I thought we might have a thread about wargaming in films. Most members will have seen one film or another featuring wargaming, players or models. Let's see how far we get. Punters name the title, give a short storyline and if possible indicate at what point in the film the fun starts. If the film is available anywhere on the web, please link to (or mention) the url.
Here's for starters.
The film Callan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kb2xwpki94&feature=related), starring Edward Woodward as a shadowy government assassin, features a wargame between Callan/Woodward and his intended victim, the arms dealer Schneider. The battle is Gettysburg.
Fun starts at 1:24:00.
Cheers,
Aart
The American arms dealer villian in The Living Daylights is playing Gettysburg as well when Bond interrupts him for a final shootout. Good movie, but plausibility issues; I can't imagine ever being sufficiently commited to my role as evil overlord to shoot an LMG in a room full of my miniatures! Or indeed to shoot at Timothy Dalton (if I ever crossed over....)
Have a look at the new 'Strawdogs' movie, part of teh plot line is he is a movie director, plotting a film about the Grain elevator at Satingrad, model terrain by Timecast! :D
http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/film/strawdogs2011/timecastst.html (http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/film/strawdogs2011/timecastst.html)
Not a film...
But do I remember an episode of Midsomer Murders that featured a plot revolving around a pair of gamers ?
If it wasn't MM, it was something very similar.
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Techno on 15 December 2011, 09:01:23 AM
Not a film...
But do I remember an episode of Midsomer Murders that featured a plot revolving around a pair of gamers ?
If it wasn't MM, it was something very similar.
Cheers - Phil.
Not sure about MM but there was definitely an episode of New Tricks that involved wargaming.
Quote from: mad lemmey on 15 December 2011, 08:47:12 AM
[...] part of teh plot line is he is a movie director, plotting a film about the Grain elevator at Satingrad, model terrain by Timecast! :D
Lucky b......! ;)
Cheers,
Aart
Quote from: Techno on 15 December 2011, 09:01:23 AM
Not a film...
But do I remember an episode of Midsomer Murders that featured a plot revolving around a pair of gamers ?
If it wasn't MM, it was something very similar.
Cheers - Phil.
There was a 'Waking teh Dead' where the protagonist was definitely painting a pre-painted Battlefront Jeep!
Elijah Wood and John Hurt in the Oxford Murders. I havent seen it though
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CpAXXISsa5g/SzCTHg4u97I/AAAAAAAAB9o/V-kTBxlhLKI/s1600-h/Oxford01.JPG)
I have GM. It's an interesting film, especially if you miss the start of it like I did.
There's also an apisode of Columbo in which an alibi is based on someone's setting up a diorama with thousands of (again, ho hum) ACW figures.
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 14 December 2011, 11:07:06 PM
I thought we might have a thread about wargaming in films. Most members will have seen one film or another featuring wargaming, players or models.
Do the scenes where a (retired) brigadier/general/etc (in full uniform, ofcourse) has a table full of terrain and figures also count? Invariably said person will then proceed with forcibly removing figures from the table by various means. Making sounds effects while doing so seems mandatory (BOOM BOOM DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA AAAAARGHH). I suppose that's the general public's view of wargaming anyway.
Quote from: goat major on 15 December 2011, 12:43:36 PM
Elijah Wood and John Hurt in the Oxford Murders. I havent seen it though.
(http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4475/oxfordmurders.jpg)
I've seen it. That scene is only a few seconds long really. The Hurt character asks him to remove 'B Company' form the field, after which the action moves away from the wargaming table never to return to it again.
Cheers,
Aart
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - I kid you not!
Near the end, Truly Scrumpscious' father (a retired gerenal) is playing toy solders with Professor Pott's grandfather (the general's former batman). Admittedly, the game involves lobbing assroted missiles at a load of figures, but it's toy soldiers in a movie! :)
Small Soldiers :-[
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122718/
I've sat and daydreamed a few times about something along the lines of Jumanji, with wargaming instead, and the game comes alive, etc. You could use a full variety of periods, from Ancient Rome, through Naps, to WWII, and could quite easily create a good film out of that premise I think.
Quote from: Kiwidave on 15 December 2011, 04:29:21 PM
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - I kid you not!
Yes you do. That's not wargaming, that's Steptoe and Son on crack. :D
At least Callan is the real thing:
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3246/callan1.jpg)
Cheers,
Aart
never mind
Quote from: NTM on 15 December 2011, 09:25:16 AM
Not sure about MM but there was definitely an episode of New Tricks that involved wargaming.
That sounds more likely !
Cheers - Phil.
There is of course that episode of Peep Show where David Mitchell say s about his girlfriend "I'm cancelling you out of shame, like my subscription to White Dwarf"
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 15 December 2011, 07:35:38 PM
Yes you do. That's not wargaming, that's Steptoe and Son on crack. :D
That's a bit harsh - but funny! :D
The New Tricks episode with the wargame involved South London warlords in the back shots.
Speaking to some of them they said they have never been so embarrased because of all the boom boom sound effects made by the actors during the playing of the game
Callan was perhaps the series and movies that portrayed gaming in a more professional and serious light
Quote from: Leon on 15 December 2011, 07:01:15 PM
I've sat and daydreamed a few times about something along the lines of Jumanji, with wargaming instead, and the game comes alive, etc. You could use a full variety of periods, from Ancient Rome, through Naps, to WWII, and could quite easily create a good film out of that premise I think.
I read a short story years ago (cant rmember the title or who it was by :) ) but it had a guy who was sent a pile of figures in the post and they basically came alive and attacked him, the choppers went for his eyes etc. he retreated to the bathroom and somehow made a molotov cocktail and threw it into the lounge, where it landed in the box of remaining figures. pople outside saw a flash as if a thousand flash bulbs had gone off at once and from what I rmember the windows blew out. A singed bit of paper floated down . on it was written...special offer thermo nuclear device
There was Disney's "Babes in Toyland" (as in http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054649/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054649/), not as in http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,1714.0.html (http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,1714.0.html)).
That finishes with both sides toy soldiers being used to fire at one another. :D
Quote from: Maenoferren on 16 December 2011, 10:19:15 PM
A singed bit of paper floated down . on it was written...special offer...
That will have been from Foundry then
Quote from: Techno on 15 December 2011, 09:01:23 AM
Not a film...
But do I remember an episode of Midsomer Murders that featured a plot revolving around a pair of gamers ?
If it wasn't MM, it was something very similar.
Cheers - Phil.
This is forthcoming: http://www.warlordgames.com/15064/midsomer-madness/
The Callan film was a remake of an 'Arm Chair Theatre' production called 'A Magnum for Scheider'. The same story line but two wargames were fought.
The first was a Napoleonic battle whose name I've forgotten
(http://www.theintelligencer.webspace.virginmedia.com/Callan01.jpg)
The next was Gettysburg
(http://www.theintelligencer.webspace.virginmedia.com/Callan02.jpg)
(http://www.theintelligencer.webspace.virginmedia.com/Callan3.jpg)
Unless they're midgets I don't think the figures were 10mm.
Quote from: Maenoferren on 16 December 2011, 10:19:15 PM
I read a short story years ago (cant rmember the title or who it was by :) ) but it had a guy who was sent a pile of figures in the post and they basically came alive and attacked him, the choppers went for his eyes etc. he retreated to the bathroom and somehow made a molotov cocktail and threw it into the lounge, where it landed in the box of remaining figures. pople outside saw a flash as if a thousand flash bulbs had gone off at once and from what I rmember the windows blew out. A singed bit of paper floated down . on it was written...special offer thermo nuclear device
Sounds a bit like this from Stephen King
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1251206/
Quote from: Kiwidave on 15 December 2011, 04:29:21 PM
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - I kid you not!
Near the end, Truly Scrumpscious' father (a retired gerenal) is playing toy solders with Professor Pott's grandfather (the general's former batman). Admittedly, the game involves lobbing assroted missiles at a load of figures, but it's toy soldiers in a movie! :)
That's the one that sprung to mind for me too ;)
I recall an episode of Citizen Smith where his girlfriend's dad wass planning a reenactment of some major battle in the attic. All I can remember that it involved several tons of sand and his general's head was bitten off by dog!
Watched a repeated episode of Lewis last night [Expiation] and there's a bit where he goes to talk to an awkward teenager in his bedroom [the teenager's, not Lewis's] - there's a round table with some 40k Orks on it & Lewis says, "my nephew's got some of those"...and is met with utter silence from the teenager. ???
Awkward moment at 2:45 here:
The episode of New Tricks that has wargaming in it reveals that Brian Lane (played by Alun Armstrong) used to be a wargamer and has a collection of Figures in his loft. He apparently gave up wargaming as the habit of going to the pub after a game did not help his alcoholism.
Hmmmm... :-\
Not sure now regarding Mid/S/M or New Tricks from what you've all been describing.
I wasn't paying much attention to the idiot box as usual....BUT, if I DO remember correctly (Very unlikely ;))....Two early(ish) middle aged chaps gaming...The one who was getting his side's bum kicked.... getting into a real old strop....Think it was Napoleonics on the table.....One of the two gamers got stiffed ??
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Just a few Orcs on 21 December 2011, 12:04:59 PM
[...] Brian Lane [...] apparently gave up wargaming as the habit of going to the pub after a game did not help his alcoholism.
Why do "role models" always have to be stupid dorks?
Cheers,
Aart
As I recall, wargaming featured in the TV series of Callan as well. Figures, terrain etc. were supplied by the late Peter Gilder of Hinchliffe.
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 21 December 2011, 03:16:46 PM
Why do "role models" always have to be stupid dorks?
Cheers,
Aart
Because the .00001% of
anything that gives a hobby/whatever, a completely nerdy/dorkish/criminal name is something that the gutter press will jump on to make
themselves seem
really on the ball, and help sell the 'poop' they print.
Sorry....I'm in a fekking bad mood, 'cos I've just been caught between two of the better half's bigger gee-gees and a metal gate....They were having an arse kicking competition....I ACHE
big time !...Shouldn't complain..I didn't get my ribs or worse broken.....SODS !!
Phil.
Quote from: Kiwidave on 15 December 2011, 04:29:21 PM
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - I kid you not!
Near the end, Truly Scrumpscious' father (a retired gerenal) is playing toy solders with Professor Pott's grandfather (the general's former batman). Admittedly, the game involves lobbing assroted missiles at a load of figures, but it's toy soldiers in a movie! :)
Aye, but thats how you play the HG Wells 'Little Wars' rules eh?
Now then, not actually a wargame but there's an extended bout of miniatures painting and diorama making in Ronin.
Michael Lonsdale plays a character called Jean-Pierre who is mostly seen painting little soldiers.
(Sorry i couldn't find and English version).
Quote from: Luddite on 21 December 2011, 09:17:02 PM(Sorry i couldn't find and English version).
Fear my Google Fu. m/
Teh English version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV2hJ46Skt8)
Cheers,
Aart
I remember a movie from the late 70's / early 80's. Firemen were playing micro armor upstairs in a fire house. The one character says that his 'Stalin Orgins are firing.'. Then one of the wives came upstairs to fight with her husband.
I thought one of the actors was Kevin Dobson (from Kojak) but he didn't seem to play a fireman in any of his movies. That's all I remember from the movie.
Ok, so it's an RPG rather than wargame, but it does involve painted miniatures in a scenic dungeon.
ET:
(http://peter.evans-greenwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/et.png)
Apologies for the crap image, but it seems the IP holders are tad restrictive and so this was the only one I could find.
Meirion
Quote from: MooseDontBounce on 22 December 2011, 12:21:31 AM
I remember a movie from the late 70's / early 80's. Firemen were playing micro armor upstairs in a fire house. The one character says that his 'Stalin Orgins are firing.'. Then one of the wives came upstairs to fight with her husband.
I thought one of the actors was Kevin Dobson (from Kojak) but he didn't seem to play a fireman in any of his movies. That's all I remember from the movie.
;D
I never had any complaints from the wife whenever my Stalin's Organ fired. :o :P
Cheers,
Aart
Well if we're moving on to role playing. There are some figures on this table too
In Groundhog Day, when Bill Murray describes all the people in the diner:
"This is Bill who's been a waiter for three years since he left Penn State and had to get work. He likes the town, paints toy soldiers, and he's gay."
/sigh
Cheers, Martyn
--
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 22 December 2011, 01:00:15 AM
;D
I never had any complaints from the wife whenever my Stalin's Organ fired. :o :P
Cheers,
Aart
YES!!!! ;D