WWI in the Movies
I don't know if this is the proper forum, but the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. and the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia will be having a World War I film festival for the rest of this year. One film per month. Details can be found here: https://airandspace.si.edu/event-ser...r-i-big-screen
Worth noting. Thanks for the post.
Some good ones in that list Robert but missing "Aces High" which certainly deserves to be included.
Nice to see a Museum using Movies to promote WW1 History.
I had a real bad experience trying to see Aces High at a commercial theater when I was in grad school. All 15 members of the audience stormed out when the theater reloaded the first reel of the film rather than the last reel. I had to wait several years before it was shown at the NASM in D.C.Originally Posted by gully_raker
Nice to see a Museum using Movies to promote WW1 History.
Seeing a normal 35mm film on the 70mm Imax screen is something different.
Is there a list compiling all the WW1 movies?
I'm sure it's come up before if you search the forum.
I'm still waiting for that perfect WWI aviation film (if no one else makes it, maybe I will) - all the films on this list are meritorious in one way or another but also flawed.
That being said, looking at that list I became aware for the first time of The Millionaires' Unit documentary (apparently still unreleased), which looks AMAZING.
So what you can imagine as perfect WWI aviation film? For me it is Aces High, for example - strong story.
Ah, well, you caught me - I haven't actually seen Aces High! So maybe that's my problem. I just looked it up and remembered that it's based on the play Journey's End - which I saw performed at the US National World War I museum a few years back and was blown away by. Honestly it was one of the best theatrical performances I've ever seen. So if the film is anything like the play, but with planes, you're probably right.
Still, Aces High came out in the 70s, and there have been so many technological advances in filmmaking since then. Aces High sounds like it really nails the narrative and plot, but for me the perfect WWI film would feature several dogfights shot in modern high-def with a bunch of authentic reproductions like the Vintage Aviator birds.
I think I understand. For me, Red Baron had this perspective, but it was obviously under the line with it's budget. Pity that, but never mind. Hard to say which one could be the best.
Anyway, I like Aces High more than Blue Max. From WWII I like two Czech movies: Riders in the Sky and Dark Blue World. Both about Czechs in RAF VR. But...this is another story...
As well as "Wings"... a movie my father-in-law shared with me about 10 years ago that I only recently got a copy of.
Nice to see a Museum using Movies to promote WW1 History.
One of the great things about "Aces High" is they were using real aircraft not the terrible CGI stuff in Flyboys & the Red Baron movie.
The Errol Flynn/David Niven "Dawn Patrol" is another one I like.
Aces High is definitely top 5
The Errol Flynn/David Niven "Dawn Patrol" is another one I like.
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
I recently read The Blue Max having seen the film many years ago. I have just watched the film again and found myself quite disappointed that the film was so different from the book. Especially the ending!
Yes Reg, I totally agree!
The ending in the book was just perfect for Stachels character.
Did you know the author wrote 2 more books with the on going story of Stachel during the Nazi era & he eventually fell out of love for Goring & the other Nazi's.
Hard to find & they cost lots of $$$$'s
Hi Barry
No I didn't know about the other follow up novels. I shall have to keep an eye out for them.
I found several copies of The Blood Order on abebooks.com for less than $4.00 (not including postage). What is the title of the third book in the series?
Found it. http://www.jackhunter.com/books.htm says the third book is titled, "The Tin Cravat".
Dawn Patrol is my favorite also.
The Errol Flynn/David Niven "Dawn Patrol" is another one I like.
I just watched Aces High after reading this thread and it was pretty good. I don't think it's the perfect WWI aviation film (I don't think such a film exists yet) but it was pretty good.
Flynn and Niven were great friends and drinking pals. Of Flynn, Niven once said: "The great thing about Errol is that you always knew where you were with him… he'd always let you down!"
The Errol Flynn/David Niven "Dawn Patrol" is another one I like.
Barry
The 'German' aircraft weren't really German but the Stampe to SE5a conversions were quite convincing. The rest were converted back but one remains in that configuration and is listed as an 'SV5a'.
For what it's worth, if my memory serves me correctly, I believe there was a real Fokker Eindekker buzzing around in that movie ... painted bright red of course. Granted, not the plane that should have been competing with "SE5a"s (again, what would the audience know ... I think it was probably due to what looked like a limited budget), but pretty at least it was darn German looking (LOL)!
Beyond those anomalies, I thought it was a rather good movie overall.
Indeed! I had forgotten the Eindekker.
However, if you remember, this rotary-engined Eindekker was shot in the oil sump and started pouring oil through the bullet holes. Rotary engines don't have oil sumps, the lubricant is castor oil and is fed in mixed with the petrol rather like a two-stroke engine.
They use actual planes & the fight scenes are great & the story as you know is quite "dark" but it almost fits Bloody April very well.
Ah, yes ... and what was I saying about anomalies?
Spot the air-to-air action bits they nicked from "The Blue Max"!
They use actual planes & the fight scenes are great & the story as you know is quite "dark" but it almost fits Bloody April very well.
I watched these two films back to back, and the scenes jumped out at me.
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
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