Best War movie of all time

JimR-OCDS

Joined Nov 2009

1,307 Posts | 1+

Massachusetts

• Dec 16, 2009

• #181

Himanil said:

You gotta be kidding me. Platoon? That wouldn't come in my top 10.

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Platoon was a good war movie and showed what many soldiers in Vietnam experienced.

The movie was produced and directed by Oliver Stone, whom I was surprised to learn, was a combat soldier in Vietnam. He earned two purple hearts and a bronze stare with the "V". In the interview I saw with Bill Moyers, Stone said the movie reflected much of his experience and that of other US soldiers who served in Vietnam.

Myself, I didn't serve in Vietnam, but in 1971, when Marines were being transferred from the 1st Marine Division to my division, the 3rd Marines, many of the guys who came into my platoon, shared their experiences. The movie Platoon, was pretty much what they talked about.



Jim

 

throughthepastdarkly

Joined May 2008

1,385 Posts | 33+

Bangkok

• Dec 16, 2009

• #182

JimR-OCDS said:

Platoon was a good war movie and showed what many soldiers in Vietnam experienced.

The movie was produced and directed by Oliver Stone, whom I was surprised to learn, was a combat soldier in Vietnam. He earned two purple hearts and a bronze stare with the "V". In the interview I saw with Bill Moyers, Stone said the movie reflected much of his experience and that of other US soldiers who served in Vietnam.

Myself, I didn't serve in Vietnam, but in 1971, when Marines were being transferred from the 1st Marine Division to my division, the 3rd Marines, many of the guys who came into my platoon, shared their experiences. The movie Platoon, was pretty much what they talked about.

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Not a fan of the movie myself but to corroborate Jim further, I worked for a short time with a Vietnam vet. Asked him, without listing suggestions, which movie most accurately portrayed the war. Without hesitation, he answered, "Platoon is the only movie that accurately showed what that war was like."

 

diddyriddick

Joined May 2009

14,691 Posts | 61+

A tiny hamlet in the Carolina Sandhills

• Dec 16, 2009

• #183

Sorry, folks. Almost without exception, the Vietnam vets that I have spoken with thought Platoon was "trash" to use one vet's words.

 

NewModelSoldier

Joined Oct 2009

5,021 Posts | 12+

Vancouver

• Dec 16, 2009

• #184

I don't know, every Vietnam movie, on the dvd "making of" or something, they always chat to a veteran who goes "this is what it was really like", so I don't know. I happen to enjoy Platoon a lot, but Deer Hunter is probably my favourite Vietnam movie ever.

 

JimR-OCDS

Joined Nov 2009

1,307 Posts | 1+

Massachusetts

• Dec 16, 2009

• #185

diddyriddick said:

Sorry, folks. Almost without exception, the Vietnam vets that I have spoken with thought Platoon was "trash" to use one vet's words.

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There are those who's experience was different, but Platoon was more common than not.

The guys I spoke with, came right out of Vietnam and were talking among fellow Marines, not civilians they were trying to impress.


Jim

 

throughthepastdarkly

Joined May 2008

1,385 Posts | 33+

Bangkok

• Dec 16, 2009

• #186

diddyriddick said:

Sorry, folks. Almost without exception, the Vietnam vets that I have spoken with thought Platoon was "trash" to use one vet's words.

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Man, I'd rather you be right than my source. I dislike the movie for the brutality and can only hope it was more the exception than the rule.

 

M

Megidolaon

Joined Aug 2009

95 Posts | 0+

• Dec 21, 2009

• #187

There is a disturbing lack of Black Hawk Down for the choices.

Not sure about the accuracy, but as a movie it was brilliant.

 

JimR-OCDS

Joined Nov 2009

1,307 Posts | 1+

Massachusetts

• Dec 22, 2009

• #188

Megidolaon said:

There is a disturbing lack of Black Hawk Down for the choices.

Not sure about the accuracy, but as a movie it was brilliant.

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I think it had a lot more Hollywood in it than reality.

Jim

 

Cicero

Joined Dec 2009

7,829 Posts | 6+

Tennessee

• Dec 22, 2009

• #189

Megidolaon said:

There is a disturbing lack of Black Hawk Down for the choices.

Not sure about the accuracy, but as a movie it was brilliant.

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I will grant BHD with one credit, it made me anxious to watch, more so than Saving Private Ryan. I would be curious how factual it actually is.

 

L

Leonidas

Joined Sep 2009

75 Posts | 0+

• Dec 24, 2009

• #190

Surprised it's not on the list, but I would say Lawrence of Arabia is one of the best war movies of all time.

 

Kuon

Joined Jul 2009

1,272 Posts | 0+

Total Slack

• Dec 27, 2009

• #191

I voted Apocalypse Now, but shouts out also to Kingdom of Heaven (Amazing siege battle scenes and the rest), The Thin Red Line, Full Metal Jacket, and Zulu for old skool cinema.

 

Mournblade

Joined Dec 2009

16 Posts | 0+

Southern Illinois

• Dec 30, 2009

• #192

Faves would be...The Longest Day, Saving Private Ryan, To Hell and Back with Audie Murphy (love him), Black Hawk Down, Battle Of the Bulge, Miracle at St. Anna & like 100 others! I love old B&W WWII movies! I grew up on them, that and football. he he

 

S

sculptingman

Joined Oct 2009

4,420 Posts | 1,161+

San Diego

• Dec 30, 2009

• #193

Cicero said:

I will grant BHD with one credit, it made me anxious to watch, more so than Saving Private Ryan. I would be curious how factual it actually is.

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Black Hawk Down is probably one of the single most accurate film portrayals of a military event.
The book it is based on was the result of exhaustive research and interviews.

I saw nothing in it that did not agree with the first hand accounts of the disaster. Tho it could have focused more on the contributory effect of the drug that most of the hostiles were using, and that made them particularly likely to make and press such a self destructive attack.

 

sylla1

Joined Dec 2009

19,936 Posts | 25+

• Dec 30, 2009

• #194

Johnny Got His Gun

 

H

Heidi XX

Joined Mar 2009

2,503 Posts | 1+

• Dec 30, 2009

• #195

Best wwII movie.... A bridge too far.
it's the only ww2 movie where germany wins over the allies,it's really exciting to watch the allies lose battles in movie.

 

okamido

Joined Jun 2009

29,886 Posts | 49+

land of Califia

• Dec 31, 2009

• #196

For WWII, I always like The Bridge Over The River Kwai.

 

Cicero

Joined Dec 2009

7,829 Posts | 6+

Tennessee

• Dec 31, 2009

• #197

okamido said:

For WWII, I always like The Bridge Over The River Kwai.

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A favorite of mine too.

Classic quotes:

Colonel Saito: Do not speak to me of rules. This is war! This is not a game of cricket!
Colonel Saito: Be happy in your work.
Colonel Nicholson: What have I done?
Colonel Saito: All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.
Colonel Saito: I have already given the order.
and my all time favorite:

Colonel Saito: I hate the British! You are defeated but you have no shame. You are stubborn but you have no pride. You endure but you have no courage. I hate the British!

 

Paulinus

Joined Jan 2010

1,316 Posts | 1+

• Jan 26, 2010

• #198

Wonder if Saito and Mel Gibson are related?

Anyhow I'm with the Waterloo, Das Boot and A Bridge Too Far crowd (I like Heidi's point about its refreshing to see the "good guys" lose and the ambiguity of war). Some of the films on the poll are tripe IMHO. But talking of which (from an historical sense) nobody's mentioned Where Eagles Dare - pure entertainment!

 

NewModelSoldier

Joined Oct 2009

5,021 Posts | 12+

Vancouver

• Jan 26, 2010

• #199

Where Eagles Dare may be one of the best movies ever

 

STARMAN 352ND

Joined Jan 2010

3 Posts | 0+

• Jan 26, 2010

• #200

I have seen over a hundred or so war movies and i have to say that two of my all time favorites are Battle of Britain and The Longest Day.