Best War Movie Ever

[Leros87]

Worthy of consideration is Paths of Glory with Kirk Douglas as a French officer. Although not a film, Band of Brothers would surely be up there.

Full Metal Jacket reminded me that I had just returned home from completing basic training at Bassingbourn Barracks, a former RAF airfield, and went to see the film on its release only to find myself revisiting my Barracks, which stood in for the USMC basic training venue! I can vouch for the toughness and height of the obstacle course! The FIBUA scenes at the end were shot at the derelict Becton Gasworks in East London.

[von thoma]

"Enemy at the Gates" ( 2001 ), by Jean-Jacques Annaud, it's a good war film.
Should be on the list of the best.

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat......

[PeterRaynolds]

Without any doubts I can say that Schindler's List - Steven Spielberg's magnum opus is the definitive on-screen depiction of the Holocaust is the best War movie ever. I could't even imagine more complicated and hopefull film.

[Munster65]

Downfall for me,cmon Hollywood has never made a decent war movie....

[Dieter Zinke]

I was born before the Second World War and I'm certainly one of the oldest discussants in this thread. I have seen an infinite number of war films in a long life - but you have to believe me: "Das Boot" ("The Boat") by Wolfgang Petersen [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot ] is unsurpassed and surpasses all.

Cheers
Dieter Z.

[askropp]

"Das Boot" by Wolfgang Petersen is unsurpassed and surpasses all.

And yet, the movie falls way short of the TV series, and the TV series falls way short of Buchheim's novel. Needless to say, the planned remake by Sky Channel will only be an annoying piece of pathetic crap. I would have loved to have seen an adaptation of "Die Festung", but who could have made it? Hollywood makes me puke, and German TV makes me vomit.

[alpinoinMT]

Regarding WWII movies:
I looked through all the messages and didn't see one of my favorite movies (might have missed it). It is "Slaughterhouse Five", directed by George Roy Hill, based on the 1969 novel by Kurt Vonnegut. It is based partially upon Vonnegut's own experiences; being captured in the Ardennes, and being a prisoner of war in Dresden during the destruction of the city by British and American air raids. I loved the book, and loved the movie since I feel it is one of the few movies I've seen that have faithfully translated a book to the screen. The movie involves much more than WWII and might be described as a fantasy/science fiction film. But I feel it effectively conveys the fickleness/absurdity/tragedy of life and war as well as anything I've read or seen. Also I felt that in terms of authenticitiy, the movie did a good job (especially for it's time) in terms of the equipment and uniforms (especially German) shown.

I loved Slaughterhouse Five in high school, & I loved Fear & Loathing.... for the same reasons, funny, naughty... to a 16 year old.

But Vonnegut hit while the iron was hot, that the US does bad things in war i.e. 350,000 dead at Dresden "a harmless city of no military value"
The 350,000 was from Nazi broadcasts, a bit overblown. Of course the Soviets sealed the east up, & could care less about German deaths.
Western historians estimated 100,000, & the harmless city thing stuck.
However, after 1990 some western historians did venture into Dresden, and went to official sources, the city fire department.
They were told '20,000 to 25,000" half of them military.
I don't call this revisionist, Vonnegut was, or just a popularity contest of a '60s type.
A bit more recent research found Dresden the hub of German military planning, logistics & transport for the Eastern Front [what was left]
with three running train lines. If you don't believe me, look it up - there is more than legends & pop fiction

[alpinoinMT]

A lot of excellent war movies IMHO & some real dogs [see bottom]
The Thin Red Line - most reflects my feelings & experiences in combat, follows the book, beautifully made
Gallipoli - I show it to my students every year, "why young men go to war'
Band of Brothers - Ambrose talked for several years to these men & kept an eye on Spielberg's BS
Das Boot
Come & See - surrealistic & too realistic - do not watch this film around women
The Seven Samurai
Dr Strangelove - shown to my students "unique" ageless to me
Zulu & Zulu Dawn - but how come no eclipse?
Platoon - reminds me of all my cousins uncles & NCOs who fought there - some really hate it, but Stone did two tours with the 25th ID
Hamburger Hill - many vets say "this is true"
Paths of Glory
Escape from Sobibor - very accurate - two survivors advised it making
The Unknown Soldier from Finland - three versions 50' 90s & last year
Talvasota The Winter War also from Finland
La Grande Guerra, by Mario Monicelli 1959 - how Italian WW1 vets saw the war, a tragi-comedy - I always consider how the COMBAT vets think...

Worst - Speilberg's Saving Ryan's Privates & especially Schindler's List "Raiders of the Lost Ark in a Gas Chamber" [were you thrilled when all those young women were in the shower....... and water came out!?] or three SS officer's pistols malfunctioning, just for a start
his movies are made for malls full of ignorant people

[Felix C]

I can see Best Years of Our Lives over and over again.

[Blackberry671]

There have been more than a few films on the subject of the Holocaust, possibly the daddy of them all being Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" based on the book "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally. Much better, however, in my mind is Costa-Gavras' "Amen" based on Rolf Hochhuth's play "Le Vicaire". Now Mark Herman's "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", itself based on John Boyne's novel, is fit to mentioned alongside these two great films.

[donatti]

Platoon for me.

[Hal Fried]

A lot of excellent war movies IMHO & some real dogs [see bottom]
The Thin Red Line - most reflects my feelings & experiences in combat, follows the book, beautifully made
Gallipoli - I show it to my students every year, "why young men go to war'
Band of Brothers - Ambrose talked for several years to these men & kept an eye on Spielberg's BS
Das Boot
Come & See - surrealistic & too realistic - do not watch this film around women
The Seven Samurai
Dr Strangelove - shown to my students "unique" ageless to me
Zulu & Zulu Dawn - but how come no eclipse?
Platoon - reminds me of all my cousins uncles & NCOs who fought there - some really hate it, but Stone did two tours with the 25th ID
Hamburger Hill - many vets say "this is true"
Paths of Glory
Escape from Sobibor - very accurate - two survivors advised it making
The Unknown Soldier from Finland - three versions 50' 90s & last year
Talvasota The Winter War also from Finland
La Grande Guerra, by Mario Monicelli 1959 - how Italian WW1 vets saw the war, a tragi-comedy - I always consider how the COMBAT vets think...

Worst - Speilberg's Saving Ryan's Privates & especially Schindler's List "Raiders of the Lost Ark in a Gas Chamber" [were you thrilled when all those young women were in the shower....... and water came out!?] or three SS officer's pistols malfunctioning, just for a start
his movies are made for malls full of ignorant people

Some interesting picks. Dr. Strangelove would probably be at the top of my list. I saw it during its original theatrical run. Watch the blu ray at least once a year.
Agree completely with your view of Saving Private Ryan, not so much with Schindler's List. The scene with the little girl in the red coat is the one that still sticks in my mind. But, like many films dealing with the Holocaust it is open to criticism for crossing the line into holocaust porn.

Few other favorites of mine:
Best Years of Our Lives
Twelve O'Clock High
The Dam Busters

Also, thanks for the interesting info on the Dresden bombing in your previous post.

[alpinoinMT]

Hey Hal.... I know Axis History site, but it is amazing to observe a history class watching Dr Strangelove! NONE of them have ever seen the film... & one at a time they start smiling & wiggling as they understanding the satire, events, weapons. Never had a student that didn't like it. & growing up in Great Falls MT, in the middle of the world's largest ICBM film, I always wanted to take Major Kong's way out, with my girlfriend on my lap.

It took me for ever to enjoy/understand The Best Years of Our Lives, or 12 O'clock High but now they are profound, thinking of my career, or returning from "my war"

[warriorant]

[warriorant]