War > Mills, John War > H

Advantages: Family film with limited violence
Disadvantages: None

One of the all time great British war films. Sir John Mills plays Pat Reid and the film is based on Pat Reid's real wartime experiences as noted in a couple of published books from the 1940's/50's. As such the events from the arrival of British POWs at the Colditz prison camp, Mill's character was one of the first of the British to be incarcerated in Colditz Castle. Colditz is the unescapable prison camp for all POWs who have escaped from other Stalags. ...
...the allied nations, how the Poles and French help the British in the early day, and how the friendships develop. As such the film focuses on all nationalities escape attempts be they succesful or unsuccessful, with perhaps the most unusual escape coming from a game of leap frog. The film also unusally manages to show that all German guards and officers were not Nazi tyrants. The Colditz Story is a feel good film intermixed with some sadness but ... Read review

Advantages: An excellent selection of vintage war films, perfect for an avid fan of war films, such as myself. Also ideal for anyone who wants to get a taste of this genre.
Disadvantages: May have been better to replace 'The Cruel Sea' with a more classic film such 'The Great Escape' or 'The Guns of Navorone'.

This collection is an excellent selection of vintage war films. Perfect for anyone who enjoys this genre. The Dambuster and The Colditz story are of particular interest to me as they are true stories. Which are portrayed very well in the respective films. The good thing about this being the 'British' war film collection is that there is the absence of the 'american touch'. By this I mean the story hasn't been adapted from the truth in order to satisfy ...
...your a watching as you know what is being showed actually happened. The Cruel Sea is a collaboration of many different seamens experinces during WW2, and shows an excellent portrayal of what these brave men had to endure. However I am a sucker for true stories, so although this story is not unrealistic, i would have preffered a true story such as maybe The Great Escape or The Bridge on The River Kwai. Ice Cold in Alex is of course a classic war film ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant and Realistic tale of allied POWs courage and ingenuity inside Colditz Caslte.
Disadvantages: No special features - Bit of a shame - But it is an old film.

The Colditz Story (1954) Directed by Guy Hamilton Staring John Mills, Eric Portman, Christopher Rhodes, Lionel Jeffries, Bryan Forbes. Format Black & White, PAL Language English Region Region 2 Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Number of discs 1 Classification Universal Studio Warner Home Video DVD Release Date 18 April 2005 Run Time 93 minutes DVD Features Original theatrical trailer During WW2 many allied soldiers, mainly airman, fell into the hands of ...
...the different theatres. Depending on where you were captured you would be put into the nearest POW camp. However Colditz Castle was a POW camp with a difference. This was reserved especially for those who had attempted previous escape attempts from other camps in and around Germany. And had therefore proved themselves a menace to the German war effort. Colditz Castle was thought to be, by the Germans and some of its prisoners, impossible to escape ... Read review

Advantages: Looks & Sounds great
Disadvantages: A Tad Gorey

I saw this with my 3 brothers when it was released. It was the first time i've ever sat all the way through and not uttered a sound until the film was finished. That's saying something. the film was incredible in the cinema. Next watching was on DVD. the whole film all the way through with no breaks. again, the film was awesome. And today i've just seen it again on the TV. The film does get better each time I see it. I notice more and more things, ...
...me. Hanks salutes his superior when he goes for his "find Ryan" briefing but his translator is chastised for doing the same, why? The men that don't spot the Panzerfaust leaning against the wall when their trying to stop the 25mm gun from flanking them. It's right there in plain view in the middle of the screen leaning against a wall and not one of 4 men spotted it. This time I did see Ted Danson and that Vin Diesel. Second time in a week for the ... Read review

Advantages: Moving story, great scenes
Disadvantages: Bloody

Saving Private Ryan "In the last great invasion, of the last Great War, the greatest danger for eight men…..was saving one." This film starts with a bang, literally, on the beaches of World War 2's historic D-Day invasion, a very intense and moving scene. If you are at all squeamish this is not really a film for you as, the beginning in particular and actually much of the rest of film is brutal and bloody and features blood, guts and missing limbs, ...
...look past all the gore to experience this wonderful movie. This 1998 film is described as a poignant and powerful homage to the soldiers of WW2. Like I said it starts on the beaches depicting the D-Day landings. If you are not familiar with the D-Day landings they are described as the first operations of the Allied Powers' invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during World War II. D-Day for the operation, ... Read review