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WWII Listings WW2 Bookstore and Uniforms, Armies Personal
The WW2 Time/Area is run by
gehosted by:
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WW2 Videos and DVD's
Most WW2 movies are kinda sucky -- oh, they're fine to watch and all, but as far as accuracy and detail, they suck. Hollywierd tends to have too many art-geeks who know nothing about what they are doing and they end up "fudging it," which is why I rarely watch movies about WW2 or for that matter the "Hitler Channel" (what most reenactors call the History Channel -- comes from back when that's all they showed, as compared to current day, whereas all they show is the "history of ketchup" and dumb stuff like that). Anyway, there are ZILLIONS of WWII documentaries listed at Amazon, I just need the time to go through them all. Like w/ the books, I just never get the time ;-(
As for Axis stuff, there really aren't too many good movies portraying the German or Japanese soldiers. Most movies rely on really stupid stereotypes of the German and Japanese military, like The Big Red One (not even worth watching for the German scenes) or Battle of the Bulge (even worse). And no, I ain't gonna sell the last two. Anyway, you will notice I have more links and PREFER DVD's to VHS -- get over it! Time to buy a DVD machine Kinder!
Please send us your input and books/movies we should list! To suggest a WW2 movie, simply click HERE!
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Saving Private Ryan, a "GOTTA HAVE" for your collection. What else can we say? Here's a bunch of different versions on DVD and one on VHS (okay come on guy, it's a dying format, breakdown and spend $50. on a DVD player) |
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The Cross of Iron -- This is definitely not the most authentic movie ever made, but we are including it here because it seems to be the standard "gotta watch" for German reenactors. The best use for this film would be to watch it and see how many inaccuracies you could find. On the other hand, it does capture the brutality of the Eastern Front and the overblown aspirations of some members of the German officer corps. The commanding officer in this film suffers from Hals Schmerzen (a sore throat)--meaning he wants the Knight's Cross--his "Cross of Iron." The hero is a combat-hardened NCO named Steiner. Color. [reenactors should not watch this movie more than 4 times a year, nor watch it anytime within two months before an event. reenactors choosing persona names from this movie will be shot!] First, we have it in DVD and then one for you dinosaurs who haven't tried DVD yet... notice the DVD is cheaper... |
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| Stalingrad -- A recent (1994) German movie. Probably one of the most depressing war movies I've ever seen. On the other hand, it's a gold mine for German soldier-talk and the kits aren't too bad, either. It also has one of the best anti-tank scenes of any movie. First in ancient and archaic VHS and then in DVD:
Other movies and documentries about Stalingrad, the most monumental battle in WWII... |
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A Bridge Too Far -- The biggest and most expensive war movie ever made. It also kicks ass! A true "gotta have!" And, there are several good German scenes, including the one showing a German strongpoint in the woods as it attempts to stop a British armored column. Color. As seems to have become our custom here, we list the archaic ond obsolete VHS first, followed by the up-to-date DVD version.
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The Longest Day -- The invasion of Normandy as told by Hollywood! A huge amount of famous actors (many in bit parts). For example, John Wayne is, of course, an American Airborne Colonel. This movie is neat because the Germans are actually speaking German and the uniforms are good. Unfortunately, (and as usual) Hollywood has taken license with many of the details. But what the heck, it's a good flick. Black and white. VHS first, followed by DVD.
And for your listening pleasure :-Þ I found some WWII war movie soundtracks too!
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To Hell and Back -- The true story of America's most-decorated hero of WWII! A bit hollywooded, but still pretty good! When are you ever going to see a great hero playing himself in his greatest moments? If Saving Private Ryan was too gory for you, here's a movie that shows the glory and pain of WWII, but without the gore. If your grade-school kids want to know about the soldiers of WWII without them having nightmares, have them see this film. Audie Murphy is great in this role -- even though it is his story, it becomes the story of ALL the soldiers (although Audie does have the best moments). The fight scenes are gripping, and it really does feel 'real' rather than 'staged'. We would also recommend that you read Audie Murphy's book of the same name to get the whole story. Definitely Audie Murphy was the greatest U.S. soldier in the 20th Century! |
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Decision Before Dawn -- Not a commonly shown movie, and we have no idea whether it is even out on video tape. An excellent film, absolutely packed with original kit. Not on Amazon either ;-( Was hoping to add it here.
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Europa, Europa -- An interesting but quirky [very quirky!] movie which revolves around a Jewish boy who ends up in the Wehrmacht. The actual military scenes are limited but the movie is worth watching. German dialog, English subtitles. Color.
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Patton -- One of the greatest screen biographies ever produced, this monumental film runs nearly three hours, won seven Academy Awards, and gave George C. Scott the greatest role of his career. It was released in 1970 when protest against the Vietnam War still raged at home and abroad, and many critics and moviegoers struggled to reconcile current events with the movie's glorification of Gen. George S. Patton as a crazy-brave genius of World War II. Of course, since that time is over AND this is a website dedicated to portraying soldiers, it will get better light here. It's a good flick -- get it!
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Where Eagles Dare -- A great 60's style WW2 Flick! Another "gotta have!" Finally out on DVD too!!! Been waitin' for that for a few years... Okay, there are some funky uniforms and long-disco hippie hair, but what the Hell, it's got Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton... Also, a real Ju-52 and a lot of mountain stuff.
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The Guns of Navarone -- Like Where Eagles Dare, TGoN is another great flick taken from an Alistair Maclean book. Stars Robert Shaw and David Niven (can't go wrong there either!). So, I list it as a gotta have! VHS listed first, then DVD. Also, a DVD on the making of TGoN. Oh yeah, I'm only listing the "Special Edition" versions tough! Get the good one!
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The Bridge on the River Kwai -- Another WW2 classic! Do they even MAKE really good WW2 movies anymore? Anyway, if you haven't seen it, you need to. Shows "British-ness" at its best. And yeah, I like the widescreen editions. Besides, I don't have time to type in all the codes to list every single version that is put out tonite.
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Tora! Tora! Tora! -- The epic film shows the sneak-attack bombing of Pearl Harbor from both sides in the historic first American-Japanese coproduction: American director Richard Fleischer oversaw the complicated production (the Japanese sequences were directed by Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku, after Akira Kurosawa withdrew from the film), wrestling a sprawling story with dozens of characters into a manageable, fairly easy-to-follow film. The first half maps out the collapse of diplomacy between the nations and the military blunders that left naval and air forces sitting ducks for the impending attack, while the second half is an amazing re-creation of the devastating battle. While Tora! Tora! Tora! lacks the strong central characters that anchor the best war movies, the real star of the film is the climactic 30-minute battle, a massive feat of cinematic engineering that expertly conveys the surprise, the chaos, and the immense destruction of the only attack by a foreign power on American soil since the Revolutionary War. The special effects won a well-deserved Oscar, but the film was shut out of every other category by, ironically, the other epic war picture of the year, Patton.
Oh yeah, don't mix Tora! Tora! Tora! up with the recent art-geek movie Pearl Harbor, it's much better and you don't have that commie ding-dong Alec Baldwin trying to portray a real American Hero -- Jimmy Doolittle! I bet Jimmy Doolittle was SPINNING in his grave over that ;-(
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Battle of Britain -- A Michael Caine flick -- he rocks! There's something about this film that's so irresistible, despite its grandiose manipulation. Maybe because it recounts the greatest air battle in history, achieving the greatest aerial battle in film history. Maybe because it has such a terrific cast (Harry Andrews, Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Curt Jurgens, Laurence Olivier, Nigel Patrick, Christopher Plummer, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Robert Shaw, Patrick Wymark, and Edward Fox). Maybe because it's so technically well-made, thanks to the Bond team of producer Harry Saltzman and director Guy Hamilton and the great cinematographer Freddie Young. Or maybe because there is something truly riveting about watching the British kick the Nazis back to Germany. How do we do it? Oh yeah, icky VHS first, then neato, keen DVD next! No, I am NOT gonna list all 97 of the BoB documentaries they sell -- well not today anyway, this stuff takes time. Be nice to do it, but I don't have time right now. Maybe someday.
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Midway -- Six months after the Japanese destroyed the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Americans discovered the Japanese were planning to seize the Naval base at Midway Island--a perfect staging point for invading Hawaii or the mainland. Outnumbered four to one, the Americans won a surprise victory and shattered the backbone of the Japanese Imperial Navy. More than that, they kicked the living crap out of the Japs and turned the tide of the wa rin the Pacific!
I remember my Dad taking me and my brother to see this film in the theater! Great movie! The all-star cast includes Charlton Heston along with Robert Mitchum, James Coburn, and Cliff Robertson in cameos and a whole slew of familiar TV faces in supporting roles. Hal Holbrook is fun as an oddball intelligence officer.
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National Geographic Expeditions -- Here's something real nifty I found whilst searching for another movie... Has not only the Bismarck find, but also the expeditions to Guadalcanal and the search for PT-109...
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Silent Night -- A great TRUE movie (okay, the art-geeks who made this flick DID change it a tad, but it IS based on a true story) about Soldiers and a mother and son having Christmas together in WW2! Great story, okay movie! Linda Hamilton seems strange as the German Mother, but what the hey, it works! Seems to only be in DVD ;-)
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Das Boot -- Waugh! A really hard-core U-Boat movie! 4 hours long and VERY authentic! Spooky. One of the "must haves" I talk about! This is probably the best U-Boat flick of ALL time, maybe sub movie of all time. And if you get the DVD, you can watch it in German w/ English subtitles -- the ONLY way to watch this flick!
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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo -- Great true story, a little over-acted, but still great. About the Tokyo raid at the start of the war. 400 miles over the ocean, after launching LAND BOMBERS off of a Navy carrier!!! Great! Stars Van Johnson and Spencer Tracey as Jimmy Doolittle (much better than that anti-American ding-dong Alec Bladwin in Pearl Harbor) Can't seem to find it in DVD though ;-(
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Cool Stuff You Won't find at Amazon ;-( |
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Die Brücke -- Available from International Historic Films (IHF) Amazon doesn't appear to have it ;-( yet. This movie was made in Germany in the 1950s and is based on the novel of the same title. Probably the best movie about the German soldier, it chronicles the experiences of seven German youths as they are drafted out of school, are trained, and given a mission to hold a bridge which happens to be in their home town. All original German gear, including MP44s, MG42s, etc. The GI stuff is sort of hoaky, but who cares? Black and white, and German dialog.
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| Strafbataillon 999 (Punishment Bataillon 999) West Germany, 19599 Quote from IHF promo for this: "on the Eastern Front in WWII, a German battalion fights Russian soldiers and partisans. This is no ordinary battalion. These soldiers are being punished by the high command for "crimes" like ordering retreats to save men's lives or working too hard to discover an anti-gangrene serum. These men are abused by their commanders, made to dig useless trenches under fire, and sent into a final suicidal mission. Their enemies are everywhere." This film is based on a novel by Heinz G. Konsalik and the script was co-written by him. Itts Eastern Front setting is highly unusual for war films distributed in the US, as is its nightmarish, authentically-detailed view of war. B/W, comes in two versions: #1 is dubbed in English and is shorter (92 minutes) and #2 in German with subtitles and it's longer!! (103 minutes))Guess which one we want you to buy?! | |
| Männer gegen Panzer! / Pionier Voran!--Another nifty IHF offering, this tape has not one, but two neat training movies. The first, Männer gegen Panzer! is a German training film that shows how to use all the Wehrmachtts anti-tank weapons. Andd they donnt use models, all of these weapons are used for real, on real Soviet tanks! Pionier Voran! is a Pionier training film that shows among other things how a bridge is set-up in combat. This tape is a great 2-for-1 deal, especially for us! B/W. | |
| The German Sniper. This probably won't be available now that a coupla whackos were shooting people in the DC area." Anyway, I am sure the PC ding-dongs will end up getting this video "suppressed." Also from IHF, this is actually a German training movie put on video tape. There is a wealth of field-craft tips in this movie, many of which are applicable to the common infantryman. Black and White, a combination of English dubbing or subtitles, depending on whether the translator thought the German dialog sounded interesting. B/W. | |
| Invasion of Poland newsreel / movie From IHF -- News-movie on the invasion of Poland, showing victorious sweep through this "non-Country." Neat early-war footage. | |
| Sieg im Westen -- From IHF. Sieg im Westen (Victory in the West) was a German propaganda film, made to show the "glorious" conquest of France. Great footage, but this movie drags on (and on). It's best to watch Sieg im Westen with a few Kameraden and Bier or in a couple of sittings. B/W. | |
| Die Wochenschau newsreels -- From (of course) IHF. Weekly German newsreels on tape, usually three or so to a tape. Very intersting footage, for the most part not usually seen here in America. | |
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