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WAR MOVIE BLUNDERS


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We talk about dressed up armor to look like panzers or even Patton tanks used as both US and German armor.

In "Die Brücke" (The Bridge), the opposite is true ..... very strange looking "Shermans" at the end of the movie.

I can't recall what they really were but(if I recall correctly) some even had truck tires underneath them. :blink:

 

And what about some war movies depicting Waffen-SS soldiers in the black uniforms (Allgemeine SS) with the red-white-black brassards?

 

Erwin

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The comments about accents reminded me of the 1970's version of "All Quiet on the Western Front". I could handle the 1970's technology for a war film, but I could not handle the German Corporal who served as a mentor to the newly arrived soldiers. Not only could I not get past his very thick Jersey accent, the acting left a lot to be desired.

 

We really do need a GOOD World War I movie. So far, I have been pretty disappointed.

 

Ian - How about the German's who speak Proper English. :P

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The comments about accents reminded me of the 1970's version of "All Quiet on the Western Front". I could handle the 1970's technology for a war film, but I could not handle the German Corporal who served as a mentor to the newly arrived soldiers. Not only could I not get past his very thick Jersey accent, the acting left a lot to be desired.

 

We really do need a GOOD World War I movie. So far, I have been pretty disappointed.

 

Ian - How about the German's who speak Proper English. :P

 

By far the biggest stinker of recent years (IMHO) was Tom Cruise's "Valkyrie"!! Not only was he grossly miscast...he had a dreadful "clipped" accent. Also, virtually all of the Nazi generals were established British actors with impeccable English accents!!

 

Ian :pinch:

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"You mention stereotypes. Isn't it one of life's constants that in virtually every American war movie there's ever been there's always a "Kowalski" in the squad!!"

 

YES! and don't forget the guy from Brooklyn who always wonders about how his Dodgers are doing and the nice guy from the midwest who always has a snapshot of his sweetheart handy and always seems to get shot in the end.

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"You mention stereotypes. Isn't it one of life's constants that in virtually every American war movie there's ever been there's always a "Kowalski" in the squad!!"

 

YES! and don't forget the guy from Brooklyn who always wonders about how his Dodgers are doing and the nice guy from the midwest who always has a snapshot of his sweetheart handy and always seems to get shot in the end.

 

 

Not forgetting the tobacco-chewing "Tex" !!

 

Sabrejet :lol:

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in the WWII movie "MERRILLS MARAUDERS" one of the medics is seen wearing an M1 helmet with post WWII Vietnam type clamp on T-1 chin straps on his swivel bail in a close up shot.

And the M-2 Carbines....

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Actually, I just watched my "Longest Day" dvd. Apart from the points already raised, two other obvious blunders are "empty pouch syndrome"...so often seen in war movies. Rifle belts with obviously no clips in them whatsoever! The other thing concerns the 82nd and 101st patches...specifically the placement of their arcs which, on most of the uniforms, are fully 3" above the patches. When that movie was made, WW2 was recent history. How quickly things are forgotten!

 

Sabrejet :pinch:

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Not forgetting the tobacco-chewing "Tex" !!

 

Sabrejet :lol:

 

And a really big dude named "Montana".

 

And all supply sergeants are self serving con-men, all lieutenants are young kids and all nurses are stunningly beautiful.

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By far the biggest stinker of recent years (IMHO) was Tom Cruise's "Valkyrie"!! Not only was he grossly miscast...he had a dreadful "clipped" accent. Also, virtually all of the Nazi generals were established British actors with impeccable English accents!!

 

Ian :pinch:

 

I've read some of the criticism of Cruise in "Valkyrie". A lot of it centered on his portrayal being very stiff and wooden. From what I have read it's actually a fairly accurate portrayal of Col. Von Staufenberg. As heroic as he and the other conspirators were, they were professional

Army officers. Having watched some of the other portrayals, Fromm and Keitel were much more bombastic.

 

As far as an accent.. there are two schools of thought on that. Rather than trying to duplicate a true accent of a German speaking English, some believe it is better to not even try as it would not be accurate to begin with. The Germans involved at the time were speaking German, not English. Having the actors speak in English is for the convenience of the audience, not for historical accuracy.

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Manchu Warrior

It is not a movie but I clearly remember the cast of "Tour of Duty" wearing 1980's Woodland pattern helmet covers in 1960's era Vietnam. I believe that they wore the wrong helmet covers for at least in the first couple of shows. If I remember correctly, and for what ever reason, they also had no slings on their weapons in the first show. And from my own experience in the Army the only weapon I ever carried without a sling was a rubber ducky.

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And a really big dude named "Montana".

 

And all supply sergeants are self serving con-men, all lieutenants are young kids and all nurses are stunningly beautiful.

 

 

And Drill-sergeants are always sadistic monsters. No...wait...that's not a stereotype...it's an accurate depiction!

 

 

Sabrejet ;)

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We've already discussed US tanks masquerading as Panzers in movies and look-alike body shells dropped onto commercial chassis etc., but what about the venerable Jeep? How many "WW2" movies have featured M38/M39A1 models?!

 

post-8022-1289757214.jpg post-8022-1289757226.jpg

 

 

Sabrejet :think:

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Actually, I just watched my "Longest Day" dvd. Apart from the points already raised, two other obvious blunders are "empty pouch syndrome"...so often seen in war movies. Rifle belts with obviously no clips in them whatsoever! The other thing concerns the 82nd and 101st patches...specifically the placement of their arcs which, on most of the uniforms, are fully 3" above the patches. When that movie was made, WW2 was recent history. How quickly things are forgotten!

 

Sabrejet :pinch:

Don't forget the A-1 Skyraiders flying close support!

 

Hey Sabrejet, what's with this English weather. I am freezing my tail off down here in Exeter. I am enjoying the English cider though!

 

Cheers, John

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Don't forget the A-1 Skyraiders flying close support!

 

Hey Sabrejet, what's with this English weather. I am freezing my tail off down here in Exeter. I am enjoying the English cider though!

 

Cheers, John

 

 

Hello John...and welcome to the UK! "English" weather you say?! It's British weather! Well...it's winter-time in north-western Europe. It can be cold/wet or cold/sunny..I think the word "changeable" best describes it. I spent some time in NY/ Connecticut in October time a few years ago..reminded me very much of home, weather-wise. The influence of the Atlantic seaboard I guess? Anyways...enjoy your time in beautiful Devon!

 

Ian :thumbsup:

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Just kinding about the weather, I have actually been to the UK many times. But, anything under 60f is cold to this California boy!

 

Given the rainy weather, I can see way you spent the afternoon watching a movie.

 

By the way, in TLD, the kid that lost his rifle, in the famous scene where Robert Mitchum made him go back out under fire... is an old buddy of mine. Peter was in many more movies and said he had a great time filming in Frace. He was one of those guys that got killed on "Combat" now an then too.

 

Cheer, John

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Just kinding about the weather, I have actually been to the UK many times. But, anything under 60f is cold to this California boy!

 

Given the rainy weather, I can see way you spent the afternoon watching a movie.

 

By the way, in TLD, the kid that lost his rifle, in the famous scene where Robert Mitchum made him go back out under fire... is an old buddy of mine. Peter was in many more movies and said he had a great time filming in Frace. He was one of those guys that got killed on "Combat" now an then too.

 

Cheer, John

 

Not rained here (S. Wales...150m north of you) all day actually John. Do you realise are helping to perpetrate the misconception held by your countrymen that it always rains in the UK?! If it was that bad my name would be Noah! ;)

 

So, you rub shoulders with movie stars? You should start a thread about it 'cos everyone in California either is, wants to be, or knows a movie star...don't they?!

 

Ian :thumbsup:

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As Sabrejet mentioned, the jeeps. One of my favorite war movies was Patton, but I just cringe when I see Bradly near the beginning of the movie riding up in an M38 jeep. Then Patton rides in one for the rest of the movie. Those bug eyes just bother me.

Marv

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One thing in SPR that was totally unrealistic was the over-the-top special effects involving guys getting shot underwater. They're already at least a couple feet under, and the bullets are traveling several feet (if not yards) underwater and killing them? Nah, sorry. Not at that distance, anyway.

 

 

The TV show "Myth Busters" disproved this with a test to fire different weapons into a pool from a pistol to a .50 caliber. The winner---the gun to fire the deepest---was a .58 caliber Civil War rifle. And it didn't go deeper than about 12 inches. The high-power rounds fractured upon impact with the water.

 

Steve

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Regarding the converted B-17 in "Memphis Belle"

 

You are correct, the Sally B was modified to look like a F. Remember, there are no flyable F models, only G's.

 

Maybe, but if you lived in Memphis a few years back, you could see a real B-17F and the real deal out on Mud Island. One thing that IS missing is the large Square window with the .50 caliber mounted in it. The F's window was much larger than the one on the G. See the movie image posted by 101CH47.

 

I noticed right off that the Nose Art on the movie version was wrong. The name "Memphis Belle" was smaller block letters and not stylized script. Also as any Belle enthusiast knows, the color of the swimming suit is different for each side.

 

Having said that, I can enjoy watching "Memphis Belle" which I can't say for "Pearl Harbor".

 

Steve

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When I was a kid and first started collecting, I was amazed to find a piece of equipment with KOWALSKI stamped on it. It was just a strap thingy, nothing I could make sense out of then or now. I thought WOW! It's his!

 

You mention stereotypes. Isn't it one of life's constants that in virtually every American war movie there's ever been there's always a "Kowalski" in the squad!!

 

Sabrejet ;)

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Tour of Duty was alright for what it was which was a television series with a limited budget. Movie productions get much more money. They started cleaning up their act and personally I've give anything for that C model Huey on the series with correct colors. The Air Cav pilots in the series wore a mix of APH5 and SPH4 with correct full color 101st SSI and pocket patches. Always get a kick out of seeing some of my old stomping grounds, Makua Valley, Kahukus, East Range, etc. Humping the gulches in Hawaii was a smoker.

 

By the way, I didn't use a sling in the 25th and never got gigged for it.

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