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FLYBOYS 2006 quick overview

Started by CheezeFlixz, February 01, 2007, 12:15:39 AM

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CheezeFlixz

Just watched and it was a really good flik ... entertaining and lots of air action and it'd got a sub-story of romance for the ladies as my wife enjoyed it too. (I think I saw her wiping some tears.)

The sound is decent and the video is great. Some minor flaws in the CGI nothing to really gripe about. There were a few unrealistic moments, but overall they are easy to over look. There are a few factual errors regarding the period of the planes (1917) and when the plane was really made along with some of the marking that are used to name a couple, but who's nitpicking? (Like zeppelin had AA and gun platforms on the top ... wrong.)

It's set on WWI which is good, because so many are set in WWII it's good to see something different. The story is based on real events so it does have a bit of a plot which holds together fairly well I think. Overall it is tad predictable to a degree and a little sappy at times.

Highly reccommended for those who like action or war flix. The single disc DVD lacked any extras aside from commentary which is a bummer. They have released a 2 disc set which I need to check out as I like to know a little more about the real story, being a history buff. The single disc is a skimpy.

4 out of 5 stars. :thumbup:

Yaddo 42

Caught this at the theater on a slow night. Not bad, kind of old fashioned in its storytelling and very by the numbers. It was easy to see who would die, who would prove itself, and I could see the way the climax would play out coming a mile away, but I enjoyed it as a time passer. Plus I'm a Jean Reno fan.

I wasn't tooking to it as history, and might have liked it less if I knew more about the era, but I had heard using zeppelins during the day was bunk.

I'd call it a renter if you don't have high expectations.
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CheezeFlixz

Quote from: Yaddo 42 on February 01, 2007, 04:57:09 AM
Caught this at the theater on a slow night. Not bad, kind of old fashioned in its storytelling and very by the numbers. It was easy to see who would die, who would prove itself, and I could see the way the climax would play out coming a mile away, but I enjoyed it as a time passer. Plus I'm a Jean Reno fan.

I wasn't tooking to it as history, and might have liked it less if I knew more about the era, but I had heard using zeppelins during the day was bunk.

I'd call it a renter if you don't have high expectations.

No they used Zepplins with very limited success in WWI they had more failures though. A few bombing mission but mostly scouts. I won't bore you with all the details and history of the zepplin. Unless that's what you want ...  there is some basic info about on Wiki, nothing to comperhensive. :smile:

Like I said it's a good movie not a history lesson for those, military nitpickers which I can be at times. I see that the 2 disc set has a featurette about the true story along with more extras so I'm going to have to get that one.

Yes the movie was classic in style and predictable, not hard to tell who the hero would be and who would die. All that aside it was enjoyable and fairly well done, less the flaws noted prior.


For me it's worth adding to a war film collection, provided you like war films as it does have re-watch qualities.

Yaddo 42

I see your points on the film. I have a soon to be ex-uncle who is a major military history buff, he was not enthused by the film's ads. He was spotting inaccuracies just from it. I told him about it, and said if he couldn't get past that kind of stuff he probably wouldn't like the film.

On the other hand he like The Last Samurai a lot, and I didn't because I knew at least a little more about the events it was based on than him.
blah blah stuff blah blah obscure pop culture reference blah blah clever turn of phrase blah blah bad pun blah blah bad link blah blah zzzz.....

CheezeFlixz

I try to over look a lot of military movie inaccuracies as most of them have so many. If I didn't;pt watch a movie for that reason then I'd rarely get to see a war film.

My biggest grip is, as a former Marine ...
Non regulation hair cuts, Marines with long hair or big bushy mustashes or even beards!!
Wrong uniforms, wrong terms, wrong slang, etc etc.
Weapons in the wrong period. (Example: As great as the film "Patton" was the tanks used were post-war tanks (M47 and M48's) and further more the German tanks were post war American tanks!!! Good Grief!)
I could go on all day listing era errors and other mistakes, but for me in the end it all boils down to was the film enjoyable? I mean even Gladiator and Braveheart are riddled with historic errors, but I love both films!

I do wish that if a film maker is going to make a historic movie based on real events or real people that can be pin pointed to a current time in history (Gladitor - fictional but with real historical figures, Marcus Aurelius 121AD-169AD who died at age 48 is played by a 70 year old Richard Harris? In the first battle against Germania the Romans won in the movie, but in REAL history they lost big time. Just a couple of 100's of errors.)

Anyway before I go off the historical fact checking deep-end if the movie is enjoyable watch it and check the historical fact checking at the door, which I find hard to do at times.



Jim H

"Non regulation hair cuts, Marines with long hair or big bushy mustashes or even beards!!"

One thing I do seem to recall is that some people get exceptions to facial hair regulations.  Those who get serious ingrown hair problems, usually black people.  That's what someone in the airforce told me anyway.

Andrew

Quote from: Jim H on February 02, 2007, 04:26:54 PM
"Non regulation hair cuts, Marines with long hair or big bushy mustashes or even beards!!"

One thing I do seem to recall is that some people get exceptions to facial hair regulations.  Those who get serious ingrown hair problems, usually black people.  That's what someone in the airforce told me anyway.

This is accurate, but they do not get an exemption that allows them to grow a beard.  For example, most of the Marines will get a medical officer's chit saying they only need to shave every other day or once a week.  In extreme cases (once, in 15 years - though I am not a medical officer) I have seen them authorized to keep a very short amount of growth on a problem area (neck, etc).  We are talking 1/4" at most and the chit was of a limited duration. 

You cannot get a good seal with your gas mask if you have more than a small amount of facial hair.
Andrew Borntreger
Badmovies.org

CheezeFlixz

Quote from: Jim H on February 02, 2007, 04:26:54 PM
"Non regulation hair cuts, Marines with long hair or big bushy mustashes or even beards!!"

One thing I do seem to recall is that some people get exceptions to facial hair regulations.  Those who get serious ingrown hair problems, usually black people.  That's what someone in the airforce told me anyway.

Somehow I do not think they would protray this medical condition in the movies and not mention it. If they can not pay attention to other details then I think they'd overlook this little nuance of human skin conditions.

R-T-C Tim

There are not too many WWI air-combat movies.

I can think of:
'The Blue Max' (1966)
Roger Corman's 'Red Baron' (1971) - coming to DVD in April as 'Von Richtofen & Brown' in the US
'The Dawn Patrol' (1938) starring Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone - coming to US DVD in March.

There is also 'Zepplin' (1971), starring Michael York, but currently unavailable on DVD.

Can anyone think of any other titles?
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Dave M

Just saw Flyboys last night, was wondering if the Germans were using hydrogen in the zepplins at that time.

The movies this reminded me of were All Quiet On The Western Front and the movie-within-a-movie in The Stuntman, which I kind of think was supposed to be a remake of Wings or something. Also, Star Wars, of course.

I'll probably be posting more here when I get the hang of putting in links properly.

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Yaddo 42

Other WWI air combat films:
Hell's Angels
Aces High
Darling Lili


According to the commentary on The Stunt Man DVD, the film-within-a-film is not supposed to be that great a movie. Maybe inspired by Wings but there's nothing in the film that mentions a remake IIRC.
blah blah stuff blah blah obscure pop culture reference blah blah clever turn of phrase blah blah bad pun blah blah bad link blah blah zzzz.....

CheezeFlixz

More WWI movies  ground and air combat ....

The Lost Battalion
Sergeant York
All Quiet on the Western Front
Paths of Glory
A Farewell to Arms
Wings
The Eagle and The Hawk
Dawn Patrol
Lafayette Escadrille
Von Richthofen & Brown
Waterloo Bridge
Grand Illusion
The Fighting 69th
Mata Hari
Gallipoli
King of Hearts
Lighthorsemen
Guns of August

Aside from one prior listed, that's it I'm tapped.
Anyone know anymore?

R-T-C Tim

I'm not quite sure what it is about, but the French film 'A Very Long Engagement' (2004) is set during WW1, as is the recent British horror movie 'Deathwatch'.

Cheers for the titles already listed, I'll be looking into these.  :thumbup:
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soylentgreen

Good to see FLYBOYS getting some decent attention.  I was growing weary of seeing it dismissed so casually, mostly from those who hadn't actually seen it..

I though it captured the spirit of some of the flying pictures of old...just with souped up effects work.  And the sense of 'plane romance' of the period was palpable.

You all might be interested in the upcoming DER ROTE BARON, a german produced film about..well..The Red Baron himself.  It's got a nice continental cast and the planes look fairly spot on, at least from what can be seen in the production videos.

It's been (pardon the pun) flying fairly low under the radar for the last year, so not many people have even an inkling about it.

You can check it out here at http://www.redbaron-themovie.com/

Looks pretty promising, but then again so did CATWOMAN!  :bouncegiggle:
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