SPR Watched It Again (1 Viewer)

[gk5717]

Last night on TNTHD SPR was on, and yes I watched the whole movie AGAIN. I have it on DVD but could not keep myself from watching it. I used the excuse that it was on HD.
I cannot for the life of me believe there is a better war movie, much less a better movie than this. Yes the story line is a bit far fetched, but other than that it is the best.
I am now convinced that the German they let go after capturing him is not the same one that Hapam (?) shot at the end. Although how did the German know his name?
If some one can name a better war movie, please present your argument.
Gary

 

[lancer]

Last night on TNTHD SPR was on, and yes I watched the whole movie AGAIN. I have it on DVD but could not keep myself from watching it. I used the excuse that it was on HD.
I cannot for the life of me believe there is a better war movie, much less a better movie than this. Yes the story line is a bit far fetched, but other than that it is the best.
I am now convinced that the German they let go after capturing him is not the same one that Hapam (?) shot at the end. Although how did the German know his name?
If some one can name a better war movie, please present your argument.
Gary

No argument about the rating but it IS the same German, unless the Landser in question had a twin. -- Al

 

[Wraith]

'Steamboat Willie' was the German who was captured during the taking of the MG nest, and then released.
The SS soldier who later kills Mellish in the knife fight is a different soldier.
The soldiers captured by Upham towards the end include Steamboat Willie, who is shot by Upham, as he has just shot Capt Miller, who originally saved him at the MG nest.
Upham's name is presumed known by Willie due to the conversation struck up whilst he was digging the grave at the MG nest scene.

As to a better film, struggling to come up with much competition.

 

[uksubs]

Last night on TNTHD SPR was on, and yes I watched the whole movie AGAIN. I have it on DVD but could not keep myself from watching it. I used the excuse that it was on HD.
I cannot for the life of me believe there is a better war movie, much less a better movie than this. Yes the story line is a bit far fetched, but other than that it is the best.
I am now convinced that the German they let go after capturing him is not the same one that Hapam (?) shot at the end. Although how did the German know his name?
If some one can name a better war movie, please present your argument.
Gary

Cross of Iron ,Where Eagle Dare ,The Train are better films in my opinion
SPR start well but not the best, the anti British bit F**ks me off as well
probably best US war film

 

[Warrior]

Last night on TNTHD SPR was on, and yes I watched the whole movie AGAIN. I have it on DVD but could not keep myself from watching it. I used the excuse that it was on HD.
I cannot for the life of me believe there is a better war movie, much less a better movie than this. Yes the story line is a bit far fetched, but other than that it is the best.
I am now convinced that the German they let go after capturing him is not the same one that Hapam (?) shot at the end. Although how did the German know his name?
If some one can name a better war movie, please present your argument.
Gary

I thought you'd be posting this today Gary, you are too funny.

As others have said, the German who gets let go at the radar station and then is shot by Upham is indeed the same German.

I saw this was playing about ten minutes before it started, said to myself I'll watch the beach scene and then on to something else, needless to say I watched it through to the end.

If I've seen this movie once, I've seen it 100 times, it never gets old.

THE greatest war movie of all time, IMO there is not a close second.

Period.

 

[lancer]

Which is the best war movie is a slippery slope. EVERYONE has a different view on this. There have been polls on the forum regarding this, and no concensus is reached. Go with a top 5 or 10 and you will get many repeat listings, though. So many to choose from. -- Al

 

[Mitch]

I thought it was a good film. The beach assault was great and very realistic but, for me it faded a bit after that and turned into the usual US war drama.

Someone mentioned cross of iron now that was agood film which IMO held the audience longer and was not as easy to predict.

Not the best by a long chalk but, each to their own.
Mitch

 

[Warrior]

I thought it was a good film. The beach assault was great and very realistic but, for me it faded a bit after that and turned into the usual US war drama.

I guess you missed the assault on the town at the end, that was spectacular in it's own right, the beach scene stands on it's own.............

 

[Mitch]

Warrior....

Saw it and have watched it a few times but, just did not think it was as good as was made out. Sorry... just my opinion. Now, BOB was a good series which, spawned from the learning curve of SPR and, thought that was great
Mitch

 

[uksubs]

I guess you missed the assault on the town at the end, that was spectacular in it's own right, the beach scene stands on it's own.............

The fight seen in the town very well done !
Odd bit at the end when the p-51 us laser guided bombs to take the tank / bridge out

 

[lancer]

I was partial to 2 lesser action sequences, which I thought very well done. I liked the brief action where the halftrack from the 2nd SS is knocked out and I also liked the attack on the MG42 position under the radar station. I think this particular assault was very realistic in the way they planned their assault and the way it was filmed from Upham's POV. The scene where the medic died was the most heart-rending scene in the movie, IMHO. -- Al

 

[Spitfrnd]

Last night on TNTHD SPR was on, and yes I watched the whole movie AGAIN. I have it on DVD but could not keep myself from watching it. I used the excuse that it was on HD.
I cannot for the life of me believe there is a better war movie, much less a better movie than this. Yes the story line is a bit far fetched, but other than that it is the best.
I am now convinced that the German they let go after capturing him is not the same one that Hapam (?) shot at the end. Although how did the German know his name?
If some one can name a better war movie, please present your argument.
Gary

Of course this is very much an individual choice and SPR was very, very good. Apart from the first part of the beach scene up until they breach the wire, which I frankly don't care to watch again, it is certainly one of my top 10. As to the best, there are many competitors, some with better acting, some better conveying other aspects of the true experience of war, some had more interesting combat scenes and some with a more interesting screenplay. Its not that SPR is bad in any of those categories but I do believe it has some real competion for top honors. Just to cite a few of the other classics in no particular order:

Das Boot: There probably never will be a more intense or riveting look at the war at sea.

The Guns of Navorone: Brilliant acting, brilliant screen play and high tension throughout.

Band of Brothers: A series I know but any given two hours could have been a great movie with perhaps the best small unit infantry scenes ever done.

The Blue Max: The best WWI air movie and one of the very best air war movies of any period.

Paths of Glory: Not a well known film but one of the most powerful looks as WWI and the flaws of leadership.

Twelve O'Clock High: Likely the best WWII air war films and a very well acted and scripted look at the bombing war.

Battle of Britain: Just mentioned often as one of the top British war films and certainly one of the best overall.

Apocalypse Now: Yeah it is odd in several ways but also a great look at the war in Nam, in someways better than Platoon.

Master and Commander: Undoubtedly the best days of sail war movie and also one of the best acted and written of any war movie.

Tora, Tora, Tora: High marks all around and hard to top for Pacific theme movies.

There are a number of other films that I enjoy watching much more often than SPR but they are not so much better as more entertaining to me and less demanding of a special frame of mind including, Where Eagles Dare, Kelly's Heros, The Longest Day, The Eagle Has Landed, Mash and A Bridge Too Far.

So is SPR the best, I frankly think it depends and that it is in some pretty impressive company as well. I can say if I had the only copy and you had the only copy of one of several of the others mentioned, we could very much do a trade

 

[uksubs]

I was partial to 2 lesser action sequences, which I thought very well done. I liked the brief action where the halftrack from the 2nd SS is knocked out and I also liked the attack on the MG42 position under the radar station. I think this particular assault was very realistic in the way they planned their assault and the way it was filmed from Upham's POV. The scene where the medic died was the most heart-rending scene in the movie,

IMHO. -- Al

Yep very well done , but for me I would of liked to see the soldiers taking the radar station instead of seeing it from far back

 

[lancer]

Of course this is very much an individual choice and SPR was very, very good. Apart from the first part of the beach scene up until they breach the wire, which I frankly don't care to watch again, it is certainly one of my top 10. As to the best, there are many competitors, some with better acting, some better conveying other aspects of the true experience of war, some had more interesting combat scenes and some with a more interesting screenplay. Its not that SPR is bad in any of those categories but I do believe it has some real competion for top honors. Just to cite a few of the other classics in no particular order:

Das Boot: There probably never will be a more intense or riveting look at the war at sea.

The Guns of Navorone: Brilliant acting, brilliant screen play and high tension throughout.

Band of Brothers: A series I know but any given two hours could have been a great movie with perhaps the best small unit infantry scenes ever done.

The Blue Max: The best WWI air movie and one of the very best air war movies of any period.

Paths of Glory: Not a well known film but one of the most powerful looks as WWI and the flaws of leadership.

Twelve O'Clock High: Likely the best WWII air war films and a very well acted and scripted look at the bombing war.

Battle of Britain: Just mentioned often as one of the top British war films and certainly one of the best overall.

Apocalypse Now: Yeah it is odd in several ways but also a great look at the war in Nam, in someways better than Platoon.

Master and Commander: Undoubtedly the best days of sail war movie and also one of the best acted and written of any war movie.

Tora, Tora, Tora: High marks all around and hard to top for Pacific theme movies.

There are a number of other films that I enjoy watching much more often than SPR but they are not so much better as more entertaining to me and less demanding of a special frame of mind including, Where Eagles Dare, Kelly's Heros, The Longest Day, The Eagle Has Landed and A Bridge Too Far.

So is SPR the best, I frankly think it depends and that it is in some pretty impressive company as well.

Impressive list. I would add "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Pork Chop Hill", both by Lewis Milestone and 2 of the best ever done. Also liked Preminger's "In Harm's Way". There are just so many good ones that this discussion is endless. -- Al

 

[Spitfrnd]

Impressive list. I would add "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Pork Chop Hill", both by Lewis Milestone and 2 of the best ever done. Also liked Preminger's "In Harm's Way". There are just so many good ones that this discussion is endless. -- Al

Great additions and I would put those on my classic competitors list; I simply forgot those three, all of which I own.

 

[Mitch]

A good list of movies there. Just could not get into the master and commander and did not finish it and, gave it to my brother.
Mitch

 

[aujj65]

A good list of movies there. Just could not get into the master and commander and did not finish it and, gave it to my brother.
Mitch

Ah yes, “the lesser of the two weevils!”

Jeff

 

[Spitfrnd]

Ah yes, “the lesser of the two weevils!”

Jeff

Actually, M&C is one of the ones I would definitely trade for since I probably watch it 5 or more times a year.

 

[aujj65]

Ah yes, “the lesser of the two weevils!”

Jeff

Actually, M&C is one of the ones I would definitely trade for since I probably watch it 5 or more times a year.

Bill, one of my favourites too, I was referring to the joke at the captain’s table.

Jeff

 

[lancer]

Lewis Milestone is responsible for many good movies that one may not realize:
The General Died at Dawn
Of Mice and Men
Edge of Darkness
North Star
The Purple Heart
A Walk in the Sun (one of my all-time favorites)
Halls of Montezuma (another fav)
They Who Dare
Ocean's Eleven (the original, with the Rat Pack)
and the 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty

Milestone was good and there many others not on my truncated list. -- Al