Best WAR movie of all time.....? [Archive]

thehack904

07-07-2008, 06:37 AM

Wanted to start a thread about WAR movies. There are many, many, many great war movies out today. Ever since the Hollywood industry got over the Korean and Vietnam fears and whispering, classic and truthful war movies started to appear.

Now of course we have a long list of great war movies in the last 10 - 20 years. Full metal jacket (1987), Apocalypse Now (1979), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Green Berets (1968), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), Bridge over the River Kwai (1957). That is just to name a few.

To get down to it though, what is the greatest war movie of all time?

In my opinion it would have to be The Great Escape (1963). Due to the true story it was written on, the way the actors were able to portray the characters and really make you care about each one (since it seemed there were so many). Instead of shooting on a back lot somewhere or having sets they went back to the real spots and built the exact camp to give it the realism that most directors today want to portray in their movies.

So the question has been asked, and the reasons given. What'cha got TRS Radites?

joeyrock

07-07-2008, 06:57 AM

trunolimit

07-07-2008, 06:59 AM

I think Jarhead is worth mentioning because from the stories my friends who are in the army tell me this movie seems the best portrayal of modern day army life. I say worth mentioning because i think Kingdom is the best war movie because of the message. we tend to look at everything from one point of view and this movie shows us how both side go about their agendas the same way. both sides want to "kill them all."

dannyt

07-07-2008, 08:09 AM

TAE GUK GI: BROTHERHOOD OF WAR

GO SEE IT and thank me later!

gabe_utsecks

07-07-2008, 10:22 AM

Dr. Strangelove
M*A*S*H*
North by Northwest (this one is a major stretch)
Life is Beautiful
Full Metal Jacket
Good Morning Vietnam
The Pianist
The General
Apocalypse Now

I really haven't seen too many war movies. I should have a little war movie marathon. I'll start with the one Dan suggested, and end with Saving Private Ryan. I don't know how I've managed to not see that one. I'll throw in The Great Escape as well.

trav-is

07-07-2008, 02:11 PM

the longest day.

joedubbs

07-07-2008, 02:41 PM

For me it has to be Saving Private Ryan & Full Metal Jacket.

tokenuser

07-07-2008, 03:07 PM

There were a stack of semi decent war movies during the 60s.

The Great Escape is the pick of them IMHO, but in addition to the ones mentioned previously, alos add in Von Ryan's Express (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059885/), The Guns of Navarone (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054953/), The Dirty Dozen (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061578/), On The Beach (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053137/) (set after a limited nucear exchange pollutes the northern hemisphere).

A little out there, but you could also put Star Wars in, and Last of The Mohicans.

===
Two more recent additions I really enjoyed: Hart's War (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251114/), and Enemy at the Gates (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/).

And Joeyrock ... if you enjoyed Schindlers List, please do yourself a favour and grab Thomas Keneally's original book - Schindler's Ark (which is now released as Schindler's List I think, just to confuse things by trying to remove confusion). Its even more moving than the movie - especially the ending.

tsmith15

07-07-2008, 03:21 PM

Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) was also pretty intense.

satori

07-07-2008, 03:42 PM

the longest day.

yes, if there is a single greatest movie it's Longest Day.

keltic-rage

07-07-2008, 04:09 PM

Apocalypse Now Redux

And

We Were Soldiers, I actually know a guy that was part of the battle depicted in this movie, he's a little off...

gonzooo

07-07-2008, 04:55 PM

How can this thread go more than 10 posts without anyone mentioning "Platoon" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091763/)?

Apart from that FMJ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/), "Saving Private Ryan" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/), "The Deer Hunter" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077416/) make up my current top 4.

keltic-rage

07-07-2008, 04:58 PM

heyseuss

07-07-2008, 05:11 PM

Stripes.

dolson

07-07-2008, 05:20 PM

For me, my favorites that I can recall are:

Full Metal Jacket
Band of Brothers (if this counts)
Casualties of War (I highly recommend this to everyone - MJ Fox, Sean Penn.. Great movie)

tsmith15

07-07-2008, 05:30 PM

Definitely Band of Brothers.

mikec

07-07-2008, 05:47 PM

We Were Soldiers, I actually know a guy that was part of the battle depicted in this movie, he's a little off...

The one guy I work with who was over there is also a "little off" as well. He wasn't involved in that battle but he was involved in others.

This guy's take on the movie, very realistic and the only thing missing was the sound of glass breaking as the NVA mortars was about to detonate. (The Soviet design used a glass rod in the fuse of the mortar. It broke allowing the thing to explode.)

Enemy at the Gates, very good movie.

tokenuser

07-07-2008, 06:25 PM

The one guy I work with who was over there is also a "little off" as well. He wasn't involved in that battle but he was involved in others. Ditto my step father. He worked behind enemy lines most days as an agriculture specialist, helping relocated villagers adopt more efficient farming techniques in land they weren't familiar with. He knows he worked in villages sympathetic to/hiding VietCong, but they gave him a free pass because of what he knew about horticulture and irrigation (and the fact he travelled with an unloaded rifle most of the time). All the same, he can't watch any movie set in Vietnam, and even WWII or Korea give him the chills. "Modern" warfare (eg Iraq coverage on the news or in movies) is different enough that it doesn't effect him though.

heyseuss

07-07-2008, 06:50 PM

Enemy at the Gates, very good movie.

Sniper Elite, very good video game.

harryaka

07-07-2008, 07:06 PM

Saving Private Ryan is still my favorite.

proof

07-07-2008, 07:18 PM

Haven't seen a whole lot of war movies, but the ones I really like are
Glory
Enemy at the Gates
Platoon

I just recently saw Letters from Iwo Jima and that was definitely the best I've seen

jay_ray

07-07-2008, 07:20 PM

Saving Private Ryan is an obvious stand out, Great Escape is also great, I also really enjoyed Letters from Iwo Jima. The best war movie was a TV miniseries on HBO, Band of Brothers, I love it.

trunolimit

07-07-2008, 07:31 PM

was enemy at the gates the movie about the two snipers vs each other? that movie was kick ass. poor kid got in the middle of it all.

tsmith15

07-07-2008, 07:46 PM

Oh I love Enemy At The Gates too!

magunwarrior

07-07-2008, 07:52 PM

Saving Private Ryan for me.

az0madman

07-07-2008, 08:08 PM

My favorite has always been Full Metal Jacket, though if we're counting Band of Brothers, then that one is my favorite. I tried to like Apocalypse Now, but I just didn't like it. Though, I only watched the Redux version which made the movie feel longer than it should've been.

thehack904

07-07-2008, 08:11 PM

TAE GUK GI: BROTHERHOOD OF WAR

GO SEE IT and thank me later!

Will check it out, could change my opinion.

thehack904

07-07-2008, 08:21 PM

Tora! Tora! Tora! was on TV last week and I found that a little boring.

Let me see...
A Bridge Too Far
Dam Busters
The Deer Hunter
Schindler's List,
Zulu
Dr Stranglove
Ice Cold in Alex
The Pianist
A Matter of Life and Death
Das Boot
.

I can't believe I didn't mention Das Boot (in the original German), Zulu, Schindler's List and Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers always rocks). All great movies by far! I also forgot to mention Guns of Navarone (1961).

Everyone has had some great ones....not sure if you can count Band of Brothers as a war movie. Don't get me wrong it has to be by far my favorite "Mini Series" even though "From the Earth to the Moon" comes close second. I definitely have a few more to watch now.

fashiondr

07-07-2008, 08:31 PM

Black Hawk Down - Everyone mentions the opening of Saving Private Ryan and its gritty realism, well this whole movie is like that! Very intense, I always feel exhausted after I watch it. Amazing on Blu-ray.

Apocalypse Now (Redux) - Amazing in its depiction of the effects of war on the participants. It doesn't pull any punches in showing how the 'Good guys' can be just as bad, if not worse, than the 'Enemy'. Outstanding performances and a lasting effect.

Rambo (4) - C'mon, it was pure badass. Easily the most brutal movie I've ever seen.

homerr

07-07-2008, 08:48 PM

I don't think there really should be a 'best', instead war movies that hit a certain bar of excellence. Or maybe the bar is 'is this a movie that should a war movie fan should see?'.

Band of Brothers - best all around
Patton, The Longest Day, Das Boot - great movies
Dr. Strangelove, MASH, Kelly's Heroes - great movies with humor thrown in

ashlad

07-07-2008, 09:05 PM

These are my favorites, in no specific order:

Saving Private Ryan
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Apocalypse Now

satori

07-07-2008, 09:07 PM

The Eagle has Landed.

scoobydiesel

07-07-2008, 10:39 PM

I have to say FMJ and then we WWS but its kinda hard to pick one or two...

mier

07-08-2008, 12:31 AM

The Longest Day and Patton. Those are the best hands down no competition.

mckay

07-08-2008, 12:41 AM

The Hunt for Red October(...Cold War movie)
Stalag 17
Bridge on the River Kwai
Braveheart
Pan's Labyrinth

and of course...Star Wars (IV-VI)

gonzooo

07-08-2008, 12:43 AM

The Hunt for Red October(...Cold War movie)
I considered mentioning it, but didn't because I don't think it's really much about the war. It's about the intrigue in the chain of command. Good movie, though.

heyseuss

07-08-2008, 12:49 AM

I considered mentioning it, but didn't because I don't think it's really much about the war. It's about the intrigue in the chain of command. Good movie, though.

Then we gonna put War Games, Red Dawn and Russkies in there too ?

The Sound Of Music ?

mckay

07-08-2008, 12:56 AM

Then we gonna put War Games, Red Dawn and Russkies in there too ?

The Sound Of Music ?

Alright, I take it back...I did admit it was a Cold War movie though.

heyseuss

07-08-2008, 01:06 AM

Alright, I take it back...I did admit it was a Cold War movie though.

Nah it's ok, I wasn't saying they don't count.

enemybrick

07-08-2008, 01:22 AM

Glory, it was the first movie I was forced to watch in school that I didn't snooze through. Blew me away.

njshadow

07-08-2008, 01:26 AM

I really did enjoy Full Metal Jacket and Jarhead (I've seen more but they're my favorites) but I don't know if any war movie has even come CLOSE to moving me the way Saving Private Ryan did. That movie is purely genius and in my opinion, one of the greatest movies of all time. That is probably one of the few movies that nearly had me signing up to join the Army. SUCH a wide range of emotions, beautiful music scores, excellent characters and top-notch acting. Saving Private Ryan is easily the greatest war movie of all time.

gm_wil

07-08-2008, 02:36 AM

Kelly's Heroes

(the one i enjoy the most)

-

thehack904

07-08-2008, 03:24 AM

Stalag 17

I have to say that is an outstanding movie.

absolutemayhem

07-08-2008, 04:13 AM

Saving Private Ryan for sure. I don't really remember the longest day, I'm gonna have to watch it again.

What about "Grey lady down" ..epic Submarine movie!

-MayheM

tsmith15

07-08-2008, 04:57 AM

Check this list out, it looks tasteful.

http://www.hecklerspray.com/top-20-non-american-war-movies/200815089.php

mikec

07-08-2008, 05:08 AM

Any of you ever see a film called "The Wild Geese"?

babnert

07-08-2008, 05:59 AM

Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan.

also 300 if that counts as a war movie.

nemesiz

07-08-2008, 07:24 AM

Black Hawk Down (even better book) and We Were Soldiers.

Interesting story about We Were Soldiers, my brother-in-law is in the Army and was a Company Commander(Captain) when this movie was in theaters. When his company returned from the field he rented out a theater for all of them to watch this movie. (They were in the field not deployed, but still it was pretty powerful thing for them from what my sister has told me. )

proof

07-08-2008, 08:47 AM

The Hunt for Red October(...Cold War movie)
Stalag 17
Bridge on the River Kwai
Braveheart
Pan's Labyrinth

and of course...Star Wars (IV-VI)

I don't know if those last two qualify as 'War' movies. But Pan's Labyrinth was a good movie

evilbaby

07-08-2008, 07:09 PM

some favorites culled from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_movies
All Quiet on the Western Front
Thirty Seconds over Tokyo (very pro-America)
Run Silent, Run Deep
The Caine Mutiny
Guns of Navarone
The Dirty Dozen

Some favorites about the after effects of War
Slaughterhouse 5
First Blood
Born on the Fourth of July
Taxi Driver
The Deer Hunter

Also Starship Troopers which is one of those movies that seems dumb but I can't not watch it if I see it on.

jay_ray

07-08-2008, 07:48 PM

I have high hopes for Tarantino's WW2 flick Inglorious Bastards, I believe he is currently filming it.

urthmover

07-08-2008, 10:39 PM

Paths of Glory

books

07-09-2008, 04:34 AM

My top candidates are Black Hawk Down, Apocalypse Now and The Lord of the Rings.

evilbaby

07-09-2008, 04:21 PM

My top candidates are Black Hawk Down, Apocalypse Now and The Lord of the Rings.

I'm pretty sure Lord of the Rings is about power walking...don't really remember a war...lot a walking though

dolson

07-09-2008, 04:34 PM

My favorite war movie is Legally Blonde 2!!!

gm_wil

07-09-2008, 11:01 PM

My favorite war movie is Legally Blonde 2!!!

I'm guessing the "war" part was the battle in your head about fighting to stay in your seat?

-

heyseuss

07-09-2008, 11:03 PM

I'm guessing the "war" part was the battle in your head about fighting to stay in your seat?

-

BaZinnggg!

Hyul hyuk hyuk.

0garrett0

07-15-2008, 07:26 PM

TAE GUK GI: BROTHERHOOD OF WAR

GO SEE IT and thank me later!

It is now later and I thank you. What an amazing film....

krypt

10-19-2008, 07:52 PM

Star Wars.

"Traditional war":
Jarhead
Saving Private Ryan
Black Hawk Down
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket

dannyt

10-20-2008, 08:42 AM

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

I'm getting twitters thanking me for recommending it!

forbizzle

10-20-2008, 01:59 PM

A Bridge too far
Saving Private Ryan
Enemy at the gates
and
Bridge over the river Kwai(sp?)

The great escape is overrated IMO. A lot of old war movies are. Every man in WW2 was neigh invulnerable up until SPR. For example Longest Day was pretty good for it's time, but they basically walked up the beach and knocked on Gerry's door.

icu

10-20-2008, 10:12 PM

There are a plethora (Would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?) of great movies which tell the story of those involved and/or affected by wars, but I guess I'd like to narrow the definition of "War Movie" to make things a bit easier on myself.

To me the term "War Movie" refers to a film where "war" is (one of) the main character(s). No love triangles. No "during a time of war" movies. No "I was in a war and now look at me" movies.

Both Apocalypse Now and FMV are among my favorites, but they don't have the real or true feeling as they employ hyper-realism and fantastical events to tell their stories. Stunning masterpieces.

Saving Private Ryan really impacted me, but if we are considering BoB in this as well it is hard for me to not choose it in SPR's stead.

Let us not forget Lawrence of Arabia as well. It's really too hard to choose as the field is so deep and varied.

If I had to choose just one ... I cannot. I'm chickening out (perhaps I'll edit one in if I get some balls when I get home)

For those that can't understand the love for a great war movie I will often try to explain that it is in war that the absolute best and worst parts of human nature are forced to the surface. The ultimate struggle and drama of man's existence. The inner struggle for man's "soul".

Very interested in seeing Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War.