tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post6238180244225131690..comments2024-03-25T06:50:31.379-05:00Comments on The War Movie Buff: #72 - Twelve O'Clock HighWar Movie Buffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-53835990466831691262019-09-26T09:03:22.014-05:002019-09-26T09:03:22.014-05:00If you volunteered to be the ball turret gunner, I...If you volunteered to be the ball turret gunner, I'm sure the whole crew would give you a boost to get in the plane.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-29017455253988770572019-09-25T19:52:34.099-05:002019-09-25T19:52:34.099-05:00I'm sure that the ball turret would be scarier...I'm sure that the ball turret would be scarier. But scary or no I suspect that I could not have boarded that plane without a ladder or maybe some sort of boost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-89948562813729087112019-09-22T13:14:33.692-05:002019-09-22T13:14:33.692-05:00So you would have been more concerned about gettin...So you would have been more concerned about getting into the plane than getting into the ball turret?War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-49901811200291227212019-09-18T17:19:26.342-05:002019-09-18T17:19:26.342-05:00Great review of a great movie. Lots of small detai...Great review of a great movie. Lots of small details help the viewer engage with the life of the bomber group even while showing its strangeness, like the way the crewmen have to hoist themselves into the plane with their arms as though they were competing in a stage of "Ninja Warrior." If I had been in Savage's place I would have had my nervous breakdown much sooner due to low upper body strength!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-67892680057341025872018-06-01T08:18:55.157-05:002018-06-01T08:18:55.157-05:00Yes, an 0-7 was over rank, but it was clear in the...Yes, an 0-7 was over rank, but it was clear in the movie that the job was temporary (at one point the major general asks Savage 'when will you finish up and come back to the staff'. Also, obviously they didn't have time to bring in a fresh O-6 and they used what was available, on staff. If Savage had been a post command O-6, it would have been same decision. But it does give the movie an interesting edge as their is a subtle reaction against a flag officer in the new command.<br /><br />Also, for what it's worth I was in San Diego, serving in a squadron (Navy) that had a post command O-6 (chief of staff for the flag) take over for an O-5 in ship command, temporarily. A collision at sea can ruin your whole...day. As the saying goes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-41012306687240310682016-02-17T00:28:57.384-06:002016-02-17T00:28:57.384-06:00Doesn't ruin a thing. The series went down hil...Doesn't ruin a thing. The series went down hill fast after Lansing left.André7https://www.blogger.com/profile/04529840090218454738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-4269667860263160112014-02-28T21:47:24.868-06:002014-02-28T21:47:24.868-06:00I could not even imagine someone watching the seri...I could not even imagine someone watching the series. My bad on that, but at least you have given me the idea to do the same. Thanks for the mention of the new project. It should be awesome. I think this time I will read the book after. That seems to work out better for me.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-1506608971946857192014-02-26T02:20:57.348-06:002014-02-26T02:20:57.348-06:00I'm half way through watching season one of TO...I'm half way through watching season one of TOH on You Tube. Thanks for the spoiler about Lansing (LOL).<br />FYI: Spielberg and Hanks have announced that their new WWII series (Band of Brothers III as it were) will be adapted from Donald miller's "Masters Of The Air", a superb history of the Mighty Eighth.André7https://www.blogger.com/profile/04529840090218454738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-86582898452580057662012-12-09T10:07:42.016-06:002012-12-09T10:07:42.016-06:00Totally agree. You have reminded me to consider i...Totally agree. You have reminded me to consider it for my 2013 War Movie Leadership Watchalong. Any other suggestions?<br /><br />When you compare this to the more modern "Memphis Belle" you can see how storytelling has taken a back seat to manipulating the audience's emotions.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-87638810672256136032012-12-05T15:56:51.652-06:002012-12-05T15:56:51.652-06:00It's a splendid movie, that covers its ground ...It's a splendid movie, that covers its ground quite thoroughly with no unnecessary side stories.<br /><br />The cinematography is superb in a remarkably fluid and unobstrusive way (the long shots in particular are outstanding, but never show-off); as a consequence, the documentary footage blends quite smoothly and the tension never drops.<br /><br />The lyricism is left to a brilliant cast that certainly delivers. It probably became underrated due to the uneven career of its director and bombing cities becoming quite out of fashion... but to me, this is one of the very best U.S. war movies produced beetween 1945 and 1955. And one of the great movies about team leadership in general.nem bajnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-29116299995248824822012-06-05T07:24:37.444-05:002012-06-05T07:24:37.444-05:00Don't remember the show. We were in Japan at ...Don't remember the show. We were in Japan at the time. Pretty sure we would have watched it if we were in the States since my father was a fighter-bomber pilot.<br /><br />There has to be an explanation for why Lansing was killed off. There are various explanations - he was too old looking, he wanted more money, he was difficult to work with, etc. Interestingly, one theory was the audience would identify better with a colonel than a general.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-30470189829216096742012-06-04T22:35:28.714-05:002012-06-04T22:35:28.714-05:00The TV series ran from fall 1964 to Jan. 1967 (app...The TV series ran from fall 1964 to Jan. 1967 (apparently, it was cancelled halfway into its third season). It used most of the same major characters (although played by different actors) as the movie. Robert Lansing played Gen. Savage. He was killed off after the first season and was replaced by Paul Burke as Col. Gallagher. Speaking of that, wouldn't a group normally be commanded by a colonel, not a general? In the movie, it appeared that Savage's assignment as C.O. of the 918th Bomber Group was intended to be temporary, only until he got the unit shaped up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-57636772284274177482011-03-20T12:28:38.301-05:002011-03-20T12:28:38.301-05:00I am not in the forces but am a student of busines...I am not in the forces but am a student of business and practicing manager. I firmly recommend this movie to anyone who wishes to learn something profound about leadership in any setting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-57103892113205201092011-02-21T18:40:28.363-06:002011-02-21T18:40:28.363-06:00The War Lover is not that good really. Im not a bi...The War Lover is not that good really. Im not a big fan of an arrogant Steve Mcqueen. I think he was mainly trying to broaden himself as an actor as they say. It not an anti-war movie as much as an anti-hero movie! Been a long time since i saw it myself. <br />I had forgotten about Catch-22. That was a bomber movie your right. He was in the hospital because of trama from seeing one of the crew die. Good movie, better book as i remember. <br />Speakin of "bomber" books you might want to recommend to your bloggers James Dickey's To the White Sea. I read it a few years ago. Its about a bomber pilot who is shot down over Japan and has to make his way across country to "the white sea". Sorta a WW2 Deliverance but with just one guy. <br />Tonight they are showing The Best Years of Our Lives on TCM. Too late for me and i've already seen it a few times. But that one scene when Dana Andrews walks thru the bomber "graveyard" and sits in the turret and relives the battle is very well done. Shows both the stress of war and the "use and throwaway" aspect of materials. Makes you wonder what ever happened to that bomber graveyard...JHardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12975399049775935074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-80518722566441959812011-02-20T20:38:51.733-06:002011-02-20T20:38:51.733-06:00I need to see The War Lover again. It's been ...I need to see The War Lover again. It's been decades. Actually the best companion to TOH may be Catch-22. That double bill would definitely show how movies changed from 1949 to 1970.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-32521320556651423362011-02-20T19:50:39.869-06:002011-02-20T19:50:39.869-06:00I didnt realize TOH is as old as it is: 1949. I wa...I didnt realize TOH is as old as it is: 1949. I was thinking the 50's. It definitely benefits from the great looking B/W cinematography tho. I also like the beginning (if im remembering right) where Jagger revisits the empty airbase and it sorta "comes to life" with the sound of the bombers in his memory. <br />This was a good role for Peck who i always found a good actor but kinda stiff. He got to show alot more agonizing emotion. The movie covered real well the inevitable bonding that took place betweent he crews. how could they not bond in such a situation really. <br />The three "bomber" movies i recall from when i was younger were: TOH, 633 Squadron with Cliff Robertson, and The War Lover with Steve (King of Cool) Mcqueen. Each had a strong leading actor but were very different movies. Of course TOH is the best. Mcqueen's was the strangest since he played an antihero. Crashed into the white cliffs of dover as i recall.<br />I read that TOH was a tv show too. I dont remember that since i was probably in the womb without cable back then. And there was a goofy teen movie called 3 oclock High where the teen hero had to fight a bully at, well, three oclock. Finally, there was a Kevin Costner starrer episode of Amazing Stories which recreated a bomber flight well. It was "amazing" because they lost their wheels in a battle and the turret gunner was going to get flattened on landing. But being an artist he draws big yellow cartoon wheels and a la Spielberg (who produced) the magically appear. Your right bomber movies probably should stay B/W!JHardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12975399049775935074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-36706517403555185672011-02-20T10:33:34.104-06:002011-02-20T10:33:34.104-06:00Funny you should write this about the poster. The ...Funny you should write this about the poster. The first thing I thought when I saw was really "Oh no!" and "hopefully the movies is not a drag like the poster". Really awful. I was ineterested in he command stress aspect you mentioned. I have seen different versions of it, photo instead of graphic.allaboutwarmovieshttp://allaboutwarmovies.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-77142574692758893932011-02-20T08:21:28.428-06:002011-02-20T08:21:28.428-06:00Just keep in mind it is not really an air combat m...Just keep in mind it is not really an air combat movie like you like. But I do think you would like it. As of now I would say its placement at #72 is about right.<br />BTW I know you are interested in movie posters -this is one of the most decieving posters I have ever encountered! The movie has nothing to do with what the poster shows or says. It is laughable. The only thing that is accurate is Peck is smoking a cigarette.War Movie Buffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05999735218343872013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7201660899514011402.post-10361408898659513002011-02-20T07:41:33.648-06:002011-02-20T07:41:33.648-06:00I haven't seen the movie but I am intrigued an...I haven't seen the movie but I am intrigued and will certainly watch it sooner or later. From your review I gather that it will no be kicked out of the 100.allaboutwarmovieshttp://allaboutwarmovies.comnoreply@blogger.com