An epic World War One movie

[NotFadeAway]

When it comes to war cinema, it seems as if the only conflicts that get nods is World War Two, The Vietnam War, the Civil War, and the Revolutionary War. And I understand that, those wars have the most meat on there bones in terms of the reasoning behind the wars, the happenings of the war, the central figures in the war, and the atrocities committed.

World War One isn't the only conflict that gets slighted in cinema and theater, but it is the most important. I understand that it didn't have the political figures, the Atomic Bomb, a villian like Hitler, the pacific conflict, Germany running roughshod, or a President in a wheelchair, but some of the battles should be considered just as historically important, as should the war, and the outcomes of World War One all but directly set the stage for World War Two, which would be a haunting way to end a WW1 feature. And hey, there was genocide during WW1, just ask the Armenians. And with the way the war was fought, one could consider it a grittier fight than WW2.

There are many different routes you could take for a WW1 picture, or television series ala Band of Brothers. The always effective overview film, a feature focusing on trench warfare, the Armenian/Assryain/Pontic Greek genocides, the 100 days offensive, the Rape of Belgium, the Russian Revolution, an overview of the American entry into the war, the Canadian effort during the war, the Southern theatres, U-boats, etc etc. There is plenty of material.

In addition to WW1, I think the Korean War, the Spanish-American War, and the War of 1812 all deserve a movie.

 

[Bunker]

All Quiet on the Western Front is pretty epic for a movie made in the 1930's, but I agree it would be neat to see a modern WWI epic.

 

[NotFadeAway]

All Quiet on the Western Front is pretty epic for a movie made in the 1930's, but I agree it would be neat to see a modern WWI epic.

That was a good movie, and as you mentioned, even more impressive considering when it was made.

 

[Kent]

I recommend Gallipoli, from 1981.

 

[gwynplaine]

Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" is your friend.

 

[Pink Ranger]

We have a number of Canadian-made WW1 films here, as it's a vital part of our history. I encourage everybody to find a copy of Paaschendale and Regeneration.

Another reason that WW1 doesn't make a good movie is that the USA didn't play as big a role in WW1 compared with WW2, Vietnam, Gulf Wars, etc. Hollywood doesn't like non-American stories; for heaven's sake, they tried to make Harry Potter and Wolverine into Americans before they met resistance.

 

[NotFadeAway]

We have a number of Canadian-made WW1 films here, as it's a vital part of our history. I encourage everybody to find a copy of Paaschendale and Regeneration.

Another reason that WW1 doesn't make a good movie is that the USA didn't play as big a role in WW1 compared with WW2, Vietnam, Gulf Wars, etc. Hollywood doesn't like non-American stories; for heaven's sake, they tried to make Harry Potter and Wolverine into Americans before they met resistance.

That America didn't play a big part in WW1 should, in my opinion, help WW1 films be more accurate and better made. There is no need to include American bias, so therefor, an accurate account of what happened.

And I've seen Regeneration, I enjoyed it very much

 

[C. Lee]

FLYBOYS was a good recent WWI movie.

There was an excellent TV version of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT made in the 80's.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Yeah, I saw the tv All Quiet and it was excellent.

Which reminds me they should do another adaption in a Saving Private Ryan sort of thing. But not emulating it. But a very gritty and dirty film.

I always envisioned opening up a WWI film with no man's land, the battle is long passed, smoke, dead bodies. But there is one soldier who lays there who is slowly dying. He crawls and screams in pain, calling out anyone, and he's young. Then a long shot going over the battlefield into the trenches where we reveal the soldiers listening to the dying soldier.

 

[The Guard]

ALL QUIET came to mind instantly. Great movie. Powerful stuff. There aren't too many modern WW1 movies, though. I wonder if it's because the nature of the trench warfare makes it more difficult to craft stories around.

 

[8wid]

I'm surprised Michael Bay didn't tap into the sinking of the Lusitania. He wanted Pearl Harbor to be Titanic, now why not consider that?

I personally want to see a film featuring the military career of the RMS Carpathia during WWI. You know, the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic? It was sunk off the northern coast of Ireland by a German U-boat. Now how many people actually know that fact about the ship?

 

[redhawk23]

I've always thought the same thing.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" is your friend.

I was going to mention that one. The battle scene in the trenches is fantastic.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I thought Flyboys was pretty good and that only came out in 2007 here.

 

[wellsy]

Well, there were plenty of decent naval battles. What about HMAS Sydney's sinking of the Emden?

Anyway, there's the aforementioned Gallipoli, and The Light Horsemen too. Also, wasn't there a big series made in the 80s about ANZAC soldiers? The name escapes me.

But yeah, I reckon there's some pretty good meat for some great stories in WWI.

And let's not forget Joyeux Noel either.

 

[CrimsonMist]

There's a novel by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola(Hellboy), called "Baltimore or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier And The Vampire", which takes place during and shortly thereafter WW1. It's really damn good. It's not really a war movie(it's something similar to Moby Dick, actually) but when the story focuses on WW1 battles, it feels like WW1 within the world of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. It has this heavy German expressionist feel to it. But i think it would make a pretty great movie. The opening chapter, during an attempt to cross No Man's Land is pretty heavy stuff.

There's also a novel by Kim Newman called "The Bloody Red Baron", a sequel to his novel "Anno Dracula", where Dracula buddies up with Tsar Nicholas and leads the Central Powers. He's not the main character though. It's about Germany trying to create an army of undead giant vampire bat fighter pilots and the efforts of the Diogenes Club(from Sherlock Holmes) to thwart them. It's kind of like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in that alot of the characters are taken from films and literature that fit within the specific time period. This too, would make an awesome movie. The dogfights would be spectacular. Good stuff. Check it out.