Really Good War Movies (CM Scenario Inspiration)

[chuckdyke]

No4

 

[Badger73]

8 hours ago, LongLeftFlank said:

After 1942 that was certainly true. But following the KMT Left-Right split of 1927, General von Falkenhausen stepped into the shoes of the Soviets as the KMT's key military adviser, and reorganized their forces on German lines. That of course ended after 1937 when the Germans chose the invading Japanese as their preferred partner in East Asia.

But while it's plausible that some German kit, including helmets, remained in use by 1945, yes, I'd expect frontline formations to have US gear. Like this! (NOT a war movie, though one of the finest Chinese films I have ever seen, and highly recommended.  Minute 27:30)

<snipped>

Thank you for the correction.  I did not know this pre-1942 history behind the KMT/PLA conflicts.  I think of the KMT in WW2 anti-Japanese USA alliance terms.  I forget the deeper history before then. 

[fireship4]

Contact, the best war movie I have ever seen.  Set in Ireland during the troubles.

Hosted below on a Russian site (fair warning, it apparently hosts mainly porn, which may show up in thumbnails etc. if you don't have an ad-blocker), barely a clip to be found elsewhere, and unavailable on Amazon at the moment.

https://biqle.com/watch/394384024_456239023

Edited June 17, 2021 by fireship4

[Erwin]

Well, I see a lot of porn videos in that lick, I mean link...

[fireship4]

37 minutes ago, Erwin said:

Well, I see a lot of porn videos in that lick, I mean link...

Dear oh dear, yes I didn't see them as I have an ad-blocker, so yes I have added that to the warning, I did read the same actually when I found the link.  The film is there however, I checked the first minute or so.

[John Kettler]

9 April, though I suspect it may be ages (or never) until CMx2 (or beyond) make this feasible. It's in Danish with English subtitles and is builkt around--wait for it--a Danish bicycle-borne infantry company! An intimate look at a war most of us know little regarding, and certainly not in a CMx2 level context. 
 

Battle of Westerplatte is very good and has a remarkable French war toy in it. Saw it on Amazon Prime. Here's a clip. 
 

LongLeftFlank,

The opening scene in White Tiger not only was grim, but it had something I'd never seen before, a Russian mine detector which took a page from the flamethrower designed to look like a rifle (ROKS-2), but this one had a detection loop on the end. A soldier in the foreground is carrying it draped across the back of his neck.

On a separate note, I recently saw 317eme Section, which to me, was another Anabasis story, but instead of Persians and a super long hike, had the remorseless jungle, supply issues, villagers of various levels of loyalty and hostility, internal disaffection and, of course, the Viet Minh.

hub6actual,

As a war movie, I loved Panfilov's 28. As history, it was nonsense. Official Soviet investigation revealed it to be a whole-cloth fabrication by a reporter.

Erwin,

1944 can be had with English subtitles, for I've seen it that way. Believe I watched it on Amazon Prime.

Regards,

John Kettler
 

Edited June 17, 2021 by John Kettler

[John Kettler]

JM Stuff,

The Germans were originally to train, arm and equip 20 infantry divisions of the Chinese Army, but the Sino-Japanese War saw only 8 ready to go. Here's a great thread going into the nits and grits of these unusual to us units.

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=84921

Regards,

John Kettler

Edited June 17, 2021 by John Kettler

[Warts 'n' all]

I love April 9th. Great cast. And it just so happens that it is also the day my mum was born. According to family legend Jorrocks informed Paddy of her birth.

[Freyberg]

On 6/12/2021 at 1:40 AM, JM Stuff said:

"Soon" a Mod Chinese vs Japan ! 

The Chinese fought some big battles, often well, against Japanese in the late '30s. I remember reading about some very effective defensive actions around Wuhan, although I forget the details.

If a good historical film were to be made about this period, I would like to watch it, but a cursory glance at this extract suggests this is not one such movie

[Erwin]

Noticed that the 4 parter was blocked by MosFilm. 

 

[John Kettler]

Freyberg,

For a real rip-snorter of a battle, find and watch the amazing Chinese film The Factory/The 800. Believe I saw it on Amazon Prime. It's a fantastic fight (super duper Pavlov's House), but if someone could depict the action through CM, it would rate a personal visit from Steve AND Charles, including having to explain to them where the Japanese AFVs came from. Here's the real Sheng Factory then and now.
 

Here's a clip from The Eight Hundred.
 

Regards,

John Kettler

Edited June 18, 2021 by John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Theirs Is the Glory, shot in the ruins of Arnhem, and using many veterans, as well as well period AFVs alive and dead, has, I think, much to recommend it, not least that the pieces to depict it are already in in CMBN:MG. 
 

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

At Changde in 1943, the Chinese Army finally stopped the Japanese onslaught, but at astronomic cost: 290,000 Chinese soldiers to stop 50,000 Japanese. Perhaps to be expected given the Japanese used CW and had tons more experience in combat. Could probably do something on this using CMBN, reskinning Landser, etc. Have to say, the clip looks fantastic. Film's been deemed to be akin to SPR. Daresay plenty of war vets would find it triggering.
 

Regards,

John Kettler

 

[Warts 'n' all]

13 hours ago, John Kettler said:

Theirs Is the Glory, shot in the ruins of Arnhem, and using many veterans, as well as well period AFVs alive and dead, has, I think, much to recommend it, not least that the pieces to depict it are already in in CMBN:MG. 
 

Regards,

John Kettler

It's certainly better than what Hollywood and Darling Dickie churned out in the 70's.

[John Kettler]

Not a movie, but a TV series, Three Days in the Life of Lieutenant Kravtsov is marvelous and offers plenty of grist for your CM mill. Russian with English subtitles available. YT won't let me embed the video, but the series is on the StarMediaEN YT channel and also Amazon Prime, Runs four episodes in total, each roughly 40 minutes long. Demoted, also from StarMedia, is pretty exciting in its own right. 

Going back to US war films, I think there's a lot to be said for The Longest Day. There's combat galore and a marvelous construction kit called CMBN for making your own!

Regards,

John Kettler

 

[John Kettler]

Warts 'n' All,

Who is/was Jorrocks? I don't follow the reference.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Probus]

You guys are lining them up faster than I can watch 'em. I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks!

[Warts 'n' all]

2 hours ago, John Kettler said:

Who is/was Jorrocks? I don't follow the reference.

Jorrocks = Brian Horrocks.

I think the family legend might be wrong, as he didn't take up his post as commander of the 2nd Btn Middlesex Rgt until 13th May 1940. Although perhaps letting soldiers know about the birth of a new child took longer in wartime.

[umlaut]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:20 AM, John Kettler said:

9 April, though I suspect it may be ages (or never) until CMx2 (or beyond) make this feasible. It's in Danish with English subtitles and is builkt around--wait for it--a Danish bicycle-borne infantry company! An intimate look at a war most of us know little regarding, and certainly not in a CMx2 level context.
 

Actually, I am trying to create an April 9th scenario in CMRT. But of course it will unfortunately have to be without bicycle or motorcycle troops. My scenario will centre on the town of Haderslev, where the final part of the movie takes place. It is still a long way from being finished, though.

[hub6actual]

The mini-series “The Liberator” (2020), currently on Netflix.

[Erwin]

10 hours ago, John Kettler said:

Three Days in the Life of Lieutenant Kravtsov is marvelous and offers plenty of grist for your CM mill.

Saw that some time ago.  Seemed a bit slow and drawn out like so many TV series.  Not enuff content for the length of the shows imo.

[Erwin]

2 hours ago, hub6actual said:

 

May check Liberator out.

Edited June 19, 2021 by Erwin

[Probus]

2 hours ago, Erwin said:

Saw that some time ago.  Seemed a bit slow and drawn out like so many TV series.  Not enuff content for the length of the shows imo.

Dang @Erwin, you have very particular tastes. But I bet I would love what you recommend. Got some more suggestions?

[Erwin]

In terms of war films am not sure I have seen any really good ones recently - ie memorable ones that I would watch again (and again).  My all-time favorites include Apocalypse Now, Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Pvt Ryan, Patton, Bridge Too Far, The Longest Day, Hunt For Red October...  Am sure there have been some newer good ones, but they simply don't come to mind immediately - so could not have been that compelling/memorable. 

What do you guys like/remember immediately?

[Probus]

1 hour ago, Erwin said:

In terms of war films am not sure I have seen any really good ones recently - ie memorable ones that I would watch again (and again).  My all-time favorites include Apocalypse Now, Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Pvt Ryan, Patton, Bridge Too Far, The Longest Day, Hunt For Red October...  Am sure there have been some newer good ones, but they simply don't come to mind immediately - so could not have been that compelling/memorable. 

What do you guys like/remember immediately?

Dang. I thought so. That is a list of my favorite war films. I would add to that Das Boot, When Trumpets Fade, Midway(1976) & Gettysburg. 

Although not a movie, Band of Brothers is in the same league. 

Second tier would include Stalingrad (1993), Enemy at the Gates, We Were Soldiers, & Battle of the Bulge. And maybe 1/2 of Pearl Harbor (the fighty part not the lovey-dovey part).