Battle of Britain Film
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Of course, there's also the question of Tom Cruise (just turned 44) playing the role of a 29yr old. By the time filming gets going, he'll probably be pushing 46-47.
And I don't know if any of you have seen the state of Val Kilmer recently.
Tom- just be content with Top Gun. It inspired a large proportion of a certain generation to become pilots and another large proportion to become disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding friends of Dorothy who are "good with colours".*
* And if you have spent any time at Leuchars or Leeming, you'd know that the two groups aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
And I don't know if any of you have seen the state of Val Kilmer recently.
Tom- just be content with Top Gun. It inspired a large proportion of a certain generation to become pilots and another large proportion to become disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding friends of Dorothy who are "good with colours".*
* And if you have spent any time at Leuchars or Leeming, you'd know that the two groups aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
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Gents,
While I hope that there is a good re-make of "BoB" or another story along the same lines, to expect Hollywood, a commercial enterprise, to stay true to history at the expense of profit is silly.
I believe you still have perfectly good studios at Pinewood/Pinetree(?) and elsewhere; can't you do it yourselves? And the "Dam Busters," is that still in the cards? Or is it just to be another good round of "Yank-bashing?" If so, never mind................
Now, if they can put Keira Knightly into her "webbing," I'd pay to see that!!
P.S. Pity that the RAF's new Typhoon won't make, "Takatakatakataka" sounds!
While I hope that there is a good re-make of "BoB" or another story along the same lines, to expect Hollywood, a commercial enterprise, to stay true to history at the expense of profit is silly.
I believe you still have perfectly good studios at Pinewood/Pinetree(?) and elsewhere; can't you do it yourselves? And the "Dam Busters," is that still in the cards? Or is it just to be another good round of "Yank-bashing?" If so, never mind................
Now, if they can put Keira Knightly into her "webbing," I'd pay to see that!!
P.S. Pity that the RAF's new Typhoon won't make, "Takatakatakataka" sounds!
I would echo corsair's post earlier in this thread about the fairly recent 2-DVD release of the 1969 BoB film. The picture and sound have been restored beautifully and take me back to the day my father took me to one of the premieres! Fabulous!.
The producers have also restored the original score by Sir William Walton (ultimately rejected and only the section entitled 'Battle In The Air' made it into the film). You can play the movie with either this original score or the familiar score by Ron Goodwin. The original Walton score is a bit odd as there is far less music in it, so long pieces of the film just play with no background music. A bit strange in those areas of the film where you are used to hearing music.
The shortness of Walton's score was one of the reasons for its rejection. Laurence Olivier (playing Dowding in the film) demanded some of it in the final release, otherwise he would exit stage left, hence 'Battle in the Air'.
Finally, either HMV or Virgin (maybe both?) have been selling this double-disc DVD set in their summer sales for £7.99 - absolute bargain. You know you want a copy.
The producers have also restored the original score by Sir William Walton (ultimately rejected and only the section entitled 'Battle In The Air' made it into the film). You can play the movie with either this original score or the familiar score by Ron Goodwin. The original Walton score is a bit odd as there is far less music in it, so long pieces of the film just play with no background music. A bit strange in those areas of the film where you are used to hearing music.
The shortness of Walton's score was one of the reasons for its rejection. Laurence Olivier (playing Dowding in the film) demanded some of it in the final release, otherwise he would exit stage left, hence 'Battle in the Air'.
Finally, either HMV or Virgin (maybe both?) have been selling this double-disc DVD set in their summer sales for £7.99 - absolute bargain. You know you want a copy.
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BoB remake
I don't know why we're all worried, going on past history, the BoB will be set in New York and the 109's (FW190's if they can't find any) will still have 10 minutes of fuel to run amok after crossing the Atlantic...... Maybe Sir Hugh Dowding was really from Texas 
At least Johnny Depp can do a convincing accent.......... or maybe he really is an actor
At least Johnny Depp can do a convincing accent.......... or maybe he really is an actor
Originally Posted by Washington_Irving
Of course, there's also the question of Tom Cruise (just turned 44) playing the role of a 29yr old. By the time filming gets going, he'll probably be pushing 46-47.
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Originally Posted by GeeRam
Agreed...........however, it must be said that Robert Shaw was 41 during filming of the Battle of Britain.
'Shorty' isn't! 
Some fantastic flying sequences in the film, but none better (IMHO) than the opening scene when the Hurricanes get strafed on the ground by the '109s'; one of the Hispanos only just clears the boundary fence!
I think the pilots were serving Spanish AF chaps?
I think the pilots were serving Spanish AF chaps?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I stand to be corrected but I think Hannah junior was just too junior then. Why, he was younger than Grubsy Smerdon on the OCU and Grubsy was not in secondary school when the film was made.
The 109s and Heinkels come to that were Spanish Air Force and one reason why Spike Milligan was in the Heinkel.
The 109s and Heinkels come to that were Spanish Air Force and one reason why Spike Milligan was in the Heinkel.
Originally Posted by Pontius Navigator
I stand to be corrected but I think Hannah junior was just too junior then. Why, he was younger than Grubsy Smerdon on the OCU and Grubsy was not in secondary school when the film was made.
The 109s and Heinkels come to that were Spanish Air Force and one reason why Spike Milligan was in the Heinkel.
The 109s and Heinkels come to that were Spanish Air Force and one reason why Spike Milligan was in the Heinkel.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
TY, I remember Grubsy, age 4, playing around the Ops Block while dad was sqn ldr ops. Makes him maybe a year younger than Mark.
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Originally Posted by chevvron
They were making B of B in 1968 at the same time as Mosquito Squadron; I remember driving past Bovingdon and seeing a line of Mosquitos, Spitfires, Hurricanes and Me (Hispano)109s parked on the apron south of the tower.
NB A few of the sequences for B of B were launched from Bovingdon, but as far as I know, no filming actually took place there. That Shackleton pilot who did the tailchase sequences filming the Mosquito was incredible ( believe he was a Farnborough TP).
NB A few of the sequences for B of B were launched from Bovingdon, but as far as I know, no filming actually took place there. That Shackleton pilot who did the tailchase sequences filming the Mosquito was incredible ( believe he was a Farnborough TP).
But Mosquito Squadron was, I think, purely a studio film. There were no aerial shots made for it - it used 633 Squadron and B & B stock shots.
I do remember, though, a big explosion during my Maths GCE and a Mosquito being set on fire for a crash sequence - but that was on the back lot of Elstree's MGM studio
Was going to ask who Keira Knightly is - until I remembered the magic of the Interweb(bing) thing......
Aaaagh - I believe the expression is "I've just had a trouser moment"... That stuff they put in our tea at Cranwell is definitely beginning to wear off.
Quelle babe!
Aaaagh - I believe the expression is "I've just had a trouser moment"... That stuff they put in our tea at Cranwell is definitely beginning to wear off.
Quelle babe!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
IMHO, 633 Sqn was made at just the wrong time as far as realism was concerned. There were certainly live shots as there was one scene with a couple of RAF officers observing the bombing. They were real RAF officers with a real RAF Landrover roughly hidden to pretend it was not a Landrover.
Later films, like The Longest Day were able to draw on the war gamer market and get real period vehicles etc.
The other film make do used to be US Army half-tracks or Sherman tanks simply painted to look German.
Later films, like The Longest Day were able to draw on the war gamer market and get real period vehicles etc.
The other film make do used to be US Army half-tracks or Sherman tanks simply painted to look German.
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I can highly recommend 'Dark Blue World', a Czech film with subtitles. Has a little bit of romance & some very moving flying scenes. Now, as for Keira Knightley..............
Gentleman Aviator
BEags
.... sadly the stuff they put in my tea (not Cranners of course!) is just starting to work.....
That stuff they put in our tea at Cranwell is definitely beginning to wear off.