[Jack Daw]

Originally Posted by Lachlan09

I don't think Hollywood would touch it unless they could change a few concepts, like nationality.

Hollywood doesn't "do" films about good or successful British Army military exploits and martial skills.

I only need to mention the name "Montgomery" for Americans to go into "diss" mode.

How many successful American Army military exploits does Pinewood Studios make?

[Jack Daw]

BTW, Gerard Butler is supposed to be preparing to portray Robert Burns in Burns. Look-see:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1531637/

Alan Sharp, the screenwriter, was also the same for Rob Roy (1995).

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by Jack Daw

How many successful American Army military exploits does Pinewood Studios make?

But, in fairness, has Pinewood Studios re-written history for a good story, such as U-571, which claimed that the Americans captured an Naval Enigma machine? In reality, it was the crew of HMS Bulldog that did so.

Or for that matter, what about Erroll Flynn & the Yanks single-handedly taking Burma? The 14th Army squaddies in India rioted after seeing that travesty in Objective Burma!

T.

[xena]

I'd go see a movie about Mad Jack.

Have to say though, in my time in HMF, we never had a real war, but I knew some chaps who could easily been close to doing Mad Jack stuff. Maybe it's a Seaforth thing.

I remember hearing of a large Greek guy riding on top of an APC swinging a home-made club with barbed wire on the end over his head. All this in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. The locals were sure he was wacko. We just called him "the Cave Man".

Or the fellow who, upon return to the hotel that they were using to house Peackeepers in Sarajevo, went up to the roof for a smoke, and couldn't figure out why there were flies buzzing around up there. Only after he went back downstairs did he see the notice warning people not to go out on the roof due to sniper activity in the area.

[Jack Daw]

Originally Posted by cajunscot

But, in fairness, has Pinewood Studios re-written history for a good story, such as U-571, which claimed that the Americans captured an Naval Enigma machine? In reality, it was the crew of HMS Bulldog that did so.

Or for that matter, what about Erroll Flynn & the Yanks single-handedly taking Burma? The 14th Army squaddies in India rioted after seeing that travesty in Objective Burma!

T.

You are, of course, correct. I'm not in favor of rewriting history. But, remember, Hollywood films, except for documentaries, are about entertainment; not history or fact. Actually, there are some documentaries that are questionable, too. But, Hammer did rewrite Frankenstein and Dracula!

[wildrover]

Originally Posted by Jack Daw

Does he drink Dos Equis?

It sounds like he drinks gasoline, straight! I'd go see that movie .

On one condition!

Hollywood doesn't get to make it! If they do, it'll involve global warming, a plea for world peace, pregnancy, evil corporations, beta males, oil, and Sean Penn.

So please, for the love of god, you guys make it before our side of the Atlantic gets ahold of it, and I expect an old-school stiff upper lip attitude throughout .

...Also, on an unrelated note, I thought this was a thread about movies that should be made in general, and I was going to suggest "Leather-Bound Roller Girls vs the Zombie Horde from Mars".

But that is another discussion, I think.

-Sean

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by Jack Daw

You are, of course, correct. I'm not in favor of rewriting history. But, remember, Hollywood films, except for documentaries, are about entertainment; not history or fact. Actually, there are some documentaries that are questionable, too. But, Hammer did rewrite Frankenstein and Dracula!

Respectfully, I disagree. A film can be entertaining AND educational. Just off the top of my head, The Great Raid, which was released several years ago, did a very good job telling the story of the 6th Rangers and the Raid on the POW camp at Cabanatuan in 1945. The most recent version of the Alamo story was the best version made. Sure, both films had their problems, but overall, I would be comfortable showing them to a class as supplemental material.

As a history teacher, I have to clean up the historical mess (the travesties of Pearl Harbor and The Patriot come to mind) on an almost daily basis. I suppose it's job security in a sense, but how many people see these movies and will not research the real story on their own?

Just the observations of a "13th grade" teacher.

T.

[Jack Daw]

Originally Posted by cajunscot

Respectfully, I disagree. A film can be entertaining AND educational. Just off the top of my head, The Great Raid, which was released several years ago, did a very good job telling the story of the 6th Rangers and the Raid on the POW camp at Cabanatuan in 1945. The most recent version of the Alamo story was the best version made. Sure, both films had their problems, but overall, I would be comfortable showing them to a class as supplemental material.

As a history teacher, I have to clean up the historical mess (the travesties of Pearl Harbor and The Patriot come to mind) on an almost daily basis. I suppose it's job security in a sense, but how many people see these movies and will not research the real story on their own?

Just the observations of a "13th grade" teacher.

T.

You disagree that Hollywood films are primarily about entertainment? I ddn't say they couldn't be both, but most are not adequately factual. I agree that The Alamo (2004) is worthy of a classroom showing. I think it's a great movie.

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by Jack Daw

You disagree that Hollywood films are primarily about entertainment? I ddn't say they couldn't be both, but most are not adequately factual. I agree that The Alamo (2004) is worthy of a classroom showing. I think it's a great movie.

No, I said that they can be both, although the majority are not. Of course, what is entertaining is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. As my wife says, my taste in movies differs greatly from the majority of folks.

T.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

I don't know how true it is, but I have been led to believe that "the Memphis Belle" was originally meant to be about an RAF crew flying Lancasters.

No, the Belle was the real deal;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Belle_(aircraft)