Dunkirk (2017)
 

Just watched it in DMAX format.
Despite it being unrelenting, visually stunning and a great piece of cinematography,
It could have been longer, grittier, with a bit more attention to detail...eg no bomb craters on the beach, most photos show Dunkirk was pretty much wrecked in 1940, but the movie shows none of this. The real 'horrors' of war were somewhat absent.
A sanitized version of actual events?

IIRC there was not much sand bombing in the original film. From a weapons aspect, moving sand is not very effective, strafing was probably more effective against troops in the open. Against shipping bombs are more effective.

As for what actually happened, I have no idea.

Well, it is a 12A - the most meaningless of the film ratings!

The historian commenting on Front Row last night suggested that the lack of CGI meant that it was inevitable that the film would lack something. Apparently they used Three Spitfires. I would imagine that the lack of German aircraft may have been a problem. I do hope that they don't get the Me108 out again!

I've posted this elsewhere but it applies in this thread I think.

I saw a review that said everyone is too clean. That rings true to me.

A mate of mine's mum lived in a house next to the railway near Hither Green outside Lewisham. The trains (to this day) often stop there as there is quite a complex junction. She told him that her mum would go up the bank to the halted trains from Dover and would take messages from some of the soldiers. They would be on scraps of paper (I recall one was on a luggage ticket). They would just have an address and a name, maybe a serial number. Blokes would chuck their bit of paper and shout, "Tell them I'm safe!" and similar. Apparently the local postmaster arranged for envelopes and free postage so that families would know their boys were safe. Wonderful.

In real life the lads were covered in shite, urine, vomit, blood, grime, fuel oil -- the lot. She said her mum's overriding memory of the trains was the pong emanating from them.

Over here in Bavaria are several airworthy Bf109s (and with the correct engine type installed) I'm sure it's just a case of asking Airbus Military nicely!

With a bit of luck they're keeping them for Jackson's Dambusters or Scott's Battle of Britain

Jackson has the will, experience, and authority to build passable replicas :)

Mjb

Troppo
I think Scott will have to go a bit to better the 1969 version, and it use of real A/C and some rather poor I agree CGI if you could actualy call it that - air shots of fleets of HE111 and burning city spring to mind. However easily made up for by low level ME109 over RAF airfield in France and aerial shots with HE111 and Spitfires / ME109.
As for Dunkirk have to say I preferred the original B/W. Dambusters it would be intresting, but I wish somone would do somthing showing both sides more. As I have said before on here Len Deightons Bomber would get my vote.


Cheers
Mr Mac

Dambusters...I wonder what PC name they will give the dog?

I have heard the dog is going to be called 'digger' but this may just be internet rumours.

I plan to see the movie next week (I'm in Fort Worth, Texas so it'll be interesting to see what the locals think of it) so can't comment just yet. However, I think the fact that there's a big budget movie set in the period before Pearl harbour happened is a good thing. I won't get too upset by minor details.

BV

Some years back on Flypast somebody suggester it should be an anagram of the original. Back came the instant reply: "so, Ginger then"!

Hear hear! A great book by a totally under-rated author IMHO.

In case you didn't know it was done by BBC radio back in the 90s. Very well too I seem to remember, transmitted in real time spread over the day of the raid. By the time you got to the last episode you had been with the crew all day and were willing their survival. It's still around as a CD. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bomber-BBC-.../dp/0563523557

Wouldn't say under rated meself......

Leonard Cyril Deighton born 18 February 1929), known as Len Deighton, is a British author. Deighton is considered one of the top three spy novelists of his time (along with Ian Fleming and John le Carre). In addition he is a highly acclaimed military historian, cookery writer, and graphic artist, The IPCRESS File (1962), his first novel, was an instant bestseller and broke the mould of thriller writing. The Sunday Times called him "the poet of the spy story". Deighton’s first protagonist – a nameless spy christened Harry Palmer in the films – was made famous worldwide in 1960s films starring Michael Caine.


Bibliography

Alf Price also cut hid teeth with Bomber helping LD with many technical details.

"Dambusters...I wonder what PC name they will give the dog?"

Maybe the same as 617 Sqns formation callsign? Black Dog!

One of the best depictions of beach war must have been in Saving Private Ryan. I know different period but good graphics.