Your Favorite War Movies?

[Boone]

There are so many great ones.

I'm not going to try to list all of mine - because I know you'll name many of them. But I'll throw out a few to get things started:

Mister Roberts - Not your traditional war movie, but a classic nonetheless. If you're ever looking for a little motivation/inspiration, this will likely do the trick for you.

Tora, Tora, Tora - A classic. Like watching history unfold - this one gives you the feeling you're watching the real thing unfold.

Saving Private Ryan - of all the modern war films, this one is probably the one that stands out for me. Unlike some of its competitors (Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket) it's less about making a political statement than it is about the awful terribleness of war. The opening beach landing scene is probably one of the best-shot sequences in movie history.

Let's hear some of your favorites....

 

[Neophyte]

Patton - Brilliant job by one of the all time great actors, George C Scott.

M*A*S*H - Need I say more?

 

[Burgundy Burner]

The Guns of Navarone
Ice Station Zebra
Where Eagles Dare
Force 10 From Navarone

Extra points if you can figure out the connection in each movie.

However, there are many war movies and documentaries that I really like - too many to list.

 

[Elephant]

I know it's not a "movie" in the traditional sense, but Band of Brothers is my favorite of all time. Nothing else comes close. I like Saving Private Ryan for the reason Boone touched upon, the opening scene. Great movie making!

As for war movies, the Big Red One was always a favorite. Kelly's Heroes rates up there. But my favorite war "movie" is probably Capt. Corelli's Mandolin.

Just kidding guys, few movies have ever moved me as much as Schindler's List. It is not the type of movie one enjoys, but it is my favorite because it accurately depicts the horrors of WWII without being quite as graphic as Saving Private Ryan. Quality!

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I've always had a soft spot for Hamburger Hill, El already mentioned Schindler's along with the others mentioned as well.

 

[servumtuum]

I think I'm a bit older than most here so my list will have some older movies on it.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo-very realistic portrayal of Lt. Col. James Doolittle's bombing of Tokyo during WWII. Director Mervyn LeRoy mixed actual combat footage in so seamlessly the movie won an Academy Award for special effects.

A Walk In The Sun-similarly realistic portrayal of one episode of the battle of Anzio, Italy as a group of GIs have to assault a Nazi-held and heavily defended farmhouse. Their fear is palpable as is the nature of war to be extended periods of not much happening to sudden violent chaos

To Hell and Back-unique film. Decorated Medal-of-Honor winner actor Audie Murphy plays himself in a movie about his wartime experiences.

The Longest Day-until Saving Private Ryan it was the Hollywood Normandy invasion movie. The cast alone makes it a must watch-John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery, and Robert Ryan.


Glory-almost closer to a historical documentary than a movie-which is why I especially like it. My favorite Civil War movie.

Saving Private Ryan-the best WWII movie I've ever seen, for the same reason. Very realistic. Utterly believable characters-excellent portrayal of the chaos that is war. I enjoyed the entire movie from the beach scene all the way through.

One more, and I have no real idea why I like it so much.

Go Tell The Spartans-Burt Lancaster, Craig Wason, Jonathan Goldsmih. Early Vietnam era when our involvement was "military advisors". Interesting mixture of chaos, the unpredicability of guerrilla warfare, the drudgery of war, interspersed with occasional comic relief. Very well done movie, IMO.

 

[Dreamingwolf]

out of the box "The outlaw Josey Wales". This was a soldier who was on the losing side of the war and tried to put it behind him, but the war wouldnt leave him and he put the what for to them while trying to put it behind him. Great movie.

Inside the box without question Patton. I love in that movie how they depict how the germans paid such attention to him, maybe true maybe not but it makes sense.

Dr. Strangelove or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb. Ok maybe some can claim this is not a war movie, but really it is. There is war 100% in that movie, arround every corner. Everything is a battle in that movie, even when Mandrake needed to call the White House from a telephone booth it was a battle and its all based in War.

Out of the box ... Red Dawn(the original). One of my all time favorites, and one people like to dismiss as a crap movie. This movie was so awesome to me, that when I was playing little league football I was able to convince my team to call themselves the wolverines and we crushed that year. I really really liked that movie.

Back in the box The Great Raid. I really liked the story of this, and I was glad to see it.

 

[Boone]

Here's an 'out of the box' one for you. Probably the most obscure Eastwood film ever - 'The Beguiled'. Great movie, only peripherally war-themed.

 

[Nobody]

Full Metal Jacket
Heartbreak Ridge
Apocalypse Now
Glory
Platoon
We Were Soldiers

In that order. I liked Saving Private Ryan, I just have no desire to ever watch it again. Something about it just didn't do it for me like thee films did.

 

[Miles Monroe]

IN no special order.

The Devils Brigade.

Battleground.

Gettysburg.

Glory.

Sands of Iwo Jima.

Midway.

Kelly's Heros.

Story of GI Joe.

Flags of our fathers.

Bridge on the river Kwai.

The great raid.

Apocalypse now.

The Great Escape.

Schindler's List.

Full Metal Jacket.

 

[riggins44]

The Longest Day will always be my #1. I love the fact the Germans spoke german. I wonder how good this movie could have been if produced with today's technology?

Like others, movies like Patton, Midway, the Great Escape, Bridge Over River Kwai, Guns of Navarone, and Saving Private Ryan are just a few of some great war films.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

The only movie I haven't seen listed that I'm a huge fan of is Blackhawk Down. I'm a huge fan of Saving Private Ryan, Bridge Over the River Kwai, Platoon, and if it counts, Braveheart.

 

[Skinzfan]

Here are some of mine that come to mind:

300 - This is Sparta!
The Green Berets
The Sands of Iwo Jima
Das Boot - The other side of the coin.
Midway
Patton
Battle of Britain
From Here to Eternity
The Alamo (I must have a John Wayne fettish or something)
The Night of the Generals (Peter O'Toole; if you have never seen it you should)
The Dirty Dozen
The Devils Brigade
Stalag 17 (The movie that sparked Hogans Heros)
Murphys War
The Great Escape
Kellys Heros
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

These are just the ones off the top of my head.

 

[Miles Monroe]

Dirty Dozen..I named my dog after Charles Bronson

Charles, or Bronson ?

 

[Miles Monroe]

I don't know why, but I always exclude one of my all time favorite movies, which happens to actually be a war flick.

Lawrence Of Arabia....

The man, the story, the cinematography. It must have been amazing on the big screen.

 

[China]

So many...

Bridge over the River Kwai
Mr. Roberts
The Dirty Dozen
Patton
Battle of the Bulge

Here's one I haven't seen listed yet: Hell in the Pacific

Edit: I noticed all the ones I listed were from WWII. I also like The Boys from Company C, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket from the Vietnam War, I can't think of much in the way of good WWI movies except All Quiet on the Western Front, unless you count The African Queen. I'll take MASH for the Korean War.

 

[RedskinfaninOC]

300 Spartans (whatever the title of the movie). Great lesson on what a few can do against overwhelming odds. To bad Greece has forgotten.

Midway

In Harm's Way

 

[RedskinfaninOC]

I also like:

Patton

The Longest Day