Fury - no spoilers

[Adrian Cowdry]

Saw Fury yesterday - it's a great war movie.

Not the best war movie made - we all have our opinion on that for me A Bridge Too Far has that accolade - but I digress.

I expect to see a few busts and figures based on the characters.

The good thing about Fury is the mix of seriousness and the black humor that is often found in war or certainly battle. There are several scenes that have the men laughing - a tension relief.

The great thing about this film is the sense of claustrophobia in a tank and the fear in a Sherman when faced with a Tiger.

I gather there are a few inaccuracies but I think you have to be eagle eyed to pick them out.

Ultimately the film is very powerful - my father in law was in the Desert driving tanks - my wife was in tears watching this film realising what her dad went through.

 

[frank h]

Hi
I saw this film
well worth going to see
Frank

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Adrian,
As yet, I have to see this film!,

However, I do make a point of looking at 'World Cinema', there are movies out there that rival the best of 'Hollywood', and then some!
(subtitled in English)

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Korean war film Brotherhood&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=korean war film brotherhood&sc=0-16&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=649AB6DED07304D80831649AB6DED07304D80831

1993, Stalingrad!
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=stalingrad film&qpvt=stalingrad film&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=5B1D27D29963860255485B1D27D2996386025548

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the red cliff movie&qpvt=the red cliff movie&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=F8A92DE0EAE20F2CD829F8A92DE0EAE20F2CD829

, I had best stop it now!, before I really get on a roll!

Mark

 

[peedee]

This is a film I won't be waiting for the DVD of I am going asap.
However best film ?
I thought you would have picked the battle of the bulge for it's gloriously accurate
armour on armour battles in the wide open spaces in the summer.
Although it must have been confusing for the combatants of the time using the same types of tanks on both sides.
A truly remarkable filum.
(That's why I just do figures).

Paul

 

[tonydawe]

I haven't seen Fury yet, but will be going with a group of modelling mates next week for a "Boy's Night Out". Thankfully none of my mates are "rivet counter" types so we all agreed to just watch and enjoy the movie and not get hung up on Hollywood inaccuracies.

The first time I saw Saving Private Ryan I was totally engrossed until the "rivet counter" bloke sitting next to me and pointed out that the "Tiger" Tank in the scene at Beauville was actually a Tiger turret and upper deck on a T34 chassis. The bastard spoiled the rest of the movie for me.

 

[peedee]

I'm sorry I didn't know that was you in front of me !

Good job you didn't hear me talking about the Panzer lV or the Stug made on an FV432 chassis in band of brothers.....
And don't start me on those Germans with the wrong replica gas mask cans with the single buckle belt hangers ....

Seriiously though, I know what you mean, in the cinema you keep your gob shut and save it for the model club.!

I was in Normandy last month Tony, and behind the Museum at Dead man's corner 1/2 way between St maire Eglise and Carentin was a surplus/ replica store and their stock was remarkably accurate and decently priced. I could have left outfitted as any rank, either side with deac or airsoft weapons as appropriate, so when the film makers do get it wrong I do wonder who was the technical advisor !

Paul

 

[Chazman]

I saw it this weekend. Pretty good movie. Don't worry tonydawe, it's a REAL Tiger in this movie.

 

[Jamie Stokes]

I'll admit I'm partially interested in this film, seems to be in the same emotive class as Saving Private Ryan.

The Armour modelling websites are abuzz with it (Deploy the rivet counters!!) and there is a bit of speculation as to the reality of the tactics (Hollywood cinema versus the Armchair Warriors)

Its a film depicting men during a brutal time, I think that keeping in mind it's mostly for entertainment value above all else is the key thing.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Blind Pew]

This is a film I won't be waiting for the DVD of I am going asap.
However best film ?
I thought you would have picked the battle of the bulge for it's gloriously accurate
armour on armour battles in the wide open spaces in the summer.
Although it must have been confusing for the combatants of the time using the same types of tanks on both sides.
A truly remarkable filum.
(That's why I just do figures).

Paul

You know, as a child in primary school when I saw this film, even I noticed this!

They're there to entertain as opposed to educate.
True though, they can get it better with a good technical advisor or two. Maybe they just don't get listened to.
It'd be interesting to get the veiwpoint of somebody from the film industry on this topic.

 

[peedee]

Absolutely.
When they made the 1970's film The charge of the light brigade the direcotr insisted that all the Cavlry wore the same overalls as the 'cherry bums' did because they looked better than the grey overalls that were designed and provided.
This must've happened many times over across the industry.
I still don't get why the battlle of the Bulge, with american money, studio, actors etc was filmed in the summer on a plain.
There is no excuse for that.
The most accurate film I have seen for costume remains the duellists. Tremendous.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

The study of movies is part of my business.

First and foremost we must all go and see a film and view it as entertainment. For me the best War film is A Bridge Too Far- there is no way within three hours any film maker could cover the whole tale of Arnhem but Richard Attenborough did a mighty fine job. The Great Escape holds a great place in my heart yet we all know it is full of inaccuracies - entertaining? You betcha.

As for The Battle of the Bulge being filmed in the summer time - the film was a whale of an epic...one of the greatest points in WW2 and yes it was fought in the winter - to film it in the summer would have to be done - more daylight - those scenes even with the tank squadrons of what was available (American tanks of the 1960's) took a huge amount of time. Multi camera angles and multi pyrotechnic effects - to do the battle in the winter would have taken months and the cost of a film crew is expensive. And to do the battle on a plain? Same thing - ease of filming, lighting etc.

Sorry if I seem to be lecturing - these days the film industry can create anything in the computer - back in the BotB days it was filmed in situ. You don't have films made that way any more.

Fury is very much in the vein as Saving Private Ryan - I think there are lots more films that can be done from WW2 era - unfortunately it is the US dollar that produces a film - I like Brad Pitt but I think seeing a war torn Brit crew would have been just as interesting. Fury is good but as I say it's not the best war film as some reviews will have you believe.

What can be said it is not a boys own adventure like Great Escape or Where Eagles Dare it deals with the realities of living in a tank. But it doesn't take the big picture view that sat Battle of Britain did, or Battle of the Bulge or A Bridge Too Far. For Claustrophobia the only film that beats that is Tunnel Rats which is based on 24 hours of the Tunnel Rats in Viet Nam - truly horrifying.

Finally do see Fury - don't count rivets enjoy the film it is good.

 

[peedee]

My irony must not have been obvious enough Adrian, sorry; it was all tongue in cheek.
For claustrophobic atmosphere tension, and plot My favourite is the often overlooked
Das Boot.
In My opinion a truly remarkable film experience.

Paul

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

I forgot to mention in my last post...

I expect we will be seeing some busts and figures based on the characters which will be quite welcome I am sure.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Now there is a film - Das Boot - phenomenal - however I prefer the full version which is a TV mini series but drop dead great film making. But I think Tunnel Rats pips it for Claustrophobia.

 

[Carl Edward Sambrook]

Having actually served on tanks I can say I had a great time.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

That is commendation for sure...

 

[Martin64]

Interesting to learn about your thoughts. I agree that rivet counting carried to the extreme can be annoying. A film has to be a commercial success in the first place. If the film states to portray history it usually at best shows one side of the medal.
What is somewhat strange about more recent WW II-films like Private Ryan IMHO is the storyline (with historical roles reversed). It always has to be that small bunch of heroes on the Allied side hopelessly cut off deep in enemy territory fighting on against all odds for the happy end.
During the first phase of Overlord Allied troops on the ground enjoyed extensive air support and barrages of naval gunfire beside their own artillery, tanks, etc. It wasn´t about hurling socks filled with composit B at Tiger tanks that were driven by experienced Nazi`s through narrow streets of a small town without some Infantry securing the area first.
The same goes for the final phase when the Allies reached the "heartland" of Nazi-Germany (Fury). Nobody was naturally in the mood and need to risk his a.. in a single-tank-mission deep behind enemy lines, cut-off, outgunned....
IMHO "Band of Brothers" portrays the weariness of US frontline troops in that final phase of WW II much closer to reality and when it comes to realistic combat scenes I like "The Pacific" as well or even better."Das Boot" (Director`s cut) is another great film like "A bridge too far" where the filmmakers did their homework about the historical realism of their story.
The storylines of Pvt Ryan and Fury instead are pure fiction in my eyes. No correct rivet on a Tiger tank can save them from being a fantasy film. The actors and tanks could be dressed and painted in pink and it would make no difference in respect to historical correctness IMHO. If this is seen as another way of nitpicking - disregard and enjoy.- And I never will speak up about it while sitting in the cinema of course.
Cheers, Martin

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Martin
You nailed it - I couldn't say all that you did earlier as I didn't want any spoilers -I enjoyed Ryan and Fury equally and as you say and I agre the films were fantasy as was Where Eagles Dare and Kelly's Heroes and I love those two films...What can be said about Ryan and Fury is that they portray horrors of war but as for accuracy -Band of Brothers, A Bridge Too Far, Das Boot and more actually stick with the authenticity - didn't Brad Pitt take his inspiration from Audie Murphy shooting the machine gun from behind the turret?

Ultimately the film was entertaining - it did the job a film should do - but we can say that there certainly are more accurate films out there.

Spielberg is a great manipulator when it comes to making movies - the first 20 minutes of Ryan is some of the best to be put on film when portraying the chaos of the beach landings...but the rest of the film with the under dog story and small platoon etc. is purely manipulate the audience...artistic licencing.

Fury is the same - a tiny trio of tanks go out to kick ass and come a cropper - manipulate the audience and get the emotions going - but it was well made and enjoyable.

 

[Carl Edward Sambrook]

One thing that spoilt A Bridge to Far was when the Leopard was used to cross the bridge, surely with all the research carried out they could have found a better vehicle.

 

[Helm]

Didnt like it myself only thing amazing was how bad shots the Germans were very much a "popcorn" movie IMO