Friday, November 27, 2009
Head Shots
Clint Eastwood
Best known as Dirty Harry Callahan and the "Man with no name", Clint has appeared in over 70 movies and has countless walk ons, behind the scenes work, guest shots, and so on. Clint is a tue action star with his cowboy, police, and average citizen movies. He has only 4 war movies to his credit but they are true actioners; Away All Boats (1956), Where Eagles Dare (1968), Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Heartbreak Ridge (1986). In 2008, during an interview, Eastwood was asked if he would reprise the role of Harry Callahan smiling, Eastwood said that Harry is retired and a local Angelina Jollie piped up that Harry has a daughter and she is a cop. Jollie finished by say she would love to resume where Clint left off.
Eastwood is an accomplished musician, director, actor, and somewhat politician.
Clint Eastwood
Best known as Dirty Harry Callahan and the "Man with no name", Clint has appeared in over 70 movies and has countless walk ons, behind the scenes work, guest shots, and so on. Clint is a tue action star with his cowboy, police, and average citizen movies. He has only 4 war movies to his credit but they are true actioners; Away All Boats (1956), Where Eagles Dare (1968), Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Heartbreak Ridge (1986). In 2008, during an interview, Eastwood was asked if he would reprise the role of Harry Callahan smiling, Eastwood said that Harry is retired and a local Angelina Jollie piped up that Harry has a daughter and she is a cop. Jollie finished by say she would love to resume where Clint left off.
Eastwood is an accomplished musician, director, actor, and somewhat politician.
About the Movie:
Filmed in and around San Antonio, Texas Rough Riders is the somewhat paraphrased and true retelling of the first modern war the US waged against Spain’s taking of Cuba. Rough Riders uses talented actors that also look similar in appearance to the people they portray to tell this gripping story. Tom Berenger’ uncanny resemblance to Teddy Roosevelt makes the movie. Several other portrayals like Bucky O’Neill (Sam Elliot) "Black Jack" Pershing (Marshal Teague) Stephen Crane (Adam Storke) Frederick Remington (Nick Chinlund) William Randolph Hearst (George Hamilton) add to the truth of the telling.
Military advisers abound! Several well-known military advisers were used in the making of this film. Dale Dye (Leonard Wood), R. Lee Ermey (John Hay), and Pablo Espinosa (Frederick Funston) lent their military talents to the making of the film while Milius donated his weapons collection and those of his friends as props for the filming.
From Bucky O’Neill’s assembly of the Arizona regiment to the training camps in the south the film follows their exploits as a fledgling military unit all the way to Tampa their jump off point. Items are left intact such as Teddy’s commandeering of an infantry troop train to move his men to the embarkation point or the fact that they had to leave most of their horses behind because of lack of transport ships. Once the battle sequences begin some items are either bunched up or in the case of some of the characters they are compilations of people or their demise is more heroic or out of sequence.
Fortunately, it is not distracting and makes for a better movie. When I first heard that Turner was making this movie, I was skeptical. I had seen some of his movies and frankly was not enthusiastic. However, as press packs became more available I started to have second thoughts. From the attack on Las Guasimas to the frontal assaults on Kettle Hill and San Juan Heights the movie pulls along nicely.
An interesting note; William Tiffany is killed in action in the movie. He is shot while setting up machine guns on the opposing hill to San Juan heights. The fact is he died as a result Yellow Fever on the return trip home. In addition, Edward Marshall is shot in the spine at the battle of Las Guasimas and does not get to see the assault on the hills. Though one fact is somewhat clear, he asked Crane to get the story, or Crane offered to get the story for him.
Stars:
Tom Berenger, Sam Elliot, Gary Busey, Brad Johnson, Chris Noth, Brian Keith, George Hamilton
Filmed in and around San Antonio, Texas Rough Riders is the somewhat paraphrased and true retelling of the first modern war the US waged against Spain’s taking of Cuba. Rough Riders uses talented actors that also look similar in appearance to the people they portray to tell this gripping story. Tom Berenger’ uncanny resemblance to Teddy Roosevelt makes the movie. Several other portrayals like Bucky O’Neill (Sam Elliot) "Black Jack" Pershing (Marshal Teague) Stephen Crane (Adam Storke) Frederick Remington (Nick Chinlund) William Randolph Hearst (George Hamilton) add to the truth of the telling.
Military advisers abound! Several well-known military advisers were used in the making of this film. Dale Dye (Leonard Wood), R. Lee Ermey (John Hay), and Pablo Espinosa (Frederick Funston) lent their military talents to the making of the film while Milius donated his weapons collection and those of his friends as props for the filming.
From Bucky O’Neill’s assembly of the Arizona regiment to the training camps in the south the film follows their exploits as a fledgling military unit all the way to Tampa their jump off point. Items are left intact such as Teddy’s commandeering of an infantry troop train to move his men to the embarkation point or the fact that they had to leave most of their horses behind because of lack of transport ships. Once the battle sequences begin some items are either bunched up or in the case of some of the characters they are compilations of people or their demise is more heroic or out of sequence.
Fortunately, it is not distracting and makes for a better movie. When I first heard that Turner was making this movie, I was skeptical. I had seen some of his movies and frankly was not enthusiastic. However, as press packs became more available I started to have second thoughts. From the attack on Las Guasimas to the frontal assaults on Kettle Hill and San Juan Heights the movie pulls along nicely.
An interesting note; William Tiffany is killed in action in the movie. He is shot while setting up machine guns on the opposing hill to San Juan heights. The fact is he died as a result Yellow Fever on the return trip home. In addition, Edward Marshall is shot in the spine at the battle of Las Guasimas and does not get to see the assault on the hills. Though one fact is somewhat clear, he asked Crane to get the story, or Crane offered to get the story for him.
Stars:
Tom Berenger, Sam Elliot, Gary Busey, Brad Johnson, Chris Noth, Brian Keith, George Hamilton
Attention to Detail:
With John Milius helming the picture, I am going to assume he decided to do this because he wanted to show off his own personal arsenal. Krag Jorgenson bolt action rifles, Springfield repeaters, Colt potato diggers, Mausers, Cavalry uniforms, and other period weapons were used to film this movie. Dale Dye and R. Lee Ermey taught cavalry and infantry tactics of the day. The detail of the hills (Kettle and San Juan Heights) is close to accurate including the boiler and packing houses for the sugar.
Famous Lines:Stephen Crane: You're wounded, sir.
Craig Wadsworth: A red badge of courage... it's not like your book, old man.
Teddy Roosevelt to Henry Nash: Don't touch him, I need the Hun!
Kane to Indian Bob (after teddy is done with the Hun): Indian Bob...KILL THE HUN!
Henry Bardshar (to 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldier): You boys of the 10th sure can fight. You can drink out of my canteen anytime.
Also watch:
With John Milius helming the picture, I am going to assume he decided to do this because he wanted to show off his own personal arsenal. Krag Jorgenson bolt action rifles, Springfield repeaters, Colt potato diggers, Mausers, Cavalry uniforms, and other period weapons were used to film this movie. Dale Dye and R. Lee Ermey taught cavalry and infantry tactics of the day. The detail of the hills (Kettle and San Juan Heights) is close to accurate including the boiler and packing houses for the sugar.
Famous Lines:Stephen Crane: You're wounded, sir.
Craig Wadsworth: A red badge of courage... it's not like your book, old man.
Teddy Roosevelt to Henry Nash: Don't touch him, I need the Hun!
Kane to Indian Bob (after teddy is done with the Hun): Indian Bob...KILL THE HUN!
Henry Bardshar (to 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldier): You boys of the 10th sure can fight. You can drink out of my canteen anytime.
Also watch:
Gettysburg
Gods and Generals
I Give This:
I Give This:
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
SitRep
Sitrep in military terminology is Situation Report. I will be updating this forum over the holiday weekend and it will include the new SitRep section to let you know news and other goings on in the world of war movies. So, when I give a sitrep the header will be "SITREP-Title". Thanks for watching and if you have a movie you would like reviewed let me know and I will do my best to watch it...if I haven't already!
Dave
Dave
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