10 Desert Island War Films

[MarshalNey]

Pity about the Scots Greys missing out D'Erlon Corps and charging the guns.

[grizzlymc]

I was going to bring up the way ahead about No 5, didn't think about the Dambusters. Coward's performance in in which we think was superb, but Mountbatten was such a twat I can never watch it without my skin crawling.

[Essex Boy]

Waterloo has to be the No 1.

No 2 for me, Waterloo is excellent and I now fancy seeing it again, but there’s only one No.1 and I think we all know what it is.

Tease

[Zenbadger]

Not keen on Waterloo or war films in general but a few of my favourites are

Cromwell
Where Eagles Dare
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Spartacus
Kingdom of Heaven
Starship troopers
633 Squadron

[levied troop]

Waterloo has to be the No 1.

No 2 for me, Waterloo is excellent and I now fancy seeing it again, but there’s only one No.1 and I think we all know what it is.

Tease

What else could it be:



Almost every line is a well-known quote:
"Death awaits you! You have made a covenant with death and with Hell you are in agreement! You're all going to die! Don't you realize? Can't you see? You're all going to die! "

[Shahbahraz]

Hey, if he can squeeze in Starship Troopers, I still think Aliens is right up there...

More conventionally, The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, Where Eagles Dare, Ice Cold in Alex, The Battle of Britain, Zulu, Battle of Algiers, Full Metal Jacket, Spartacus, and I can't split, Battle of the River Plate, Cross of Iron, Kelly's Heroes, Sink the Bismarck, Das Boot, Dambusters, The Eagle has Landed, and Mongol. I want to include one on Greasy Grass, but there have been some epic fails so far.

Looking at the oeuvre, it's notable just how few movies cover anything but an anglo-centric view of the last 100 years.

[Zenbadger]

War films tend to be a very "anglo" thing, there are few made in non-european cultures. I lived in Sri Lanka for a while and despite having a very long and interesting martial history, almost every historical film was a political or religious themed romance. Same for Nepal and North Africa. I think Britain and the US have had very few wars fought on their home ground so tend to have a more heroic romanticised idea of the whole thing.

[Essex Boy]

Ah yes, Zulu. Splendid film.

The Horse Soldiers for me though.

[FreddBloggs]

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Damn I forgot Battle of Algiers and Kelly's heroes when doing this.

It is not just that English speaking films are anglo centric, until the internet finding out about anyone elses films of any kind was a lottery if they were not a big name director.

And Indians do some great war epics, but in huge multipart series.

[goat major]

Most of my obvious ones are above.

I'll go against the trend. Waterloo is great. For all it's flaws it attempts to tell the story of a battle rather than some made up hero quest or love interest.

Bridge Too Far - a film about a complete operation. Probably the best military operational film - even if you argue with some of its takes on what happened

Dambusters - not just a war film (great at that though it is). Its a story of problem solving, dedication, leadership and bringing teams together to achieve a perceived impossible mission. Almost a metaphor for the British war effort.

Lawrence of Arabia. Just because it looks amazing