Hmm - three war films to make? Assuming they are made in Hollywood then "never let the facts get in the way of a good story" and I have three contenders for good stories:
1. The Women Warriors of Dahomey - there is a period range there of from 1645 to late 19th Century so some neat things can be done with equipment. They fought (successfully as it seems) so would make for a good story. They also had a couple of skirmishes with the French where they were unsuccessful - however, it allows for a love interest.
2. The Life and Times of Lord Thomas Cochrane - splice the main brace and avast me hearties - the one true character from history whose life exceeds even the wildest speculations of the best authors of fiction. In particular, the movie could concentrate on his efforts for Peru/Chile, Brazil and later Greece - a trilogy could be made of it, no less.
3. Something from the Three Kingdoms Period of Korean history when Paekche, Koguryo, Silla and Kaya all fought for the ultimate prize - sovereignty over Korea. This allows plenty of action which can be either traditional or in Crouching Tiger style, exotic locations, costumes and weapons, cute actresses and again, is easy to weave a love interest, the Japanese and the Chinese into the tale.
There - three war/battle movies that could be made - where shall I put the address for the cheque to be sent to me for creative genius? :-)
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Top of my head:
Kokoda Trail,
Koima,
Hussites
That said Icould bore on for years and years and years on all the movies I'd love to be made.
Posted by: xeoran | September 30, 2007 at 09:01 PM
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I would like to see some epic war movies made, similar in scope to the Lord of the Rings. My top three would be:
1. The Gallipoli Campaign,
2. The Siege of Tobruk, and
3. The Battle of the Atlantic
Posted by: Lefty | October 01, 2007 at 01:07 AM
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An American Civil War film that wasn't filmed using middle-aged, clean uniformed, overweight reenactors.
The colonial German campaign and resultant genocide of the Herero and the Nama in Southwest Africa from 1904-1907.
The cruises and final battle of the U.S.S. Essex during the War of 1812
Posted by: Tim Abbott | October 01, 2007 at 01:18 PM
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An American Civil War film that wasn't filmed using middle-aged, clean uniformed, overweight reenactors.
The colonial German campaign and resultant genocide of the Herero and the Nama in Southwest Africa from 1904-1907.
The cruises and final battle of the U.S.S. Essex during the War of 1812
Posted by: Tim Abbott | October 01, 2007 at 01:18 PM
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For a regular film:
To follow on an earlier suggestion, a joint Australian/American film on the 1942/43 Papua campaign would be excellent.
For a Band of Brothers style HBO treatment:
Mexican American war.
Waterloo.
Posted by: Jay Steiger | October 01, 2007 at 09:16 PM
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Battle of Trafalgar
Thirty Years' War
Mexican-American War
Posted by: Jacob | October 02, 2007 at 01:37 AM
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A movie about the Charge of the Light Brigade would be great. I mean a movie that's actually historically accurate, none of that Errol Flynn let's combine it with the Mutiny silliness and slaughter a whole bunch of horses for no reason. The costume department would have a field day too. And of course, other aspects of the battle, such as The Thin Red Line and the Heavies' charge should be included.
How about a film about Wolfe, including his role at Louisbourg, culminating in the battle on The Plains of Abraham and his heroic death. What does everyone think about Paul Bettany as Wolfe?
Finally, we're long overdue for a decent film about the American Revolution! Drums Along The Mohawk is pretty good, but that was made over 60 years ago, and how about some action with Washington's main army? It isn't like there isn't some good material to work with.
Posted by: Chris | October 02, 2007 at 02:31 AM
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1). The St Nazaire Commando Raid.
2). The Amiens Prison-busting Raid in 1944 (actually, a number of the low level Mosquito raids would have film potential. And it could be a lot better than 633 Squadron!!!!!).
3). Len Deighton's novel Goodbye Mickey Mouse would make a great film. A sort of fighter pilot's equivlant of Memphis Belle.
I think you could make a commercial success out of any of these. The problem with a lot of great military history film ideas is that they won't easily sell widely.
Posted by: warren | October 02, 2007 at 05:57 AM
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1) Mimi & Toutou odyssey - Lake Tanganika battle
2) St Nazaire raid, H.M.S. Cambeltown
3) Chouan wars in Brittany
Posted by: Jan Sobota | October 02, 2007 at 01:10 PM
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Well my vote
1) the East African campaign and the brilliant guerrilla war conducted by the Germans during WW I
2)French in Chad (1980)
3)Yom Kippur 1973
xavier
Posted by: xavier | October 02, 2007 at 01:16 PM
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Well, we've got a few here! But just one from me for now. Huge movie about Thermopylae ("300" - well, is it huge? I'm now about to see it because the DVD's out.) However, Artemisium, Salamis, even more, and Plataea, most of all, were much more important. I'd love a film about them. And also Mosby's Rangers. One more? Wellington in India, I think. (Dream on...)
Posted by: william | October 02, 2007 at 11:08 PM
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Some substantial roles for women here, in case Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie read this blog...
1. "The Women of Pervyse"--Scottish ambulance driver Mairi Chisholm and English motorcycle racer Elsie Knocker joined the war effort in 1914 as members of the Women's Emergency Corps. They ended up setting up an independent first-aid post on the frontlines in Belgium. Chisholm personally transported about 1500 men. The women only evacuated their post when they were both hurt in gas attacks. They were decorated by the Belgian crown for their work.
2. "Hazel Ah Ying Lee" -- Lee was a Seattle-born pilot in the 1930s. She hoped to enroll in the Chinese Air Force to defend China from Japan, but a woman wasn't permitted to join; in 1938, she returned to the US and five years later joined the WASP. She was trained to pilot advanced fighter aircraft, but was only allowed to deliver them from factories to embarcation points. She died in a crash in 1944, at the age of 32. Her brother died in combat in France the same month.
3. "Bir Hakeim"--Susan Travers, English tennis player, was a chauffeur for the Free French in Libya, and the only woman at the battle of Bir Hakeim. She drove and repaired a general's car through battle, reaching British lines with eleven bullet holes in the car's body, no brakes, no shocks. For her heroism, she was the only woman allowed to join the French Foreign Legion. She was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion d'Honneur.
Posted by: Penny | October 03, 2007 at 01:20 AM
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I recently saw "An Ungentlemanly Act" about the Argentine invasion of the Falklands, but I would like to see a pure combat film about the liberation of those islands that features the Paras and Royal Marines yomping across the frozen tundra.
A movie about the low level bombing raid over the Ploesti oil fields on August 1, 1943 would be cool. Since there is only one flying B-24 left in the world, most of the Liberators would have to be models and CGI.
I would also like to see a movie about the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. While the two versions of "The Buccaneer" focused on Jean Lafitte and simplified the battle, a modern remake would focus on both sides, but not villify either of them. Something A&E and the BBC can work together on?
I believe the Hollywood formula that applies to war movies does not work, ie. love interests, historical liberties, artsy interpretation, plot holes, etc. As Band of Brothers, Sharpe, and the Horatio Hornblower series proved, quality war movies are best in a multipart format like a mini-series.
Posted by: Gene | October 03, 2007 at 07:03 PM
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1. The Greek War of Independence - with emphasis on the conflict in Europe between amoral disciples of 'realpolitik' and romantics identifying with fellow Europeans rebelling against the Ottoman yoke. To climax with the Battle of Navarino, with the Islamic fleet destroyed against orders by the men on the ground (in the Anglo-Franco-Russian fleet) choosing to do the right thing.
2. Munich 1938 - the army's coup plotting against Hitler in the event of war, the diplomatic clashes and the role of Goering as chief villain in achieving the bloodless victory over the allies that collapsed the fragile internal coalition against Hitler and made WW2 as we know it inevitable.
3. Kaiserschlacht 1918 - the titanic struggle to decide WW1.
Posted by: Andi Lucas | October 04, 2007 at 11:41 AM
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1. The true story about the greatest WWII sniper Vasily Zaitsev (as opposite to a bogus drama 'Enemy at the gates')
2. The battle for Kharkov in 1941-1943 - the city passed 4 times back and forth between German and Soviet troops.
3. German tribes conquest of the Roman Empire -- would be nice to watch kind of a serie how once-great legions gradually lost all battles.
Posted by: Igor Dudchenko | October 04, 2007 at 02:27 PM
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I'd love to see a good, historically acurate movie about the great siege of Malta in 1565. It would be the perfect plot for a movie, extremely exciting.
Posted by: patrick innerst | October 05, 2007 at 12:30 AM
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Here's what I'd like to see on the big screen:
1)Romans fighting the celts(either in Gaule or in Britain)
2)an eastern front (WW 2)movie along the lines of Peckinpah's "The Cross of Iron" of course updated and more accurate(I don't care much for German soldiers sporting long hair...)
3)French-Indian war without the anglophile bias typical of F.Cooper's Last of Mohicans
P.S. my fav war movie is "Ice cold in Alex".Ring a bell?
Posted by: Marco Lovisetto | October 05, 2007 at 04:55 PM
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Good call on fave film Marco...Ice Cold in Alex is a classic...and as it is a Friday night, that is exactly how I feel, time to find a pub and a cold beer!
Posted by: Mike | October 05, 2007 at 05:02 PM
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Those, who have read Terry's Crowdy: the Enemy WIthin and my own Campaign 70: Marengo will have encountered a spy known as Toli - we haven't told much of what we know, but it is a great espionage story that is Bond without the cars (and we might have to add in a few women I suppose!).
For the sheer nastiness of Nap warfare, it has to be Wagram, which shows inter alia that battle shock did not start in WW1.
A decent Alexander film.
Posted by: Dave Hollins | October 06, 2007 at 08:42 PM
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I think these would make interesting war films:
1. The story of the Battle of Slapton Sands, an exercise in May 1944 which went seriously wrong & almost resulted in the cancellation of D-Day because of the number of tank landing ships lost. Several hundred US soldiers & sailors lost their lives, & the debacle was covered up by the US & UK governments for 40 years.
2. Someone earlier mentioned "Goodbye Mickey Mouse" by Len Deighton. I agree, but also think "Bomber" by the same author would make a superb film - it's one of the most thrilling WW2 books I've ever read.
3. A definitive film about Korea would be good to see - how about the Battle of the Imjin River being given the full Spielberg treatment? That would really be something....
Chris
Posted by: Chris Oldfield | October 06, 2007 at 10:22 PM
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The Varus Disaster.
The Cochin Siege 1504
The Last Stand of Recon Team Kansas 1971
Posted by: Pedro Marcos | October 08, 2007 at 08:20 PM
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after the success of 'letters from iwo jima' i hope that more war films are made for general release and with the big budget treatment that represent viewpoints other than that of the US/hollywood. filmmakers should also ensure that war is presented as realistically and unpalatably as possible, avoiding the temptation of jingoism and romance that is often added to sweeten the pill for considerations of financial success.
Posted by: YV | October 09, 2007 at 10:48 PM
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"1) the East African campaign and the brilliant guerrilla war conducted by the Germans during WW I"
Ouch Xavier- that would be the bloodiest war movie ever! 100,000 civilian casualties for the British Empire and 350,000 for von Lettow- before you even get to casualties from combat.
Posted by: xeoran | October 15, 2007 at 03:44 PM
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I'd love to see a movie about the Battle of Ticonderoga. That would be awesome to see a great recreation of that major battle of French & Indian War (especially considering the fact that very few films picturing that war were made).
Another great film would be about the British raid on Washington during the war of 1812, but I don't think it would be a commercial success in USA...
Posted by: Patrick | December 13, 2007 at 06:53 PM
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A Ticonderoga movie would be cool. The fort is still there and the surrounding landscape is undeveloped for the most part. Plenty of local reenactors around too.
I'd love to see the story of the Battle of the Bulge redone, but with a narrow focus on the 37th Tank Battalion. I think Russell Crowe would make a great Creighton Abrams, and the story is a natural for Hollywood.
Posted by: Dan | December 31, 2007 at 08:55 PM
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1. A Band of Brothers-accurate miniseries about either Berdan's Sharpshooters of the ACW or the U.S. 1st Rifle Regiment of 1812-15.
2. Same as the above for a troop of Cromwell's Ironsides.
3. Same as the above (do you see a pattern here??) about the American crewed RAF Eagle Squadrons.
Posted by: Michael Lubrano | January 03, 2008 at 08:33 PM
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