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A bit of background: My neighbor collects Lee-Enfield rifles. I lent him my DVDs of Zulu and Zulu Dawn, mistakenly saying they featured Lee-Enfields, which they certainly do not, but he didn't mind. He emailed me this evening asking if I could recommend any more British Empire war flicks. He's already got the grandaddy of the genre (Lawrence of Arabia), but he'd like to see some more. After much head-scratching, here's my initial list:
Breaker Morant (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/) (the Lee-Enfield is practically a character in the film)
The Man Who Would Be King (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073341/)
Gallipoli (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/)
The Lighthorsemen (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093416/)
Khartoum (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060588/)
But there must be more. Weren't any rah-rah to the men in pith helmets and khaki films made after the '40s? I'm especially interested in newer films with good production values. I remember an unspeakably awful remake of The Four Feathers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240510/), but the less said about that the better.
Help me out, you historical Orgahs. What are some good British Empire late 1800s early 1900s period war films?
Incongruous
04-27-2009, 07:16
Would you ever consider:
The Battle of The River Plate
All The King's Men
Gunga Din
Malta Story
Bridge On The River Kwai
The Lives of Bengali Lancer
Not that historical but highly entertaining: Sharpe!
King Henry V
04-27-2009, 11:44
The 1977 version of the Four Feathers was a staple of my childhood, and was usually followed by me pretending to mow down dozens of fuzzie-wuzzies in the garden with my little toy carbine. Good times :2thumbsup:
The Charge of the Light Brigade is also good, whether you prefer the dashing yet somewhat laughingly ahistorical 1936 version with Errol Flynn and David Niven, or the more realistic, anti-establishment 1968 one with Gielgud et al.
Pannonian
04-27-2009, 12:27
Young Winston (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztQ9dvBY-OM), featuring the original mowing down of fuzzy-wuzzies.
Marshal Murat
04-27-2009, 12:40
It seems there was one "empire" movie about some ex-British soldier who goes with this damsel to rescue her father from some wild tribesmen who are using him to make advanced weaponry. I've only seen it once, but I didn't know if that rang any bells?
Pannonian
04-27-2009, 13:47
It seems there was one "empire" movie about some ex-British soldier who goes with this damsel to rescue her father from some wild tribesmen who are using him to make advanced weaponry. I've only seen it once, but I didn't know if that rang any bells?
Sounds like the plot of Top Secret (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088286/).
I'd definately reccomend the 1968 version of The Charge of the Light Brigade. I've seen it twice. Every time it makes me chuckle. When the Crimean war actually starts there are animated bits based satirical catroon of the era. The one of 1000 ships salling out from between Queen Victorias legs always makes me lulz. And the one with a bear wearing an imperail crown getting poped in the face by a lion wearing a union flag shirt.
I found it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnpaCbUV2eY
And the live action bits aren't bad either.
Alexander the Pretty Good
04-28-2009, 03:59
The majority of the Imperial personnel in Empire Strikes Back are from somewhere within the British empire's past or present domains. ~:p
Indeed absolutely brilliant The Man Who (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWgukqlmB2k), with two of the best one word lines ever.
'Polo?' 'Polo!'
CmacQ
Nevermind, was already posted.
Master and Commander and Last of the Mohicans
CmacQ
Captain Fishpants
04-30-2009, 11:41
For quite a dark vision of the end of Empire, you can do a lot worse than Richard Attenborough's film version of "Oh! What a Lovely War!".
InsaneApache
04-30-2009, 12:21
Or for an even darker side, Carry on up the Khyber. :laugh4:
I'd definately reccomend the 1968 version of The Charge of the Light Brigade..
And strangely enough, I own that DVD. Have to add it to the pile. Thanks for reminding me!
Hosakawa Tito
04-30-2009, 22:36
Or for an even darker side, Carry on up the Khyber. :laugh4:
Kilt check! https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/hoppy84/khyber-1.jpg
Mouzafphaerre
05-01-2009, 17:35
.
Richard III :yes:
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