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Worst war film ever ?


RattlesnakeBob

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I personally would not judge the quality of a film by its historical accuracy, there are plenty of sources of history, of realism, and plenty of people working to research and recreate the past. Just like there are people on this forum dedicating their energies to rebuilding, maintaining, showing and enjoying accurate recreations of the past. Nothing wrong with that at all, as far as I am concerned, and I enjoy observing their efforts.

 

However, even though I have both mechanics qualifications and an automotive engineering degree, I don't use these skills to restore the past, because the future is a much more satisfying task for my hands and my thoughts. Even as an artist I do not copy the present or the past, I create new things.

 

Therefore, to me, film can be enjoyed no matter how closely or distantly it might represent reality. What does it matter to me whether there are Germans in American half tracks, it's a film, and I only half to ask if I am enjoying the experience. So, yes, I enjoy Kelly's Heroes, it is fun.

 

I like fun.

 

And I like a fun film better than, say, the brutal reality of the one currently showing at the Majdanek Concentration Camp, half a mile up the road from where I work. That one is awful.

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Kelly's Heroes is one of those films that certainly stands out from the mainstream 'formula' films. As a result the viewer tends to either think it is great or a load of tripe and nothing in between. That's not to say its good or bad, just that it is different.

 

If anyone can weigh up a person on the basis of what they think of Kelly's Heroes, they must be a damn sight cleverer than me!

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And while I was posting that.........

 

Good post GeePig. I'd have to admit though that my favourite fun films could never by any stretch of the imagination be regarded as the best of their genre :-D

 

The other difficulty with fun films is they are at risk of trivialising the subject, which is maybe why they polarise their audience into love it / hate it. Whether Kelly's Heroes does that I couldn't say, not having seen it in the whole.

Edited by N.O.S.
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Sorry to disagree, not only do I think that Kelly's Heroes is the best war film ever, it's my favourite film of all time. I like its anti-war stance, its humour and the fact that it's just a cowboy film in khaki...

 

Hoseman could be joking of course...

 

Iv opened a bag of wriggley little critters there......!!!! LOL

 

Dont get me wrong, Kellys heroes is absolutely awful film, bad acting (sorry Clint if your reading this...!), Soooomany innacuracies (like my spelling!) and completely unbeleivable.....BUT I got to watch it caus its like that!!

 

Its actually one of my fave war films and so iconic!! Probably know it word for word, but what about TOP GUN, weve all seen it and prob liked it and like me watched it over and over again in our youth, quoting phrases and text to anyone who would listen, BUT it is soooo bad and cheesy!!!

 

Can anyone tell me where my signature phrase comes from...??? (I know, just testing you lot!!)

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I'm not sure I should offer any more opinions here for fear of attracting more boorish remarks from one poster. As I see it movies are made for different reasons - some to change the world but most to entertain. Most trivialise their subjects - Erin Brokovich a real character, wasn't as good looking as Julia Roberts. The mother of the young lad in Mask was biker-trash and not the looker that Cher was. Top Gun and Days of Thunder have almost identical plots - just different vehicles. MASH trivialised the Korean War etc etc.

Kelly's Heroes was made as an anti-Vietnam War film (although that message is weak), it's largely a comedy with poignant moments, it's not wholly accurate because it's a bank robbery film (although it's not as bad as it could be) like the Magnificent Seven in khaki but its dialogue has led to numerous famous quotes and, as has been pointed out several times, it's fun if a little wooden in places. I like it and I don't expect anyone else to do so if they don't, however I didn't expect to be described as a 'lower class of person' because I do.

I don't know what people think of Saving Private Ryan - for example - but look closely and all the same movie cliches are in it once the guys are off the beach - misunderstood heroes, reluctant leaders, misguided officers, the greater good… They're all just movies. JC

Edited by Jolly Jeeper
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In that case I'll just quietly nip into the Clubhouse car park and re-inflate your tyres :-D (it's been a very cold day outside in the East Anglian wind, enough to make even the village idiot grumpy).

 

Nice one - do you want to borrow my footpump? Shall I do two and you do the other two?

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Here's my, now sold, Hotchkiss on Utah Beach in 2004 - hood number is the same as in Kelly's Heroes and one digit short like in the film... It's all make believe so no non-original number is better or worse than another

 

JC

 

Are you sure that is French shore? The sea looks way too salty, and that sand has been sprayed the wrong colour. And the sky is not period at all.

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Are you sure that is French shore? The sea looks way too salty, and that sand has been sprayed the wrong colour. And the sky is not period at all.

 

but as he quoted, that was 2004, sand changes, sky changes AND dont forget the poetic license!

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Bit off Film topic but on Sand topic, I remember years ago someone was selling small jars of sand on Evil Bay from the Normandy Beaches supposidly|||

Maybe yjey bought the job lot from under the Jeep???:nut:

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Mr Jeeper (with his Honours Degree)

I feel that I must reply to your assertions that I am 'pompous' Post 98 and 'boorish' Post 106, the latter has as one of it's definition 'ill bred' so that is me? Quite a damning conclusion..........

I honestly think that you have fell into the common trap in that you have no idea whatsoever of British humour. Give it a little thought and my comments were in fact whimsical.

However, there is always an however, people of a lower class will find Kelly's Heroes a good film. I did not say you were of a lower class but the fact is there are class's in society.

Bob

Edited by Bob Grundy
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Sorry to disapoint Lads! But there are now SEVEN definitions of English Class, one of the most telling is a 'Lack of Cultural Capital' so those of us that would rather watch any war film than go to the Opera! Were bottom of the heap! http://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/articles/class/ (Incidently, my Mother was miner's daughter who did maual labour all her life, and loved opera. She was very knowlable. I loath it!)

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I believe that we should face the facts head on. The sad truth is that to a lot of the population, we are boorish in our factual knowledge on the subject of, dare I say it, engineering, that low-class pursuit of those lacking in cultural capital. And 'everyone' knows that war films are something that only boys 17 or younger can enjoy.

 

I mean, we hit bits of metal, for some unknown reason, probably only to disturb the neighbours, with other bits of metal in dark, dank, oily, smelly and positively filthy garages at all hours of the night, only to emerge to eat, watch war films, drink beer, make disgusting noises with other low men and drive our dirty, over-large vehicles up and down the road, preventing decent people from getting good prices for their property.

 

So, every war film is the worst. Why don't we just go and get a proper life, washing the car and mowing the lawn on a Sunday.

 

 

 

 

Because we are not dead yet.

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I believe that we should face the facts head on. The sad truth is that to a lot of the population, we are boorish in our factual knowledge on the subject of, dare I say it, engineering, that low-class pursuit of those lacking in cultural capital. And 'everyone' knows that war films are something that only boys 17 or younger can enjoy.

 

I mean, we hit bits of metal, for some unknown reason, probably only to disturb the neighbours, with other bits of metal in dark, dank, oily, smelly and positively filthy garages at all hours of the night, only to emerge to eat, watch war films, drink beer, make disgusting noises with other low men and drive our dirty, over-large vehicles up and down the road, preventing decent people from getting good prices for their property.

 

So, every war film is the worst. Why don't we just go and get a proper life, washing the car and mowing the lawn on a Sunday.

 

 

 

 

Because we are not dead yet.

 

AH!! Yes, the perfect life! :D

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