Kellys Heros...coolest war film or what?

[Balmoral Green]

So many classic lines, nearly all from Donald Sutherland as 'Oddball'.

"60' of bridge I can pick up almost anywhere"

"You think a Hero is some kind of weird sandwich"

"I'm drinking wine and eating cheese and catching some rays"

"Hey man, I only ride 'em, I dont know what makes 'em go"

"Always with the negative vibes, Moriarity, always with the negative vibes"

"Arf, Arf, Arf, That's my other dog impression"

[Eric Mc]

Never liked it to be honest. Give me "A Bridge Too Far" or "Battle of Britain" any day.

[ErnestM]

...or Band Of Brothers...


ErnestM

[Balmoral Green]

But they are all proper war films guys, have you two been on the 'serious' pills today?

[Wacky Racer]

Eric Mc said:

Never liked it to be honest. Give me "A Bridge Too Far" or "Battle of Britain" any day.

Sorry Eric.

I watched "Battle of Britain" the other day on video, as I missed it first time round in 1969, and I have to say (imo) it was one of the worst war films I have ever seen, the acting was naff, the direction hopeless, and the action contrived.....

Much better, in my opinion was "Angels one five" with John Gregson and Jack Hawkins from 1955, at least that had a story to it...........

[Rob-C]

From the same era as Battle of Britain,

Bridge at Remagen is the more convincing film.

[simpo two]

Battle of Britain is a bit unconvincing, what with 60's make-up and the same airplane shots used 2-3 times - BUT: it was the film that drew attention to the scary lack of warbirds left. Up until then (1968 I think?), no-one thought two beans about Spitfires etc. The Director said something like 'Get me a few dozen of each' - and then they realised there was almost nothing left. That film started the interest in restoring and maintaing warbirds that continues to this day.

[Byff]

Kelly's hero's is ace!

[Eric Mc]

There are flaws with "Battle of Britain" (the ladies' make up and hairstyles are seriously wrong as already pointed out) - but no one has probably watched it in a cinema since about 1970. The sheer scale of the project and the majestic expanse of watching the Spitfires, Messerschmitts (Hispano Buchons really) and Heinkels (CASA 211s really) wheeling about the sky in 70mm Super Panavision was truly awesome - and totally lost on most TV screens. Hopefully, with the advent of large widescreen TVs, some of the spectacular nature of "Battle of Britain" will be rediscovered by a new audience.

To be honest, I have no great love for "comedies" set in the WW2 era (with the exception of "Dad's Army") and "Kelly's Heroes" to me is a trivialisation of what WW2 was about. That's the same reason I could never take to "Allo, Allo" either.

[rsvmilly]

I always liked the gung-ho action of Where Eagles Dare. A real Boys-own story - stuff the historical accuracy. (A helicopter in WW2! I know they were being developed at that time but not in the form we know them as.)

[pesty]

Coolest war film is Cross of Iron but kellys heroes is great. Was my favourite film when I was a kid but always got upset at the mine field bit when a coupe of them die. Up until then its just like a comedy

www.imdb.com/title/tt0074695/

Colonel Brandt: What will we do when we have lost the war?
Captain Kiesel: Prepare for the next one.

Captain Stransky: I will show you how a true Prussian officer fights.
Sargeant Steiner: Then I will show you, where the Iron Crosses grow.

[Eric Mc]

"Where Eagles Dare" - another load of old tripe. in my opinion, of course. I burst out loud laughing when I saw the American Bell 47 helicopter being used in the film. What total nonsense - and it a showed a real disregard for any authenticity.
The Germans did actually use some helicopters in the last couple of years of the war (Focke-Achgelis Fs 330 mainly ) as did the British and the Americans (Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly) but neither of these machines looked much like the Korean War era Bell 47 (if I say M.A.S.H you'll know what chopper I'm talking about).

I'm not saying that the actual story or characters have to be real - as long as the correct feel for the period and an essential truth about the nature of the individuals and their actions is maintained - then I don't mind. That's why "Saving Private Ryan" is good and even "633 Squadron" (despite the odd excess of mascara on some of the lady participants).

[mrmaggit]

Nice to see Gillibrand from 633 Squadron re-surface as Walter in Crocodile Dundee.

[redwedge5]

Kelly's Heroes definitely my favorite for all sorts of reasons. Saw it so many times on the cinema when I was a kid. Superb Shermans and first war film of that era that tried (quite well) to make German tanks look like the real thing. And I love the theme tune Burning Bridges.

So what will the Tarantino's WW2 film be like? I hear it's in the pipeline Lots of ears being blown off?

[cotty]

Wacky Racer said:

Eric Mc said: Never liked it to be honest. Give me "A Bridge Too Far" or "Battle of Britain" any day. Sorry Eric. I watched "Battle of Britain" the other day on video,

Coincidence I just finished watching it today on DVD. The extras are really good. Did you know that due the the amount of planes that they restored/purchased they ended up with something like the 3rd or 4th largest airforce in the world.

I believe the dog fighting sequences were the insperation for the X-wing v's imperial fighters in Star Wars.

[TripleS]

Balmoral Green said:

So many classic lines, nearly all from Donald Sutherland as 'Oddball'. "60' of bridge I can pick up almost anywhere" "You think a Hero is some kind of weird sandwich" "I'm drinking wine and eating cheese and catching some rays" "Hey man, I only ride 'em, I dont know what makes 'em go" "Always with the negative vibes, Moriarity, always with the negative vibes" "Arf, Arf, Arf, That's my other dog impression"

I must listen more carefully next time. I thought it was 'negative waves'. But I do like the film.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Eric Mc]

Stephen Spielberg was being interviewed on C4 last Sunday and he was telling the story of how George Lucas asked him to look at his first draft and very rough sequences of the original "Star Wars" (this would have been around 1975/76). None of the spaceship sequences had been filmed so all the space combat footage was made up of dogfight footage from "Battle of Britain".