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View Full Version : What are your favorite historical films?


Criminal
03-25-2002, 11:36 PM
I mostly like war movies, kind of ironic because I am a pacifist. All the same I found some really good ones. I have not seen Blackhawk down. I'm waiting for it to come out on video.

OK than here is my list:
1) Das Boot (or The Boot in English). Still the best war movie of all time. Some tense action. Shows a side of the war that most americans are completely unaware of.
2) Great Escape: excellent action flick about an escape from a POW camp. Best scene is Steve McQueen jumping barbed wire fences on a motor cycle. This movie is a classic.
3) Schindlers List: One of the most moving accounts of the genocide of Jews in Occupied Poland. Its central character is Oscar Schindler, who saved over a thousand jews from slaughter.
4) Ghandi: A tribute to one of the greatest leaders of all time.
5) Braveheart: Based on a true story though historically inaccurate. Still great action. Mel Gibson's performance is a testimony to the human spirit.
6) Sparticus. Another movie about an ill fated rebel. This time in ancient Rome. Kirk Douglas has a gripping role in this Gladeator flick.
7) Platoon, The Vietnam war as seen through the eyes of a field soldier. Oliver Stone's best film.
8) Breaker Morant: An obscure film but truely one of the best. True story about the leader of a group of Australians in the Boer War who was put on trial for atrocities in a brutal gurella war. This movie is said to have been a metaphore for the war in Vietnam.
9) Gallipoli: Another Australian anti war film. Focuses in on the ill fated Dardenelles campaign in WW 1. Stars the then unknown Mel Gibson.
10) Dances With Wolves: A new look at an old subject. Cavelry Officer Kevin Kostner is sent to a remote fort and befriends the local Souix tribesmen.

There are many others but I think this list is a good start.

Manu
03-26-2002, 12:22 AM
I haven't seen to many historical films..though I guess I've seen the 'greats' as I've seen half or more of your list...

Out of your list I think my favorite was Sparticus followed by Ghandi, with Schindlers List a close 3rd.

CodyChaos
03-26-2002, 01:39 AM
Hmm lets see:

Tombstone
Patton
The Great White Hope
Operation Market Garden
The Alamo
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Killing Fields
The Cotton Club
Glory
Gettysburg

NaanIsBread
03-26-2002, 01:59 AM
Let me just throw in Dr. Strangelove - kind of a thin line between fiction and non-fiction. So great that you mentioned Patton - I'm a big fan of George C. Scott. And hey, I went on imdb; seems like he lived in Westlake Village?

buggy
03-26-2002, 02:01 AM
Everyone that you've named, Criminal, except 8-9, I have not seen them.

I will also toss in the following:
Papillon
And The Band Played On
Eight Men Out
Full Metal Jacket
Apocalypse Now
Blackhawk Down

I am on 3 hours sleep... so I am pretty sure I missed a bunch. I dig the ones CodyChaos has mentioned as well, except for maybe 3 that I have not seen.

Cynic
03-26-2002, 07:18 AM
1)Schindler's list -- possibly the greatest fim ever made.

2)Desert Fox -- anyone else seen it? about Erwin Rommel.

3) the Great Escape -- interesting contrast between American and British attitudes.

Kahani
03-26-2002, 12:57 PM
1) Doctor Zhivago ( I can't even count the number of times I've watched this)
2) Gandhi
3) Schindler's List (although technically i haven't seen the whole thing, just the last half, it was still damn good)

RedLine99
03-26-2002, 01:10 PM
Tora Tora Tora...only because it's on every year:D Next thing you know we're going to have Private Ryan every June 4. I thought The Messenger did an interesting job on the Joan D'arc thing.

Blackhawk Down was kinda disappointing since I had seen the PBS docu on it. It also didn't get me "into" as much as some of the types of things I've personally experienced eventhough I am an ex air cav guy.

The 'Nam pics all have a piece of realism to them, even Apocalypse Now.

Criminal
03-27-2002, 06:11 PM
I might add one more since, though it was a sport film it was also historical...
Chariots of Fire. Now that was one hell of an inspirational movie. I cant watch it without getting tears in my eyes!

PissyPrincess
03-27-2002, 06:34 PM
Scheindler's List is my favorite Historical movie, for some reason I have this tendency to watch holocaust movies

CodyChaos
03-27-2002, 07:13 PM
Oh you know whats a brutal movie is that one about either Argentina or Chile I think where its tht family and they have the coup and they kill the dad by tying himto a tree outside in the snow and hosing him with water till he freezes to death. Shit whats it called its a foreign film...

Redfield
03-27-2002, 10:56 PM
Apocalypse Now
Thirteen Days (frikkin' awesome)
Mississippi Burning

There are other movies that are on this list, but most of you guys have already posted them.

Shogun
03-27-2002, 11:08 PM
Originally posted by Redfield1533

Apocalypse Now
Thirteen Days (frikkin' awesome)
Mississippi Burning

There are other movies that are on this list, but most of you guys have already posted them.

I beg to differ Reddy. Thirteen Days was like 13th on my list. I didn't think the movie adaptation was up to par. As far as Miss. Burning, racism in my opinion, is something that one should not revel over.:D

Kraw
04-04-2002, 08:53 PM
Blazing Saddles and The god's Must Be Crazy

86Dude
04-05-2002, 10:44 AM
Saving Private Ryan
Band Of Brothers
Glory
Schindlers List
The Color Purple
American Graffitti
Das Boot
Full Metal Jacket
Blackhawk down

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