It's the little things that irritate

[fsn]

Just watching "Timewatch" on BBC. About WWII. So what do they use as a silhouette? US soliders with M16s. How lazy can you get. "Oh it's a soldier, and he's in silhouette so no-one will notice".

It's like when I complained to the Franklin Mint that they put a Spitfire V on their Battle of Britain coin, which they tried to tell me was a Spitfire II. A pox on them!

You always see scenes of "massive German tanks" illustrated by some cuddly Pz IIs.

Or Westerns set "just after the Civil War" when everyone totes a Colt Peacemaker. 

Or the episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" with French Revolutionary troops in shakos.

It's just lazy.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

1) People who write lists about things that annoy them
2) Irony
3) People who can't fini...

[Ithoriel]

Personally, I'm content to be amused by the inaccuracies, anachronisms and inconsistencies. Doubly so if I'm with a fellow nerd who can understand the cause of my amusement.

Given that most of the audience would probably struggle to tell an M-16 from a margarine tub I think the film and TV industry's attempts at more accurate representations of uniforms and hardware are to be commended and the occasional lapse is understandable.

[Techno]

Trying to compare my 'top lists' in certain categories in the painting competition.....And the PC decides to have a 'go slow'.

(I'll do it tomorrow morning, early, when all the oiks around here aren't slowing the system down even more than usual.   )

Cheers - Mr Grumpy of Pembs.

Given that most of the audience would probably struggle to tell an M-16 from a margarine tub......

Ooooh.....I know.....A margarine tub can't fly......Or is that an F-16 ? 

[O Dinas Powys]

Vikings in horned helmets, that's the one that always annoys me 

[Nosher]

Actors wearing berets in war films that look like they've put them on straight out of the stores

[Sandinista]

Ooooh.....I know.....A margarine tub can't fly......Or is that an F-16 ? 

No, that was the F-104G

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWipIji35Cg

Cheers
Ian

[paulr]

Some times it is important

A few years ago at the US Democratic Party convention they had a retired US Admiral honouring veterans, they put up pictures of warships behind him



Shame they were Russian

And the aircraft, top right are the Turkish Air Force display team, flying F16s

[d_Guy]

Vikings in horned helmets, that's the one that always annoys me 

Well I think that comes from misunderstanding the historic record about "horny vikings attacking thus and so"

[Subedai]

I can understand 'modern' war films having to use what's available or borrowing a single Tiger or a Hetzer from that bloke who collects and flogs 'em because of the lack of real ones...but when they use the wrong period footage that bugs the hell out of me. Example: WW I programmes using chaps wearing battle bowlers in 1914 and...and...if I see that field of King Tiger's clip one more time...

I must say, I was quite impressed with the Russian uniforms in the latest War and Peace, at least they had a reasonable go at making a kiwer.

[Westmarcher]

Seeing Dark Ages warriors and Medieval men-at-arms on film or TV, marching in time and standing to attention as if they were in the Coldstream Guards.

Armies in the Dark Ages / Medieval eras were not as disciplined and so well drilled as modern day armies. As far as I know, cadenced step wasn't introduced until the 18th Century (by Prussia). And as regards standing on guard at attention, do you ever see gangsters' henchmen on TV or in the movies, or bouncers at night clubs, standing at attention? No, because they are not in the army; they are bodyguards / personal retainers / hired thugs.

I think this is how Medieval warriors stood when guarding anything.   

http://www.warfare.altervista.org/12/Temple_Pyx_Bronze.htm

Slouching and fed up. 

"Hollywood," please take note.

[fsn]

What's the one on the right doing behind his shield?

[Zippee]

I must say, I was quite impressed with the Russian uniforms in the latest War and Peace, at least they had a reasonable go at making a kiwer.

Bloody shame they isisted on wearing them at Austerlitz though. . .

and of course hardly anyone wore them at Borodino either . . .

so actually they shouldn't have been trying to make kiwers at all!

But on the whole the whole thing was very well done.

[fsn]

[Westmarcher]

Good stuff! 

And right enough (about the one on the ... er ... right), what is he doing .. and what is that smile on his face for?