The first reviews of Pacific I'm seeing from the US are mixed! The production and action are excellent but it's lacking the characterisation of BoB it seems.

Anyway, BoB apart, I like the general list from Nik except for Alexander which I found really dull. Also add in War and Peace by Sergei Bondarchuk; the battle scenes are tremendous.

Films often inspire, but whilst I love Zulu, I'd never in a million years want to play a game of it.

Blackhawk Down OTOH I'm painting up stuff for as we speak, in 15mm, as I would want to play the battles in Somalia. The recent TV mini-series Generation Kill has also fueled my interest in Modern wargames. Though I'm more likely to play this type of scenario using Battletech, but Humvee's And choppers, what's not to like? Tears of the Sun is also another excellent modern film about the wars in Africa, which inspired to get into AK47 Republic by Peter Pig.

Then there is The 9th Company (9 Rota), a Russian movie about Afghanistan, not to forget The Beast, which is the Hollywood take on Afghanistan.

Also, We Were Soldiers keeps my interest in starting an army for Vietnam, but I've always been interested in the period after my mum took me to see Green Beret as she liked John Wayne. I remember being over-excited by the running through the jungle scene as a child. Having rewatched the film since I can't imagine why now?!  :  Obviously, Apocalypse Now and Platoon are also up there in my DVD collection.

Lord of the Rings is also a great trilogy of films, but like Zulu, you will not find me basing an army on it.

I'll also mention Lawrence of Arabia, if only for the music, which is a bit unfair as it is a wonderful movie.

Starship Troopers always does it for me too. Not a good interpretation of the original novel, but a great pastiche of all those patriotic propaganda movies about war. The soundtrack is totally awesome.

Finally, Heartbreak Ridge. Clint Eastwood at his finest, superb dialogue and its all about being a Recon Marine, though the story is actually based on an Army Ranger unit, but they didn't want to support the movie. However, Uncle Sam's finest did. Totally outstanding film, with a high replay value.

I enjoy black and white British war films, things like 'Went the day well' and 'The gentle sex'.

Two of my favourites historics films are "mihaial viteazul" and "Ivan the terrible (Eissenstein)", they are also very inspiring for the hobby

Zulu - oh yes and due to being a 23 yr Queens Lancer - Charge of the Light Brigade ( just for the utter Englishness of it all (what what!! Hussar!)

God save the Queen

historical rather than war films ? i'll vote for A Man For All Seasons every time

How about Dunkirk and the Cruel Sea.

Old B&W historical war films? Try:

Theirs is the Glory: Para re-enactment of Arnhem done in 1945 using the original survivors and the bombed-out town as a back-drop.

Sea of Sand: cracking yarn about the LRDG

Hear, hear for Barry Lyndon. Not my favourite historical film - my favourite all-time film. But as a wargamer I must also put in a bid for Alexander Nevsky.

P.S. Can't stand Kagemusha myself, much as I love wargaming the period. Kurosawa didn't have a clue about what happens on a battlefield. Ran is a better movie, and even there it's annoying that not one shot from a matchlock ever misses. Did Momoyama armies emproy onry Annie Oakries?

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself  - a movie company films Pancho Villa and his battles 

What Women Want - the only accurate historical film Mel Gibson has ever appeared in 

Alan

Quote from: Shedman on 20 April 2010, 11:24:46 AM
What Women Want - the only accurate historical film Mel Gibson has ever appeared in 

Mad Max might have been, we'll just have to wait and see.   

David Niven - a matter of life or death, great 1940's B&W then mid way turns to fabulous Technicolour, about a RAF pilot who bailed out of his Lancaster without a chute, and survived!- thus a bit of a debate in heaven to get him rightfully popping his clogs ( coz thats what should have happened).  Its a great Sunday afternoon movie.
Get the popcorn out.

Gettysburg
Zulu Dawn & Zulu  (must watch one after the other)
Oliver Cromwell
Waterloo
Battlefield Britain (Boudica & Naseby... do these count lol)
Band of Brothers (okay, I know, doesn`t count either)
Deadwood (HBO series, but just had to include it)
Bridge Too far
The Great Escape
Battle of the Bulge (real family, pull the curtains, light the fire in the grate, and chill out movie)
Sobibor
Cross of Iron
Das Boot
Stalingrad
Downfall
Female Agents
Black Book
Inglourious basterds (querky, but kinda appealing)
Valkyrie
Cabaret



Hobson`s Choice (personal favourite)

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a great film, never disapointed with a Ken Loach film. If you have not seen it yet, you should