Friday 18 June 2021

One Film challenge

 Which film has had the most influence on your wargaming?

27 comments:

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    1. Great film though I prefer Gods and Generals.

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  2. Going way, way back to my childhood; my cousin and I saw the Disney 'Davy Crocett' (yes I did have the hat, and photos to prove it). The final asault on the Alamo and Crocket on the stair fighting of Mexicans is in my mind to this day. On our return home my cousin and I reenacted this scene using the top of Grandad's manure heap. He kept pigs and it consisted mainly of pig poo, so we were not welcomed back in the house without a good wash in the yard!
    While on the subject of Disney. I remember a film about the horse that survived Little Big Horn but cannot remember the title. I thought it was 'Commanche' but the IMDB listing is a different film. I remember that the hero(?) the horses owner, seemed to get shot and stagger back up half a dozen times before succumbing.

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  3. Back in the early 1980s it was 'ZULU'.

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  4. So many... Waterloo.. Last of the Mohicans (Day Lewis version).. The Patriot (rubbish history but what pictures!)...

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    1. I do like Last of the, it is a brilliant film.

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  5. Probably "Cromwell" although "The 300 Spartans" (1962) is a close second....

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  6. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968). Started a life long fascination with the Crimean War and my oldest wargame army.

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  7. When I was at school - Waterloo, my dad took me to see it. Also Cromwell sparked my interest in ECW.

    A film that got me interested in Polish Winged Hussars etc was - 1612.

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    1. Great choices. 1612 is one of my favourites.

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  8. It's a tie, Waterloo and Cross of Iron

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  9. Being taken to see Waterloo when I was about 8 probably really kept alive that little boy interest in soldiers. They really did wear brightly coloured uniforms like in the book of fairy tales I’d had when I was younger.

    Honourable mentions for a Bridge Too Far, Zulu, the Longest Day, and latterly Unknown Soldier. Oh and the 300 Spartans is an excellent call by Neil.

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  10. Oh, very much Zulu. But also Captain Horatio Hornblower for 18th century naval gaming.

    My group leaves appropriate films running in the background when we play.

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    1. Great films. Not Master and Commander? I loved it!

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  11. My father took me to see "Waterloo" when I was about 7-8 and I never forgot it! I already loved toy soldiers but this film hooked me for the rest of my life!

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    1. My Dad took me to Zulu, had the same result.

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  12. Hard to choose from the raft of westerns and 50s/60s war films and Battle Victor comics etc, the Zulu, Waterloo films mentioned.

    Probably 'A Bridge Too Far' from its plan of ops beginning, suggested flaws before the gliders launch, its series of plucky little character vignettes, unlucky blunders, plucky heroism, independent individual skirmish actions and IGO YUGO-ness (now the Allied side, now the German side).

    Obviously the same could be said of the Longest Day and Battle of the Bulge movies, all a bit mashed together in my head.

    This hppaned roughly around the same time as finding Donald Featherstone's Airborne Wargaming book from the library.

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  13. None at all. There are a number of films I've enjoyed but I can't say any have influenced a wargame. Perhaps wargaming has influenced my film choices.
    I guess I could make an honourable mention for Zulu. I think it was the second film I saw at the cinema and just about everything else since has been a disappointment one way or another.
    As for Waterloo our wargame group of school boys boycotted it unseen for its inaccuracies e.g. the missing D'Erlon's attack. It was only perhaps 20 years later I saw it and enjoyed it - chiefly for some of the dialogue. It's probably another 20 years or so since I watched it. I do however still have the booklet that accompanied the original release!
    My favourite military film now has to be The Duellists.
    Stephen

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  14. The Duellists is my favourite, a glorious film.

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  15. "Waterloo" when it came out, but in the last ten years I have grown to appreciate "Barry Lyndon". When I retired from work and returned back to 25mm soldiers, I chose mid-18th century over Napoleonics.

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