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Do Women prefer The Pacific to Band of Brothers?

In an interview Dale Dye, a military advisor for many war  movies, was asked why The Pacific had many female viewers and here is his explanation for that fact.

“By telling a story that reflects the thousands of whirlwind wartime romances that happened during World War II. There’s this great desperation element—I might get killed in the next six weeks, we’ve got to get married now—and females really identify with that. They get it.” (Dale Dye in The Atlantic)

He also believes that the love story between the two soldiers John Basilone and Lena Riggi made women like it.

Aha? So it is only the romance that makes women appreciate The Pacific? Could it not be that it has more to do with the fact that there are simply more women in The Pacific than in Band of Brothers?And that there is a whole psychological dimension in The Pacific, with all its tales of post-traumatic stress, that might appeal to women?

I would love some comments. Do women like The Pacific? Do they prefer it to Band of  Brothers? Or did they even like both?

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) or An unusual look at the Holocaust

The movie The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is based on a novel by John Boyne.

The movie tells the story of Bruno, an eight year old boy, whose father is a high ranking Nazi officer newly appointed to be in charge of a concentration camp.

The family leaves Berlin (shot in Budapest, by the way) for a place somewhere in the country, near a concentration camp. The story is purely seen through the eyes of the little boy which creates some very uneasy moments.

I believe that the major theme of this movie is knowing and knowledge. We do know what happened during the third Reich. We know what Endlösung – The Final Solution – means. We know about concentration camps and extermination camps. Watching this movie with all this background information makes for a lot of discomforting moments. All the signs, the chimneys and the smoke, the people in the striped pyjamas… We know what to make of them. Bruno does not. And neither does his mother as it would seem.

The crucial moment is when Bruno meets the boy behind the barbed wire, the boy in the striped pyjamas, Shmuel. An impossible friendship begins. Bruno understands after a while that this boy is a Jew; at the same time he is taught by a fanatic private tutor that Jews are vermin.

Boyne says in an interview that he wanted to tell a different story, add something new to a topic that has been taken up so many times. He is very successful. One thing is for sure, no one who watches The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is going to forget it easily. The whole way it is told plus the more than atrocious end is by far too unusual to be forgotten.

I am sure it is one of the best movies to teach children the Holocaust.

To be honest, I am still a bit speechless. The whole film and especially the ending are like being kicked in the gut. I am quite awed by the little actors. Asa Butterfield, who plays Bruno, is amazing. This little kid has a way of talking with his eyes that is rarely found in grown up actors. To cut a long story short: Watch it!

See also Children in War Movies: A List

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A Story of Naval Combat in the Vein of Master & Commander or Why You Should Watch the TV Series Hornblower (1998-2003)

The British TV series Hornblower or Horatio Hornblower is based on the books by C.S. Forester starring Ioan Gruffudd (King Arthur) as Horatio Hornblower.

It is the movie that is closest to the fabulous Master & Commander that I have seen so far. Sure, there are older movies on the Napoleonic Wars and naval combat but this is my favourite.

I think there are a total of 8 installments. They mostly have two titles, a British and an American one.

The Duel

The Fire Ship

The Duchess and the Devil

The Wrong War

Mutiny

Retribution

Loyalty

Duty

Here are 10 reasons why you should give Hornblower at least a try:

1. If you are looking for movies that resemble Master & Commander

2. If you enjoy naval combat and some gripping rapier fights

3. If you care for a likable character who has to overcome obstacles and wins in the end

4. If you are a fascinated by this period in time and interested in the Napoleonic Wars

5. If you enjoy POW stories (one whole episode shows Hornblower as a captive)

6. If you like a gripping story

7. If two-hour movies are too short for you and you like well made mini series

8. If you are a fan of Ioan Gruffud

9. If you don’t care for too much romance but like a bit on the side  to add another dimension

10. If you like a wide range of fascinating characters, some of which are cunning and evil, others kind and heroic

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WWI Movie Quotes Film Quiz 7

Today´s movie quotes quiz will lead us into the realm of  WWI movies.

The quote is followed by the solution underneath but first comes the random list for you. Anyone who wants a real challenge, skips this list!

Merry Christmas aka Joyeux Noel, The Lighthorsemen, The Blue Max,  All Quiet on the Western Front, Regeneration, Gallipoli, Flyboys

Quotes

[wondering why Cassidy is offering a pistol] “What’s this for?”
“Plane catches fire you got three choices: You can burn with it all the way to the ground; You can jump several thousand feet; or you can take the quick and painless way out.”
[Handing gun to Beagle]
“Good luck, gentlemen.”

Solution 1

“Everyone to their posts!”
[a moment of indecision] “Every man to his post!”
“Quickly!”
[the Scottish soldiers get in position along the trench wall]
[Someone in the German trench stands up and walks into No Man’s Land]” No, stay here! What’re you doing? Come back!”
“Well, what the hell are you doing! Shoot the bloody Kraut!”
[the Scottish soldiers look at each other; they don’t fire]
“What are you waiting for? Shoot him, God damn it! Holidays are over!”
[the soldiers shoot in the air to warn the man in No Man’s Land, who begins to run toward the French trench]
“What the hell do you think you’re playing at? Shoot him!”
[Again the soldiers look at each other, shake their heads, and don’t fire]
“Shoot him!”
[Jonathan shoots the man, who falls midway between the French and German trenches]
“Stand down from your posts.”
[They do]
“Shame on you, Gordon. Shame on you.”
[Ponchel’s alarm clock rings in No Man’s Land. Gordon looks out to see Lieutenant Audebert running to help the man Jonathan shot – Ponchel in a German uniform]
“Be silly to die disguised as a German, eh?”
“What the devil were you doing?”
“I had a German help me. I saw my mother. We drank a coffee, just like before… You have a son.”
[Lieutenant Audebert can no longer keep from crying]
“His name is Henri.”
[Ponchel dies, and Lieutenant Audebert sobs even harder. Gordon and the Major look on from their trench, Gordon grave, the Major baffled]

Solution 2

“I find it interesting that you don’t stutter.”
“I find it even more interesting that you do.”

Solution 3

“Ah, the French certainly deserve to be punished for starting this war.”
“Everybody says it’s somebody else.”
“Well. how do they start a war?”
“Well, one country offends another.”
“How could one country offend another?”
“You mean there’s a mountain over in Germany gets mad at a field over in France?”
[Everyone laughs]
“Well, stupid, one people offends another.”
“Oh, well, if that’s it, I shouldn’t be here at all. I don’t feel offended.”
“It don’t apply to tramps like you.”
“Good. Then I could be goin’ home right away.”
“Ah, you just try it.”
“Yeah. You wanna get shot?”
“The kaiser and me…”
[the others laugh]
“Me and the kaiser felt just alike about this war. We didn’t either of us want any war, so I’m going home. He’s there already.”
“Somebody must have wanted it. Maybe it was the English. No, I don’t want to shoot any Englishman. I never saw one ’til I came up here. And I suppose most of them never saw a German ’til *they* came up here. No, I’m sure *they* weren’t asked about it.”
“No.”
“Well, it must be doing somebody some good.”
“Not me and the kaiser.”
“I think maybe the kaiser wanted a war.”
“You leave us out of this!”
“I don’t see that. The kaiser’s *got* everything he needs.”
“Well, he never had a war before. Every full-grown emperor needs one war to make him famous. Why, that’s history.”
“Yeah, generals, too. They need war.”

Solution 4

“Tell Major Barton that the attack must proceed.
“Sir, I don’t think you’ve got the picture. They are being cut down before they can get five yards.”
[hits the phone]
“Bloody line! Our marker flags were seen in the Turkish trenches. The attack must continue at all costs.”
“But…”
“I repeat, the attack must proceed!”

Solution 5

“By the way, Stachel… there’s an impression around that… you care more about your unconfirmed kill than you do about Fabian’s death.”
[long pause]
“Perhaps it’s force of habit. In the trenches, we couldn’t even bury the dead; there were too many of them. I’ve never had the time… to discuss them over a glass of champagne.”

Solution 6

“Hey, Scotty, you’re not Scotch, are you?”
“No.”
“Then, why do they call you Scotty?
[Scotty thinks]
“Cause I’m Irish.”

Solution 7

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Michael Cimino speaks about The Deer Hunter (1979)

The Deer Hunter will always be one of the most fascinating Vietnam war movies. It´s not an easy movie and it is one of those you have to watch again to truly understand it. I wanted to write a review of it many times but was never satisfied with what I came up with. While waiting for the ultimate inspiration  I found this video post of an interview with the director of the film, Michael Cimino.  I found it quite interesting, especially since the interview is interwoven with bits of the film. Really well done.

Hope you will like it too.