"authentic" Wwii Movies?

[--/---/.-./.../. 0]

So I'm trying to create a collection of WWII movies. So far, I've gotten Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, The Pianist, The Thin Red Line, Enemy at the Gates, The Longest Day, and Schindler's List. Recently I bought a copy of The Bridge on the River Kwai with high expectations, considering all the Academy Awards it won. I was severely disappointed - the movie was just too corny. After reading up on it, I learned that the plot was entirely fictional. So, I decided not to include any fictional WWII movies in my collection.

 

I'm planning on adding more movies to my collection, such as Windtalkers, U-571, Das Boot, Tora Tora Tora, Patton, Behind Enemy Lines, Hart's War, Downfall, and Pearl Harbor. After seeing U-571, I'm wondering, how do I draw the line between movies that portray WWII realistically and movies that are way too fictional?

 

With some of these movies, it's not hard to decide. Tora Tora Tora and Das Boot, for example, I've heard plenty of good things about. Other movies, it's obvious that they don't belong in my collection despite being excellent pictures, such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

 

But there are some movies that I can't decide upon, whether they should be in my collection or not.

 

For example, Enemy at the Gates. I enjoyed this movie, but then realized the whole plot was fictional. Heck, according to Wikipedia, Stalingrad veterans were so insulted by the movie that they wanted it banned in Russia. Another thing that bugged me was that everyone speak English. (I'd rather have captions, thank you very much. This is also one of the only things I hate about CoD.)

 

Then there's Pearl Harbor. Despite numerous critics calling it "shallow" and stuff like that, I liked this movie too. After looking it up, it seems most of the inaccuracies are minor, no really-big-things....

 

So where should I draw the line? I decided not to focus so much on technical stuff (like the wrong kind of tanks being used, etc) but more on the overall feeling of the movie and what part of the war it tries to portray. For example, for me Enemy at the Gates does a good job of showing the gloomy atmosphere of Stalingrad. The battle scenes in Pearl Harbor are magnificent, etc

 

What do you guys think? Also, are there any movies I haven't listed that you would recommend?

Edited January 22, 2006 by --/---/.-./.../.

[Red Leader 0]

take all WW2 movies as a whole. its easier and if you like it then why punush yourself and Not get it?

[MarbleSentinel 0]

Didn't mention the Greatest Raid, I read a whole book on the whole op before the movie came out. The movies is prettey acurrate by the account of the POWs and Rangers, but they didn't get the frickin plane right.

[Monkey 0]

Get Das Boot. NOW. That movie honestly changed my outlook on war.

So yeah...Das Boot is my fav war movie of all time. After that is Tora Tora Tora! No. 3 is A Bridge Too Far. While not neccesarily realisitc, it's still very well done. Patton is also a good movie while it's not technically acccurate.

Edited January 22, 2006 by Monkey

[KDX200Rider 0]

Also "Cross of Iron" - It stars James Coburn I think. It is a fairly realistic depiction of the German Army on the retreat from the Eastern Front. It doesn't have large battles but follows a platoon or company strength group of troops.

[flyby 0]

"Der Untergang" is missing...

[BlckWyerve 0]

Is that even subbed in English yet?

 

And PLEASE tell me you're joking about Pearl Harbour being "authentic."

Edited January 23, 2006 by BlckWyerve

[k4l4sh 0]

platoon, the killing fields, patton - old war movies are the best, the older the better

 

edit: good morning saigon?

Edited January 23, 2006 by k4l4sh

[From Norway 0]

I got Der Untergang, Cross of Iron and Stalingrad.

I want some movies with more WW2 tank action...

Edited January 23, 2006 by From Norway

[BlckWyerve 0]

Er..you do know that Platoon is about Vietnam, right? :P

[Wittman 0]

get 'A Bridge Too Far' - my most favorite war movie EVER!

 

 

U-571 was gay

[Mehman 0]

platoon, the killing fields, patton - old war movies are the best, the older the better

 

edit: good morning saigon?

Err, he said WWII, not Vietnam...

 

And IIRC there is no good morning saigon movie, only Good Morning Vietnam.

[Count von Phoib 0]

Is that even subbed in English yet?

 

And PLEASE tell me you're joking about Pearl Harbour being "authentic."

yes.

 

I was shocked after seeing the movie in cinema the first time...

[djenin 0]

"Der Untergang" is missing...

no it's not; "Der Untergang" is called "the Downfall" in many countries.

[SimoK 0]

Das Boot, Talvisota (The Winter War), Tuntematon Sotilas (The Unknown Soldier, old 1955 version) and Der Untergang are my favorites and propably most realistic movies too.

 

Stalingrad is good too even being a little bit too long and sometimes boring. Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo is great movie about the Korean war.

Edited January 24, 2006 by SimoK

[djenin 0]

Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo is great movie about the Korean war.

Indeed, I saw that movie a few months ago and was quite impressed by it. I would also recommend getting 9th company or" 9-ya rota" as it is orginally called. It's a compelling movie that follows a Russian infantry company into the bloody war in Afghanistan.

 

Although both movies aren't WWII era you might like them anyway.

[Neospecz 0]

For example, Enemy at the Gates. I enjoyed this movie, but then realized the whole plot was fictional. Heck, according to Wikipedia, Stalingrad veterans were so insulted by the movie that they wanted it banned in Russia. Another thing that bugged me was that everyone speak English.

Insulted because of what? The Decree 227 ("not a step backwards")? They still deny this?

 

If they're insulted because every actor on it had English accent, I'm with them. They might as well drink some tea and wave some crumpets while shouting "not a bloody step backwards or we shoot your hairy arses"

[pinbag 0]

"Is Paris burning?"

 

mouvie

 

I realy like this mouvie It has a lot of authentic footage from when Paris was liberated in the mouvie and a lot of famous actors.

 

wiki

[maskawaih 0]

Insulted because of what?

With the story itself.

[Mehman 0]

For example, Enemy at the Gates. I enjoyed this movie, but then realized the whole plot was fictional.

Zaitsev wasn't even the best sniper in Stalingrad.

[BlckWyerve 0]

Is that even subbed in English yet?

 

And PLEASE tell me you're joking about Pearl Harbour being "authentic."

yes.

 

I was shocked after seeing the movie in cinema the first time...

Good. I really wanted to see that.

[k4l4sh 0]

,Jan 23 2006, 10:28 PM]

platoon, the killing fields, patton - old war movies are the best, the older the better

 

edit: good morning saigon?

Err, he said WWII, not Vietnam...

 

And IIRC there is no good morning saigon movie, only Good Morning Vietnam.

hence the question mark

 

I kinda read oer the WWII part :lol:

[Neospecz 0]

With the story itself.

Ehm, so does those commies in soviet-empire.com. They say that there was no Decree 227, that all Russian soldiers were armed to the teeth, yada yada.

 

Zaitsev wasn't even the best sniper in Stalingrad.

He wasn't? Perhaps so, but I guess he won the hearts of the majority because he wasn't one of those top brass military gung-ho sharpshooter but because he was just a farm boy? I guess people on those times love victorious underdogs?

[Mehman 0]

he wasn't? Perhaps so, but I guess he won the hearts of the majority because he wasn't one of those top brass military gung-ho sharpshooter but because he was just a farm boy? I guess people on those times love victorious underdogs?

Err, IIRC, nobody was, he just simply didn't have as many kills as one sniper who's nickname I forgot. And everybody was an underdog.

[Count von Phoib 0]

If they're insulted because every actor on it had English accent, I'm with them. They might as well drink some tea

Every time I go to Russia I'm almost drowned in tea... They drink even more then the English!