jacket
• Apocalypse Now
• Black Hawk Down
• Guadalcanal Diary

[Titan Rising]

You should watch "The Pacific", it's not a film but a short and accurate HBO series about the fights in the Pacific during WW2

Black Hawk Down was great as well

I'm not a huge fan of Full Metal Jacket though... The first half of the movie is good but it comes off as like anti military propaganda to me

Edited by Hollowshield, 03 August 2012 - 04:12 PM.

[Dr Manehattan]

The Pacific and Band of Brothers are great TV shows. Simillar to Saving Private Ryan.

I'm not that big on war films... I do like SPR and The Patriot though. Though sometimes I have trouble finding the difference between what's war and anti-war. I will say that I like watching films with unhappy endings in general. And my favorite war movies are almost all about Vietnam. So that's a warning.
Films that involve war that I personally enjoyed(not sure if you will since they're not like The Patriot, which I did think was pretty awesome):
Apocalypse Now
Fullmetal Jacket
The Thin Red Line
Rescue Dawn

[Thereisnospoon303]

Stalingrad, a foreign film which was produced about twenty years ago. (I think it was made for television, so I don't know where you could find a copy.) One could easily guess which event it chronicles. If I remember correctly, it follows a German unit through the course of the battle, from the beginning of the offensive until its conclusion. There's a great scene toward the end where, spoiler alert, the German forces in the city are surrounded in the middle of the winter, and the Luftwaffe begins dropping crates filled with Iron Crosses down onto their troops. Not supplies---medals and ribbons.

Europa Europa was another foreign film, a story about Solomon Perel who, during the course of the war, managed to take on the guise of a member of the Hitler Youth. It's something of a dark comedy---not rife with all sorts of attempts to hide from the Nazis in the comical manner (although there is one particularly painful scene where he has to... hide an obvious mark of his Jewish upbringing), but it still has a comedic edge. It's one of my favorite films.

Band of Brothers. Others have just mentioned it, yet it bears repeating. It's a superb series.

Gettysburg, based on The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It was a rather long movie, if my memory serves me right. It had some big stars in it, too, like Martin Sheen (General Robert E. Lee) and Jeff Bridges (Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain). Really well acted and well produced.

[Dr Manehattan]

A pretty good war film that came out recently was The Hurt Locker. It deals with the current war in the Middle East, and I don't really consider it a war or anti-war film. It won the Oscar, I don't think it should have... but it's a very good film regardless. If you're interested in the War in Iraq then I'd suggest watching it.
It's not as "epic" as those other films, but you feel like you're watching a documentary sometimes.

[Jawmuncher]

Andersonvill is a good film when it comes to showing off the Civil War and the POWs within it.
I watched it during social studies class back in high school and was just amazed the entire time.

Glory is another good one.

Edited by Jawmuncher, 03 August 2012 - 10:25 PM.

[NewCalamity]

Aha, why didn't you ask me sooner, you silly thing?

@Thereisnospoon303, mentioned two lesser-known films which are absolutely fantastic, and very near and dear to me, Stalingrad, and Gettysburg. He did the films justice by explaining them so I'll leave them there.

Das Boot - A German U-Boat crew and their entire patrol in the Atlantic. Very gripping, nerve-wracking and suspenseful. Also very accurate and respectful to what happened to the crew of U-96, as it was based on a book written by one of the men aboard.

Conspiracy - A very accurate portrayal of German high-ranking discussion for the "final solution" The actors did a wonderful job and the atmosphere created sits very well. It's also a fairly short film, so there's quite a bit to take in. It's also extremely interesting to see how their "issue" was discussed and addressed, their decision making process was indeed eye-opening. The meeting was recorded.

Restrepo - More of a documentary, a cameraman accompanies a platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan for a year. Very gritty, real, and gives you a true look at what fighting the invisible enemy is like.

Valkyrie - Now, this isn't the Tom Cruise film. This film is German-made and a more respectable portrayal of Stauffenberg's plot against Hitler. Well-made, and a good piece of history to watch unfold, much better than the Hollywood Tom Cruise depiction.

Downfall - Another German-made film, that's four so far now. Hitler's final months inside of his bunker and the eventual crumble of the eleven year reign of his Third Reich. Very gripping, stressful and accurate. Extremely high quality.

A Bridge Too Far - A very respectful telling of Operation Market Garden and its failure. Very well-made, another one of those great 1970's war films. An old favourite.

Zulu - One of my more favourite films, centered around the Battle of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu Wars. excellent film, my goodness, not much else to say other than get to it!

Finally, here's a quick list of others that I also highly reccomend, not only for you, LRP, but everyone else as well.

• Tora! Tora! Tora!
• Flags of our Fathers
• Letters from Iwo Jima
• Battle of Britain
• Cross of Iron
• Sink the Bismarck
• The Great Escape

and now for those that have already been mentioned, but I also highly recommend.

• Band of Brothers
• The Pacific
• Full Metal Jacket
• Platoon

Finally, Black Hawk Down is among my favourites. @, and @, graciously mentioned this great movie. The Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, showing the US Army Ranger's and part of Delta Force struggling through the mission, historically accurate, gripping and very well put together thanks to Ridley Scott and Hans Zimmer providing a mind-blowing score.

If I've forgotten anything, I will most definitely add it later when I come to the epiphany. For now though, get going and find these films!

[Dr Manehattan]

Aha, why didn't you ask me sooner, you silly thing?

@Thereisnospoon303, mentioned two lesser-known films which are absolutely fantastic, and very near and dear to me, Stalingrad, and Gettysburg. He did the films justice by explaining them so I'll leave them there.

Das Boot - A German U-Boat crew and their entire patrol in the Atlantic. Very gripping, nerve-wracking and suspenseful. Also very accurate and respectful to what happened to the crew of U-96, as it was based on a book written by one of the men aboard.

Conspiracy - A very accurate portrayal of German high-ranking discussion for the "final solution" The actors did a wonderful job and the atmosphere created sits very well. It's also a fairly short film, so there's quite a bit to take in. It's also extremely interesting to see how their "issue" was discussed and addressed, their decision making process was indeed eye-opening. The meeting was recorded.

Restrepo - More of a documentary, a cameraman accompanies a platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan for a year. Very gritty, real, and gives you a true look at what fighting the invisible enemy is like.

Valkyrie - Now, this isn't the Tom Cruise film. This film is German-made and a more respectable portrayal of Stauffenberg's plot against Hitler. Well-made, and a good piece of history to watch unfold, much better than the Hollywood Tom Cruise depiction.

Downfall - Another German-made film, that's four so far now. Hitler's final months inside of his bunker and the eventual crumble of the eleven year reign of his Third Reich. Very gripping, stressful and accurate. Extremely high quality.

A Bridge Too Far - A very respectful telling of Operation Market Garden and its failure. Very well-made, another one of those great 1970's war films. An old favourite.

Zulu - One of my more favourite films, centered around the Battle of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu Wars. excellent film, my goodness, not much else to say other than get to it!

Finally, here's a quick list of others that I also highly reccomend, not only for you, LRP, but everyone else as well.

• Tora! Tora! Tora!
• Flags of our Fathers
• Letters from Iwo Jima
• Battle of Britain
• Cross of Iron
• Sink the Bismarck
• The Great Escape

Flags of Our Fathers + Letters From Iwo Jima = Amazing Clint Eastwood WWII Double Feature!
Watching them back to back, or at least within days of each other is highly recommended!

[Dragonshy]

• The Pacific

The Pacific was outstanding! It's definitely in my top ten favorites, but it's technically a miniseries so I didn't list it. Restrepo is also a great one, but since it's a documentary, I didn't list it.

Edited by DRAGONSHY.MOV, 04 August 2012 - 04:44 AM.

[Thereisnospoon303]

@NewCalamity

How did I forget Das Boot, Battle of Britain, and Cross of Iron? Battle of Britain is one of my all-time favorite war movies. I especially remember the beginning with the Luftwaffe March playing as the German high command is gathering to begin plans for an invasion of Britain. Of course the rest of the film is terrific as well. I cannot think of another film which so convincingly depicted that battle.

As for Cross of Iron---DEMARCATION!