What's your favorite war movie? Why?!
Question: I'd have to say a few are Letters from Iwo Jima, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Hamburger Hill, Full Metal Jacket, Stalingrad, Memphis Belle, and Das Boot. But my favorite war movie of all times is virtually unknown in North America. Die Bruecke is an awesome film. Anyone seen it?
Answers: I'd have to say a few are Letters from Iwo Jima, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Hamburger Hill, Full Metal Jacket, Stalingrad, Memphis Belle, and Das Boot. But my favorite war movie of all times is virtually unknown in North America. Die Bruecke is an awesome film. Anyone seen it?
The Bridge (German~1959)
I just checked the date, and the movie I have here is "Die Bruecke"; I never knew the German title, as the title sequence had "The Bridge". I've seen it only once and always remember it as being so remarkable for showing us the other side when what we usually have thrust upon us is~well~anyone who watches war films knows. WOW! I just found out after some reading that it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Picture for the 1960 Academy Awards! The director was asked to be a co-director of "The Longest Day", certainly an epic war movie.
The Big Red One (1980)
I know there are a lot of flaws, but I like this one perhaps because it has actors who look quite young, not the seasoned fighters most films use. So, it gave me more of a sense of what war was like for youths of that time. Sam Fuller's stuff is usually quite raw, but this has a gentler touch at times, even if it's only the encounter between the tough sergeant at the child rescued from a concentration camp.
Hornets' Nest (1970)
This one focuses on resistance fighters, a group of children and teens who are the only survivors of their village. I think Rock Hudson and Sylva Koscina have one of the best roles of their careers in this war movie. Sergio Fantoni is excellent. But, the film is stolen by Mark Colleano as the leader of the group who is confronted by a rival for his leadership~an American soldier who is the only survivor of a special unit. It manages to be an action movie yet still shows the effects on civilians, especially children who have to learn to fight and kill.
To Hell and Back (1966)
My dad was a major Audie Murphy fan, and this was one of his favorites~the true story of how Audie Murphy became, at 21, World War II's most decorated soldier. Based on his autobiography, this is truly a remarkable story.
Gallipoli (1981)
If any film shows the sad waste of life in wars, this is one that should be seen. I haven't seen it for many years, but that final foot race through the trenches to carry messages is heartbreaking. It made me so angry that lives could be thrown away in a futile effort. Why leave the trench, only to be mowed down like that?! Fall back! Retreat! How many want to shout at them to disobey, to run so that they can fight another day~if at all. Sorry. I know that I find the film upsetting whether watching it or writing/talking about it.
I also have to mention "Sergeant York" (1941), "Red Badge of Courage (19 51) starring Audie Murphy, and "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930),
I have seen Die Bruecke. From the mid 50s right? Teenagers fighting the Americans or something like that. Great acting.
The best movie ever made about war was Spielberg's epic miniseries on HBO titled Band of Brothers. The acting was top notch. It stuck to the true story of the boys from Easy Company. You didn't know what happened to each of the men until the very end. You laughed, cried, and couldn't turn off the tv.
You mentioned some other greats, I would add Glory, Gettysburg and Apocolpyse Now. But for pure action I would put the Dirty Dozen and the Great Escape near the top of the list.
Full Metal Jacket was very real, there were only a couple of technical things wrong, Flags of Our Fathers was also close to being like the real thing.
Saving Private Ryan, except for the part where Americans killed their prisoners was good.
Swingboys and Memphis Belle
Great question...there aren't enough war buffs in Yahoo answers. My favorite war movie is probably Saving Private Ryan. Great storyline, and the start of a new line of war movies that are more realistic. Band of Brothers was amazing as well..and true to the original story. I haven't seen anyone else say "Downfall", which is a pretty amazing war movie as well. It's not the prototypical war flick that deals with bigger battle scenes, but rather the facts of what really happened during the last 10 days in Hitler's bunker. The events are said to be as true as anyone knew them to be. And the movie had a great ending...all the Nazi bastards died! ; )
Patton...The Longest Day...The Train...Blackhawk Down...
Bridge on the River Kwai is that how you spell it ?
and King Rat...the one where the guy is the wheeler dealer in the P.O.W camp
All the above are good too.. oh and The Young Lions with Marlon Brando