Band of Brothers is stretching out it's lead, which is interesting. It was not the top vote getter in the nomination thread, SPR was, with Downfall close behind. And to honest with you, I was loathe to put Kelly's Heroes in it, I just so greatly dislike that film.

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Best Regards,
JW

Well I like Battleground 1949, the movie stands the test of time and epitomizes Willie and Joe.

Saving Private Ryan fell apart after the beach scene and I didn't buy the holding the SS with nothing part of the Bridge Scene. The infantry would make contact and get ambushed pull back and let arty (The stug42, that blasted the church tower, clean out the paras.) Then if a couple of p47s flew by and rocketed the crap out of the SS grenadiers then it would be more realistic.

Band of Brothers was good but we might be comparing apples with oranges.

The Great Escape was probably the best classic with acceptable acting.

Cross of Iron had the best director and was a good movie

Das Boot and Downfall were good as well

Kelly's Heroes was more of a comedy which I would put in the same category as Von Ryan's Express the latter being the better movie

Longest Day and In Harm's way both good John Wayne films but I also like They Were Expendable but the acting level is on par with Batlle of the Bulge, mediocre at best.

I liked The Battle of Britain

Although I haven't seen the Pianist, if it was a good war movie it would be in my DVD collection and it ain't. I'm guessing it is a Holocaust genre movie, like the one with the Italian actor that was a little too excited, Roberto, I forget his name(Roberto Benigni) I'm am not a fan of Roman Polansky, but am a fan of his deceased wife, Sharon Tate. As well as not being an attractive leading man, Adrien Brody is annoying and can't act his way out of a paper bag. Was this a rip off of Night of the Generals? Hollywood is greedy and lazy and hasn't produced much quality recently.

However, to be fair, I will rent the movie and give it a review later.

If we are going in different more broad directions then I like The Odessa(Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen) file, Jon Voight's only good film.

Of the list I would have to say Band of Brothers only because it was both good and there was more to see.

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Coir a glaive

Nemo me impune lacessit

If you are looking for major battles and action then you will be disappointed in the Pianist. It is about a Jewish concert piano player in Poland trying to survive the Germans. There is some action but not thru out the whole movie.

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I need a bailout of only $500,000

The Pianist won't be a problem for me. My favorite "war" film has not fighting in at all, unless you count the argument between Captain Morton and Mister Roberts.

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Best Regards,
JW

BoB.

The first war movie I ever saw. I must have seen it a good 100 times.

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'We march. The enemy is retreating in transport. We follow on foot.' Lt.Neil McCallum 5/7 Gordons 19th November 1942

The Cross of Iron first. I read the book and both were superb!!!
#2 would be Das Boot. Read the book also.
#3 The Eagle has landed. Read the book also.
All 3 were very close to the books. They were unbiased also.

Hi Jeff, what's wrong with Kelly's Heroes? Has an all-star cast, good storyline and plenty of action in it. Ahhhhhhhh, to each his own ;-)))

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Thinking about the pianist, it reminds me of an older movie called: Counterpoint - which is an always underrated movie and it to has a great cast and storyline. In short, Counterpoint is about a USO group that somehow gets captured by the German I THINK being captured during the Battle of the Bulge. If memory serves me correct, this movie not only had Charlton Heston in it but also Maximillian Schell; as Heston's nemisis.

Part of the story involves two men who were acting as if they were part of the USO Troup, and the members of said USO Troup knowingly tried to help them out by saying ther were part of the troup. At some point during the movie, those two "band members" decide they should try to escape but, I think before they had the chance to try, they were found out by the character that Max Schell played.

One thing I really liked about this movie was that there was a story within a story. I remember how the Germans found out about the two G.I's ""band members"" was when they were supposed to be playing in a concert of sorts and the Germans saw that they had little or no; musical talent. After that, I think those two were taken out and shot.

Anyway, sorry I got off on a tangent here but, this movie in its own way, reminded me about the Pianist - with differing factors of course.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Less than 24 hours to vote in this poll and then it closes at 1930 CST tomorrow, Friday 7 Dec, 2007. Vote is open to all, you new guys and you old farts.

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Best Regards,
JW

And I noticed that as of this post, that nobody has voted for The Pianist but I bet that some wiseaker will vote for it anyway.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Band of Brothers is a great movie, but Das Boot is still the best WWII movie in my opinion.

I like your avatar. Im assuming that that is a pilots badge? If so, nice badge! :-))

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Thank you, Slipdigit, for helping us to settle this debate for once and for all...

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Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.
-George S. Patton, Jr.-
FYI! My avatar is an old Finnish Aviator's Badge, designed in 1918 and it has nothing to do with one Austrian corporal or his ideas.

Saw 300 and for what it was, a battle, it was entertaining, I would have made it differently, for some reason those in Hollywood just can't get enough of the grotesque and freak show versus just stick with the Battle scenes and if your going to show Harem girls make them belonging in a Harem(ie attractive) not the circus freak show.

Saw A Walk in the Sun, Dana Andrews, Lloyd Bridges this movie had alot of potential, the advisor was spot on they just needed better equipment and some basic acting skills, along with someone that knows how to direct and score a movie, that guy singing gets lame after two lines. This is a good story for a remake, good location, Italy and not too many WWII movies have focused on Italy.

So now that the poll is closed any thoughts on It came upon a Midnight Clear, for those of you that liked the Pianist, Shining Through and how bout those old BW war movies any favorites?

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Coir a glaive

Nemo me impune lacessit

Fully agree with you about what you said about 300. The freak stuff and too much CGI ruined it for me. Luckily all I spent to go see it was $1.00. However, I left feeling like I was robbed of .75 cents.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I'd vote BoB if the poll was'nt closed. "Memphis Belle" would be a close second.

Cor blimey I missed the vote on this. Too busy trying to suss how to turn subscriptions on here I think.

I like a whole raft of war movies, but for a number of different reasons. So Das Boot is a champion film, not just because it's incredibly well made but also because it marked a point where Germans could make films about a period they're typically uncomfortable with.

SPR and BoB are good films/series too, but despite the Anglo involvement, do leave me envious, I just want a similar effort featuring Brits and I imagine other nationalities feel the same.

I'd probably have voted for Dambusters though, seems like I watched this endlessly as a lad. It's the kind of film which was broadcast on rainy Sunday afternoons.

One of my faves is not really a war movie at all, it's "A Matter of Life and Death", probably seen as dreadfully corny now, but I find it very moving.

Obviously being the new kid on the block I missed the poll. However, I have to say I am amazed that no one had mentioned "Bridge over the River Kwai" ?

If you were talking about War films in general I would have to opt for "Paths of Glory".

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Okay even this pole is locked, I'll go with The Longest Day.

(Woot, 100th post!)

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