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Posted by craigd1973 (U2853338) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
This is just a bit of fun and if it has been raised before I am sorry for raising it again but I am fairly new to this!
I was just wondering what people's favourite movie battle scenes are.
My own particular favourites are the battle scenes in the Russian Version of War and Peace (directed by Sergei Bondarchuk) particularly the battle of Borodino which was spectacular and lasted almost an hour. His depiction of the battle of waterloo in the film of the same name was also spectacular.
My other favourites are the battle scenes in Spartacus, Zulu and also the beginning of Saving Private Ryan.
Craig
FAVORITE battle scene? Sounds a bit sick.
Best executed/Most effective/Most harrowing I could understand, but favorite? You do realise what these people are supposed to be doing to each other?
For most effective, I'd go for the final assault in "Hamburger Hill".
C3Square
Of course I realise what these people are supposed to be doing to each other and I think you have taken my question completely the wrong way.
I am certainly no war monger and perhaps the word favourite may not have been the most appropriate to use but I am sure you got the jist of what I was meaning.
In case I have inadvertantly caused offense to anyone else I will rephrase the question.
What do you think are the BEST EXECUTED movie battle scenes?
i have always been a big fan of the missile attack on the aircraft carrier in sum of all fears
a strike that that is yet to happen in modern warfare
most effective ? i am always moved when i see the part of platoon when they burn the village
but for a battle it would have to be the beginning of private ryan
, in reply to message 4.
Posted by The Earl of Suffolk (U1888243) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
For a battle scene I would have to say 'we were soldiers'.
Best war film though would have to be the eagle has landed.
, in reply to message 5.
Posted by Disgruntled_Renegade (U530059) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
One of the most effectivel brutal starts to a film to sum up the horror of war and battle i always think, is the opening scenes to Enemy at the Gates, with the Barges travelling across the Volga and the old "each man takes ammo, 1st man takes a Rifle..."
i take back private ryan, enemy at the gates has the best opener
those stukas dive bombing the troop barges
true hell
One of the most effectivel brutal starts to a film to sum up the horror of war and battle i always think, is the opening scenes to Enemy at the Gates, with the Barges travelling across the Volga and the old "each man takes ammo, 1st man takes a Rifle..."Β
All: "Pickets Charge" from the movie "Gettysburg." (Especially if you see the entire version and not the edited version shown in the theaters) The assult on Little Round Top from the same movie.
The movie "Enemy at the Gate." From beginning to end.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by uvebintimarnated (U1293371) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
Personally i think Black Hawk Down takes some beating.
Best EXECUTED?! Are you sick? Executions are horrible.
, in reply to message 8.
Posted by HistoricallyInclined (U2629030) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
Personally I really enjoyed the air battle at Pearl Harbour in the movie of the same name. and jesw1962, I totally agree, Enemy at the Gates was a fabulous movie.
"Memphis Belle" has some of the best air battle scenes I have ever seen, if you have missed this movie, rent it and enjoy, it will not be time wasted.
, in reply to message 12.
Posted by Little Enos Rides Again (U1777880) on Monday, 23rd January 2006
Opening scene in Private Ryan has to be the best, the "shock" of when the landing craft door opens and about the first half dozen troops are cut down by machine gun fire before they even move!
But the whole beach assault is brilliant in that movie.
Also the same film at the end where the Americans (hopelessly outnumbered) are holding onto that village bridge being assaulted by German tanks and infantry. Love the scene where Tom Sizemore throws his helmet at the german soldier and vice versa.
Also the Helicopter assault on Apocalypse Now is beautifully shot and really hits you when the Huey lands in the village square to pick up the wounded and the peasant girl throws her hat full of grenades into it.......
I don't know...
Saving Private Ryan, at the beginning
and
Henry V, I think it is with ? the Brit?.. Branagh
Is it Richard B?
And...the last sea battle in Master and Commander."
Saving Private Ryan
Enemy at the Gates
I do rather like the opening battle scene in Gladiator as well
The scene that really brought war home to me, was the C. O.s wife running round delivering those telegrams, with the help of the young officers wife, only to then have to call on her with her own telegram. That has to be one of the best directed scenes ever. Best scene in a war film. William Travis in the Alamo. with the cannon. "I don't wish to say anything good about the man," Says Bowie, "But he sure knows the quickest way to start a war." Best battle scene. Zulu. The last stand.
I have to disagree with those about enemy at the gates - What an appalling film. Why they had to soil what in essence was already a wonderful drama and covert it into Hollywood tat I don't know.
OK, accepted that Saitsev's story was already exaggerated for political reasoning at the time, but why soil it even more?
OK Rachel Weiss is a fit as a butcher’s dog and seeing her is always a delight, but apart from that, the film is simply awful.
As for most dramatic scene, although again generally an inaccurate film, Mel Gibson special if you will, the final pointless charge scene in Gallipoli raises many emotions....
, in reply to message 19.
Posted by generallobus (U1869191) on Tuesday, 24th January 2006
I'd go for the Agincourt scene in Orson Welles Chimes At Midnight. The most brutal, dirty, horrible batterings by maces and hammers. In the middle of all this visceral mayhem wanders Falstaff, bumbling around in a suit of armour as round as a christmas pud. Very disturbing juxtaposition of images.
Top four from me,
The opening sequence of "Private Ryan", they even got the "near miss" bullet noises right, and it has the distinction of having veterans of the actual invasion on Omaha beach saying that it was accurate!
Gladiator, outstanding. The opening battle is very well shot, and the music just complements it! Makes you want to pick up your Gladius and invade Germany!
One which seems to have been missed here is "Black Hawk Down", a pretty good description of an urban battlefield, and the night scenes (with the gunship strafing run) is excellent.
Mentioned in despatches-
"Band of Brothers", the D-day parachute drop.
"Enemy at the Gates", the sniper duel during the air-raid.
"A Bridge too far", just generally excellent.
Cheers
, in reply to message 21.
Posted by Pugwash Trouserpress (U1865008) on Tuesday, 24th January 2006
Being an old matelot may I throw in;
Sink the Bismarck!
Battle of the River Plate.
Peebs
The battle of talavera in sharpe's eagle when the french column met the british volleys.
Cracking stuff!
Just to follow the trend:
Zulu
Pritty much the whole film. I like the fact it respected the Zulus as much as made heros of the British.
Saving Private Ryan
I watched this with my Grandad who went in on DDay +18. He confirmed the film is very very accurate as far as the what it portrays.
Gladiator
The start is really amazing, definate WOW factor even when I watch it again.
Kingdom of Heaven
The siege at the end of the film is amazing, it didn't just focus on the hand to hand fighting but followed it as a siege, which for a Hollywood blockbuster is brave. The eagle guard bit was a load of rubbish though.
Jarhead
Some of the scenes were simply amazing, the raining oil and burning wells stick in my mind. It also covers the emotional impact of war on soldiers, the highs, lows and insanity sans Full Metal Jacket.
Haven't seen Jarhead yet, but am planning to!
Would be interesting to see if they got the Dante-esque feel of the battle right!
DL
, in reply to message 25.
Posted by Little Enos Rides Again (U1777880) on Tuesday, 24th January 2006
Another one that seems to be missed is The Thin Red Line.
The assault on the Japanese village being particularly harrowing, very well shot and the sound track is excellent.
To be honest Enos, I can't see the attraction of "Thin Red Line", and I didn't really enjoy the film. Maybe I was missing something, but I thought there were way too many "scenic frog shots" and the like, and not enough "story".
, in reply to message 27.
Posted by Little Enos Rides Again (U1777880) on Tuesday, 24th January 2006
It's a movie which has an acquired taste DL,The first time I saw it, I thought it was long-winded and cr*p basically, however I have seen it several times since and think it's brilliant, strange really it's just a film thats grown on me.
Certainly not A Saving Private Ryan or Apocalypse now beater mind!
Robert Duvall just has me in hysterics in Apocalypse Now, poor taste I know but his surfing obsession in the movie is class.
Haven't seen Jarhead yet, but am planning to!
Would be interesting to see if they got the Dante-esque feel of the battle right!
¶Ω³ΆΜύ
Yes it was quite spectacular.
I think band of brothers has to be up there!
Just to follow the trend:
Zulu
Pritty much the whole film. I like the fact it respected the Zulus as much as made heros of the British.
Saving Private Ryan
I watched this with my Grandad who went in on DDay +18. He confirmed the film is very very accurate as far as the what it portrays.
Gladiator
The start is really amazing, definate WOW factor even when I watch it again.
Kingdom of Heaven
The siege at the end of the film is amazing, it didn't just focus on the hand to hand fighting but followed it as a siege, which for a Hollywood blockbuster is brave. The eagle guard bit was a load of rubbish though.
Jarhead
Some of the scenes were simply amazing, the raining oil and burning wells stick in my mind. It also covers the emotional impact of war on soldiers, the highs, lows and insanity sans Full Metal Jacket.Β
Did anyone notice one of the Zulu chants from Zulu was used in the opening battle scene in Gladiator ??
das boot. The episode where they get detected and depth charged for hours. Tense, thrilling stuff!
"Did anyone notice one of the Zulu chants from Zulu was used in the opening battle scene in Gladiator ??" I think it's already been mentioned on this thread (If not this, another)....
"Did anyone notice one of the Zulu chants from Zulu was used in the opening battle scene in Gladiator ??" I think it's already been mentioned on this thread (If not this, another)....Β
no not this one - checked before i posted
another thread ? b----r i thought i was super observant
I know its not a proper war film as such, but the scene in the film Apocalypse Now, where they're all in the helicopters going to blow the S**t out of a Vietnamese village, with Ride of the Valkries playing in the background, is brilliant! Couldnt have picked a better song to go over that scene.
, in reply to message 35.
Posted by Grand Falcon Railroad (U3267675) on Saturday, 4th March 2006
Not really a war movie either but as a war based adventure Where Eagles Dare is great - Eastwood kills more people in it than any other.
But my favorite proper war movie has to be Saving Private Ryan because it is just so harrowing esp. when the flame thrower operative is shot - can't imagine how it must have been to see that happen.
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