The Movie Thread

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Nippelspanner

Sarcasm?

I knew that was coming.

[Eichhörnchen]

I must be easy to please 'cos I enjoyed "Flyboys" too. What about "Red Tails" then? Was that crap as well?

I'll have to watch these again and find out how I came to be so wrong...

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Complete and utter crap, in my opinion. Nothing to do with the real thing, and terrible flying sequences. About on the same level as Flyboys.

Don't forget the forced love-story between Richthofen and his nurse, or the "fantasy jew" pilot they wrote in to make the movie a tad more political correct and remember the audience that Jews were still cool during WW1

There is a lot wrong with this movie, unfortunately.
That doesn't mean you can't like it, Eichhörnchen, enjoy your "guilty pleasure" (as long as we have Red October, you don't need to worry anyways.

To say the movie is "fantastic" just seems... a little off. That's why I suspected sarcasm at first.

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks for that. Not knowing much about the Baron I wasn't aware of the inaccuracies but not surprised, since most "historically" based films play fast and loose with the truth. I just recall how impressed I was by the special effects when all we used to get in WW1 movies were ropey models and tiger moths dressed up as fighters.

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

Thanks for that. Not knowing much about the Baron I wasn't aware of the inaccuracies but not surprised, since most "historically" based films play fast and loose with the truth. I just recall how impressed I was by the special effects when all we used to get in WW1 movies were ropey models and tiger moths dressed up as fighters.

Yeah I can see where you're coming from I guess.
I'm quite sure the historical inaccuracy of these movies is what makes them so bad for people like Sailor Steve, me and God knows who else here.
As soon as you know things about a topic and then watch a movie and see all the errors, it gets harder to enjoy, at least for me.

I feel kinda..."cheated" when that happens cause it also gives the impression that the creators didn't even try and care about history (something that one should treat with respect I think) but just the quick buck.

Was the Red Baron entertaining? Yeah it was, kinda.
It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen - but then again that is a record difficult to break after watching movies like Pearl Harbor and Bayformers...

The Red Baron is probably the U-571 of the fighter-pilot movies.
If you don't know jack about the topic, it sure can be entertaining.
If you do, you're gonna cringe.

[Catfish]

Remember U-571 received standing ovations by US Navy veterans, when it was shown for the first time ..

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Remember U-571 received standing ovations by US Navy veterans, when it was shown for the first time ..

If I had just gotten through a movie starring Jon Bon Jovi where I didn't have to hear him sing, I'd applaud too.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

Thanks for that. Not knowing much about the Baron I wasn't aware of the inaccuracies but not surprised, since most "historically" based films play fast and loose with the truth. I just recall how impressed I was by the special effects when all we used to get in WW1 movies were ropey models and tiger moths dressed up as fighters.

Here's what happened with me. I thought the scenes with Manfred and his brother Lothar were well done, the acting was fine and I love Lena Headey, so I'm not regretting having seen it. The Albatros replicas were nice, but the only enemy they ever seem to fight are SE.5as, because that's all they had. The problem comes when they show the actual fight scenes. Lanoe Hawker died flying a DH2. Not only could they have used models, but there are replica DH2s available now. Their solution was to just not show the fight at all, just a crashed SE.5a, which didn't even exist yet, and Hawker's body. Also they made Hawker out to be this huge bugbear everybody was terrified of, and underdog Manfred managed to shoot him down. Since they didn't show the fight, we don't know how this miracle happened. The fact is that when their epic dogfight took place Hawker had 7 kills and von Richtofen 10, and there is no question the Albatros D.II was the superior aircraft. This is not to take away from the Baron's success - Hawker was a famous and respected pilot.

There there's the Baron's final fight. Wait, no there isn't. He says goodbye to his nurse and then we see his funeral.

Flyboys is the same - the Nieuports are fun to watch and the CGI bombers are cool, but the movie has about as much to do with reality as the airplane game I love so much. Maybe less, as the game's designer knew his aerodynamics.

If you want to see a truly great WW1 flying movie, check out Wings, which won the very first Best Picture Oscar back in 1927. In that movie they had an actual bomber drop actual bombs on a town they built just for that purpose, and the planes are actual WW1 leftovers plus some more contemporary biplanes, Curtiss P-1s to be specific, but still close enough to the war to look right. It's still the best of the genre, with Hell's Angels (1930) coming in a close second. After that has to be The Blue Max (1966). Though not as good as the book it is still one of the best flying movies ever.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

Here he is, and a mean looking bleeder, too. Anyone know his name?

Kurt Meisel

http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=85838

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Kurt Meisel

Wow, that was pretty neat! Thanks, Jim...

[Jimbuna]

No bother.

[Tango589]

35 years after it was released, I have finally seen Alien. It was as good as I had hoped, with excellent special effects and virtually none of this CGI crap that plagues so many of todays films. There was plenty of claustrophobia, and the full gown Alien was stunning! I give it 10/10. Now to see Aliens/3/Resurrection.

Originally Posted by Tango589

35 years after it was released, I have finally seen Alien. It was as good as I had hoped, with excellent special effects and virtually none of this CGI crap that plagues so many of todays films. There was plenty of claustrophobia, and the full gown Alien was stunning! I give it 10/10. Now to see Aliens/3/Resurrection.

Ah, good, another drone is born!
You will like Aliens as well, most people even prefer it (though I think it is vastly inferior to the first part due to silly dialogs and acting in many situations, especially when the US Colonial Marines are involved... but you'll see).
After that, don't expect too much. Alien³ is weird. I would never say it is bad but I hesitate to say it is good. I like it, then I don't really...
It has some great moments and scenes and then some... well... you'll see!

Now, this rumored movie called "Resurrection"... I am sure it doesn't exist
But you'll see!

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by Tango589

35 years after it was released, I have finally seen Alien.

Then there are the three (I think) Alien vs Predator movies...

[Eichhörnchen]

We enjoyed a hilarious comedy movie years ago featuring a "dumb" blonde with a broad (Brooklyn?) accent. The Pygmalion-like premise is that the leading man (Gary Cooper, Bill Holden, Joel MCcrea, someone like that) is employed by her gangster husband to teach her grammar but, despite himself, first pities then falls in love with her.

Anyone remember this film? I've searched filmographies of those particular actors mentioned but to no avail...