The Ultimate WW2 movie thread

DID YOU LIKE WINDTALKERS

  • YES

    Votes: 5 27.8%
  • NO

    Votes: 13 72.2%

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Has anyone seen "Merry Christmas Mister Lawrence"?

David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and others. Ryuichi Sakamoto also composed the music.
 
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Originally posted by panzerboy
Hey IronMike USMC I haven' heard of that movie whats it about?

Thanks

Semper fi!!
:thumb::thumb:
The moive came out in1983.

Tom Conti plays Col. John Lawrence, who I believe, is a British medical officer, from the fall of Singapore. David Bowie plays Maj. Jack 'Strafer' Celliers, a captured commando, who is placed in the prison camp. Ryuichi Sakamoto plays Capt. Yonoi, the camp commander.

Lawrence and Celliers had met prior to the war. Much of the film tries to explain the Japanese 'warrior code', and counterpoints it against the Western attitudes toward survival and honor. There are a number of flashbacks for Jack Celliers, which try to explain the type of man he is. This is important, because he has a rather strong influence on the Capt. who can't quite figure him out.

The IMDB web site, http://www.imdb.com, has this as the main description of the movie:
In 1942 British soldier Jack Celliers comes to a japanese prison camp. The camp is run by Yonoi, who has a firm belief in discipline, honour and glory. In his view, the allied prisoners are cowards when they chose to surrender instead of commiting suicide. One of the prisoners, interpreter John Lawrence, tries to explain the japanese way of thinking, but is considered a traitor.
Based on Laurens van der Post's "The Seed and the Sower", "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" is an involving, almost unbearably moving and incredibly humane film. While Bowie toplines, the real star is Tom Conti as the eponymous British Officer trying to reconcile his respect for Japanese culture and innate humanity with the barbarity of the POW camp. Bowie has often been criticised for his acting, yet aside from a rather laughable flashback sequence where he impersonates a schoolboy, he is convincing as a mysterious and spirited "soldier's soldier" who has a beguiling effect on the young officer commanding the camp, played by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who quotes Shakespeare and issues brutal orders in almost the same breath.
This a better description. However, the reviewer is incorrect, about the interview between Lawrence and the Japanese officer, after the war. The interview is actually with the top sargent of the camp, Sgt. Gengo Hara, played by Takeshi Kitano.

It is definitely worth the near two hours to watch.
 

Patrocles

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well stated opinion. I agree with your statements.

"Saving Private Ryan" did not do anything for me and I think it was because of the character development scenes were too silly. Also, I'm not really a big Spielberg fan (I find him a bit too blunt! subtlety can do wonders in films).

I need to get BoB from the library or rent it. I did see the first 3 episodes and was very impressed with the acting, action, and overall feel of the film.
 

Patrocles

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Originally posted by Tom DeFranco
Out of curiousity, what was so bad about the acting in SPR?
Not the acting per se, but several scenes and lines I found rather odd, especially at the mutiny. Spielberg is not known for his subtlety and it shows. I think that is why I don't take to his films. I did, however, like the translator in the film...and the sergeant (the guy was also in "Blackhawk Down.").

I have to echo Iron Mike USMC comments in another thread about realism not being the holy grail of war films for me. For SPR is certainly realistic and the action scenes are top-notch!
 

Patrocles

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Originally posted by Iron Mike USMC
Has anyone seen "Merry Christmas Mister Lawrence"?

David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and others. Ryuichi Sakamoto also composed the music.
I saw it years ago...don't remember much except for a few scenes with David Bowie and the ending (rather tearful ending IIRC!).

Ryuichi Sakamoto was in the film? wow! I've been listening to his tunes for years and never would have thought he can also act. Thanks for the tip.
 

Patrocles

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Originally posted by tetsuko47
I think Stalingrad is very much worth buying - I show it to my class every year. It is a little bleak, but hey - so was the campaign.
I recall seeing the Russian Film "Come and See," about a young Russian joining the partisans to fight the Nazi invaders. After the flick I felt like I had survived WW2! Amazing film that I highly recommend. It is brutal so beware.

Stalingrad was good, too! I liked the scene of the men asking, "Where are the horses to tow this AT gun?" and the commander replies, "WE are the horses." <cut to shot of men pulling/pushing AT gun through a snowstorm>

I never watched "Enemy at the Gates." What are the opinions of this film. The sets/fx in the clips looked quite realistic.
 

jim hansen

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BEST WORLD WAR 2 MOVIE EVER

PATTON
MACARTHUR
IKE
ALL 3 GREAT BIOGRAPHY MOVIES OF THREE GREAT WORLD WAR 2 LEADERS.
ALL THREE GIVE YOU AN INSIGHT TO THE MEN THAT LEAD THE CHARGE FOR THE TROOPS IN BOTH THE PACIFIC AND EUROPEAN THEATERS. A MUST SEE FOR ANY HISTORY BUFF.
 

jim hansen

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BEST WORLD WAR 2 MOVIES

TORA TORA TORA
MIDWAY
TWO OTHER VERY GOOD MOVIES THAT SHOWED BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICT IN REGARDS TO THE PACIFIC CONFLICTS.
VERY GOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS AND AS MOST KNOW MUCH OF THE FOOTAGE IN TORA WAS USED IN MIDWAY AS WELL.
 

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The man presents a good case, I mean, how can you argue with caps lock? :p
 

dannybou

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Re: BEST WORLD WAR 2 MOVIES

Originally posted by jim hansen
TORA TORA TORA
MIDWAY
TWO OTHER VERY GOOD MOVIES THAT SHOWED BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICT IN REGARDS TO THE PACIFIC CONFLICTS.
VERY GOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS AND AS MOST KNOW MUCH OF THE FOOTAGE IN TORA WAS USED IN MIDWAY AS WELL.
Both with footage of the battles. Good movies by the standards of when they were made. :thumb:
 

Patrocles

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Finally saw a preview for "TROY." It pretty stoked about seeing it...i hope it is close in spirit to "The Iliad."
 

tetsuko47

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I am teaching a mixed bag of US, Russian, and military history. It all depends on the day.

Hopefully the Hawks will come through for us next year...
 

Patrocles

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Originally posted by tetsuko47
What about "The Crane" or "Ballad of a Soldier". Some of the "thaw" movies are actually quite good.
Never heard of those two films. I'll put them on my "to see" list along with "The Bridge."

pardon my ignorance, but what are "thaw" movies?

thanks
 

RichardS

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Midway.

I watched Midway (again) the other night. I am NOT really impressed with it. Stole footage from 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Tora - Tora- Tora, Away All Boats,. Also had a completely fictional story that distracted rather than added to the story. There was enough REAL stories they could have used instead of making one up! But I felt the same way about Titanic'; so what do I know? :cool:


Cheers!
:toast:

:horse:
 

dannybou

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Re: Midway.

Originally posted by RStory
I watched Midway (again) the other night. I am NOT really impressed with it. Stole footage from 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Tora - Tora- Tora, Away All Boats,. Also had a completely fictional story that distracted rather than added to the story. There was enough REAL stories they could have used instead of making one up! But I felt the same way about Titanic'; so what do I know? :cool:


Cheers!
:toast:

:horse:
Do you mean the story about the US pilot and his Japanese girlfriend? I fast forward that part...
 

RichardS

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Re: Re: Midway.

Originally posted by dannybou
Do you mean the story about the US pilot and his Japanese girlfriend? I fast forward that part...
:thumb: You got it in one. This was on satellite TV so there was no fast forward to use. :D

Cheers!
:toast:

:horse:
 
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