Favourite War movie?

[Cybermat47]

I just saw Downfall.

 

I don't know what to say.

[MarcoRossolini]

I have a book on Soviet Uniforms and Insignia, could you give me a slightly less blurry photo? I might be able to identify his rank by the his collar pips. Salute to your Grandfather, what an incredible thing he did...

[Bearcat]

Ok, now, please, PLEASE don't crucify me for this...

I kinda like The Red Baron.

And Fortress is a great movie! The CGI looks like a game, sure, but the acting, and the fact that it remains interesting even though there are only two battle scenes at the beginning and end of the film, makes it a great film.

And the end credits are really funny in the last few seconds.

I liked TRB too.. I thought it was pretty good...

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

I have a book on Soviet Uniforms and Insignia, could you give me a slightly less blurry photo? I might be able to identify his rank by the his collar pips. Salute to your Grandfather, what an incredible thing he did...

Well here is a better one:

[Foobar]

My favourite war movie?

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.



And don't tell me Star Wars isn't about wars.

[MarcoRossolini]

Thanks!

 

Hmm... Looking at the picture, it appears he's an officer judging by the peaked cap, but the problem is that other than that he doesn't actually have anything on his collar. At this point in the war the RKKA only had the collar to denote rank and the collar has nothing but its stripe. I'm tempted to think the stripe is red because the black and white shade here seems to match up with every other picture of a Red Army man I've seen.

What should be there on the collar is a badge denoting his branch of service (say crossed rifles for a infantry) and pips to denote his ranks (even yefreitors would have one triangle pip) however your grandfather has none. Looking at picture references through the book I've found one picture similar to your with the collar completely unadorned. However, the man in the picture is marked as an infantryman (it's a French book translated into English and I think I've found there are a few minor lost in translations, so I'm assuming it to mean private). What's more, he doesn't wear the same belt as your grandfather (his is your standard infantryman's, your grandfather's is an officer's with the star on the buckle). Nor does he wear the peaked cap, instead wearing the Budionovka. My best guess is that he is at that point a cadet, to judge by his empty collar. However, in which case, why is he wearing an officer's cap and an officer's belt? I'm not sure when those were handed out I'm afraid... some photos have Cadets with collar tabs which I can assume would be men who had finished their training and graduated, because other photos I have of cadets in training feature empty collar tabs as well, but have them wearing private's belts... Hmmm... 

 

All in all, my best guess (because with all the conflicting items I can't confirm any of this) is that he's a cadet, though where he got the belt and cap from raises problems. Anyone who knows anymore on this is welcome to have a go. Do you have any other pictures of him...? A shot of his sleeves will confirm he wasn't in the NKVD and I'm sure the Central Archives of the Armed Services (or whatever exactly they are called) will have some kind of information on him, especially if he was at Brest-Litovsk.

 

Hope this helps. 

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

Thanks!

 

Hmm... Looking at the picture, it appears he's an officer judging by the peaked cap, but the problem is that other than that he doesn't actually have anything on his collar. At this point in the war the RKKA only had the collar to denote rank and the collar has nothing but its stripe. I'm tempted to think the stripe is red because the black and white shade here seems to match up with every other picture of a Red Army man I've seen.

What should be there on the collar is a badge denoting his branch of service (say crossed rifles for a infantry) and pips to denote his ranks (even yefreitors would have one triangle pip) however your grandfather has none. Looking at picture references through the book I've found one picture similar to your with the collar completely unadorned. However, the man in the picture is marked as an infantryman (it's a French book translated into English and I think I've found there are a few minor lost in translations, so I'm assuming it to mean private). What's more, he doesn't wear the same belt as your grandfather (his is your standard infantryman's, your grandfather's is an officer's with the star on the buckle). Nor does he wear the peaked cap, instead wearing the Budionovka. My best guess is that he is at that point a cadet, to judge by his empty collar. However, in which case, why is he wearing an officer's cap and an officer's belt? I'm not sure when those were handed out I'm afraid... some photos have Cadets with collar tabs which I can assume would be men who had finished their training and graduated, because other photos I have of cadets in training feature empty collar tabs as well, but have them wearing private's belts... Hmmm... 

 

All in all, my best guess (because with all the conflicting items I can't confirm any of this) is that he's a cadet, though where he got the belt and cap from raises problems. Anyone who knows anymore on this is welcome to have a go. Do you have any other pictures of him...? A shot of his sleeves will confirm he wasn't in the NKVD and I'm sure the Central Archives of the Armed Services (or whatever exactly they are called) will have some kind of information on him, especially if he was at Brest-Litovsk.

 

Hope this helps. 

Well the problem is I have only this one picture, all I know about him is what my grandmother told me. So no clue what service branch or anything like that.

I only have a picture of my great grandfather wearing a uniform from WWI. I am fairly certain he had nothing to do with the NKWD as two of my grandmothers

brothers where arrested by the NKWD and never seen again. This part of the family is very murky for me.

I know a lot more about my grandfather from my fathers side, wo was also on the eastern front, but he first got drafted 1943 and was taken prisoner in 1944.

 

[AX2]

I just see Romel 2012.

 

Very interesting movie..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53M5cbzcgNM

Edited October 22, 2013 by Mustang

[II./JG27_Rich]

Not to many good ones and so many bad ones. Das Boot, Lore, The Battle of Britain 1969 version, Tora Tora Tora, Pearl Harbour ..KIDDING!!! There should be a well made film made about the Air War over Europe but make it like they made the Battle of Britain in 1969 where you get input from both points of view as you also did with Tora Tora Tora.

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

Not to many good ones and so many bad ones. Das Boot, Lore, The Battle of Britain 1969 version, Tora Tora Tora, Pearl Harbour ..KIDDING!!! There should be a well made film made about the Air War over Europe but make it like they made the Battle of Britain in 1969 where you get input from both points of view as you also did with Tora Tora Tora.

No "The Battle of Britain" is such a tacky movie, I do hope nobody takes that up to make a new version.

If at all I would choose someone like Joseph Vilsmaier who made the movie Stalingrad.

[MarcoRossolini]

I believe Spielberg and co. are getting together to create a Band of Brothers style TV show about the US 8th Air Force...

[Cybermat47]

I believe Spielberg and co. are getting together to create a Band of Brothers style TV show about the US 8th Air Force...

Yeah, I heard about that from an American friend of mine...

 

We're both still hoping for one about the US Silent Service.

 

I haven't seen Band of Brothers or The Pacific, but I've seen the German General's speech from Band of Brothers , and a sequence from The Pacific showing the landing on Peleliu. Pretty well done.

[Dakpilot]

Do yourself a favour, rent or borrow B of B and do a marathon weekend watch 

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Rjel]

No "The Battle of Britain" is such a tacky movie, I do hope nobody takes that up to make a new version.

If at all I would choose someone like Joseph Vilsmaier who made the movie Stalingrad.

Love some of the flight scenes but most of the German characters are very cartoonish. I'm not a movie expert but I think the film tries to cram too much story into far too little film. IMO, if someone would make a movie based on the novel Squadron Airborne by Elleston Trevor, it would make a much more effective telling of the BoB.

[II./JG27_Rich]

No "The Battle of Britain" is such a tacky movie, I do hope nobody takes that up to make a new version.

If at all I would choose someone like Joseph Vilsmaier who made the movie Stalingrad.

Have to disagree. I think it's the only movie where Luftwaffe pilots actually aren't sun worshipping vampires. Some of those Hollywood films can get pretty bad, they actually look like they're snarlling sometimes. In the film "Red Tails" the 109s had SS Totten Kauf Death Heads on the cowlings    Also who wasn't a bigger dick head cartoon than Goring?

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

I believe Spielberg and co. are getting together to create a Band of Brothers style TV show about the US 8th Air Force...

Oh, that is excellent news.

[II./JG27_Rich]

With an Adolf Galland sun worshiping vampire! Actually I like Spielberg. If he really does his research it should be great. One thing though... I heard on a CBC radio program that was all about that internment camp in China? I forget. The Japanese officer in Empire of the Sun was the total opposite of the way he was depicted in the film witch was a big shock. This man said he tried to do his best to make the civillians comfortable. In the film he was kind of a monster. The program is on Monday morning it's called in touch with Asia. You hear some interesting things sometimes. I was doing a big "AH HA!!!" when I was listening

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[II./JG27_Rich]

Here we go ...

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbo-developing-third-wwii-miniseries-413632

 

 

http://www.amazon.ca/Masters-Air-Americas-Against-Germany/dp/0743235452

 

 

The 109s and 190s better not sound like lawnmowers like they did in season 1 of "Dogfights"

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

Here we go ...

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hbo-developing-third-wwii-miniseries-413632

 

 

http://www.amazon.ca/Masters-Air-Americas-Against-Germany/dp/0743235452

 

 

The 109s and 190s better not sound like lawnmowers like they did in season 1 of "Dogfights"

Why not? Mainthing is that GI-Joe can take on the whole Wehrmacht single handed?

Sorry can not in the least agree with your comments above. And if you had seen

Joseph Vilsmaiers Stalingrad or even Das Boot silly talk of

 

sun worshiping vampire!

what ever that means would not come up.

[royraiden]

Not to many good ones and so many bad ones. Das Boot, Lore, The Battle of Britain 1969 version, Tora Tora Tora, Pearl Harbour ..KIDDING!!! There should be a well made film made about the Air War over Europe but make it like they made the Battle of Britain in 1969 where you get input from both points of view as you also did with Tora Tora Tora.

Theres going to be a 10 episode mini series of the air war over western Europe made by the same guys that did Band of Brothers and The Pacific which are both excellent, specially Band of Brothers.The new series would be focused on the Mighty Eighth.Im sure it wont disappoint.

Edited November 1, 2013 by royraiden

[II./JG27_Rich]

Why not? Mainthing is that GI-Joe can take on the whole Wehrmacht single handed?

Sorry can not in the least agree with your comments above. And if you had seen

Joseph Vilsmaiers Stalingrad or even Das Boot silly talk of

what ever that means would not come up.

Seen them.

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[II./JG27_Rich]

I saw Stalingrad once and never watched it again. I felt like blowing my brains after watching it. Not much fun sitting through a battle where each side fighting thinks the other is the scum of the earth.

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[Cybermat47]

I saw Stalingrad once and never watched it again. I felt like blowing my brains after watching it. Not much fun sitting through a battle where each side fighting thinks the other is the scum of the earth.

I doubt that it was meant to be fun.

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

Since when is war fun??? Did I miss something? I think you are mixing war, with a shooting stand at a fair up?

[II./JG27_Rich]

Since when is war fun??? Did I miss something? I think you are mixing war, with a shooting stand at a fair up?

I know it's one of the best WWII films but I'd rather look at a David Glantz book or lecture on the subject than sit through 3 hrs. of hell.

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[=BKHZ=Furbs]

Yeah, I heard about that from an American friend of mine...

 

We're both still hoping for one about the US Silent Service.

 

I haven't seen Band of Brothers or The Pacific, but I've seen the German General's speech from Band of Brothers , and a sequence from The Pacific showing the landing on Peleliu. Pretty well done.

 

You havnt seen Band of Brothers?????

 

What the flipping heck are you doing here...go now...right now...watch all of them in a row!

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

I know it's one of the best WWII films but I'd rather look at a David Glantz book or lecture on the subject than sit through 3 hrs. of hell.

Well so at least people get a fair idea of how it was, and that it has little to nothing in common with Hollywoods

tacky romantic, and many times super hero comic like movies in common. When people start to think war is like

Hollywoods "Pearlharbour", that is when I would start to get worried!

[Cybermat47]

You havnt seen Band of Brothers?????

 

What the flipping heck are you doing here...go now...right now...watch all of them in a row!

Well...

 

To be honest...

 

My parents won't let me watch them.

 

But I'll be old enough next year.

[Feathered_IV]

I believe Spielberg and co. are getting together to create a Band of Brothers style TV show about the US 8th Air Force...

Film crews arrived in Britain last month I believe.

[Valisk61]

As a kid born in the early seventies, I obviously love the black & white classics that seemed to be permanently on the telly as I grew up... anything with planes or ships in it. The Cruel Sea was a particular favourite.

 

On a slightly different tack, 'Threads' - a film about the consequences of a nuclear war - absolutely terrified me as a thirteen year old.

 

Seriously, read the plot synopsis. It's relentlessly depressing, it makes the American film on the same subject, 'The Day After' look like a Sunday morning kids programme. It's even set in Sheffield, which is nearly as depressing as a nuclear war in itself.

[II./JG27_Rich]

Well so at least people get a fair idea of how it was, and that it has little to nothing in common with Hollywoods

tacky romantic, and many times super hero comic like movies in common. When people start to think war is like

Hollywoods "Pearlharbour", that is when I would start to get worried!

I agree 100% with you there.

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[II./JG27_Rich]

Film crews arrived in Britain last month I believe.

Hammer Down!

[Lord_Haw-Haw]

I agree 100% with you there.

Well I am rather critical on movies, first as a reenactor, means details are important. Secondly as my grandfather from my mothers side

served in the red army and fell at Brest at age 23. My grandfather from my fathers side was drafted at the age of 43 and was captured in Smolensk

and first returned home in 1950. My dad and my mom both saw the war as kids, and the stories are far from "romantic". I too was born in Canada,

but since I have been very often to Europe and now living in Germany since 2008, and still being able to see traces the war left behind. I guess

I do not like any romantisizing of the topic, as the people who went through that where very brave to make it through a time of absolute horror and violence.

[Felix58]

Das Boot, Apocalypse Now

[JG1_Pragr]

I've seen many war movies but I can say that the one most affected me was Talvisota. It is Finnish movie from 1989 about Winter War. There are many great war movies but still the Talvisota is the best in my opinion.

[II./JG27_Rich]

Well I am rather critical on movies, first as a reenactor, means details are important. Secondly as my grandfather from my mothers side

served in the red army and fell at Brest at age 23. My grandfather from my fathers side was drafted at the age of 43 and was captured in Smolensk

and first returned home in 1950. My dad and my mom both saw the war as kids, and the stories are far from "romantic". I too was born in Canada,

but since I have been very often to Europe and now living in Germany since 2008, and still being able to see traces the war left behind. I guess

I do not like any romantisizing of the topic, as the people who went through that where very brave to make it through a time of absolute horror and violence.

My father was a dispatch rider. He was in Italy up through the Netherlands and finished in Germany My best friends father was in North Africa then Russia. I think I kept imagining Raymonds dad getting run over by a T-34. That's why I can't watch that movie lol

Edited November 1, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[Sternjaeger]

there might be a new Battle of Britain movie in the making soon...

[Dutch]

'Hope and Glory'.

 

Great film, best quote -  'Mind the Brussels Sprouts!!' :D

[II./JG27_Rich]

OMG..How could I forget Hope and Glory I have a clip on my channel. I love that film. "I think you winged him Grampa." Pay attention Hollywood.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLJKIsCtkic

Edited November 2, 2013 by II./JG27Richie

[FlatSpinMan]

Surprised no one has mentioned Iron Eagle 2 yet.