Favorite War Films

[Serbia]

Since this is a website dedicated to the art of world domination though I’d find out what your favorite war films are. Not necessary the best/most realistic war flicks - just the ones you like the most. It can be any era and doesn't necessarily have to be directly about war - but it has to be set or revolve in some way about war (Hell, it’s my thread so it’s my rules!).

It's too hard to just pick one - so I'll let you have a top three.

P.S. Say why you like it and if it’s obscure tell us what war it’s set in at least!)

Mine:

1) Apocalypse Now (The best Vietnam film in my opinion)

2) Empire of the Sun (Fantastic film about a boy in a Japanese POW camp in WW2 – Spielberg’s finest hour)

3) The Good the Bad and the Ugly (Cheaty a bit I know but it’s in the American Civil War, and Sergio Leone is a genius!)

[Dukasaur]

1. Apocalypse Now

2. Patton

3. Zulu


Some honourable mentions:

The Deerhunter
The Guns of Navarone
The Seventh Dawn
Full Metal Jacket
The Great Escape
Waterloo

[iAmCaffeine]

My favorite is "The Blue and the Gray" It is an old American Civil War movie from the 80's. It's about 4 hrs long, but it's worth it. It's very accuarate in its historical detail. It's very graphic, they don't hold any of the realities concerning blood and gore back, and the acting is superb. Very entertaining. One of the few movies that got me to shed a tear.

[DoomYoshi]

1. The Grand Illusion (a 1937 WWI film)
2. Gone with the Wind
3. Tora! Tora! Tora!

I realize these are all "classics" and it's not pretentiousness, they just make me think more than modern movies. I like "Tigerland" for example (pretty much any Colin Farrell movie) and "Behind Enemy Lines" but neither help me understand the human condition of conflict. The modern thinker movies are usually too overbearing e.g. Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Give me a few minutes and I will probably change my mind, I really am a fan of war movies overall.

[riskllama]

not sure if this allowed but i remember watching this WWII movie when i was a kid that (i guess) was about the holocaust/concentration camps. the only scene i recall(but i recall it quite vividly) was at, or near the end, this little jewish boy who had a star on his jammies, pretended it was a sherrif's star, ala the old west. he was pretending to "duel" one of the guards in the camp, but the guard didn't pretend and actually shot the kid dead. does anybody know what movie this is? it would have come out sometime in the early to mid eighties, i'm guessing...
also, there was this bizarre film about this german village shortly before WWI i remember watching a few years ago. murders and some other odd things start to happen there. it wasn't an old film, just made to look old, w/english subtitles. the douchebag doctor of the village was a central character who tries to screw his daughter, if that helps...
help me, CC!!!

[patches70]

What, no love for Paths of Glory?

[saxitoxin]

underrated - The Horse Soldiers with John Wayne - totally ripe for a remake

[TA1LGUNN3R]

Some good ones so far. I'll add Bridge on the River Kwai and The Outlaw Josey Wales, although similarly Josey Wales takes place inmediately after the Civil War. But since it's about revenge against the Redlegs, I think it counts.

-TG

[strike wolf]

Troll list: Marvel Captain AMERICA Civil War.
2. Cap. Amuhrica Sivil Wor
3. That movie where Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith give the aliens a virus and Bill Pullman makes the awesome speech.

Real list:

1. Full Metal Jacket
2. Apocalypse Now
3. I really want to count Taxi Driver in fact I would put it ahead of Apocalypse now but it's not really a war movie so I'll go with...damn this is hard beyond those two none of the others stand out that much.. I guess maybe Patton or Deer Hunter.

[mandalorian2298]

1. My absolute favorite is 'Kelly's Heroes' (which, side note, was actually shot in Serbia, so I feel that I should be pronounced winner of this thread ). Clint, Telly Savalas, Telly Savalas' brother, uncle Leo from 'Seinfeld' and Donald Sutherland playing a crazy bisexual tank commander. One of the funniest movies ever, I must have seen it over 20 times (probably a LOT more).

2. 'Dirty Dozen', becuase it also has Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland (except Savalas is the crazier one here), but trades Clint for Lee Marvin + Charles Bronson

3. 'We Were Soldiers' (I actually LIKE 'Platoon' more, but 'We Were Soldiers' does a better job of convaying it's "War is Hell" message, especially in the napalm scene which was one of the most shocking things I have ever seen in a blockbuster)

[riskllama]

sam elliott should have gotten serious oscar consideration for best supporting actor in we were soldiers, imo. movie was os os, but he was excellent. and yeah, the napalm scene was great. poor bugger...

[Serbia]

Kelly's Heroes has won the thread. All other movies are up for 2nd place.

[waauw]

1. Braveheart
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. The Great Escape

best warmovie opening scene ever:

[riskllama]

the war of the roses.

[mandalorian2298]

Kelly's Heroes has won the thread. All other movies are up for 2nd place.

[mandalorian2298]

sam elliott should have gotten serious oscar consideration for best supporting actor in we were soldiers, imo. movie was os os, but he was excellent. and yeah, the napalm scene was great. poor bugger...

I love Sam Elliot and I'm sure that he was great, but I only saw the movie once and the only things that stuck in my mind were 1. Mel Gibson was i...OMG HIS LEGS!!!!!!!

[strike wolf]

I just remember that scene where he lost use of his arm because he had been shot and he turns to his crying wife and says "don't worry-" Wait that was tombstone. Maybe I never saw We Were Soldiers.

[mandalorian2298]

I just remember that scene where he lost use of his arm because he had been shot and he turns to his crying wife and says "don't worry-" Wait that was tombstone. Maybe I never saw We Were Soldiers.

Well that easy enough to determine. When you think the words "crusty skin" is your first reaction Yummy! or ?

[Bernie Sanders]

ZULU


Saving Private Ryan


The Patriot


The Bridge over river Kwai

[hotfire]

a few of em:
enemy at the gates
we were soldiers
saving private ryan
fury

best series:
band of brothers

[Symmetry]

1) Casablanca
2) The Third Man
3) Waltz with Bashir

Others:

Apocalypse Now
Black Hawk Down
Letters from Iwo Jima/ Flags of our Fathers
Downfall

[saxitoxin]

Waterloo

Yes! A brilliant film, even if the good guys lost.

Love this scene -

[Sackett58]

Not in any particular order
They Were Expendable-PT boats at the beginning of WW2. John Ford movie with John Wayne

Gettysburg- Ted Turner made for TV movie. Based on the book "Killer Angels". Good cast, Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger, Sam Elliot.

Lighthorseman-Australian movie based on the lighthorseman of WW1. The final scene with the horseman charging fixed Turkish positions is one of the best.

Battle of Britain- One of my favorite aviation war movies. No CGI BS.

Kelly's Heroes- for laughs

Battle of the Bulge- No where accurate to the real battle but for some reason keeps me from turning the channel when I find it.

Pork Chop Hill-Gregory Peck in the Korean War

Saving Private Ryan- Opening scene was very intense especially when you are sitting in the first couple rows at the theater.

Band of Brothers-One of the best serial war movies of all time. The book was really good also.

Great Escape-All star cast.

[Symmetry]

If TV series count, Blackadder goes Forth. That last episode still causes a single man tear.

[jonesthecurl]

If TV series count, Blackadder goes Forth. That last episode still causes a single man tear.

Totally agree. And
if TV counts, the Richard Sharpe series with Sean Bean.

If not, then Zulu, Waterloo, Oh What A Lovely War.