Best WWI Movies?????

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Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 2:22:39 AM

KaiserWilly

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So what are the best movies with a WWI setting? I would go for:

1. The Lost Battalion
2. Gallipoli
3. All Quiet on the Western Front (1970s Version, Bad acting but the uniforms and equipment seemed accurate)

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 12:45:38 PM

Wuotan

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Very rare on german TV (seems like the directors have more interest in WWII and the
stuff that belongs to it... sells better, i guess

). No idea!!! But they showed "Im Westen
nichts Neues" ("All quiet on the western front") at ARTE (sometimes the best thing you
can see here... my two pence) some weeks ago... both versions, the german one from 1930 (?) and the US-one from the 50s(?) a few days later. Great differences between
those two films? Damned, i missed both of them (at least i am sorry for the german one). Should take a look at Amazon.

Greetings!

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 1:52:45 PM

Fred98

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The one with Kirk Douglas playing a lawyer in the French army.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 3:54:19 PM

elmo3

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That would be Paths of Glory, an outstanding movie and still controversial in France I'd imagine.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 4:06:46 PM

wodin

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I havent seen Lost Battalion.

I havent got a multi region DVD player either so it doesnt look like I ever will.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 4:07:33 PM

Clipper1968

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quote:

ORIGINAL: elmo3

That would be Paths of Glory, an outstanding movie and still controversial in France I'd imagine.

It is not any longer controversial since I have been able to watch this movie on French TV so many times since I was born...

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 5:54:20 PM

GWL_Tim

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The Trench (2000) Director William Boyd
For King and Country (1950s) starring Dirk Bogarde
Regeneration (1998?) based on Pat Baker novels
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930s version)
Paths of Glory (1956?) Kirk Douglas
Gallipoli - Mel Gibson
Light Horsemen
Lawrence of Arabia

ANZACs - TV series
Blackadder goes forth.

If I think of some more I'll post them

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 5:58:19 PM

sol_invictus

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I always liked "The Blue Max" with George Peppard.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/26/2004 9:13:25 PM

Dirtdog20

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#1 Tie
All Quiet on the Western Front - 1930's

Paths of Glory

#3 Blue Max - If you dont like a movie that has Ursula Andress or Rachel Welch in it you need to get your self checked for a pulse.

#4 The Light Horseman

#5 Gallipoli - I admit that I cry at the end every time I watch it.

Black Adder Goes Forth and ANZAC are both must see TV.

ANZAC gets the small details right and Black Adder is well, Black Adder

ANZAC seems to me to be the most historicaly correct movie (mini-series) of all of them

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/27/2004 2:56:33 AM

wodin

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Regeneration is sueprb and actually based on a true figure.

The Trench film isnt the one with the lad from eastenders in is it?

IF so I thought it very poor indeed.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/29/2004 4:09:26 PM

GWL_Tim

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Yes The Trench is the one with the lad from Eastenders. I thought it was a reasonable effort. Not brilliant. Strangley my wife really liked it - she said she had never really thought about how young the boys were or what happened to them in battles like The Somme. My list wasn't in any order by the way - its no my favourite. All Quiet or Gallipoli would have to fight that one out!
Regeneration is based on the time the war poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen meet in a wartime hospital recovering from war neuroses. Rober t Graves also makes any appearance. Well worth seeing.
Aces High is another great film - made in the 1970s and starring Malcom MacDowell of Clockwork Orange fame. It's based on the R C Shariff play Journeys End. Incidentally if you live in or near London Journeys End is still on at the theatre and you won't see anything better

(I believe it was made into film in the 1930s too). The film Aces Hign is set in an RAF squadron but the play is set in an infantry frontline dugout days before the 1918 spring offensive. It had most of the audience in tears when I saw it and my teenage nephews ay it twice!!

There's also Lord of the Rings - a lot of its based on Tolkiens experiences in WW1...

< Message edited by GWL_Tim -- 11/29/2004 2:15:08 PM >

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/30/2004 2:58:25 AM

CSSS

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All quiet on the western front (german version ) with english dubbing is great!
Another fun one is James Cagney in Captian Flagg.
Larence of Arabia,Dawn patrol , the Blue Max All ok.
I dont think there is a really great WWI movie though?

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 11/30/2004 8:28:02 PM

*Lava*

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quote:

ORIGINAL: CSS
Dawn patrol

Hi!

Dawn patrol? Boy that goes back a ways. You ever seen "Wings."

BTW, my favorite is "The Blue Max," but as an ex-aviator, it would.

Ray (alias Lava)

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 12/6/2004 3:31:23 AM

spence

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My vote is for ANZACS though I only saw the VHS cut released in the US. Been seriously thinking of getting a code free DVD player and getting the 3 DVD set from OZ....
.....Is it OK to buy yourself presents for Xmas?

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 2/2/2005 1:37:21 AM

Major Paine

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1. Frauline Doctor Omar Sharriff
2. Sgt. York Gary Cooper
3. Blue Max George Peppard
4. How I Won the War (think that's the name) John Lennon

Mentioned Sgt York cause its probably the most mainstream WW1 movie from the U.S., and not mentioned elsewhere.

Frauline Doctor (might be Doktor) fascinating film 1969 forget lead actress, she plays a German spy out to steal secret gas from allies that isn't prevented by wearing masks. Sharriff plays German officer that loves her but comes to see her for the evil that she is/causes.

Blue Max, best airplane movie about the war. Great flight/fight scenes, good story.

How I Won the War (again, think that's the name) also about 1969 stars include cameo by ex-Beatle John Lennon playing (what else) British soldier during Great War. Movie is surreal splicing musical numbers with bloody battle scenes, contrasting patriotic fever with the actual cost of war. May be hard to find, but worth the look.

Also remembered, Fighting 69th with Jimmy Cagney and Pat O'Brien, Cagney is tough-talking street private that runs in battle. O'Brien gets his head straight.

< Message edited by Major Paine -- 2/2/2005 12:04:07 AM >

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 2/2/2005 3:38:28 AM

dricard

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Another one,
"A Very Long Engagement" or "Un long dimanche de fian�ailles" 2004

Battles scenes are superb.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 2/2/2005 3:46:43 AM

wodin

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Watched Lost Battalion and hated it. Turned it off half way through. Well maybe a bit further. I even bought a Multi region dvd to watch it on.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 2/2/2005 8:03:39 PM

anarchyintheuk

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Not a lot of action in it, but there was a Masterpiece Theater presentation about a company/battalion? formed from workers at the King's Sandringham estate that was pretty good. They were wiped out in the Dardanelles.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 2/5/2005 8:18:25 AM

Los

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Duoamont(sp?):Die Holle von Verdun is good (from IHF)
Don't forget Fighting 69th w/ Cagney.
Am currently watching the French flick (dvd) Captaine Conan Good so far.

Los

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 6/18/2005 11:24:58 PM

Big B

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My repy about Lost Battalion movie in that posting...

Have to agree, the 'look' was awful, the production was bad, the script worse. It's a real shame because it's a terrific story and now no one will touch it again.

My favorite WWI movie by the way is - "The Big Parade" 1925 silent (King Vidor). It's out on VHS at least.
The acting of course gets a bit melodramatic at the stories' climax - it was a silent after all, but there is enough gritty realism in it to show that war ain't fun and it really changes people. The story is intriguing and well done and I love the cast. Also the musical score is great as a period piece.
It was written by a WWI vet (Laurence Stallings) who lost his leg at Belleau Wood, and I believe the story is really a fantasy about his experiences.

It may not be for todays generation who can't even bear a B/W movie, but it's a great classic. Check it out at this web site http://www.filmsite.org/bigp.html

Laurence Stallings also wrote John Fords' "What Price Glory" 1952 (and the 1926 original). It was a corny movie, but I loved the inter-action between Capt Flagg (James Cagney) and Sgt Quirt (Dan dailey). And the supporting cast was great.

Oh, and I almost forgot - another beauty is the 'off the wall' British film "OH What A Lovely War!" 1969 - Sir Richard Attenborough. Surreal yes, but a must see. You Brits out there must be familiar with it.

And oh yah, got to love "Black Adder Goes Forth'

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 6/18/2005 11:39:32 PM

spence

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Finally got my all region DVD player and got the full miniseries "ANZACS" - really loved it. Also picked up another region 4 flick, "THE LIGHTHORSEMEN". Great cavalry charge at Beersheeba in 1917. Gooood flick. Funny thing: ordered a flick from Ottawa (400 miles away) and Australia about the same time - got the one from Australia about 3 days before the one from Canada.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 6/18/2005 11:43:07 PM

Big B

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quote:

ORIGINAL: spence

Finally got my all region DVD player and got the full miniseries "ANZACS" - really loved it. Also picked up another region 4 flick, "THE LIGHTHORSEMEN". Great cavalry charge at Beersheeba in 1917. Gooood flick. Funny thing: ordered a flick from Ottawa (400 miles away) and Australia about the same time - got the one from Australia about 3 days before the one from Canada.

He he he...what does that say about mail delivery from Canada?

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 6/19/2005 4:01:35 AM

wodin

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quote:

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

Not a lot of action in it, but there was a Masterpiece Theater presentation about a company/battalion? formed from workers at the King's Sandringham estate that was pretty good. They were wiped out in the Dardanelles.

That was good.

David Jason (Only fools and horses)starred in it.

Still noone else has mentioned Regeneration.

I have A Very Long Engagment and Paths of Glory on DVD, will watch this week.

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RE: Best WWI Movies????? - 6/21/2005 5:55:37 PM

oi_you_nutter

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"All the Kings Men" was the David Jason TV movie about the Sandringham Estate Pals, I only saw it once

Gallipoli has to be my fave all around WWI film. Probably as I have seen it so many times. You get a real sense of the patriot whirlwind that draw ordinary men in serving their contry and how they bore their duty with humour and resignation. One of the most moving parts is just before the diggers infantry go over the top they left letters to loved ones and even their wedding rings as they did not expect to come back.

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