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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 3:13:16 GMT
We all like lists (well, most of us, anyway). Here is one which my transatlantic friends may not have seen: The 50 best World War II movies
There are occasional comments by Quentin Tarantino, but I did not find these particularly illuminating (or particularly adult). The interpretation of "WWII movie" is fairly liberal, including titles like The Keep (1983), Listen to Britain (1942) and A Matter of Life and Death (1946). For me, there is one glaring omission: The Way to the Stars (1945) directed by Anthony Asquith. And I would like to have seen In Which We Serve (1942) directed by Noel Coward and David Lean. One movie I expected to see was Stalag 17 (1953) directed by Billy Wilder. I was relieved it was not listed, as I really dislike it. Another of my favorite war movies not included is The Unknown Soldier (1955) directed by Edvin Laine, but this is less surprising as it is fairly obscure. Another one I like is The Bridge at Remagen (1969) directed by John Guillermin, though George Segal's contribution probably disqualifies it from Top 50 status. (Robert Vaughn is cool, though!). Also, When Trumpets Fade (1998), a TV movie directed by John Irvin. As a British-compiled list, it seems weighted towards the Western Europe front (a sideshow, relatively speaking). I imagine manfromplanetx and others can suggest Russian and Asian movies that better deserve to be included. TV series are not eligible, otherwise Band of Brothers would be worth a place. Which movies do you think should have been included, and which omitted to make room for them? |
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Post by Richard Kimble on Feb 26, 2018 3:41:20 GMT
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Post by OldAussie on Feb 26, 2018 4:13:12 GMT
Off the top of my head, I don't think they had -
King Rat
A Bridge Too Far
The Longest Day
....which would be in my top 20 at least.
edit - Guns of Navarone is heaps better than Where Eagles Dare.
2nd edit - Play Dirty and 5 Fingers.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Feb 26, 2018 4:30:27 GMT
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Post by Primemovermithrax Pejorative on Feb 26, 2018 4:35:19 GMT
I am glad to see ESCAPE TO VICTORY on there.
WW 2 movies are just propaganda by the victors--you can see the transformation in depiction and message from the 60s to the 70s especially, however, even for the 1960s, I was impressed by the even-handedness of OPERATION CROSSBOW. The first third of the movie is a German version of the Right Stuff.
I like THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, THE PASSAGE.
They vote the number 1 war movie as a Soviet film which I imagine doesn't say anything about the occupation of Estonia or Soviet gulags.
We do not get a complete picture of the conflict.
The most valuable educational film on WW 2 I found was MUNCHHAUSEN 1943. I'd like to see more of the Nazi era feature films--I read that many of them were banned and I only glimpsed a few of them in a one-sided documentary in the 90s. Munchhausen should be shown along with Triumph of the Will to counter the claims of German brainwashing and censorship. For a Goebbels' supervised film it is not what I expected.
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Post by pimpinainteasy on Feb 26, 2018 4:46:17 GMT
some unusual choices in that list. thanks for sharing.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Feb 26, 2018 4:59:28 GMT
ESCAPE TO VICTORY on there One of the reasons the list is horrible A film so inaccurate Dwight Eisenhower actually held a press conference to denounce it |
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Post by Primemovermithrax Pejorative on Feb 26, 2018 5:09:02 GMT
One of the reasons the list is horrible Haha! Well ridiculous though it is, I like watching it now and then-not for historical accuracy-the soccer stadium crowds appear to have access to fashion trends well beyond the 1940s. |
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Post by vegalyra on Feb 26, 2018 15:35:19 GMT
Kind of a goofy list in my opinion. The top ten including an anime film is pretty strange to say the least. I am not a fan of anime although I know plenty of people do enjoy it. I do agree with the Thin Red Line taking a high position though.
I'd have to add Play Dirty for sure.
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Post by koskiewicz on Feb 26, 2018 16:18:26 GMT
...add "Come and See" and "Midnight Clear"
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Post by BATouttaheck on Feb 26, 2018 16:24:14 GMT
Is this "list" available anywhere as an actual "list" of titles without the ads and screenshots ?
Slow-connection got me as far as #40 before giving up.
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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 19:44:02 GMT
I'd like to add:  I would probably remove „The Pianist“, „Schindler‘s List“ and „Downfall“. All three are great films, but not exactly what I consider to be war films. Watched this "Stalingrad" (one of several) the other night. Pretty good, though probably would not make my Top 50. I know what you mean about the three you would omit (and it would equally apply to some others listed), but I did warn they had a liberal interpretation of WWII movies. It is their list so we should play by their rules. |
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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 19:48:17 GMT
...add "Come and See" and "Midnight Clear" Come and See is No.1 on their list (as it would be on mine). You mean it is so good they should list it more than once? Midnight Clear I bought the DVD but was disappointed. |
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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 19:50:49 GMT
Is this "list" available anywhere as an actual "list" of titles without the ads and screenshots ? Slow-connection got me as far as #40 before giving up. Yes, they are clunky and badly designed webpages, I agree. I was going to mention that but thought that as 99% of internet users have faster connections than me we would get away with it. |
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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 19:54:57 GMT
Kind of a goofy list in my opinion. The top ten including an anime film is pretty strange to say the least. I am not a fan of anime although I know plenty of people do enjoy it. I do agree with the Thin Red Line taking a high position though. I'd have to add Play Dirty for sure. I have Grave of the Fireflies (1988) in my DVD collection but have never got round to watching it. I must now do so. I too am generally resistant to animated films. One animated war film I did like is Waltz with Bashir (2008) directed by Ari Folman, but of course that is not WWII. I vaguely remember having seen Play Dirty a a youth. Edit: No, that must be wrong. It was a 1969 release. I was already an old man by then. Three years of marriage can do that to you. |
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Post by london777 on Feb 26, 2018 20:03:15 GMT
I would not call it horrible, but it is certainly idiosyncratic. I only posted the link as a catalyst for discussion and that seems to be working. The value of lists is to suggest interesting titles to us non-experts, and to generate discussion throwing up further titles, and that has worked for me here. |
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Post by taylorfirst1 on Feb 26, 2018 20:21:55 GMT
There are some worthy movies on the list but it is no where near a proper list of the 50 greatest WWII movies.
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Post by outrider127 on Feb 26, 2018 20:45:03 GMT
We all like lists (well, most of us, anyway). Here is one which my transatlantic friends may not have seen: The 50 best World War II movies
There are occasional comments by Quentin Tarantino, but I did not find these particularly illuminating (or particularly adult). The interpretation of "WWII movie" is fairly liberal, including titles like The Keep (1983), Listen to Britain (1942) and A Matter of Life and Death (1946). For me, there is one glaring omission: The Way to the Stars (1945) directed by Anthony Asquith. And I would like to have seen In Which We Serve (1942) directed by Noel Coward and David Lean. One movie I expected to see was Stalag 17 (1953) directed by Billy Wilder. I was relieved it was not listed, as I really dislike it. Another of my favorite war movies not included is The Unknown Soldier (1955) directed by Edvin Laine, but this is less surprising as it is fairly obscure. Another one I like is The Bridge at Remagen (1969) directed by John Guillermin, though George Segal's contribution probably disqualifies it from Top 50 status. (Robert Vaughn is cool, though!). Also, When Trumpets Fade (1998), a TV movie directed by John Irvin. As a British-compiled list, it seems weighted towards the Western Europe front (a sideshow, relatively speaking). I imagine manfromplanetx and others can suggest Russian and Asian movies that better deserve to be included. TV series are not eligible, otherwise Band of Brothers would be worth a place. Which movies do you think should have been included, and which omitted to make room for them?Bridge At Remagen agree--others added should be Attack And Retreat(1966), The North Star(1943), Bataan(1943), Enemy At The Gates(2004) |
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Post by OldAussie on Feb 26, 2018 22:35:46 GMT
A few others to consider -
The Enemy Below
Run Silent Run Deep
Shadow Makers
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Post by twothousandonemark on Feb 26, 2018 23:04:41 GMT
The Longest Day, my own #50 of all time, is hilariously absent from that list.
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