Movies and Films
This is the forum for Movie and Film discussions. Again, our topic is naval warfare in WWII for the most part.
RE: \\\"What have I done?\\\"
Posted by:
Steve Cooper
()
Date: March 30, 2001 01:26PM
<HTML>Interesting... You have gotten me to re-examine a beaten to death issue.
\'Bridge on the River Kwai\" is a much better movie than U-571, in fact, I would recommend it as a movie to anyone. However, like U-571, its history is vanishingly thin. There was a bridge built by POWs over the river Kwai, and that is about the whole of it. Even the bridge was not portrayed correctly. The real one is iron, not wood, and was not destroyed. I believe the crew that built it was mainly Australian, not British. I\'m happy to say that this one cannot be totally blamed on the US. It was largely a British production, including the director and based on a French novel. It is unfortunate that they used a real location name that tied the movie to history more than was warranted.
Movies are a poor medium to present history. Imagine trying to do a proper film on the capture of the U-110. It would show British destroyers churning the ocean with DCs until a U-boat pops up and everyone jumps off. Then several British Tars hop aboard and try to find the proper valve to stop it from sinking, while keeping a nervous eye on the water lapping closer to the hatch. Exciting live, not a good movie. I have seen the documentary of the capture of the U-505. Interesting historically, but boring as a movie. The tradition of revising history in order to make a better story is an old one. See \"The Iliad\" by Homer or \"Henry V\" by Shakespeare. As far as that goes, even when dealing with serious history, is is said that History tells more about the Historians than it does the History.
Too many people get their history from the movies and that is too bad, but I tend to blame the schools instead of the movies. At least if a movie makes a person curious, he can look up the real facts. If they chose to be ignorant, oh well.
</HTML>
\'Bridge on the River Kwai\" is a much better movie than U-571, in fact, I would recommend it as a movie to anyone. However, like U-571, its history is vanishingly thin. There was a bridge built by POWs over the river Kwai, and that is about the whole of it. Even the bridge was not portrayed correctly. The real one is iron, not wood, and was not destroyed. I believe the crew that built it was mainly Australian, not British. I\'m happy to say that this one cannot be totally blamed on the US. It was largely a British production, including the director and based on a French novel. It is unfortunate that they used a real location name that tied the movie to history more than was warranted.
Movies are a poor medium to present history. Imagine trying to do a proper film on the capture of the U-110. It would show British destroyers churning the ocean with DCs until a U-boat pops up and everyone jumps off. Then several British Tars hop aboard and try to find the proper valve to stop it from sinking, while keeping a nervous eye on the water lapping closer to the hatch. Exciting live, not a good movie. I have seen the documentary of the capture of the U-505. Interesting historically, but boring as a movie. The tradition of revising history in order to make a better story is an old one. See \"The Iliad\" by Homer or \"Henry V\" by Shakespeare. As far as that goes, even when dealing with serious history, is is said that History tells more about the Historians than it does the History.
Too many people get their history from the movies and that is too bad, but I tend to blame the schools instead of the movies. At least if a movie makes a person curious, he can look up the real facts. If they chose to be ignorant, oh well.
</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
U-571, The film of the year?
|
Steve Cooper | 03/20/2001 01:18PM |
|
RE: U-571, The film of the year?
|
james stewart | 03/22/2001 07:12PM |
|
RE: U-571,The worst film of the year?
|
AZ | 03/23/2001 08:32AM |
|
We were sold out, Kameraden
|
Clark | 03/24/2001 12:45AM |
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RE: We were sold out, Kameraden
|
J.T. McDaniel | 04/07/2001 09:40PM |
|
RE: U-571, The film of the year?
|
Ian Stapley | 03/24/2001 12:30PM |
|
It did win an Oscar !
|
Eddie K | 03/26/2001 09:37AM |
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RE: U-571, The film of the year?
|
HarryA | 04/04/2001 11:16PM |
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RE: U-571, Give \'em a break
|
Steve Cooper | 03/26/2001 12:26PM |
|
No way!
|
Dietzsch | 03/27/2001 12:41PM |
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Sorry But I disagree
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Eddie K | 03/27/2001 01:29PM |
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RE: No way!
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Steve Cooper | 03/27/2001 02:53PM |
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\"What have I done?\"
|
Clark | 03/29/2001 08:38PM |
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RE: \\\"What have I done?\\\"
|
Steve Cooper | 03/30/2001 01:26PM |
|
RE: U-571, Give \\\'em a break
|
james stewart | 03/31/2001 08:55AM |
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RE: U-571, The film of the year?
|
Björn | 04/16/2001 07:31PM |