My dad, who was in the military in the days they shot “A bridge too far”, was actually an extra in the movie. I watch this with fond memories, as my dad is no longer with us.
What annoyed me about the new "All quiet…" movie was that it only has the name in common with the book. Book is great. If you really want a good movie, also a great novel by Väinö Linna, the Finnish movies Unknown soldier is a must, 3 versions exist ( made 1955, 1985 and, the latest, 2017 is on Netflix) .
Agree about the counter size. I love A Victory Lost, when I first got it 10 years ago I thought it was great. Now however I have difficulty reading the counters, waiting for the larger edition! I have noticed a lot of war game companies now use larger, clearer font, MMP though still has lots of games with the small counter size.
Kelly’s Hero’s my fav movie, fight scenes, the soldiers down time scenes, soldiers interaction and the humour, etc. All make it very good movie.
Desert fox movie with James Mason. Seems very good for the time period, but I guess it more a biography of Rommel in WW2 some what, then straight on war film. Though the kind of sequel to Desert Fox movie, called Desert Rats with Richard Burton and James Mason (Mason as the Desert Fox again) is ok.
D-Day with John Wayne, Sean Connery, and many others is very good movie to, does not capture everything of D-Day though.
Saving Pvt Ryan, is a good movie for the most part.
Like you I like following movies to: Fury, A Bridge Too Far.
Stalingrad would definitely make my list. It was directed by Volker Schlöndorff (who was responsible for a bunch of other really great movies), but IIRC, the film was originally a project envisioned by Sergio Leone. He did a lot of the pre-production work for the film, but died before shooting could begin. Schlöndorff was his pick to take over the direction.
I'd add Sam Fuller's The Big Red One to the list for WWII movies, Fuller was a rifleman in the European theatre, and the fil reflect a lot of his own experiences. He famously said, nobody can make a realistic movie about war because if it was realistic nobody would go see it. He also said, "The creepy thing about battle is you always feel alone."
War Movies: 1) MUST WATCH IMHO – Where Eagles Dare; based on one of Ian Flemings earliest novels of the same name (based on some of his WWII SpecOps/ Spy actual experience). Yeah; same Fleming as the later inventor of James Bond series books and movies! Can't go wrong with WED; Richard Burton is the Team Lead of the Special Mission and a very young yet ever quintessential Clint Eastwood as the outsider American assigned to the all Brit Team. 2) The Great Escape . One of top 3 WWII movies of all time. Like A Bridge Too Far (also excellent) has an all star cast! Include Steve Mcqueen and host of others. 3) The Hunt for Red October; Cold War Classic! Enuf Said. Honorable Mention: Which is an insult as it won an Academy Award: The Longest Day …. There are TONS of other fantastik war movies for sure; To A&G's choices! das Boot! (yes!, must be in original German). The German ver of Stalingrad is top drawer too as Alex notes. The Alamo excellent too.
My favorite films have already been mentioned. I highly recommend the F/X TV series Over There about the Iraq war. Only one season but a powerhouse. Looks like it’s available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
My top three in my preference order: Private Ryan (the look and costs of modern combat so realistically displayed), Combat! (the television series), The Longest Day (the movie has a great pace and a fantastic cast of great actors).
I have about 300 WWII movies on DVD and sadly, like my game collection, I have not experienced them all to their fullest. One of my favorite movies, WWII or otherwise, is a Korean movie called "My Way," based on an epic true story that begins in Korea and sort of ends at D-Day. Another really cool movie is a Russian one called "White Tiger."
Great vid as usual gentlemen. Thanks for mentioning "Cross of Iron", which is a classic Sam Peckinpah film. He gave us “The Wild Bunch," one of my all time favs. Why didn't you include "Apocalypse Now?" or "Patton"? “Patton” has a great script by Francis Ford Coppola and features the incomparable George C. Scott as Patton and Karl Malden as Omar Bradley. I know you love COIN games so I cannot recommend the "The Battle of Algiers" enough. It's an amazing film about the struggle of rebels during the Algerian War (1954–1962) against the French government. It's been lauded as an incredibly realistic portrayal of guerrilla warfare.
My top 3 favorites ….. not necessarily "the best", but definitely personal favorites…..are probably Zulu, The Blue Max, and Kelly's Heroes, but I could easily do a another 20, I think. 😛
So many war movies, but I have to throw in some I tend to watch repeatedly: Zulu, The Blue Max, Kelly’s Heroes, Inglourious Basterds, Midway (the Heston one! 😊), A Bridge Too Far, Glory, and so many, many, many more.
John Basilone's Medal of Honor exploits took place during the Battle for Henderson Field (not Edson's Ridge) – and these will feature in Valiant Defense #5 (Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field)!!! 🙂 🙂
A Bridge Too Far A Walk in the Sun Bridge Over the River Kwai (sp?) The one with Bob Newhart chatting when the Germans can hear. What's the title???? Sands of Iwo Jima Up Periscope….. and the comedy Down Periscope Platoon And of course…Saving Private Ryan
Apocalypse Now, Stalingrad (1993), Thin Red Line, Beau Travail (more of a soldier movie than a war movie), Big Red One and especially the best move I'll never watch again: Come and See. Thought the new All Quiet on the Western Front was great too.
84C MOPIC – super underrated ‘Nam film shot documentary style a must see! I know u guys like your nam games so highly recommend that’ and if you don’t want to sleep for a week “Come and See” is amazing, makes defiance look like a romcom.
Great list – you guys hit my faves. I also like 1917, Saving Private Ryan, Valkyrie (maybe the German one), Gladiator & Dr. Zhivago (both quasi-war), Joyeux Noel, Enemy at the Gates, 1944, Talvisota, Heartbreak Ridge, Operation Mincemeat, Letters From Iwo Jima, the earlier Alamo films and maybe too Zulu Dawn and the Patriot. I like Behind Enemy Lines, Crimson Tide and Hunt for Red October, but those are more military-themed.
Letters from Iwo Jima/Flags of Our Fathers; Gettysburg; Glory; Fury; Where Eagles Dare; the Longest Day; Tora Tora Tora; Midway (the recent remake); Henry V (Branaugh version); Kelly's Heros; Spartacus; Gladiator Now, back to your programming…
And another angle. I'm retired Navy. Here's a list of war films I've seen used in leadership training: Twelve O'clock High, Gettysburg (you can use either the Lee and Longstreet segments or the Chamberlain and 12th Maine segments). Also, as an IG Investigator I attended several Federal law enforcement courses on interviewing and interrogation. One FBI Agent used the German Officer from Inglorious Basterds to illustrate interrogation techniques.
47 Comments
(still thinking… sorry)… "Cross of Iron"…. PLEASE read the book!… they botched the book. Look up KING RAT (George pepard… POW Japanese camp)
The German Stalingrad movie from the early 90s is the best war movie for me. Very antiwar in the end.
As an Aussie, love Gallipoli, the Lighthorsemen, The Rats of Tobruk and the Anzacs (Yes, the TV series). Special mention to the Wild Geese.
My dad, who was in the military in the days they shot “A bridge too far”, was actually an extra in the movie. I watch this with fond memories, as my dad is no longer with us.
Thank you so much guys! I really appreciate the kind words and support for "A Most Fearful Sacrifice".
What annoyed me about the new "All quiet…" movie was that it only has the name in common with the book. Book is great.
If you really want a good movie, also a great novel by Väinö Linna, the Finnish movies Unknown soldier is a must, 3 versions exist ( made 1955, 1985 and, the latest, 2017 is on Netflix) .
"Cross of Iron" some of the best battle scenes of the 70's. James Coburn as Sgt. Steiner. DEMARCATION!!!!
Agree about the counter size. I love A Victory Lost, when I first got it 10 years ago I thought it was great. Now however I have difficulty reading the counters, waiting for the larger edition! I have noticed a lot of war game companies now use larger, clearer font, MMP though still has lots of games with the small counter size.
Bridge on the River Kwai, Black Hawk Down, the Longest Day, Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge. I could go on and on.
Cross if Iorn is an American film directed by Sam Peckenpah
Cross of Iron and German movie of Stalingrad are excellent. I have watched Cross of Iron MANY times and never tire of it.
Kelly’s Hero’s my fav movie, fight scenes, the soldiers down time scenes, soldiers interaction and the humour, etc. All make it very good movie.
Desert fox movie with James Mason. Seems very good for the time period, but I guess it more a biography of Rommel in WW2 some what, then straight on war film.
Though the kind of sequel to Desert Fox movie, called Desert Rats with Richard Burton and James Mason (Mason as the Desert Fox again) is ok.
D-Day with John Wayne, Sean Connery, and many others is very good movie to, does not capture everything of D-Day though.
Saving Pvt Ryan, is a good movie for the most part.
Like you I like following movies to:
Fury,
A Bridge Too Far.
Favourite warfilms: A Bridge Too Far, Zulu, Waterloo, Glory. My top 4 in no particular order.
Generation War (3 part series) and Stalingrad the 90's German version.
Plus. Letters from Iwo Jima.
I hear you, Grant, re Madeiline Stowe.
Cross of Iron iss a great film. Sam Peckinpah directed it. James Coburn and James Mason in it. Have it on blu-ray.
Stalingrad would definitely make my list. It was directed by Volker Schlöndorff (who was responsible for a bunch of other really great movies), but IIRC, the film was originally a project envisioned by Sergio Leone. He did a lot of the pre-production work for the film, but died before shooting could begin. Schlöndorff was his pick to take over the direction.
I'd add Sam Fuller's The Big Red One to the list for WWII movies, Fuller was a rifleman in the European theatre, and the fil reflect a lot of his own experiences. He famously said, nobody can make a realistic movie about war because if it was realistic nobody would go see it. He also said, "The creepy thing about battle is you always feel alone."
Start with warriors of God. You guys will be laughing your butts off, it’s a fun dice chucker that is looney tunes!
War Movies:
1) MUST WATCH IMHO – Where Eagles Dare; based on one of Ian Flemings earliest novels of the same name (based on some of his WWII SpecOps/ Spy actual experience). Yeah; same Fleming as the later inventor of James Bond series books and movies! Can't go wrong with WED; Richard Burton is the Team Lead of the Special Mission and a very young yet ever quintessential Clint Eastwood as the outsider American assigned to the all Brit Team.
2) The Great Escape . One of top 3 WWII movies of all time. Like A Bridge Too Far (also excellent) has an all star cast! Include Steve Mcqueen and host of others.
3) The Hunt for Red October; Cold War Classic! Enuf Said.
Honorable Mention: Which is an insult as it won an Academy Award: The Longest Day
….
There are TONS of other fantastik war movies for sure; To A&G's choices! das Boot! (yes!, must be in original German). The German ver of Stalingrad is top drawer too as Alex notes. The Alamo excellent too.
Grant, dump your brother-in-law he is game cheating on you…once a cheater…
My favorite films have already been mentioned. I highly recommend the F/X TV series Over There about the Iraq war. Only one season but a powerhouse. Looks like it’s available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Vudu.
My top three in my preference order: Private Ryan (the look and costs of modern combat so realistically displayed), Combat! (the television series), The Longest Day (the movie has a great pace and a fantastic cast of great actors).
I have about 300 WWII movies on DVD and sadly, like my game collection, I have not experienced them all to their fullest. One of my favorite movies, WWII or otherwise, is a Korean movie called "My Way," based on an epic true story that begins in Korea and sort of ends at D-Day. Another really cool movie is a Russian one called "White Tiger."
Great vid as usual gentlemen. Thanks for mentioning "Cross of Iron", which is a classic Sam Peckinpah film. He gave us “The Wild Bunch," one of my all time favs. Why didn't you include "Apocalypse Now?" or "Patton"? “Patton” has a great script by Francis Ford Coppola and features the incomparable George C. Scott as Patton and Karl Malden as Omar Bradley. I know you love COIN games so I cannot recommend the "The Battle of Algiers" enough. It's an amazing film about the struggle of rebels during the Algerian War (1954–1962) against the French government. It's been lauded as an incredibly realistic portrayal of guerrilla warfare.
you can see stalingrad german movie for free on youtube
A great newer Australian movie to watch is Danger Close – about the vietnam war
How many faux leopards were injured during the making of this youtube video?
Those series of VUCA games look interesting.
Stalingrad is freaking amazing.
My top 3 favorites ….. not necessarily "the best", but definitely personal favorites…..are probably Zulu, The Blue Max, and Kelly's Heroes, but I could easily do a another 20, I think. 😛
Great video, guys – as always!
So many war movies, but I have to throw in some I tend to watch repeatedly: Zulu, The Blue Max, Kelly’s Heroes, Inglourious Basterds, Midway (the Heston one! 😊), A Bridge Too Far, Glory, and so many, many, many more.
Just some war films i like are:
A Bridge Too Far
The Great Escape
The Deer Hunter
Apocalypse Now
1917
The Enemy Below, The Hunters (both with Robert Mitchen), the Longest Day
John Basilone's Medal of Honor exploits took place during the Battle for Henderson Field (not Edson's Ridge) – and these will feature in Valiant Defense #5 (Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field)!!! 🙂 🙂
A Bridge Too Far
A Walk in the Sun
Bridge Over the River Kwai (sp?)
The one with Bob Newhart chatting when the Germans can hear. What's the title????
Sands of Iwo Jima
Up Periscope….. and the comedy Down Periscope
Platoon
And of course…Saving Private Ryan
oh… and The Longest Day
+100 on tiny rule book font sizes! Dammit!
I'd vote for "The Longest Day" for nostalgia, and "We Were Soldiers" and "Blackhawk down" because they are gut punches.
Apocalypse Now, Stalingrad (1993), Thin Red Line, Beau Travail (more of a soldier movie than a war movie), Big Red One and especially the best move I'll never watch again: Come and See. Thought the new All Quiet on the Western Front was great too.
Generation War is pretty interesting German TV series it follows the life of a bunch of German young adults during WW2 that joins the army.
The Enemy Below
We Were Soldiers
Waterloo
Iron Cross (1977) for the unusual point of view and setting.
84C MOPIC – super underrated ‘Nam film shot documentary style a must see! I know u guys like your nam games so highly recommend that’ and if you don’t want to sleep for a week “Come and See” is amazing, makes defiance look like a romcom.
Great list – you guys hit my faves. I also like 1917, Saving Private Ryan, Valkyrie (maybe the German one), Gladiator & Dr. Zhivago (both quasi-war), Joyeux Noel, Enemy at the Gates, 1944, Talvisota, Heartbreak Ridge, Operation Mincemeat, Letters From Iwo Jima, the earlier Alamo films and maybe too Zulu Dawn and the Patriot. I like Behind Enemy Lines, Crimson Tide and Hunt for Red October, but those are more military-themed.
Letters from Iwo Jima/Flags of Our Fathers; Gettysburg; Glory; Fury; Where Eagles Dare; the Longest Day; Tora Tora Tora; Midway (the recent remake); Henry V (Branaugh version); Kelly's Heros; Spartacus; Gladiator
Now, back to your programming…
And another angle. I'm retired Navy. Here's a list of war films I've seen used in leadership training: Twelve O'clock High, Gettysburg (you can use either the Lee and Longstreet segments or the Chamberlain and 12th Maine segments). Also, as an IG Investigator I attended several Federal law enforcement courses on interviewing and interrogation. One FBI Agent used the German Officer from Inglorious Basterds to illustrate interrogation techniques.