Favorite Military Movies

[KartRacerBoy]

Sunday afternoon and I'm watching a movie I may have seen a looooooonnnnnng time ago. It's called Dive Bomber, made in 1941 starring Errol Flynn and Fred Macmurray. It's all about solving negative-G blackout in divebombers and high altitude blackouts. Beautiful old planes, too. PeaShooters, Grumman Biplanes, Hudson, pre-Dauntless divebombers I don't recognize, and other old planes I don't recognize.

I grew up at airports. My dad was a pilot. Flew commercial DC-3s in the late 50s/60s. Learned aerobatics in a Stearman biplane. The airport (Danbury, CT) had resident a PBY Catalina seaplane and an F4U Corsair that I lusted over. So I love planes and old WW2 and prewar planes.

What military movies do you guys like?

[KartRacerBoy]

The pre ww2 divebomber was a Vought SB2U Vindicator.

[Gaffer]

I like some of the old war movies for the nostalgia feeling. I watched them as a kid. I prefer movies to be historically accurate, but that's rare. The more pyrotechnics they use the less I like the movie.

Favorites in no particular order:

Master and Commander
Longest day
The Alamo (with Billy Bob Thornton)
Blackhawk Down
Zulu
Zulu Dawn
Waterloo (cool battle scenes, historically blah)
Tora, Tora, Tora

When I was in the Air Force, the base command was a member of the Confederate Air Force. He had acquired an old ME109 Messerschmidt and was restoring it. It was fascinating to see that. The pilots for those things had to be under 5' 6" and thin. He was about 6' so it was a tight fit for him. I do know it flew cause that's how he got it to the base.

[KartRacerBoy]

I like some of the old war movies for the nostalgia feeling. I watched them as a kid. I prefer movies to be historically accurate, but that's rare. The more pyrotechnics they use the less I like the movie.

Favorites in no particular order:

Master and Commander
Longest day
The Alamo (with Billy Bob Thornton)
Blackhawk Down
Zulu
Zulu Dawn
Waterloo (cool battle scenes, historically blah)
Tora, Tora, Tora

When I was in the Air Force, the base command was a member of the Confederate Air Force. He had acquired an old ME109 Messerschmidt and was restoring it. It was fascinating to see that. The pilots for those things had to be under 5' 6" and thin. He was about 6' so it was a tight fit for him. I do know it flew cause that's how he got it to the base.

I saw Tora, Tora, Tora in the theater. My buddies and I were war game (remember board games?) geeks but got there late. We sat in the front row about 10 ft away from the Sensor Sound Stereo system (or whatever it was called) and I think my hearing is still the worse for it.

I love war movies that use real equipment from ww2. Sherman tanks, Panthers, Tiger I's. Old German halftracks. Although I hate it when Texans are used as Japanese Zero fighters.

I do agree with you about the pyrotechnics generally. I don't like war movies to turn into foolish "action flicks"

Other war movies?

I love George C Scott's Patton, Henry Fonda's Battle of the Bulge. Of modern movies, I'll make exceptions to the pyrotechnic thing for Platoon and Apocolypse Now. I also loved Deer Hunter.

[Abbey Marie]

Platoon. And if they ever make a movie of Matterhorn, I expect to love that too.

I guess I am mostly a Viet Nam War movie fan, unless they are too lib-soaked, like Born on the 4th of July.

[ConHog]

In no particular order

Inglorious Bastards - Remake
Rambo
Full Metal Jacket
The Great Escape
Gone With The Wind

[SassyLady]

Saving Private Ryan
The Patriot
The Last of the Mohicans

[Gaffer]

I saw Tora, Tora, Tora in the theater. My buddies and I were war game (remember board games?) geeks but got there late. We sat in the front row about 10 ft away from the Sensor Sound Stereo system (or whatever it was called) and I think my hearing is still the worse for it.

I love war movies that use real equipment from ww2. Sherman tanks, Panthers, Tiger I's. Old German halftracks. Although I hate it when Texans are used as Japanese Zero fighters.

I do agree with you about the pyrotechnics generally. I don't like war movies to turn into foolish "action flicks"

Other war movies?

I love George C Scott's Patton, Henry Fonda's Battle of the Bulge. Of modern movies, I'll make exceptions to the pyrotechnic thing for Platoon and Apocolypse Now. I also loved Deer Hunter.

I like the movies with the old equipment too. And those that can recognize the stuff are disappointed when there is some different or modern version being shown.

I started wargaming at the age of 12. I still play on my computer. Western Front is my favorite.

I guess I read too much to really enjoy a lot of the war movies. When you know the history and facts and see it changed skipped over it kinda takes away from the show.

[Gaffer]

Platoon. And if they ever make a movie of Matterhorn, I expect to love that too.

I guess I am mostly a Viet Nam War movie fan, unless they are too lib-soaked, like Born on the 4th of July.

I get very critical of Vietnam movies having been there. I can't stand most of them. Platoon got a little too lib for me. Some of it was accurate while other parts were totally wrong. I was actually in the area the movie is suppose to take place in. The good druggies bad alchies theme really turned me off. And that base camp was pathetic. The 25th base camp at Chu Chi was huge. A tent city.

Full Metal Jacket was pretty good. We Were Soldiers had good action scenes but left out a lot. The last fight scene where they charged in with fixed bayonets and choppers were blasting away. Didn't happen.

I haven't read Matterhorn yet, have to look for it.

[Gaffer]

Saving Private Ryan
The Patriot
The Last of the Mohicans

Good ones. I like both Last of the Mohicans, the new one and the old 1930's version.

Also Band of Brothers. The whole series makes for a very long movie.

[ConHog]

I forgot a couple

BlackHawk Down. Possibly one of my favorite movies ever period.

and Rules of Engagement.