Hollywood Tank movies

kaptkirkU4467 · 01-31-06, 06:40 AM

Theres a lot of good Hollywood tank movies out there..and some real stinkers:.
Battle of the Bulge ranks as one of the best for tanks on film for me,but the actors just stunk.
Col. Martin Hessler,played by Robert Shaw of "Jaws" fame was the only one who could be believed in his role.

But the king of tank movies for WWII action:
Kelly's Heroes

What's on your list?

Skybird · 01-31-06, 08:24 AM

Don't remember to have been impressed by any dedicated tank movie in the past, but I remember three novels that impressed me with their realistic (at least I imagined them to be realistic) atmosphere: "Sword Point" and "Silver Star" by Harrold Coyle, "Vortex" by Larry Bond.

General war movies I kept in mind were: "The Thin Red Line" by Terrence Mallick (one of the best movies I've ever seen), "Apocalypse Now" by Coppola, and "Band of Brothers", which I liked better than "Saving Private Ryan". "Ryan" started impressive, but in the end during that battle at the bridge had too much nationalistic sentiments again. BoB was free of this attitude, but else had the same film-technical approach on the matter, thus I found it very impressive. "The Deer Hunter" also was impressive in it's ways, although the decription of the VC must be doubted. The film scores in the psychological field anyway.

blue3golf · 01-31-06, 08:32 AM

Even though it was about the man I think the tank action in Patton was pretty good.

kaptkirkU4467 · 01-31-06, 09:24 AM

Yep,Patton was a good study of the man..

Alan323 · 01-31-06, 10:55 AM

One of my favorites is "The Beast" about a T-series tank crew hunted in the wilds of Afganistan.

blue3golf · 01-31-06, 12:35 PM

Worst tank movie ever has to be Tank Girl, made in 1996 I believe. Mighta been 95. Anyway, this chick ends up fightin the Dept. of Water because they are hoarding the worlds most coveted resource. Sucks.

01-31-06, 01:41 PM

I have a friend who always derides horror movies, because he just can't get scared of something he knows is not real. He likes to talk about his scariest moment in a movie, the one that made him throw his popcorn and whimper in terror: the scene in Cross Of Iron when the T-34 comes throught the factory wall and there's nowhere to run!

Torplexed · 01-31-06, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan323

One of my favorites is "The Beast" about a T-series tank crew hunted in the wilds of Afganistan.

I have to agree with that one. You get lots of footage of an old T-55 I believe. The movie was filmed in Israel so they probably still had lots of captured ones laying about in motor pools.

Another favorite for me is A Bridge Too Far. The German tanks and recon vehicles are fakes but the British Sherman Fireflys are real enough.

For books, my old favorite has always been Brazen Chariots by Robert Crisp, an excellent first person account of the Crusader Battles from the cupola of an M3A1 Stuart.

Interesting tidbit of trivia regarding Kelly's Heroes. The Tiger tanks in the film were constructed on the chassis of Russian T-34 tanks, since not one of the original Tigers which have survived WW2 are in driveable condition. Exactly the same thing was done 28 years later to reproduce a Tiger for the filming of Saving Private Ryan.

blue3golf · 01-31-06, 09:42 PM

It is a T-55 in The Beast and yes, they are that hot and uncomfortable.

Torplexed · 01-31-06, 09:56 PM

Overblown though it is that movie had a great line from the Russian tank commander at the end where they're trapped in the stalled out T-55 turret and he's fiddling with a grenade...

"Out of commission, become a pillbox. Out of ammo, become a bunker. Out of time, become heroes."

It has that old time Soviet propaganda panache to it.

joea · 02-01-06, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Interesting tidbit of trivia regarding Kelly's Heroes. The Tiger tanks in the film were constructed on the chassis of Russian T-34 tanks, since not one of the original Tigers which have survived WW2 are in driveable condition. Exactly the same thing was done 28 years later to reproduce a Tiger for the filming of Saving Private Ryan.

Actually is there not a drivable Tiger at Bovington in the UK?
Yes in fact:
http://www.tankmuseum.org/home.html

http://www.tiger-tank.com/

Still incomplete (they are looking for some stuff like a radio and other bits) but it runs.

Torplexed · 02-01-06, 07:48 AM

Very cool! Great pictures on that site. Looks like it spent many years in restoration but its nice to know there is still one left that can roll under its own power.

02-01-06, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue3golf

It is a T-55 in The Beast and yes, they are that hot and uncomfortable.

The description on the movie lists the tank as a T-62. I'm pretty certain it's Ti-67/Tiran 5. The Israelis captured the tank in 67, modded it and redesignated it to the Ti-67/Tiran 5, like they did with other captured T-55s.

As a sidenote: The Beast is a great movie.

blue3golf · 02-01-06, 05:16 PM

I compared it to pics I have of the T-55's in Iraq and I couldn't tell any difference unless they were personal mods made by the crews. The gun is the only reason I woulds say it is a 62.

01-31-06, 06:40 AM	#1
kaptkirkU4467 Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Ft.White Florida Posts: 178 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Hollywood Tank movies Theres a lot of good Hollywood tank movies out there..and some real stinkers:. Battle of the Bulge ranks as one of the best for tanks on film for me,but the actors just stunk. Col. Martin Hessler,played by Robert Shaw of "Jaws" fame was the only one who could be believed in his role. But the king of tank movies for WWII action: Kelly's Heroes What's on your list? __________________ G/K Worldwide: Making your life miserable since 2002 ! K.R.A.P. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/forumdisplay.php?f=240

01-31-06, 08:24 AM	#2
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 41,432 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Don't remember to have been impressed by any dedicated tank movie in the past, but I remember three novels that impressed me with their realistic (at least I imagined them to be realistic) atmosphere: "Sword Point" and "Silver Star" by Harrold Coyle, "Vortex" by Larry Bond. General war movies I kept in mind were: "The Thin Red Line" by Terrence Mallick (one of the best movies I've ever seen), "Apocalypse Now" by Coppola, and "Band of Brothers", which I liked better than "Saving Private Ryan". "Ryan" started impressive, but in the end during that battle at the bridge had too much nationalistic sentiments again. BoB was free of this attitude, but else had the same film-technical approach on the matter, thus I found it very impressive. "The Deer Hunter" also was impressive in it's ways, although the decription of the VC must be doubted. The film scores in the psychological field anyway. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

01-31-06, 09:24 AM	#4
kaptkirkU4467 Navy Dude Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Ft.White Florida Posts: 178 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Yep,Patton was a good study of the man.. __________________ G/K Worldwide: Making your life miserable since 2002 ! K.R.A.P. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/forumdisplay.php?f=240

01-31-06, 10:55 AM	#5
Alan323 Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rockland, Me Posts: 11 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	One of my favorites is "The Beast" about a T-series tank crew hunted in the wilds of Afganistan. __________________ Alan

01-31-06, 08:32 AM	#3
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Even though it was about the man I think the tank action in Patton was pretty good.

01-31-06, 12:35 PM	#6
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Worst tank movie ever has to be Tank Girl, made in 1996 I believe. Mighta been 95. Anyway, this chick ends up fightin the Dept. of Water because they are hoarding the worlds most coveted resource. Sucks.

01-31-06, 01:41 PM	#7
Sailor Steve Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I have a friend who always derides horror movies, because he just can't get scared of something he knows is not real. He likes to talk about his scariest moment in a movie, the one that made him throw his popcorn and whimper in terror: the scene in Cross Of Iron when the T-34 comes throught the factory wall and there's nowhere to run!

01-31-06, 09:42 PM	#9
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It is a T-55 in The Beast and yes, they are that hot and uncomfortable.

01-31-06, 09:56 PM	#10
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Overblown though it is that movie had a great line from the Russian tank commander at the end where they're trapped in the stalled out T-55 turret and he's fiddling with a grenade... "Out of commission, become a pillbox. Out of ammo, become a bunker. Out of time, become heroes." It has that old time Soviet propaganda panache to it.

02-01-06, 07:48 AM	#12
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Very cool! Great pictures on that site. Looks like it spent many years in restoration but its nice to know there is still one left that can roll under its own power.

02-01-06, 05:16 PM	#14
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I compared it to pics I have of the T-55's in Iraq and I couldn't tell any difference unless they were personal mods made by the crews. The gun is the only reason I woulds say it is a 62.