tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post7178200715159619859..comments2024-03-28T08:38:57.700-05:00Comments on The War Movie Buff: NOW SHOWING: War HorseWar Movie Buffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-68392638304437817142013-12-28T19:18:03.147-06:002013-12-28T19:18:03.147-06:00Thanks. I love stuff like this.Thanks. I love stuff like this.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-33454393224590727692013-12-28T15:56:25.417-06:002013-12-28T15:56:25.417-06:00Just another small point on your Sabres /Swords po...Just another small point on your Sabres /Swords point. The weapons are indeed of a sabre type and a number of troopers 50/70/whatever are referred to as "sabres " and an armoured squadron within the British Army today is still referred to as a Sabre Squadron. However the command is to " Draw Swords " in British Cavalry regiments and I believe that may be the only reference in the movie to the word.Garynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-58063064169827858262012-08-20T21:02:54.088-05:002012-08-20T21:02:54.088-05:00Thanks, Guy. Very interesting. Thanks.Thanks, Guy. Very interesting. Thanks.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-82640205121220848852012-08-19T04:58:37.057-05:002012-08-19T04:58:37.057-05:00Whilst the Battle of the Somme in 1916 is the most...Whilst the Battle of the Somme in 1916 is the most famous, there were others, including one in 1918. The greatest inaccuracy is all the mud - the Somme was chalky and fairly dry. There are lots of other inaccuracies, as you'd expect from a children's book written by a pacifist.<br /><br />So, as is usual in a First World War film, the battles are simplified for anti-war effect; there is no representation of saps, moving barrages, platoon tactics or any of the other methods by which attacking troops managed to successfully capture the enemy trenches.<br /><br />Incidentally, I'll add to Mr Mark's comment above, by pointing out that French cavalry actually broke through the German lines during the 1916 Battle of the Somme and wandered around the German rear (there are even several photographs of this) until the French reserves failed to turn up and the breach in the lines was sealed. <br /><br />Cavalry were still in use by 1918, although (as was true throughout the war) usually as mounted infantry (the best that could be done because the APC hadn't been invented yet). That said, with covering fire, there was several successful cavalry charges.<br />Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-65040781201447758192012-05-18T23:04:34.674-05:002012-05-18T23:04:34.674-05:00Thank you so much. I love informative comments!Thank you so much. I love informative comments!War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-10825903145187031642012-05-03T10:51:13.650-05:002012-05-03T10:51:13.650-05:00Well, somebody has to speak in defence of the Brit...Well, somebody has to speak in defence of the British Cavalry, so I'll do it. I did my MA thesis on the subject, after all...<br /><br />The cavalry charge depicted was not at all historically accurate, and, in fact, particularly in 1914, most British cavalry charges were very far from being suicidal. The reason was that the British Cavalry had moved into training in combined arms tactics by 1909, and standard operating procedure never involved just charging in with swords.<br /><br />The actual procedure was as follows:<br /><br />1. Two of the four squadrons set up behind cover and start a suppressing fire against the enemy position. If there is time, a runner is sent to bring supporting artillery fire against the position.<br /><br />2. The other two squadrons line up in a flanking position, ready for a sword charge.<br /><br />3. Once the enemy is sufficiently pinned down and softened up, the charge takes place from the flank, routing the enemy.<br /><br />These were very successful tactics - in about two dozen cavalry engagements against the Germans in 1914, I think the British cavalry suffered only one defeat (in a case where the Germans had successfully managed to pin them in, and the British couldn't use their standard tactics).<br /><br />Once you get later in the war, most of the British cavalry is either transferred to the Mesopotamian front, or ends up spending most of their time dismounted in trench duty. Once the war gets mobile, the cavalry is far more hit-and-miss in their charges, but a lot of that has to do with battles becoming very chaotic, and the time required for proper preparation of an enemy position just not being present.Robert Markshttp://www.legacybookspress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-74613419912492287042011-12-26T18:14:42.818-06:002011-12-26T18:14:42.818-06:00I sat in the back row, alone. But then a couple c...I sat in the back row, alone. But then a couple came and sat one seat away from me so I could not use my flashlight. You should see my notes! I wrote over a lot of them.<br /><br />The book is told from the horse's point of view, but not the movie.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-30189664420508302682011-12-26T15:19:01.045-06:002011-12-26T15:19:01.045-06:00well, its hard to get the spelling right when you ...well, its hard to get the spelling right when you are scribblin in the dark with your wife nervous (that she will get kicked out of the theatre) and cryin (about the horsie) at the same time next to you! Plese do not tell me the horse narrates the movie. I hate when that happens. This was actually a stage play in england i read. Im assuming Spielburg opened it up just a bit. He has commented that he is making a spate of kids movies lately (Super8, TinTin, Warhorse) cause he has little Elliots now. There are really only two classic horse movies to me: National Velvet and Black Stallion. This sounds quite a bit like Richard Adam's Traveler too. You did not make the crime section of the Advertiser so I'm assuming your flashlight ran out of batteries.JHardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12975399049775935074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-62700004362076807222011-12-26T10:09:19.171-06:002011-12-26T10:09:19.171-06:00Thanks for the spelling (actually typing) correcti...Thanks for the spelling (actually typing) correction. I fixed them.<br /><br />Yes, it is a Morpugo novel. I am not familiar with him.<br /><br />It is definitely a war movie. I think it is not aimed so much at children as at families.<br /><br />I knew you would like the accent line since you often complain about them. BTW the Germans speak English in the movie. Shame.<br /><br />The movie can be rough on animal lovers, but it would have been much harsher if it was realistic.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-24637833463362555602011-12-26T08:23:49.771-06:002011-12-26T08:23:49.771-06:00Is it based on one of Morpurgo's novels? I gue...Is it based on one of Morpurgo's novels? I guess so. I might not watch it but only because I'm getting horribly squeamish when animals are invloved. <br />I think it was meant to be a family film and not a war movie or did you think that's not the case? Your line on the horse not changing his accent... Priceless. Made me laugh out loud. You do realize that most of the times you wrote Speilberg (even the tag)? :)allaboutwarmovieshttp://allaboutwarmovies.comnoreply@blogger.com