War Films?

[Boris Bajic]

The Great Escape thread has teetered towards suggestions of great war films people may not have seen.

I am strictly a pacifist by instinct, intellect and action, but I did enjoy (if it's the right word) the following less-well-known works:

Paths of Glory (Kirk Douglas bleak and political)
Pretty Village, Pretty Flame (Serbian - original title Lepa Sela Lepo Gore. Mindblowing and strongly evocative of the madness. Beautifully observed in the build-up to conflict).
The Way Ahead (David Niven - obvious propaganda, but none the worse for it).

What are your 'little known gems'?

 

[Yellow Fang]

Zulu.
Dambusters.
Full Metal Jacket.

 

[ianrauk]

The Highest Honour.
True story of one of the WWII Singapore Harbour raids by Aussie forces.
Stars Atsuo Nakamura (Lin Chung on The Water Margin)
The final scenes of the movie are harrowing.

 

[AndyRM]

Idi I Smotri (Come and See)

Easily the toughest war film I've ever sat through.

 

[ianrauk]

Idi I Smotri (Come and See)

Easily the toughest war film I've ever sat through.

Agreed.
Horrific scenes.

 

[User482]

It's well worth watching Flags of our Fathers, about the battle of Iwo Jima, and the mythology surrounding that iconic photo of raising the American flag. I haven't yet seen the sequel Letters from Iwo Jima which tells the same story from the Japanese side.

 

[ianrauk]

It's well worth watching Flags of our Fathers, about the battle of Iwo Jima, and the mythology surrounding that iconic photo of raising the American flag. I haven't yet seen the sequel Letters from Iwo Jima which tells the same story from the Japanese side.

I much preferred Letters from Iwo Jima.
Really showed the desperation of the Japanese conscripts trapped on the island and the blind, stubborn patriotism of their officers.
Some very horrific scenes in the movie.

 

[Hitchington]

Yep, Come and See is quite hard going, but excellent.

Das Boot, Grave of the Fireflies and Conspiracy are my notable others.

 

[User6179]

Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Black Book - Dutch film about the Dutch resistance during WW2.

 

[classic33]

633 Squadron

 

[MontyVeda]

I recently watched Went The Day Well? (1942) after it being recommended on Entertainment Chat. From the synopsis it was obvious this film was later remade as The Eagle Has Landed, and like many remakes, was far inferior to the original (although i do enjoy TEHL)... so that's my recommendation...

 

[Markymark]

Star Wars?

I'll get my coat..

 

[glasgowcyclist]

What are your 'little known gems'?

Kagemusha by Akira Kurosawa.


GC

 

[thom]

Defiance is good - a true story about a Polish Jewish population in WWII - Daniel Craig
Paris brûle-t-il ? - an interesting story about how Hitler wanted to blow up Paris' beautiful monuments when the german army was leaving

 

[4F]

Ice cold in Alex, great film