Valkyrie – trailer online

Maybe they are relaxing the media rules in certain cases.

Ask David Irving about his Austrian experience. Where it matters, they aren’t.

Re the swastika on the tails of German aircraft, I was at an air display at Aschaffenburg in the early 80s when A Ju-52 (Doug Arnold’s ?) arrived with the “hakenkreutz” on the tail. It was noticeable that a discreet amount of heel-clicking and stiffening of the right arm went on.

As an aside, I understand that ‘Allo ‘Allo is now shown in Germany and incredibly popular to boot – there’s stiff right arms and heel clicking aplenty therein.

If you edited all that out each episode would be about 3 minutes long – all Madame Edith singing and Yvette flashing her lovelies.

Maybe they are relaxing the media rules in certain cases.

Slightly off – topic I know but I was impressed by the German Panzer IV tanks in the strafing sequence.

There are a few MkIV panzers getting around.Maybe part of the recently late Jaques Littlefield collection.

Ah yes, the IMDB boards, where all the experts hang out! :rolleyes:

I just had a look at IMDB and noticed that in the “goofs” section for “Valkyrie” someone has said that a Spanish – built Messerschmitt is called a CASA! As we all know the correct name is the Hispano Buchon. Slightly off – topic I know but I was impressed by the German Panzer IV tanks in the strafing sequence. I presume they were replicas created using the running gear of another type of tank as is the norm in the film industry?

Colin

For what it’s worth, it got fairly good reviews in the U.S. and did okay at the box office (though I’ve read not enough to make a profit).
In other words, it wasn’t a total disaster for Cruise & Co.

You’re right Daz, one of the ‘109’s’ does have a Merlin, I presume too many DB Bf’s were indisposed with damage following the numerous recent landing incidents over in the European mainland, I’ll be interested to see how many people turn up to see the film at the Braintree Multiplex over the weekend, I’ll have to negotiate with my youth to come with me.

Re the swastika on the tails of German aircraft, I was at an air display at Aschaffenburg in the early 80s when A Ju-52 (Doug Arnold’s ?) arrived with the “hakenkreutz” on the tail. It was noticeable that a discreet amount of heel-clicking and stiffening of the right arm went on.

I did see something on WIX about the P-40 used – along with a photo of the plane in question (bearing RAF marks – so don’t think they were specially applied for the film).

The two ‘109s involved are, I’m presuming, Tom Blair’s Buchon (yes, with Merlin engine – you can see it in one shot) and MBB’s D-FMBB (Bf109G-6 conversion).

I believe Bf108/Nord 1002 G-ETME is in a few scenes, as well as possibly the Lufthansa ‘108, D-EBEI.

It’s out this Friday, folks! I plan on seeing it ASAP!

While watching an episode of Channel 5’s excellent documentary ‘Warzone’ last night we were constantly harrased by adverts for this forthcoming film, this has been going on few a few weeks now, which has led to me ranting and raving about the typical Hollywood crassness of casting Tom Cruise as Von Stauffenberg, obviously in order to put backsides on seats in the USA, however…….
I went on to IMDB to find out more and watching the trailers, various interviews and reading the user comments made me sit up a bit.
Firstly the aircraft. I gather the film starts off with Stauffenberg getting wounded while serving with the Africa Corps. This scene was shot in the Mojave Desert, California and from what I read, it was intended to use CGI aircraft but they found it cheaper to use the real thing, a couple of P-40’s, from Chino no doubt. The producer states that Stauffenberg was actually shot up by RAF Spitfires, is this true, who knows, the P-40’s look the business anyway and are more likely to have been the type of aircraft used, or perhaps Hurricanes, but who cares, it looks pretty good.
The two Bf-109’s, apparently Hitlers Tante Ju escorts, are not Buchons with merlins, they have DB engines, there are still photo’s of them in the hangar, they look superb, fish around and you can find footage of them close escorting two Ju52’s.
The Junkers 52’s appear to have been CGI developed in order to show vast numbers of them, I reckon though that there are at least two or maybe three actual fliers, Hitlers personal aircraft is marked up as D-2600, it’s in silver finish and could well be our familiar Lufthanse pal, any one know.
I gather that special permission was obtained to fly these aircraft over Germany with swastikas on their tails, not entirely appreciated by the German PC brigade though.
The cast of the film looks superb, Branagh, Nighy, Wilkinson et al, what is interesting is the casting of Cruise. Apparently the Germans objected to it on the grounds that he is a Scientologist, considered to be a cult in Germany, this caused them to initially refuse any filming to be done over there, but presumably the alternatives of filming in Eastern Europe and the subsequent loss of revenue caused them to change their minds.
The family of Stauffenberg have also objected on the grounds that Cruise wasn’t noble enough in bearing to represent their honourable ancestor, may be so, but apart from stature, their profiles do bear an uncanny likeness.
The American distributors are worried too, films on European history with a Euro cast to match ain’t the US publics cup of tea, fair enough, but it did take £73m dollars in the first week and all the US based user comments I’ve read are generally more than positive about the film.
Personally, I don’t dislike Cruise in the genre to which he is suited, we’ll have to see for ourselves what he’s like in this film, after all lets not forget that one of the roles of a Nazi general is played by a British, transvestite, stand up comedian, now who would have thought that that our Eddie was suited to that.
It looks good, lets give it a chance.
By the way, to answer a previous comment, I gather that everyone talks their own way without resulting to guttural ‘German Speak’, is that a problem, would Hollywood finance a film on this scale with German actors, unlikely, it’s the way of things I’m afraid, but lets not complain about the film until we’ve seen it.

Cheers for that info, was just about to look for the release date myself.:)

The film opens here in the UK on 23rd January.

Cannot wait!

Who is playing Hitler seen at 2.29?

David Bamber, according to the IMDB.

mrjake2002 asked

Am I right in thinking it is illegal for German aircraft to have the swastika painted on them?

It is if they have a German CofA. Peter Holloway can fly his beswastika’d fleet into Germany no problems now they are UK registered but not when they were registered D-xxxx.
Odd but true.
Hope it helps,
Be lucky
David

Who is playing Hitler seen at 2.29?

Eddie Izzard reminds me of Gerald Campion as Billy Bunter….

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/features/images/childrens50s_bunter_gal.jpg

Valkyrie featurette

Oooooooooh! *drools*

I know they even had Swastikas flying out side the Air Ministry building in Berlin for the filming,

Nine British actors in the supporting cast. Might make it bearable given the lead actor. :dev2:

And British actors pretending to be German will improve the film in what way?
As opposed to real Germans…(or even Canadians, Americans, Australians , Austrians etc, etc.)
Perhaps the film would be even better with Spitfires pretending to be Bf-109s? …:diablo:

When I was in Germany in November 2007, I visited one of the surviving work camps around Berlin (can’t remember the name right now but will look it up). The tour guide said that several months before, a few scenes of Valkyrie were shot there thanks to an undisclosed and large personal donation to the site from Tom Cruise. He also insisted on a minutes silence before filming there apparently.

Am I right in thinking it is illegal for German aircraft to have the swastika painted on them?