Are there any foreign military or war films you found compelling?

MAJ Keira Brennan — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:43:58 -0400

Response by MAJ Keira Brennan made Mar 18 at 2015 6:45 PM

MAJ Keira Brennan — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:45:19 -0400

American cinema has unquestionably produced some of the greatest Military and War films to date (Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Sgt. York and so many others). But how about foreign films? Outside of some well know foreign films such as Das Boot (1981) and Bravo 20 (1999) are there any foreign military or war films you found compelling? (British included).

I enjoyed Der Untergang / “Downfall” (2004) about the last days of the 3rd Reich, Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War (2005) about the Korean War and Seven Samurai (1957) about the Ronin – or leaderless Samurai. The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006) about the Irish Civil War is a favorite.

What do you recommend – or stay away from?

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 18 at 2015 6:51 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:51:31 -0400

I will have to think on this, but I think that "Ip man" fits this mold as it takes place during the Sino-Japanese war. Can also be seen as a kung fu film, but I love the approach of his warrior spirit.

If you take all forms of film then "Grave of the Fireflies" from Japan is a great example of the terrible outcomes of war.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 18 at 2015 7:54 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 19:54:15 -0400

Das Boot (1981)

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 9:13 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 21:13:04 -0400

Seven samurai. A classic that got imported to the US as the magnificent seven.

The Samurai trilogy. Follows Miyamoto Musahashi's (Author of the Five Rings, the Japanese equivalent to Sun Tzu Art of War) life in the years leading up to the Sengoku Jidai (Age of the Country at War) period.

I haven't found any good movies about China's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but the literature from that era is amazing.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 9:27 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 21:27:53 -0400

El Alamein was really good.

Response by Sgt Matt Pinardi made Mar 18 at 2015 9:41 PM

Sgt Matt Pinardi — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 21:41:25 -0400

I second Das Boot; it was compelling. It captured the hopelessness and deprivation of being on a U Boat...you could almost smell the squalor experienced on the submarine. If I were to chose a second it would be Bravo 2 Zero.

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Mar 18 at 2015 10:19 PM

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:19:38 -0400

Grand Illusion. Said it all.

(And I should remember not to try the Von Rauffenstein Maneuver with anything larger than a shot glass.)

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 10:24 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:24:48 -0400

Age of Heroes
About the real life Commando unit created by Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond)

The British Commandos inspired William O Darby to found the Rangers

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt1590950/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Heroes_(film)

You disagree go to hell. Because if you haven't been there.
Great movie.

Age of Heroes (2011)

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 10:27 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:27:19 -0400

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt1590950/

Response by SPC Andrew Smith made Mar 18 at 2015 10:44 PM

SPC Andrew Smith — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 22:44:59 -0400

The feature films I would recommend have already been mentioned, but if anyone is looking for a good foreign war documentary, I suggest watching Armadillo - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640680/ - it follows a Danish Army unit through its deployment to Afghanistan.

Armadillo (2010)

Directed by Janus Metz Pedersen. In February of 2009, a group of Danish soldiers accompanied by documentarian Janus Metz arrived at Armadillo, an army base in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Metz and cinematographer Lars Skree spent six months following the lives of young soldiers situated less than a kilometre from Taliban positions. The result of their work is a gripping and highly authentic war drama that was justly ...

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Mar 18 at 2015 11:25 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 23:25:40 -0400

MAJ Keira Brennan, I must agree with Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS and Sgt Matt Pinardi, regarding Das Boot. It's the best foreign military film I've ever seen. Interesting that the author of the novel, Lothar-Günther Buchheim, expressed great disappointment in director, Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of the film, even though Das Boot is considered one of the greatest of all German films.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 11:32 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 23:32:20 -0400

Enemy at the Gates or Сталинград (Stalingrad)

Response by 1SG Frank Boynton made Mar 18 at 2015 11:46 PM

1SG Frank Boynton — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 23:46:50 -0400

I'm partial to WWII history. Two movies I watch over and over are Conspiracy about the secret meeting of Nazi leadership on the final solution. The cold, unfeeling way they discuss the "Jewish Problem" is disturbingly shocking.

And the German film titled "Der Untergang". Known as "Downfall" in English. It is in German with English subtitles. I speak and understand German very well so I truly enjoy the movie and the actor that plays is the spitting image of him. I believe it gives a startling factual account of Hitlers final days in the bunker and what it must have been like.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 12:02 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:02:09 -0400

As far as I'm concerned, Das Boot was the best war movie ever made.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 19 at 2015 12:18 AM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:18:11 -0400

Das Boot

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 12:56 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:56:35 -0400

The Brest Fortress (2010). It is the story of how 7,000 Soviet soldiers held their ground against 17,000 well equipped Nazi troops longer than expected at a fortress in Poland starting on the opening day of Operation Barbarossa. The soldiers held out for eight days even as the Nazi army advanced beyond them, refusing to give up.

As Russian films go, this one is very decent, well-acted, and fairly well-filmed and produced. This film also is part of a broader trend in Russian cinema, highlighting the power and the glory of the Soviet Military Machine as Putin continues to rapidly rebuild Russia's Military and project it's strength increasingly across it's former spheres of influence and control.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Mar 19 at 2015 2:06 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 02:06:12 -0400

Europa, Europa (1990).

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 3:00 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 03:00:20 -0400

Das Boot is good, but...watch "Idi i smotri" or "Come and See." It is one of the most authentic war movies made (with some movie necessities) and is also one of the most disturbing. Boy joins the Russian Partisans in 41-44ish. The Eastern Front as you would have experienced it...in all its horrors.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 8:44 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 08:44:15 -0400

I wish I could remember the title to this movie.

This movie is from China and detailed the war that had happended during when the communists were fighting to take over. The main character fought on the side of the communists, and was ordered by his superior officer and friend to some remote location that was ill defended, but likely to be attacked. His instructions were to fight to the death defending the place and only retreat at the song of the trumpet (fanfare for retreat). His troops fought valiantly, but were outnumbered and defeated. The main character himself was injured in that battle.

When he recovered he intended to have his troops properly buried, but his superiors thought his troops and himself dishonored themselves and weren't worthy for proper military honors and the bodies to be left alone. The main character then went off to fight in the Korean war against the Americans (which the movie actually got some guys who could speak actual American).

After the many battles taking their tole, and himself suffering a shrapnel wound trying to save a comrade as he had stepped on a mine, he went into retirement. He later found his old friend and superior officer that had sent him into battle long ago to get his troops to be buried. Last scene of the movie had him salute the coffins of his comrades that were being buried with the trumpet playing retreat.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 9:38 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 09:38:10 -0400

Some of my all time favorite movies are foreign war movies. Some have already been mentioned but here's my list (off the top of my head).

Das Boot (of course)
The 9th Company (also very good)
Lawrence of Arabia
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Gallipoli (really cool movie)
Attack Force Z (WWII Ausie, New Zealand, British Commandos in the Pacific)
Bravo Two Zero (actually was a miniseries about some Brit SAS guys in Desert Storm)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 9:41 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 09:41:10 -0400

Talvisota, or "Winter War." About a platoon of Finnish reservists who get called up for the 1939 war with the Soviet Union.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098437/

The Winter War (1989)

Directed by Pekka Parikka. With Taneli Mäkelä, Vesa Vierikko, Timo Torikka, Heikki Paavilainen. Set during World War 2. After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Russia attacked Finland in November 1939. Finnish reservists leave their homes and go to war. The film focuses on two farmers from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia, brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala, serving in a Finnish platoon.

Response by CPL Jesse Vasconcelos made Mar 19 at 2015 4:31 PM

CPL Jesse Vasconcelos — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 16:31:23 -0400

Band of Brothers. By far the greatest show of brother hood and puts the buddy in "battle buddy". But there are so many great movies.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 7:35 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 19:35:29 -0400

I actually like Armadillo which is a documentary about the Danish Army in Afghanistan. I watched it before I deployed so I would have to go back and re-watch it now... still at the time I thought it was pretty good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo_%28film%29

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2015 8:10 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 20:10:15 -0400

I found "Downfall", already mentioned by 1SG Frank Boynton and Maj Keira Brennan, to be quite compelling and highly recommend it. Bruno Ganz as Hitler was excellent - I'm sure many of you have come cross several of the Hitler-related video memes on the internet, which uses one of Ganz's scenes.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2015 2:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 14:09:26 -0400

Enemies at the Gates.

Response by SGT Tyler G. made Mar 26 at 2015 3:32 PM

SGT Tyler G. — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:32:06 -0400

I admittedly haven't seen as many true foreign war films as I'd like. But Joyeux Noel was a really good one. And if it counts, Letters from Iwo Jima.

Response by PO3 Alan Haynes made Mar 26 at 2015 3:47 PM

PO3 Alan Haynes — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:47:06 -0400

The Front Line (2011)
A drama centered on the Korean War's final battle that will determine the border between north and south.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2007387/

The Front Line (2011)

Directed by Hun Jang. With Ha-kyun Shin, Soo Go, Seung-su Ryu, Chang-Seok Ko. A drama centered on the Korean War's final battle that will determine the border between north and south.