Best Combat Movies
 

I'm not a huge "war movie" guy, but I do like the good combat films (any era). My fav since it came out is "Black Hawk Down" because it's sort of real time (or at least feels that way) and seems to depict the real events pretty accurately. I saw a news special about the operation that featured a few interviews with the guys that were involved with that rediculous mission and they seemed to think it was pretty accurate as far as the actual events were concerned.

Anyway, I'm looking for more "really good" combat movies. What's your favorite?

Oh yeah, I've seen all of the "Band of Brothers" episodes a few times already. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Highly recommended...

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I'm a big fan of We Were Soldiers. It's supposed to be an accurate retelling of the story, and the book was written by the journalist, and the person Mel Gibson is playing.

That's the only one that's coming to me right now, maybe I can think of some more after I have some coffee.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Black Hawk Down is one of the best 'combat' films out there. It had two advisors who were involved in the battle and it had approval from the US Gov. to use military machinery.

It's based off a book by the same name that was widely considered to be wholly accurate, and he helped with the screenplay.

We Were Soldiers is another movie that is very accurate, but it falters in a few moments with some serious cheese. As a whole, it's still very well produced and takes great pains for accuracy. And Sam Elliot owns.

Black Hawk Down is my all-time favorite combat film (tough to say it's a war movie) because it's so to the point and doesn't delve into war cliche or jingoism. Plus the commentary track by the delta and ranger soldiers on the deluxe edition is worth the price of the dvd.

Paths of Glory is a great movie, especially considering the fact its half a century old. Dialogue gets kinda over the top, but still an amazing movie for its time and still highly enjoyable.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I'm not really into war movies, but I also enjoyed Band of Brothers, Black Hawk down and Platoon. Full Metal Jacket was interesting.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I've bashed Saving Private Ryan on here in the past, but the battle sequences are excellent. The beach assault is great filmmaking.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Yes the first 10 or 20 minutes or whatever of Private Ryan were awesome. The guy going back for his arm for instance. Movie went downhill pretty quickly after that though. Much like Idiocracy.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I'd go

1. BHD
2. FMJ
3. Jarhead
4. Band of Brothers

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

SPH
Glory (Civil War)
BHD
Band of Brothers

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Braveheart
Gallipoli

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Sam Fuller's The Big Red One, The Reconstruction is superb. Also, the DVD's extras include an interview with Fuller's cigar-chomping daughter!

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Take a look at:

Cross of Iron
The Battle of Algiers

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Stalingrad: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108211/

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

BHD is good. Same with most of the movies named already. I own most of them. I can't really call Battle of Algiers a combat film. More of a study of terrorist tactics, still very interesting and recommended. I'm trying to slog through Thin Red Line right now. Don't pass up on Glory because it's not a more modern war. I havent gotten a chance to see it yet but how does Letters From Iwo Jima stack up here? I'd assume it might have more combat than Flags of Our Fathers (also recommended). Don't forget about Patton either.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I forgot about Platoon!

One of the best war movies made IMHO.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

platoon is really good... tears of the sun is fictional but also very good "action"

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

"Twelve O'Clock High".

"Dr. Strangelove" (excellent B-52 scenes).

"The Bedford Incident".

"Seven Samurai".

"Where Eagles Dare".

"The Empire Strikes Back". Lots of cool battle scenes in different environments.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Glad to see "Twelve O'Clock High" mentioned. Then you may have also seen:

- "Grand Illusion"
- "The Train"
- "Sands of Iwo Jima" (for USMC types)

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Bravo Two Zero

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

The Enemy Below

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

A Bridge Too Far is a pretty accurate depiction of Operation Market Garden. It also features one of the most star-studded casts ever.

Swede

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Enemy at the Gates, good sniping action

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

I think Flags of our Fathers is pretty damn solid and am definitely hanging out for the simul-quel.

Of those already mentioned, I also really like a bridge too far (although it's a bit old fashioned) and Glory (they manage to not be totally cheesy with a story that would easily lend itself to cheese)

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

One could argue that United 93 is a combat movie, although very different from the conventional combat movies listed above.

One old movie Spielberg and a lot of critics like is Battleground. Of the post-war WWII movies, that one is supposed to be the most accurate, though it's a far cry from modern films where a lot more gore is allowed.

If you go really, really old, the the German film Westfront 1918 is pretty realistic for WWI. You'll have to really try to dig up a copy, but TCM did run it a few months ago and I recorded it.

And finally, I have never seen it, but I suspect the all time winner for realism may be the 1916 documentary The Battle of The Somme. It's hard to beat guys actually dying by the hundred for realism. No place I know of has a copy, but it was recently digitally restored, so it's bound to show up somewhere. Although almost unknown today, an incredible percentage of the British population saw this when it was released. It may still hold the record for most tickets sold for any UK film, but I'd have to check on that.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

[ QUOTE ]
One could argue that United 93 is a combat movie, although very different from the conventional combat movies listed above.

One old movie Spielberg and a lot of critics like is Battleground. Of the post-war WWII movies, that one is supposed to be the most accurate, though it's a far cry from modern films where a lot more gore is allowed.

If you go really, really old, the the German film Westfront 1918 is pretty realistic for WWI. You'll have to really try to dig up a copy, but TCM did run it a few months ago and I recorded it.

And finally, I have never seen it, but I suspect the all time winner for realism may be the 1916 documentary The Battle of The Somme. It's hard to beat guys actually dying by the hundred for realism. No place I know of has a copy, but it was recently digitally restored, so it's bound to show up somewhere. Although almost unknown today, an incredible percentage of the British population saw this when it was released. It may still hold the record for most tickets sold for any UK film, but I'd have to check on that.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's available on amazon.uk for 9 pounds.

Some of those WWI stories are amazing. They still find artillery shells piled 20 feet deep, one atop another, in parts of France. That's incoming, unexploded dud shells. Imagine charging 300 yards through that in an overcoat.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

It's not listed as available in the U.S. currently.

Wiki says the British public bought 20 million tickets in 2 months to see the film. Considering the much smaller population at the time, that's quite an achievement.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

This is my collection that I have in training with me:

A Bridge Too Far
Apocalypse Now
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction
Black Hawk Down
Enemy At the Gates
Flags Of Our Fathers
Full Metal Jacket
Glory
The Green Berets
The Hunt For the Red October
Jarhead
The Last Day of Patton [the unknown actual sequel to Patton]
Patton
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan
The Thin Red Line
We Were Soldiers

I just realized that I left "Battle of The Bulge" at my house. I'm looking to add "Sands of Iwo Jima", off to ebay. Any other movie suggestions not already listed in the thread?

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Lot's of good choices but I'm not sure why there aren't any ocean or undersea warfare movies. If they can be included I'd go with Das Boot as my number one.

~ Rick

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

You guys rock. Thx for the suggestions.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

[ QUOTE ]
Lot's of good choices but I'm not sure why there aren't any ocean or undersea warfare movies. If they can be included I'd go with Das Boot as my number one.

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Holy crap - I haven't even thought about Das Boot in years...def a good flick.

I had a good buddy in college who had a VW Bus who named it "Das Bus". He bought those reflector letters that you use on your mailbox and spelled "DAS BUS" on the glove box....lol. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

[ QUOTE ]
I havent gotten a chance to see it yet but how does Letters From Iwo Jima stack up here? I'd assume it might have more combat than Flags of Our Fathers (also recommended).

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Letters is waaaay better than Flags. Letters really is a masterpiece. Not really more action that Flags, but just better in character development, execution etc. The score is also great.

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

i second "sands of iwo jima" and add "to hell and back"

Re: Best Combat Movies
 

Of the ones not yet mentioned:

In the late 80's HBO (IIRC) ran a series called letters from Vietnam (or something like that).

That was a really good series.

Also, I like the longest Day. This is (for the most part) a historically accurate presentation of D-day.

The movie has one of the best battle sequences of all time, showing the raid on Ouistreham.

Gettysburg is a good movie as well (Adapted from the "Killer Angels").

Patton is also a good combat movie, and gives good insight to the political struggles between the Allied generals.