What's your favourite war movie? Did it inspire you to pick a period? Maybe they just had a great script or an iconic actor to inspire you. Or maybe they were visually impressive or beautifully filmed and you wanted to replicate that in your later wargaming? So today I thought I would discuss three particular war movies that I have enjoyed and explain why they inspired me to play a period.
Such a difficult choice, narrowing it down to 3.So many to choose from. Zulu is magnificent, as is Lawrence of Arabia. All Quiet on the Western Front is moving (1930 and the c1980 one are both good) and the Three Hundred Spartans holds a special place for me. If it came down to influence on wargaming unsurprisingly it has to be Waterloo. Taken to see it at the cinema on one the rare occasions the old man went. Blown away by it.
ReplyDeleteOne I would throw in that I've not seen mentioned by anyone, is Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown Soldier). A Finnish classic story of the Continuation War against the Soviets (1941-44) based on a veteran's novel of the same name. There's 3 versions (1950s, 1980s and 2017). The last is available in different lengths. It focuses mainly on one platoon of infantry, as they gradually get whittled down by casualties like All Quiet. The action is first rate and the realism factor is reputably high (Combat Arms Channel describes it as "the best war movie you've never seen"). And yes, I have had little lead Finns and Soviets on the table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTYesNj_sBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCxuVg_NlzU
Great choices. I think I've seen a trailer for the Finnish movie, but I'll have to track it down to watch now.
DeleteYa, too hard to pick one, but I will say The Blue Max was a surprise to me. I'd rate it a 9 out of 10. If Band of Brothers was a movie, that would be my #1.
ReplyDeleteBand of Brothers was an excellent series. Worthy of entry on the list even if it isn't a movie.
Delete"War movie" for me always feels like too broad a genre. There are subgenres in war movies, ranging from the pure action movie (what wargamers seem to like - glorifying heroic deeds) to plots that are set in the context of war, but are not necessarily about the military actions during that war, and also not necessarily heroic. E.g. I think "All Quiet on the Western Front" is a fantastic war movie, but is doesn't immediately deal with military action, but rather with effects war has on soldiers and the homefront.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Sometimes its just the uniforms or period feel that are the inspiration.
DeleteZulu (perfect for figure painting), Black Hawk Down & Memorial Day ~ which is perhaps the best I've seen; & explains The Colonel's, my Father-in-Law, reluctance to talk about things until much later in his life.
ReplyDeleteMaster and Commander. I think it's one of the best naval films I've seen.
ReplyDeleteBeing of a certain generation my childhood was full of war films. So I would say that none prompted a wargame collection per se, but informed my inclination to matters historical and military.
For me Last of the Mohicans
ReplyDeleteJeepers. That's a Good one Bluewillow! Somehow I was cast as a coureur des bois. Lost my voice whopping and hollering in the opening takes of what we called ambush alley. Turkey vultures hunt by smell, not sight. At the end of the second day I opened my eyes, as a dead body, and watched them circling overhead. Not sure what that says about the authenticity of how we smelled.
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