I recently signed up for Netflix so I don't have to buy every single WWII documentary I want to see, and have been very happy with both the selection and service! Today I watched a terrific DVD titled "Embedded '45 Shooting War in Europe". The film is all black & white but extremely clear and crisp, unlike many films of the war. This program follows the US Army on the march through Germany from February '45 till May '45, and shows some of the best footage of the American Infantryman I've ever seen as they fight house to house in the rubble of Nazi Germany..I think all of you Vets here would really approve of this one. While watching this I have thought about many of the stories that have been shared here on this website, and it makes me appreciate it all that much more. This is not Hollywood BS with Clark Gable in a tailored uniform, but alot of Willie and Joe types on the screen with unshaven, tired looking faces and mud on their boots. Run time is 108 minutes. Haven't checked Amazon to see if it's for sale anywhere yet but I will. This one is really tops, and this endorsement comes from a guy with a large collection of WWII documentaries...
Dogdaddy
I guess I am replying to my own post, but I didn't want this one to fade away without stressing again how good it is. Just about the time you think you have seen all the combat camera footage from this war, one like this comes up. I think what is so great about this is the fact that it dosn't try to capture every aspect or every front of WWII, just a period of about 3 months in 1945 with the infantrymen of the US Army after they crossed the Rhine, going house to house through the rubble that was Germany in the Spring of '45. I have not seen before this EVER..pictures of American GI's walking on the Autobahn, or swinging K98's like baseball bats against the side of a building or burning huge piles of rifles in the street like trash. This was also a film that matched the descriptions of veterans as they have described the lifeless figures that scarcely resemble anything human anymore, were it not for a boot here, or a blackend arm pointing skyward there...the real carnage of battle.
Dogdaddy
You never cease to amaze me with your posted content. You've brought more film footage to life than all of us put together. Thanks so much and I do value your personal opinions, since I have never been dissapointed with your recommendations yet.
Thank you very much for that nice compliment! I enjoy hearing other folk's opinions about films too, regardless of whether or not they agree with me. For instance, historical accuracy is important to me in a WWII documentary film, but not all that important to me in a "movie", because I watch movies for just one reason> Entertainment! If a movie has a decent storyline and a decent amount of battle sequences I am not going to pick it apart because the German's uniforms and insignia is not correct, or because they had to paint an M26 Pershing gray and put Balkan crosses on it like they did on COMBAT! I have always just LOVED war movies!
Dogdaddy
I have to agree with you for the most part, even though I do get a bit aggravated when a movie misses obvious things that ARE easy to research and get correct. However, many people KILL movies because they are OVER critical and lose the whole flavor of a movie. I tell those people, sit back and enjoy the movie for its overall content.
I was at a 101st meeting one time, and talking to a young man about 22, and several others including some vets. The young man was very knowledgable about aircraft and I could easily converse with him because I am fairly knowledgable regarding WWII aircraft too. Anyway we got to talking within this group and he was nitpicking a movie (but nicely). I had to jump in and gave him some advice about ENJOYING a film for its own sake. Well it went pretty good and by the end of the conversation he did AGREE with me and promised that he would take a step back now and then. Cool!
I think we're pretty much on the same page from your comments. If there is blatant historical errors that would demean the persons portrayed, we'll that's different, and it does bother me. There are even some occaisions when I prefer that some of our American Heroes are portrayed as something larger than life. I still believe that kids need "heroes" for positive roll models, and I don't mean phony baloney like the [iRambo[/i] flicks, but something along the lines of John Wayne's portrayal of Sgt. Stryker in The Sands of Iwo Jima. Many would disagree with me there, but I think that character is much better for kids to admire than today's professional athletes. Tom Hanks character in SPR is perhaps another example, as a person who was able to rise above his fears in order to do what had to be done, which is really what men in combat are asked to do.
DD
This old dogface doesn't watch war movies. Seen too much. Rocky