What movies got you interested (2 Viewers)

[Lewey Gun Vick]

I recall watching John Wayne's Alamo and setting up my toy soldiers while watching it, then when the final battle came along I would order the assault of my soldados (bmc mexicans, bmc union/confederate, cts mexicans) and then when Davy died I would even take my bmc Davy Crockett figure and toss him into my marx alamo chapel and then nock down a couple of more mexicans when the powder room blow up! Those were the days!

Vick

 

[Wraith]

I recall watching John Wayne's Alamo and setting up my toy soldiers while watching it, then when the final battle came along I would order the assault of my soldados (bmc mexicans, bmc union/confederate, cts mexicans) and then when Davy died I would even take my bmc Davy Crockett figure and toss him into my marx alamo chapel and then nock down a couple of more mexicans when the powder room blow up! Those were the days!

Vick

Sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon to me Vick. No need to confine playtime to the past.

Simon

 

[Wraith]

I used to watch the big blockbuster movies of the 60s and 70s, so it was those that got my interest up in WWII, the main ones being The Longest Day, A Bridge too Far, Rob's Heroes (or something like that ), Battle of the Bulge (for all it's inaccuracies), to name but a few.

Of recent years, 300 got my interest up in terms of the Spartans. I know it's one of those love it or hate it mavies, but thought it was a rollercoaster of a movie. Just need to find a stockist for those 30 foot high rhinos now.....

Simon

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

It was great! Unfourtunatley when I was born they didn't tell me anything about 2 hour homework each night and about 3hrs. over the weekend! I'm must say homework should be considered a form of torture! About 3 weeks ago I did over 12 hrs. of homework! I must say I think there should be extra pts. somehow on the forum for playing with your toy soldiers!

Have a Great Weekend and Thanksgiving (even though it's not here they are serving thanksgiving dinner in the cafeteria!)

Vick

 

[Warrior]

Zulu sparked my interest in the Zulu War
Beau Geste did the same for FFL vs Arabs (the Telly Savalas/Leslie Neilsen/Guy Stockwell version I might add)
A Bridge Too Far got me interested in the Arnhem campaign
Cross of Iron did the same for The Eastern Front
Last but not least, Battle of the Bulge got me going with the Ardennes Campaign; as inaccurate as it was, still holds a place in the old ticker................

 

[marco55]

You know mate,i know we shouldn't glorify war,but whenever i see that film and think of all the young men in the RAF from all nations who climbed into their Spitfires and Hurricanes and gave the mighty Luftwaffe such a kicking,well it just makes me smile.

Rob

I don't glorify war but I do honor the brave men who are for the most part average guys who do their duty.
Mark

 

[Russell]

As a kid: Sahara with Bogart, The Searchers with J. Wayne,
Later movies: DasBoot, Gladiator, Breaker Morant, Gallipoli,
and on the funny side: Catch 22, M*A*S*H

Also, many others mentioned by the rest of you.

 

[HAWKEYE]

I must say it was erroll flyn in the charge of the light brigade and they died with their boots on that got me going. Of course i watched the combat series, the battle of the bulge and i loved the highlanders advancing in buccaneer. Last but not least toras bulba a movie with yul brenner and tony curtis about the cossaks fighting the poles.

 

[4th Hussar]

Gunga Din, Charge of the Llight Brigade and the 4 Feathers did it for me

 

[ssorc1]

Zulu definitely. Seen it about 100 times to the point that my kids do the Zulu chant. Waterloo with Christopher Plummer. Northwest Passage with Spencer Tracy. They Died With Their Boots On wit Errol Flynn. King of the Khyber Rifles. War & Peace (russian version) amazing battle scenes - a six hour movie though. Recently Last of the Mohicans, Kingdom of Heaven and Gettysburg/Gods & Generals. Time for a movie marathon. Cheers, ssorc1

 

[1879fanatic]

It was great! Unfourtunatley when I was born they didn't tell me anything about 2 hour homework each night and about 3hrs. over the weekend! I'm must say homework should be considered a form of torture! About 3 weeks ago I did over 12 hrs. of homework! I must say I think there should be extra pts. somehow on the forum for playing with your toy soldiers!

Have a Great Weekend and Thanksgiving (even though it's not here they are serving thanksgiving dinner in the cafeteria!)

Vick

No studying makes Vick a dull boy. Study hard and take those AP courses,
West Point here we come! Good luck with the edumacation, Vick!
Mike

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

When I think back about the movies that 'got me started' I would have to list at least these few...

1. Battleground
2. Yellow Ribbon
3. The Longest Day
4. Battle of Britain
5. Zulu

There are plenty of others I can think of, but as a youngster, these were some of my favorites.
Ken

 

[debrito]

I have plenty, even movies that related to eras that I have no interesting like Napoleonic, but I did appreciate very much the movie Master and Commander the Far Side of the World. For the rest I would like to add.

Ancient times
Spartacus
Gladiator
300

Medieval
King Arthur
Kingdom of Heaven

WWI
Joeux Noel
Paschendale

WWII
Enemy at the gates
Downfall
Saving Private Ryan
Guns of Navarone

 

[Carnahan]

Some of my earliest movie memories revolve around The Battle of Britain, as well as Rat Patrol re-runs on Saturday morning. I watched numerous WWII movies on our local station, but the specific titles elude me. Other WWII influence came from comic books, specifically the Haunted Tank and Sgt. Rock. Zulu Dawn got me hooked on the British in Africa, and my interest was bolstered by my uncle, who had hunted Africa in the 70s and introduced me to such books as The Washing of the Spears. I discovered the Boxer Rebellion through 55 Days at Peking. As for the American Revolution and The French-Indian War, interest was generated through my history teachers. For the life of me, I cannot pinpoint the thing that sparked my love for the Napoleonic era - whatever it was occurred in 2004. That was like flipping a switch, though. I even passed up on getting a copy of "Napoleon in Europe" when it first came out (I kicked myself last year when I had to order a copy from Hong Kong!)

 

[Louis Badolato]

The Guns of Naverone, Where Eagles Dare, A Bridge too Far, The Battle of Britain, 12 O'Clock High, Zulu, Zulu Dawn, The Dirty Dozen, Kelly's Heroes, The Devils Brigade, countless episodes of Rat Patrol, Hogans Heroes . . .

 

[DCN1898]

For me as a kid it was
To Hell and Back with Audie Murphy, My dad had a book of Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War to the Korean War. It was chilling as a child to watch To Hell and Back and then read Audie Murphy's citation for the medal in the book.
The Sands of Iwo Jima, I was the only Marine in a career Army family. It was a great John Wayne movie.
And more modern, The Duelists got me interested in the Napoleonic Wars.
Also 12 O'Clock High, 55 Days at Peking, The Warlord, and the 300 Spartans.

 

[Sahara]

I remember every Thrusday night watching "Combat" with my father. While other kids were watching 90210, family ties and growing pains I made sure I had the pop corn ready for Combat.

 

[Stryker II]

SANDS OF IWO JIMA AND HALLS OF MONTEZUMA--none better........Stryker

 

[maddadicus]

As a kid, hardly went to the movies as a family, but grew up on TV's Combat, and Rat Patrol, with Sahara, Zulu ,Waterloo as my all time favorite movies( Bogie's Lee got me started with K/C )..Michael

 

[maddadicus]

SANDS OF IWO JIMA AND HALLS OF MONTEZUMA--none better........Stryker

Had to admit ,that John Wayne getting killed in Sands was a big shocker to me, when I first watched the movie. One of his classics with Searchers and True Grit..Michael