A truly good WW2 program on HBO...................

Last night I watched "Under Fire" a story about a combat photographer, Tony Vaccaro , born in Italy , lived in La Rochelle and served in the US Army in the ETO. His was in the infantry, told to carry a rifle, protect himself and be a soldier first and a photographer second. A film crew accompanied him on retracing his route through France and Germany recently, he is very much alive, quite lively in fact and told in clear manner his experiences and illustrated his story with hundreds of photos he shot. The are all new to me and I think to everyone. Many are clear, well done, some damaged over time but many are compelling.

Not the usual WW2 stuff you see on the Military Channel, now AHC, but well done and unique, a good bit rather poignant and moving. . I missed the first part but really enjoyed the part I saw. Knowing HBO is will return again and be on HBO demand. I encourage everyone to try and see it. Hopefully it will turn up on YOUTube or perhaps a CD.

It took me a few minutes to pick up his accent , a combination of Italian and French and his English is excellent. He later became a NYC fashion photographer. A true story of an interesting soldier well put together.

Gaines

 

Thanks Gaines, Ihope they'll play it on TV on this side of the ocean. La Rochelle is a wonderful place. If they show it I'll recognise it at once.

 

Lou, I will look up Anthropoid and if successful will report. Skipper, I have no idea if HBO is even shown in France but if I can find another way to watch that documentary like a CD. I will send you a copy. I tried to send Gordon a cajun gumbo file but our Customs stopped it ! . Opened it to see if it was a drug.


Years ago we spent an all to brief time in La Rochelle , you are right, a beyond beautiful place. In a better world I would live there, speak French and have a Beneteau 10M sailboat !!. We have a cousin that lives in Pau, SW France is sublimely beautiful.

Gaines

 

Can't you stream it via Amazon or one of the other services?

 

Hey Lou,

I caught it last week on Prime. Personally, I thought was pretty good. The acting was excellent and the story stuck to the facts. The action sequences (mostly the assassination scene) were well done. The Heydrich scene was some of the best action work I have scene in awhile. Not overdone with too much cinema. If one doesn't know the story the plot can drag (the wife started to drift halfway through ) but I found the movie satisfying.

 

I haven't seen it but just got done reading a review of it here. Seems to be a reasonably good review with respect to pointing out the film's positives and negatives. It echoes what KJ said about it's historical accuracy, which they saw as both a positive and negative. Anyway, after reading it, I am very much interested to see the film.

 

cheers, I've just found this website about him.
Has a trailer for the film
http://tonyvaccarofilm.com/

Gaines when you say La Rochelle are you confusing that with New Rochelle NY ? As that where it says on wiki he went to high school.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Vaccaro

 

Owen, Thank you for this great additional information. It really is a very good documentary film, made especially so by the fact he is the main character himself ! I did not get in at the beginning and old workaholic me draws while watching so missed some of it. I probably heard "La" instead of "New" hoping it was La Rochelle as it is beyond beautiful, never been to New Rochelle which is clearly correct.

Is HBO available in the UK ? I hope it gets wide circulation as it is genuinely moving.

Cheers,
Gaines

 

Gaines, thanks for the info. Watched it last night on HBO On Demand. It is an outstanding documentary.