Your favorite war movies/ books/ shows

VesperMelograno

Lately I have been on a war movie/ TV show/ memoir kick. I was wondering what are your favorite works dealing with war? What are you reading/watching now?

Golrush007

I recently read Beyond Band of Brothers by the late Richard Winters. I thoroughly enjoyed it although it covered much the same ground as Ambrose's Band of Brothers it was nice to get some of the more personal perspective of Major Winters. The HBO miniseries remains my favourite war movie/series.

On the fictional side, I highly recommend Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson, which follows a RAF fighter squadron during the first year of World War II, through the Phoney War, the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. It is an unromantic depiction of fighter command which I thoroughly enjoy revisiting. The characters are a terrific bunch of misfits. There was also a TV series made in the 1980s based on the book which I also recommend, particularly for its wonderful footage of Spitifires flying at low level under bridges and around the French chateau where the squadron is based during the French section of the story.

minigeff

The 'Forgotten Voices' series is great as it's basically a collection of interviews with veterans on what it was really like, arranged into chronological order so you can get a real feel for what it was like, in some cases on both sides. A wide range of conflicts have been covered by the series from WW1 and WW2 to the Falklands, Gulf war 1&2 and the Afgahnistan 'liberation'.

Other reads that particularly stuck in my mind were;

Tiger Force - true story of a military investigator who's tasked with bringing a group of Vietnam vets to justice for the war crimes they committed, but be warned it's fairly graphic with tales of necklaces made from ears etc.

Hellfire - the true accounts of an Apache pilot who flew in Afgahnistan. It's a good insight into the training and capabilities of those guys but also the personal conflict of being relatively safer in the air than the guys on the ground and not being able to help due to rules of engagement etc.

The Real Bravo Two Zero - the story of an ex SAS guy who wasn't on the original mission but traces the journey of it with one goal in mind, to blow Andy McNab's story out the water. McNab's tales of fierce gun battles, explosions and laying considerable blame on dead men who couldn't tell their side are pretty much proven to be inaccurate, exaggerated and in some cases bare faced lies. The writer does this by retracing the steps of McNab by following McNab's story and actually meeting the people who the original patrol encountered, from the family of the shepherd boy who discovered the patrol laid up in a wadi etc. It's a real eye opener and a fine example of how war stories can often get contorted (sometimes on purpose) and exaggerated to make better tv films and books.

Ens007

MG - I had the honour a couple of years ago of meeting a couple of former SAS chaps (one of whom fought at Mirbat) for dinner and a Q&A ... Interestingly they were actually reasonably complementary about Andy McNab, but far less so about Chris Ryan. It would appear that the latter has succeeded in getting more than a few backs up of former members of the Regiment.

minigeff

You mean people in the steak and sausage like Andy McNab and hate Chris Ryan? Or that vets of the SAS like Steven Mitchell and hate Colin Armstrong? :007)

I :x google

Wonder what they think of Michael Asher then. I know that Vince Phillip's family hold him in quite high regard.

I'm not saying a don't have any respect for any of those guys, I know I wouldn't stand 2mins of what they've spent a career doing, but when the accounts don't match up, someone is either misremembering, ill informed or making it up.

Anyway, the book by Asher is a great real, everyone is at liberty to read all the accounts and decide for themselves.

Ens007

minigeff wrote:

You mean people in the steak and sausage like Andy McNab and hate Chris Ryan? Or that vets of the SAS like Steven Mitchell and hate Colin Armstrong? :007)

I :x google

Wonder what they think of Michael Asher then. I know that Vince Phillip's family hold him in quite high regard.

I'm not saying a don't have any respect for any of those guys, I know I wouldn't stand 2mins of what they've spent a career doing, but when the accounts don't match up, someone is either misremembering, ill informed or making it up.

Anyway, the book by Asher is a great real, everyone is at liberty to read all the accounts and decide for themselves.

Good old Steven Billy Mitchell hey?

Yeah I totally agree with you - something certainly seems amiss that's for sure. I actually went there in the belief that McNab would be seen as some sort of pariah, but very quickly the focus of the 'anger' went firmly on Mr Ryan's shoulders. There's obviously stuff gone on to lead to this, but it was certainly an eye opener! Artistic license has clearly gone on in both accounts, but other things have certainly lead to friction it would seem.

On a separate note, what really stood out for me in the few hours I had with them was the absolute respect they had for a couple of the Fijian members of the Regiment in particular. One of them (who sadly died at Mirbat) was described as being the best soldier they ever had the honour of serving with, which was beyond humbling to hear tbh.

If you're in to the books of the Regiment I'd certainly recommend Pete Winner's "Soldier I" - very good read. He's an extremely interesting bloke that's for sure. I'll definitely take on board your recommendation of Michael Asher's book -{

minigeff

I'll look that up mate, cheers. -{

Lady Rose

Another nod here to 'Forgotten Voices' .

I haven't read it but I bought it for my Dad who thought it was excellent.

AlphaOmegaSin

Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy. It's not exactly a War Novel, but it's connected to it in some Ways -{

Why is Chris Ryan disliked by his ex Colleagues so much?

Thunderpussy

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nXusKM5uX0s
Jeremy Clarkson is not everyone's cup of tea but his documentary
On " The greatest raid of all !" , is fantastic. -{
The raid on St Nazaire.

AlphaOmegaSin

I remember seeing that -{

Ens007

AlphaOmegaSin wrote:

Why is Chris Ryan disliked by his ex Colleagues so much?

In essence, it would appear that he did everything he could to bad mouth (allegedly) his colleagues ... Both the survivors & the fallen behind the scenes. It understandably didn't go down at all well within the Regiment. I heard a few other things that were a heck of an eye opener regarding his (for want of a better word), competence, but probably best to keep that to one side.

Listening to one of the guys recall the Mirbat battle left me feeling somewhat stunned. The bravery of one of the fallen (Labalaba, along with his colleague Tak) in particular made me actually stop in my tracks tbh.

AlphaOmegaSin

His Novels aren't bad, but they lack a certain Polish.

minigeff

Tried adding brasso?

AlphaOmegaSin

I prefer Kiwi

Hardyboy

Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory, one of the most devastating indictments of wartime stupidity ever filmed.

The Domino Effect

Andy McNab was the most highly-decorated serving soldier at the time (MM and DCM), no mean feat for anyone especially for someone in the regiment which often doesn't get the awards that they deserve because of secrecy issues, so the respect other SAS guys have for him could well stem from what he was like as a soldier regardless of what may or may not be the issues with his later literary endeavours.

As for other books, I highly recommend:

"Once a Pilgrim" by Will Scully. Ex-SAS soldier who with just a couple of other guys, held off a massive rebel assault on a hotel in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Think Rorke's Drift and the Alamo all at the same time. Would make an awesome film. In fact, if he'd been American, it would already have been made into an awesome film and he and the story would be legendary! can't recommend it highly enough.

The Domino Effect

Ens007 wrote:

On a separate note, what really stood out for me in the few hours I had with them was the absolute respect they had for a couple of the Fijian members of the Regiment in particular. One of them (who sadly died at Mirbat) was described as being the best soldier they ever had the honour of serving with, which was beyond humbling to hear tbh.

The deceased Fijian was Labalaba, an absolute legend of a soldier revered, respected and loved by everyone who had the honour of ever serving with him.

Anyone who is unfamiliar with the story of the Battle of Mirbat but is interested in heroism, special forces etc, should certainly read one of the books on the subject. One of the more recent ones is:

SAS Operation Storm by Roger Cole, who was one of the handful of SAS at the battle where - as usual! - they were horribly outnumbered by the enemy, this time communist guerillas in Yemen.

Mr Martini

One of my favorites is Saving Private Ryan. Beware if your sensitive to violence. The first 20 minutes is Normandy Beach and is very violent.

AlphaOmegaSin

Johnny's got his gun -{ -{

Metallica used this in there Video for 'One'

David Schofield

The Sound of Music

Charmed & Dangerous

Well I'd have to say, The Pianist is a brilliant film - harrowing but incredibly moving and conveys what wartime was like (for Polish Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, I think it was called) brilliantly. I also enjoyed Fury with Brad Pitt.

For lighter entertainment though, you can't beat Where Eagles Dare, Kelly's Heroes, or The Guns of Navarone.

VesperMelograno

Where Eagles Dare is one of my favorite movies. Admittedly I am a sucker for any movie with a gondola and/ or Clint Eastwood. You really can't beat a movie with both!

Recently I watched "Beneath Hill 60." It is surprisingly good. It is about miners who dug under no mans land on the western front. I have read many WWI memoirs and they never speak highly of then men digging the trenches or the tunnels (for example Graves, Sassoon, etc.) It was interesting to see another perspective- beyond the wrings of well educated officers.

Another show I have fallen in love with is "Boardwalk Empire." It is about the mob in Atlantic City during prohibition. Two of the characters have just finished fighting in WWI and struggle to adjust to civilian life. The series chronicles the inner conflict of a soldier with no physical war to fight.

Thunderpussy

I always thought " Black hawk Down" was a great modern war movie.
Very graphic.

Golrush007

An understated British war classic is 'Ice Cold in Alex'. I read the novel last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I mean to rewatch the film sometime soon. It really is one of my favourite war films, although it is primarily a character study and there is very little combat or action in the film. I highly recommend it. I'm a sucker for British war films of that era in general. 'The Dam Busters' is another favourite.

always shaken

My fave is full metal jacket , (filmed in Becton London by the way) some great one liners in there ,but love the end scene
when all the troops are walking back ,singing the theme tune to Disneys Mickey mouse club ,kills me every time,

Ens007

I really enjoy the likes of Where Eagles Dare, The Eagle Has Landed, Guns Of Navarone, The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Day etc etc.

Also thought that Band Of Brothers was a very good series ... Was the 'follow up', The Pacific, any good?

minigeff

Ens007 wrote:

I really enjoy the likes of Where Eagles Dare, The Eagle Has Landed, Guns Of Navarone, The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Day etc etc.

Also thought that Band Of Brothers was a very good series ... Was the 'follow up', The Pacific, any good?

The Pacific was excellent, very much like HBO's Band of Brothers.

For war films I can recommend 'Downfall', Bruno Ganz' portrayal of Hitler is extremely convincing. All Schindler's list is an amazing film.

Looking in the library in the eastern wing of Geff Towers last night I came across 'The Red Line' and 'Boldness Be My Friend' - both tales of the boys in Bomber Command during WW2, and 'Standing Tall' by Andy Reid, from memory I think he was in the Welsh Guards. His book is his story if loosing both legs in Afghanistan and his road to recovery. A brilliant inspiring true story.

Ens007

I've just added Downfall to my Lovefilm list MG - thanks for the recommendation -{

My friend has The Pacific boxset, so I'll make a move to borrow that soon.

Golrush007

The Pacific was very good. It's hard to fault it really, even though it is certainly not as satisfying an experience as Band of Brothers for me. I think possibly because the story jumps around quite a lot between characters fighting in different places, and therefore lacks the tight focus that Band of Brothers has. But the cinematography and direction, the gritty depiction of the combat, the acting, the writing, and the way it captures the horrors of the Pacific War are all exemplary.

Ens007

Thanks for the feedback Golrush - much appreciated! I didn't think that Band Of Bros could be surpassed tbh, so if it's anywhere close to it in terms of overall quality / feel, then that'll do for me!