Flyboys

[Horus]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
looks like some sort of cliche'ed special effects film set in WWI using romanticized dogfighting planes (of course they were real, but it looked more skycaptain-ish or that one xbox airplane battle game)

I think the video style was meant to mimic very old color photographs and video... kind of desaturated, but some colors really stand out. Example:
http://www.worldwaronecolorphotos.com/html/ww_i_v_3.html
http://www.worldwaronecolorphotos.com/html/ww_i_h_33.html
http://www.worldwaronecolorphotos.com/html/ww_i_h_27.html

The blue uniforms (and the red hat and roof in the last picture) stick out to me. I noticed the same thing in the trailer for that movie.

My god, those are amazing. Where did you find those pictures? WWI has always seemed like a very old war because it was in b&w, or Sepia...but those are so COOL!

 

[Jawo]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Homerboy
I generally love the idea, and era... but watching the previews and commercials it seems they took it a "bit" over the top. Why couldn't they just make a fairly solid and legit story/action line without exploding blimps etc?

Because it is Hollywood....they need to make everything "Extreme to the Max!" even if the true story itself is riveting and dramatic.

I remember watching a History Channel show on the Civil War once where they were talking about Union operatives that went down to Georgia with a plan to steal a Confederate train and use it to blow up bridges to cut Confederate supply lines. It was a very interesting story with the engineers from the stolen train chasing it down on foot, pump-car, and train.

Aside from the fact that Hollywood probably ever wouldn't make a story where Confederates ended up saving the day, I was left thinking that a Hollywood director would have had rocket powered pump-cars, exploding trains, and Kung-Fu action on top of train cars.

Ha ha ha, that sounds about right. The movie looks good, but will once again suffer from the above.

 

[Azndude2190]

Originally posted by: Queasy
I like how the commercial says, "Based on a True Story" while you're watching some guy run across the top of a Zeppelin that is exploding...

Well the fact that its based on the story of a American volunteer unit flying with the French Air Force...the Zeppelin scene was Hollywood putting some spice on to it.

 

[abracadabra1]

I don't know how the movie will turn out, but the book was excellent. Its narrative is very similar to Flags of our Fathers (the book, not the upcoming movie). Same author, too.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

I'm interested in seeing it, the reviews have been pretty bad so far: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flyboys/
May just wait for the rental to come out.

Probably going to go see "Fearless" instead.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: abracadabra1
I don't know how the movie will turn out, but the book was excellent. Its narrative is very similar to Flags of our Fathers (the book, not the upcoming movie). Same author, too.

Nah man, this movie isn't based on that book (which I already read and really liked). This movie is set in WWI France, not WWII Pacific islands.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: mugs
I just saw the previews tonight and I'm interested in seeing it. Jean Reno kicks ass, and WWI movies don't happen often. As a history lover, I hope the movie is good.

I've heard it's good (talked to a guy who saw it a few days ago). However, historical accuracy suffers.

The planes behave as you would expect a WWI fighter to, but this seems to be the extent of things. You'll notice that all of the Germans are buzzing around in bright red Fokker triplanes, when, historically, only a fraction of fighters in the german service at the time were triplanes, and only one of those was painted bright red (flown by everyone's favorite baron). The other planes in his squadron had outlandish paint schemes, but his was the only pure red aircraft (rumor has it that he would trade planes with other people in his squadron because the enemy refused to engage the bright red fighter).

Anyway, I'll probably see it. Biplanes are cool.

 

[SophalotJack]

Son of a mother.. I read the title too fast and thought it was a Wii game.

I am depressed now.

 

[Linflas]

The Blue Max is a decent WWI movie.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: Linflas
The Blue Max is a decent WWI movie.

All Quiet on the Western Front. good movie, from the perspective of a German soldier.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078753/

There's a 30's version, but i haven't seen that.

based off of a Novel published in 1925 by a German soldier... I think?

 

[SVT Cobra]

I'll see it, but it doesn't look that good.

 

[imported_Rat]

Looks horrible. Though it's cute how they added a tinge to the color to give it an old timey feel.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP

Originally posted by: Linflas
The Blue Max is a decent WWI movie.

All Quiet on the Western Front. good movie, from the perspective of a German soldier.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078753/

There's a 30's version, but i haven't seen that.

based off of a Novel published in 1925 by a German soldier... I think?

I own the 30s version, haven't watched it yet.

The Lost Batallion is supposed to be good, but I've only seen half of it. What I saw was good.

Paths of Glory is on the IMDB top 250 (#39)

 

[imported_Rat]

They should make a movie about the Red Baron.

 

[imported_Rat]

23% on Rottentomatoes.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flyboys/

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP

Originally posted by: Linflas
The Blue Max is a decent WWI movie.

All Quiet on the Western Front. good movie, from the perspective of a German soldier.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078753/

There's a 30's version, but i haven't seen that.

based off of a Novel published in 1925 by a German soldier... I think?

I own the 30s version, haven't watched it yet.

The Lost Batallion is supposed to be good, but I've only seen half of it. What I saw was good.

Paths of Glory is on the IMDB top 250 (#39)

Lost Batallion is pretty good. Like most every WWI movie it's depressing. Gallipoli and Breaker Morant are also good, and really depressing too.

I'd be interested in a movie about the Somme, but I don't know how a movie could really convey the magnitude of the slaughter.

 

[Rudee]

The book was a rather dull read IMHO. I'll be passing on this.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Rudee
The book was a rather dull read IMHO. I'll be passing on this.

This movie is not based on a book. The book by the same name was set in a different war on the opposite side of the world.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Rat
They should make a movie about the Red Baron.

he was shown in several movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Baron

lots of info.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I just got back from seeing it...

1) Better than I anticipated.
2) Better than what reviewers are writing.
3) Not cartoonish at all. The CGI is quite apt and well done.
4) It is based on true events.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I just got back from seeing it...

1) Better than I anticipated.
2) Better than what reviewers are writing.
3) Not cartoonish at all. The CGI is quite apt and well done.
4) It is based on true events.

Thanks for the info. This will definitely be the first movie I'll see in a theater in over a year, even though I'll probably have to go by myself.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I just got back from seeing it...

1) Better than I anticipated.
2) Better than what reviewers are writing.
3) Not cartoonish at all. The CGI is quite apt and well done.
4) It is based on true events.

Thanks for the info. This will definitely be the first movie I'll see in a theater in over a year, even though I'll probably have to go by myself.

This is DEFINITELY a BIG SCREEN movie!

 

[SVT Cobra]

Thanks for the review GT.

Ouch it's getting a 29% at rotten tomatoes right now.

 

[Bootprint]

I know it's Hollywood, but did they really have to make the planes explode? Those things were made of wood and linen, shoot that and you make some nice little holes and the plane keeps flying. My understanding was that you either hit the pilot or the engine to take the enemy plane down.