Waterloo movie

[Karl Heidenreich]

Just saw this weekend a movie called Waterloo with Rod Steiger as the evil corsican monster and Christopher Plummer as Wellington (also Orson Welles as a borbonic fat nonsense). Produced by Dino De Laurentis, with a russian director and the armies performed by the damn Red Army. No Ronald Emmerich nor Michael Bay with XXI century CGI but real extras marching a column a couple kilometers long, the "squares" filmed by a helicopter whilst the Napoleonic Cavalry charge fruitless against them. A good movie, quite precise and with black flag prussians at the end! I like it very much.

Best regards,

[RF]

I have seen this film many times, and find the role of Rod Steiger as a complete mis-casting. Also the role of the Prussians and Marshall Blucher is substantially underplayed. Like ''Sink the Bismarck'' this is a film that needs to be redone.

[Bgile]

Just saw this weekend a movie called Waterloo with Rod Steiger as the evil corsican monster and Christopher Plummer as Wellington (also Orson Welles as a borbonic fat nonsense). Produced by Dino De Laurentis, with a russian director and the armies performed by the damn Red Army. No Ronald Emmerich nor Michael Bay with XXI century CGI but real extras marching a column a couple kilometers long, the "squares" filmed by a helicopter whilst the Napoleonic Cavalry charge fruitless against them. A good movie, quite precise and with black flag prussians at the end! I like it very much.

Best regards,

I liked it too. :)

[Karl Heidenreich]

RF:

I do believe that the movie is still good. I would have like better Marlon Brando as Napoleon but Rod Steiger wasn´t that bad. The prussians are not underplayed, maybe just a little. Remember that the movie is a soviet co production and these guys are not what we can call "prussian fans". Last time the junkers decided to play war on Russia some 20 million russian died. The important master shots of the battle, the cavalry charges, the infantry squares, the artillery barrages are very good (very good looking as those of the best US war movie ever: Gettysburg).

But there is something you said that I agree: a lot of the war movies done need remaking: but not by Ronald Emerich nor Michael Bay.


Hey, Bgile:
Have you seen Gettysburg with Martin Sheen and Tom Berenger?

[Bgile]

RF:

I do believe that the movie is still good. I would have like better Marlon Brando as Napoleon but Rod Steiger wasn´t that bad. The prussians are not underplayed, maybe just a little. Remember that the movie is a soviet co production and these guys are not what we can call "prussian fans". Last time the junkers decided to play war on Russia some 20 million russian died. The important master shots of the battle, the cavalry charges, the infantry squares, the artillery barrages are very good (very good looking as those of the best US war movie ever: Gettysburg).

But there is something you said that I agree: a lot of the war movies done need remaking: but not by Ronald Emerich nor Michael Bay.


Hey, Bgile:
Have you seen Gettysburg with Martin Sheen and Tom Berenger?

Oh yes, I own it. I live on the West Coast, but I have walked the fields of Gettysburg three times. There is another one about Fredericksburg, but it isn't as good just because the battle wasn't close to being even, but it does depict the battle pretty well. It's called "Gods and Generals" or something like that.

[tommy303]

I have both Gettysburg and Gods and Generals and like both of them. I thought they were nicely done in most respects from an historical point of view. Waterloo was and is a classic as well. It is interesting that their is a version of the movie in which the Prussian battle at Ligny is shown in more detail instead of incidental shots of Bluecher making the decision to retreat towards Placenoit. It would appear that the longer Russian version of the film preserves the Ligny scenes, while the version released in the UK and USA is shortened.

As far as Rod Steiger goes as Napoleon, I believe he did a good job in the role as did Christopher Plummer as Wellington. Marlon Brando, who had played Napoleon years before, would have been fairly good too, I am sure. Steiger, incidentally, served in destroyers in the Pacific during World War II after having run away from home to join the Navy.

[Karl Heidenreich]

Gettysburg is a Pulitzer Price novel from Jeff Shaara, I have the book and the DVD. Pickett´s Charge is beautifull despicted. For many years I have quite a fascination to Civil War related themes. Gods and Generals is also a book from Jeff´s son, Michael, and the movie is good, but not as good as Gettysburg. I prefer Martin Sheen as Lee and Tom Berenger as Longstreet (the best US General ever) than the other guys of Gods and Generals.
There is another book from Michael Shaara called "Last Full Measure" which address the Civil War from Gettysburg to the ending of the war.

Best regards,

[RF]

RF:

I do believe that the movie is still good. I would have like better Marlon Brando as Napoleon but Rod Steiger wasn´t that bad. The prussians are not underplayed, maybe just a little. Remember that the movie is a soviet co production and these guys are not what we can call "prussian fans".

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it is a bad film. If it were I wouldn't have watched it so many times. But too many of the roles for me are stereotyped just a bit too much.

But its not as good as two films produced by Cy Endberg and filmed on actual location: Zulu, and its prequel, Zulu Dawn. Now those are very good films.

[Gerard Heimann]

Yes, Zulu bears watching many times. Hearing the Zulu chants and war cries still foretells wonderful action not unlike the other movies referred to here, despite telling a tale of a set of smale scale battles. At least small-scale from the perspective of the few defenders of Rorke's Drift!

Speaking of many extras and pre-CGI actual battle formations, the scene in Spartacus when Crassus' (Laurence Oliver) legions are arrayed in their order of battle always brought to mind the might of the Roman Empire and the sad futility of the rebellion.

Silverton

[Karl Heidenreich]

Speaking of many extras and pre-CGI actual battle formations, the scene in Spartacus when Crassus' (Laurence Oliver) legions are arrayed in their order of battle always brought to mind the might of the Roman Empire and the sad futility of the rebellion.

I agree with Gerhard about this movie. Since a child the particular scene of the final battle of Spartacus has fascinated me: Stanley Kubrick´s doing (Dr. Strangelove, Paths of Glory, 2001, Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Shinning, Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, amongst others). Beautifull to see once and again at every available oportunity. The movie is real good despite Kirk Douglass. Olivier does a great job and the way Kubrick potraits it´s bisexual (Crassus´) behaivor in the "oyster and snails" scene is a great work in times of censorship. But the main problem are the expected historical aberrations in the movie, specially in the mentioned battle scene. Anyway, beautifull.

[VeenenbergR]

Karl,

Again I agree on all what you have said about Waterloo (I saw it for 6 times, but then I valuated some scenes were a little bit too stereotyped, others remain very beautiful) or all the Kubrick films......

I personally am a great fan of Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick (all great !), Ridley Scott (the special light!!) and John Boorman.

I personally was most impressed by "Gettysburg and less by "Gods and Generals" (the Southern generals really thought that God was on their side and were very religious man).

The movie I have most played was "Battle of Britain" (12 times?); "Waterloo" (8 times); "Letters from Iwo Jima" (6 times); XXXX Yamato (4 x);
saw all 200 war movies ALL and at least 3 times.....

Yes remembered the last scenes of Spartacus very well, when those legions displayed their terrible might......

Best Roman movie: "Gladiator". The end is so deep moving and sad. Just great!

The "Pianist" of Roman Polanski (Macbeth!) was also moving and very impressive.

Best USA movies also: Gladiator, Spartacus, Gettysburg, Midnight Clear, Letters from Iwo Jima, Hell in the Pacific and Full Metal Jacket
Best Jap movies: " xxx Yamato", "Ran" and "Tora, Tora, Tora",
Best Brit. movies: "Battle of Britain", "Dieppe" and "The pianist"
Best German movies: "Die Brücke", "Stalingrad" and "Das Boot"
Best Dutch movies: "Zwartboek", "De aanslag" and "Charlotte"
Best French movies: "le vieux fusil", "lavende et resada"
Best Russian movies: "The greatest tank battle"

[Bgile]

Unless I'm mistaken, "Tora, Tora, Tora" is a US movie.

I was stationed in Pearl while it was being filmed, and it was really cool seeing all those aircraft overhead every day.

[tommy303]

You are both correct about Tora Tora Tora. It was joint US/Japanese production directed by Richard Fleischer and Kinji Fukasaku.

[Byron Angel]

..... I, for one, did not like Sheen's portrayal of Lee in "Gettysburg". He represented Lee as a simpering effeminate personality with no command presence or charisma. There was a reason the troops called Lee "Uncle Bobby" and IMO Sheen completely failed to put it across on screen.

[RF]

I think this was Sheen being Sheen rather than the person he was supposed to portray......