ASL Films

lluis61

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I think that no one has opened a thread about this but I've just seen (in fact it's my second viewing, after many , many years) "The Best of Enemies", starring David Niven and Alberto Sordi, a comedy, but one of the few films who depicts the Eastern Africa Campaign. So, anyone wants to contribute their recent viewings of ASL-related films?
 

hoxson1

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I did catch "Force 10 from Navarone" a week or so ago. Barbara Bach - woof!
As for near-future viewing, the new "Overlord" film looks like something ripped from Grumble Jones Nazi experimentation scenarios :)
 

lluis61

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Suggested by Paul M. Weir in another thread, I've seen "The Battle of Brest", aka "Fortress of War", ot: "Brestskaya Krepost" imbd link. A Great (and successful) effort has been made to implement realism in arms, vehicles and equipment in the battle for the conquest of the fortress of Brest-Litovsk in the Barbarossa Operation, and it's one of the few films that can boast to have realistic combat situations. Of course, it's intertwined with personal stories, as usual, but do not disturb the story of the siege and the battle. I reccomend vividly.
 

holdit

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Suggested by Paul M. Weir in another thread, I've seen "The Battle of Brest", aka "Fortress of War", ot: "Brestskaya Krepost" imbd link. A Great (and successful) effort has been made to implement realism in arms, vehicles and equipment in the battle for the conquest of the fortress of Brest-Litovsk in the Barbarossa Operation, and it's one of the few films that can boast to have realistic combat situations. Of course, it's intertwined with personal stories, as usual, but do not disturb the story of the siege and the battle. I reccomend vividly.
I've seem most of "The Battle of Brest". Unfortunate there is one cringe-inducing scene where the Russians leave perfectly good cover to go hand-to-hand with the Germans, who of course oblige instead of dropping and shooting the Russians as they approach.

The same thing happened in a French portrayal of the Battle of Valmy (1792). The French fire some volleys and some effective artillery, and then charge with the bayonet and of course the Prussians do likewise, and never mind the fact that bayonet fights in open ground were virtually unknown (and certainly didn't happen at Valmy).

Braveheart has a lot to answer for. :rolleyes:

Otherwise The Battle of Brest seems pretty good, and it's nice to see something from the Russian side.
 

lluis61

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Cordially, I disagree with you. The hand-to-hand combats (there are several) are preceded by a "save the ammo" warming by one comissar and by an instruction of recover ammo and guns as soon as posible from another. If that one is the one that annoys you is in the first stages of the battle and most men are armed only with sidearms and the germans are at a distance that we could assimilate to same hex (or ADJACENT, in ASL terms).
One time, Terry Pratchett said to me that if you have warned with sufficient anticipation of a situation/object/circumstance, then it ceases to be a "Deus ex machina". And so it seems to me.
Excuse my delay in the answer, but I wanted to review that part of film.
Best regards,
 

holdit

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Thanks I may have missed the significance of that. I just saw the (what I feel to be clichéd at this point) clumps of men charging at each other in open ground and thought "Here we go again..." :)
 

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TAE GUK GI for some hero moments. Not a bad Korean war movie either...ok so it's a little ok A LOT hollywood but meh....it's not a movie otherwise right?
 

Justiciar

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TAE GUK GI for some hero moments. Not a bad Korean war movie either...ok so it's a little ok A LOT hollywood but meh....it's not a movie otherwise right?
It is their BoB type movie. I would rate it like you "it is not a BAD movie." Not saying it = BoB. I have not seem it in 10 years, but the 1 thing I dislike a lot, is when the company creeps out at night to attack and is like 100 yards from the enemy and 120+ guys fix bayonets at the exact same time...you could hear that "click" in an LP / OP and give a warning radio call /flare etc....if not out right open up. That was a metallic sound...not some deer scraping antlers on a tree...or a wild boar rustling up a truffle....
 

Eagle4ty

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It is their BoB type movie. I would rate it like you "it is not a BAD movie." Not saying it = BoB. I have not seem it in 10 years, but the 1 thing I dislike a lot, is when the company creeps out at night to attack and is like 100 yards from the enemy and 120+ guys fix bayonets at the exact same time...you could hear that "click" in an LP / OP and give a warning radio call /flare etc....if not out right open up. That was a metallic sound...not some deer scraping antlers on a tree...or a wild boar rustling up a truffle....
However that is what STAND TO is for, doing something noisy at exactly the same time to mask the entirety of the effort. When a tank company (or any mechanized company for that fact) starts its vehicles at night or close to the enemy, they always try to coordinate their start up at the exact same time. The same is true of PCIs (Pre- Combat Inspections) or many functions that could cause noise and alert the enemy about the number of elements being utilized and to help mask intentions.
 

Justiciar

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However that is what STAND TO is for, doing something noisy at exactly the same time to mask the entirety of the effort. When a tank company (or any mechanized company for that fact) starts its vehicles at night or close to the enemy, they always try to coordinate their start up at the exact same time. The same is true of PCIs (Pre- Combat Inspections) or many functions that could cause noise and alert the enemy about the number of elements being utilized and to help mask intentions.
This was done say within 100 yards of the enemy position...if you can get 120 guys to draw the bayonet from their scabbard and snap it into place at the exact same time at night, in assault kit, with tree branches draped atop you for camo (I forgot that part) then you should take "your troop" to Broadway and put on a show...ain't happening. I suggest you watch the scene...

at about 1.15....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUGwPQdpZkk and watch the number that go over the top at about 2.05 (that is the amount of men that fixed bayonets in close proximity to the enemy, that was no silent action nor a smooth one as you can see 3 guys click home at 3 different times now multiply that effect by 100-120...disaster for the element of surprise and why I don;t like that scene).
 

jrv

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at about 1.15....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUGwPQdpZkk and watch the number that go over the top at about 2.05 (that is the amount of men that fixed bayonets in close proximity to the enemy, that was no silent action nor a smooth one as you can see 3 guys click home at 3 different times now multiply that effect by 100-120...disaster for the element of surprise and why I don;t like that scene).
The scene was cut where they learned the attack would be against an ohren battalion. In the original script it makes sense.

JR
 

Justiciar

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All I recall from the original...was a wide angel shot of a long row of guys fixing bayonets at night with trees branches for camo, and that action was not executed with any form of precision, ...and I doubt even if it was you could carry off the sound being passed off as a raccoon raiding a dumpster...metal on metal out in front is cause to sound the alarm...
 
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Michael Dorosh

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This was done say within 100 yards of the enemy position...if you can get 120 guys to draw the bayonet from their scabbard and snap it into place at the exact same time at night,
On the set of Legends of the Fall we had several hundred men doing fix bayonets for the trench battle scene. One of the extras - just couldn't do it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the bayonet to attach. There is one guy like that in every platoon.

But, being an Ed Zwick movie, the fixing bayonets scene was cut anyway. Same thing happened in Glory. One minute, no bayonets, next camera cut, everyone magically has bayonets on.
 

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1939 Battle of Westerplatte (Tajemnica Westerplatte , 2013). Polish production about the starting battle of WWII is marred by, first, letting the drama interfere too much with the narrative (the garrison having to fight 12 hours and fighting 7 days and the troubles that this provokes to the Polish C-i-C about resist or surrender, but even that is treated very superficially), and, second, being observed only from the Polish point of view; unless you have read about the battle, you have no idea of what the Germans are doing (or attempting to do).
Good uniforms and equipment representation, some good (not all) combat scenes. Mainly valuable by showing the different terrains of the battle (beaches, trenches, woods, fortified houses...)
Maybe of interest to those who own CH's Westerplatte, as is a good terrain and situation to simulate a battle, but otherwise a disappointment.
 

peterd1973

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Emperor
Free with Ads on YouTube

A gripping tale of love and honor forged between fierce enemies of war, inspired by true events and starring Matthew Fox and Academy Award®-winner Tommy Lee Jones as General Douglas MacArthur. Immediately after Emperor Hirohito's World War II surrender, General MacArthur (Jones) suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation. He challenges his expert on Japanese culture - General Fellers (Fox) - to provide evidence in 10 short days to decide if the Japanese Emperor, worshipped as a god by his people but accused of war crimes, should be punished or saved. The fate of a nation awaits...
Provider
Lionsgate
Rating
PG-13
Release date
2013
Running time
1:45:32
Audio
English
Subtitle
English
Actors
Matthew FoxTommy Lee JonesEriko HatsuneMasayoshi HanedaToshiyuki Nishida
Director
Peter Webber
Producers
Yoko NarahashiGary FosterEugene NomuraRuss Krasnoff
Writers
David KlassVera BlasiShiro Okamoto
Genres
Action & AdventureDrama
 

lluis61

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City of Life and Death (Nanjing! Nanjing! ; 2009)
First of all, this is a picture about the Rape of Nanjing (or Nanking). There are a few books about this war crime, but they are polemically contested about the real extension of the atrocities. Enough to say that it represents a good part of the hell that came upon the inhabitants of Nanjing.
So, what is in it for ASLrs? If only for the rare occasion to see a film about the Sino-Japanese war, that would be a must-see. The first (brief, but interesting) part is the assault on Nanjing by the Japanese, and the combats inside the city. In my opinion, the representation of Japanese and Chinese (for example, the hodge podge of Chinese Geman supplied, Russian supplied, and KMD police uniforms) equipment are excellent, as they are the combats.
At any case, it's for you to judge, but it merits a view.
 

The Purist

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"Lion of the Desert" tells the story Omar Mukhtar, the Libyan rebel leader who fought the Italian colonisation of Libya from 1911 to his capture and hanging in 1931.

Anthony Quinn is probably at his best in this role pitting himself against a decidedly unsympathetic Oliver Reed as Italian general Rudolfo Grazianni.

This film is nearly a full 3 hours but is extremely well done. It was funded by the Libyan government of the day and the $35 million was put to good use in (nearly) accurate equipment and uniforms. The Europeans are not all made out to be the bad guys and there is some attempt to show the Italian side. That said, like most late colonisations (early 20th C), the accurate treatment of the locals can't help but put the Europeans in a less than flattering light. Mussolini's Fascist Italy wins no prizes in this one.

The use of period aerial film footage of the massive concentration camps is stark.

The film was banned in Italy in 1982 but is definitely worth the time to view.
 
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Paul M. Weir

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I wholeheartedly second The Purist's recommendation of "Lion of the Desert". I promoted it in another thread a few years ago. I first saw it on RTE (Ireland' state TV station) many decades ago and have it on DVD. Given it's many big name Hollywood castings I did not expect too much from it. A western in robes, likely, a revisionist western at best. How wrong I was. I suppose that I was Irish had a resonance with the story of the plight of an anti-colonial struggle. A film that has aged well. The story still echoes in today's world.
 
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