'Flyboys' WWI Movie

Andy is, of course, no gentleman. I apologise for letting him use the internet when he should be digging up turnips and doffing his cap at passing gentry.

Damien,
I am of course, by my own admission no gentleman.
However, when I talk to you I always quietly say a quiet word of thanks to the almighty that England, not Ireland is the pre-eminent country in the United Kingdom… 🙂 😉 🙂

A.

Andy,

If I appreciated your comments, I am disappointed that a British gentleman would use dirty words even censored.

Also, in “Flyboys”, as in WW1, the Lafayette Escadrille shares the aerodrome with a British squadron. I’m sure that there will be varying opinions on how this is handled….

From a rainy day on the set:

I think the Trailer’s OK.

On the Zepp-sprinter, I think it looks like he’s the Zepp’s dorsal gunner, and that faced with a plane crashing in to his craft, he’s trying to out-race exploding Hydrogen rather than stay at his post.

I’m going to see it, if only to see whether I’m wrong on that one.

On the Americo-Centric theme, these are Americans flying French Planes in a French Squadron, so it’s not starting from the same place that some of the films mentioned in this thread – although if this was a story of the American Airforce there’d be no Eugene Bullard character (Posthumously commissioned into the USAF 33 years after his death).

I’ve always wanted a film of “Combat report” by Bill Lambert DFC – a story that shows the last year of fighting through the eyes of a 24 Sqn Se5a pilot who just happens to be an American. I think it would be a legitimate way of showing a story from an RFC/RAF perspective, but with that American lead that seems to matter so much.

Alternatively – what about mini-series? I remember seeing “Anzacs” on the telly when I was a kid – couldn’t there be an equivalent for WW1 aviators – an adaptation of “Aces and Kings” perhaps?

Seen the trailer and it hasn’t put me off going to see it when it comes out, I’m looking forward to it in fact. To those who see it as those bloody yanks winning the war all by themselves again, I say get over it. That’s always been Hollywoods’ way since 1945’s notorious entry “Objective Burma”, and most recently of course “U571”. It has to remembered that the Hollywood machine make these as entertainment to make lots of money for chiefly American audiences, who in the main know only what they’re told unless they are students of history and knowledgable of the facts.
Neither does it matter to me that it has a plane nose diving into a Zeppelin like something out of an old pulp magazine from the 30s. I’m glad it does.
Lastly, it’s got to be better than bloody “Gunbus”, right!

Yes it was more than a quick grab at a few fortresses.The whole thing except for the evacuation would have been described as a bloody shambles.Mistakes were made and countless souls lost their lives for it.It is past now and hopefully the lessons learned there have not been repeated…much.Not having a go at you Brits for your leadership,for Australian incompetance read up on the Gonna Mission attacks in PNG.How many WW1 planes are left these days,including replicas??

JDK,good to hear about Tolga Ornek receiving an award from Australia.Turkey is pretty much a brother country now to us due to the effort and sincerity they have shown us Australians each ANZAC day at Gallipoli.Gotta remember they share the same sorrow as tens of thousands of them were lost defending their country against the efforts to grab a few fortresses along the coast.And for Maori courage you can,t go past Monte Casino… 😉 I will go and see Flyboys and make up my mind after I have seen it. 😎

Yes, never be in any doubt as to who the real enemies at Gallipoli were…

The Dardanelles campaign was, I believe, more than simply an attempt to grab a few fortresses… If the straits could have been forced, there was nothing standing between the Allies and Constantinople – which was almost ready to fall by itself. An army could have joined with the Russians on the Germans’ eastern flank, robbed them of a valuable ally, opened up the supply chain for Russia and ended the war two years early. Incidentally, the Turkish forces at Gallipoli were all but out of ammunition. Another few days and they might have had to retreat. But there were no doubt some appalling tactical errors mainly down to the standard of senior officers – several had been brought back from retirement because the experienced and battle hardened generals in France could not be spared.

Churchill’s ‘victory within a deliverance’ far better applies to Gallipoli than to Dunkirk: unlike the rest of the campaign, the evacuation was flawlessly run, and there were no further casualties. The allies had gone before the Turks knew they were pulling out.

Before I get too much further off-topic – I will look out for that film, sounds well worth watching.

Well Pete,Tigers in the Mud is a biography of Otto Carius and his time in combat in a Tiger tank during WW2.Damn good read and wish I had the book.Well my fiance is in charge of the finances so good luck in asking her about how much she is worth.. :diablo: ..JDK,good to hear about Tolga Ornek receiving an award from Australia.Turkey is pretty much a brother country now to us due to the effort and sincerity they have shown us Australians each ANZAC day at Gallipoli.Gotta remember they share the same sorrow as tens of thousands of them were lost defending their country against the efforts to grab a few fortresses along the coast.And for Maori courage you can,t go past Monte Casino… 😉 I will go and see Flyboys and make up my mind after I have seen it. 😎

Thats the one 😉 I figured it was a mock up, just wondered if anyone new for sure?

Back to the actual film :rolleyes: Anyone know which DR1 it is down at Manston? As per the pic in FP, is it G-ATMJ or is it a groung rep made for the fim?

The one with the “bullet holes” in it? I thought it was a mock-up?

Back to the actual film :rolleyes: Anyone know which DR1 it is down at Manston? As per the pic in FP, is it G-ATMJ or is it a groung rep made for the film?

“The air circus folded, so I joined the Eagle Squadron” – from the movie.
I think it’s fair to say that he was an American! 😉

That’s the trouble..put a guy on a RAF uniform, flying a Mosquito and he looks English! 😉

I still want to see The Last Drop…. straight to video but lots of Horsa/airborne action – Rob and I were talking about it on forum a while ago – out July I think – Billy Zane and Monoplane An-2 (!) notwithstanding!

http://www.dropthemovie.com/home.asp

TT

Wow forgot about that, will be looking out for it – it’s on amazon as a region 1 dvd, so unless you have a multi-region dvd player or one from the USA, you’re a bit stuck, hope they release it on region 2.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000E6ESTO/qid=1148575350/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/026-5235793-4897210

Edit – oops spoke to soon, found the region 2 dvd, you’re right, out 10th July http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EOTT5O/qid=1148575435/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl/026-5235793-4897210

Who bothered to see ‘Last Noel‘?

If you didn’t, you failed to place a box office vote for a worthwhile film on W.W.I.

James,
did you mean “Joyeux Noel”? If you do, I’ve been trying to get to see this for a while.
I knew about the Turkish film on Gallipoli but again I haven’t yet seen it.
Both will I hope eventually join my DVD collection.

Who’s seen ‘The World’s Fastest Indian‘?

Me, I have, and it’s wonderful.
I’ve wanted to own an Indian for so long that I’ve almost forgotten why. I’m half way there with the HD though but I’d swop it in a blink of an eye for an Indian.
There’s a bloke called Forbes in Edinburgh who actually owns the rights to name and logo, he’ll build you a brand new Indian in-line four.
Sadly, it’s a bit like dealing with Ettore Bugatti, if you have to ask ‘how much’ you can’t afford it.
Andy

I still want to see The Last Drop…. straight to video but lots of Horsa/airborne action – Rob and I were talking about it on forum a while ago – out July I think – Billy Zane and Monoplane An-2 (!) notwithstanding!

http://www.dropthemovie.com/home.asp

TT

C’mon chaps, it’s not worth trashing Ryan because of using Mustangs at the end, more impressive than those camo Harvards in ‘Bridge too Far’.
I always felt that the film ‘Patton’ tends to knock the Brits anyway, I love the film, but there are some embarrasing moments, ie, with reference to Monty, quote, ‘We’re both Prima Donnas, but I’m the only one that knows it.’

Cf. A Bridge Too Far: ‘I wonder who will attack. Montgomery or Patton?’ ‘I would rather face Montgomery.’ ‘Yes, but even Eisenhower isn’t that stupid!’ ‘Ha ha!’

Flyboys may be rubbish, it may not, who knows, we can’t judge it till the film is available, lets leave it at that and report back when the DVD is out, sorry, I prefer lying on the settee watching my widescreen TV with surround sound than going to the local Braintree multiplex with it’s noisy, bellicose population.

I will hope for great things, but not too hard.

C’mon chaps, it’s not worth trashing Ryan because of using Mustangs at the end, more impressive than those camo Harvards in ‘Bridge too Far’.
I always felt that the film ‘Patton’ tends to knock the Brits anyway, I love the film, but there are some embarrasing moments, ie, with reference to Monty, quote, ‘We’re both Prima Donnas, but I’m the only one that knows it.’
Flyboys may be rubbish, it may not, who knows, we can’t judge it till the film is available, lets leave it at that and report back when the DVD is out, sorry, I prefer lying on the settee watching my widescreen TV with surround sound than going to the local Braintree multiplex with it’s noisy, bellicose population.

[QUOTE=J Boyle]

No, Cliff Robertson played a Canadian or at least an American in the RCAF…I don’t think they ever really say which.

You missed my point, expecting Brits in a film about an American unit makes about as much sense as having a token American in “Reach for the Sky”….
(how about one as Bader’s long-lost American half-brother…) 😀

Your point is a fair one, in the extremely narrow terms in which you set it. I do not expect Brits in a film about an American unit, but I do expect recognition of the other nations that were involved in whichever particular part of the war. Things are rarely simple in wartime – to stick to the example of Saving Private Ryan, not showing the RAF providing air cover is more or less changing history. And did the film about Patton show Fighter Command Typhoons bailing him out of a tight spot when he’s overreached his supply lines?

I don’t want token Brits, I want fair representation!

No, Cliff Robertson played a Canadian or at least an American in the RCAF…I don’t think they ever really say which.

“The air circus folded, so I joined the Eagle Squadron” – from the movie.

I think it’s fair to say that he was an American! 😉

[QUOTE=XN923]

As I recall the main character in 633 Squadron was American.

No, Cliff Robertson played a Canadian or at least an American in the RCAF…I don’t think they ever really say which.

You missed my point, expecting Brits in a film about an American unit makes about as much sense as having a token American in “Reach for the Sky”….
(how about one as Bader’s long-lost American half-brother…) 😀