The new WWII Midway battle movie comes out tomorrow.
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I haven't seen it yet, but this is pretty much my impression from the preview.
And as for the old guy nostalgia about how great the old stuff was: No, it wasn't. In fact, technically the old Midway movie was quite horrible. The culmination was that ridiculous death scene of Charlton Heston's character where his plane turns into archival footage of a jet crashing in a fireball.
I must admit I learned quite a bit from this new millenial look at the historic battle. For example, I was shocked to learn that all of this was a result of FDR pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord after the nazi's occupied France, angering Emperor Ocasio Hirohito Cortes, who at the time was trying to save the world and Miami from rising sea levels...a real eye opener.
El Biblioitecario
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"National Lampoon's Animal House"Now that's a classic.
It is a good film because it has no pretensions of being anything other than silly entertainment, at which it excels, in contrast to some of the previously discussed films which aspire to being serious histories but also end up being silly entertainment--but not as funny as Animal House. Where was a CGI Belushi when we needed him at Midway?
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Well, I saw it yesterday and liked it. About the only thing they didn't get right was the pilots carrying 1911s in GI holsters. As far as I know S&W Victory models were standard issue. Although I have seen F-4 pilots carry the odd 1911 or BHP.
I did like the 1940s swing music and singing. And I was impressed to see all those smokers lighting up with those Zippjos! Many years ago I liberated one from my veteran father who had it for a long time. exact same thing. Diagonal grooves and all on the case.
As to CGI, there aren't too many SBDs available any more. They did pretty well.
I will probably go see it again—and take my neighbor's home schooled kid along.
I did like the 1940s swing music and singing. And I was impressed to see all those smokers lighting up with those Zippjos! Many years ago I liberated one from my veteran father who had it for a long time. exact same thing. Diagonal grooves and all on the case.
As to CGI, there aren't too many SBDs available any more. They did pretty well.
I will probably go see it again—and take my neighbor's home schooled kid along.
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ordnanceguy
Member
A group of my pals and I are going to see the film on Monday evening. My expectations are well-tempered. Nonetheless, it is always a welcome event for me when the remarkable achievements of America's fighting men and women are given attention these days.
One of the best books I have read on the subject of Midway in recent years, and there have been several excellent studies of the battle, was "A Dawn Like Thunder" about the story of the Navy's Torpedo Squadron 8. Written by Richard Mrazek, it is both a sobering and inspiring account of this famed Squadron not only at Midway but in the South Pacific campaign to follow. Highly recommended.
One of the best books I have read on the subject of Midway in recent years, and there have been several excellent studies of the battle, was "A Dawn Like Thunder" about the story of the Navy's Torpedo Squadron 8. Written by Richard Mrazek, it is both a sobering and inspiring account of this famed Squadron not only at Midway but in the South Pacific campaign to follow. Highly recommended.
One of the best books I have read on the subject of Midway in recent years, and there have been several excellent studies of the battle, was "A Dawn Like Thunder" about the story of the Navy's Torpedo Squadron 8. Written by Richard Mrazek, it is both a sobering and inspiring account of this famed Squadron not only at Midway but in the South Pacific campaign to follow. Highly recommended.
Mrazek may have written a very good book (I haven't read it), but I was surprised (stunned, actually) to see that the cover of his book pictures Grumman TBF Avengers instead of the Douglas TBD Devastators that were actually flown by Torpedo Squadron 8 at Midway. For a serious history book, that's a huge error, equivalent to picturing B-36s on the cover of a book about the bombing campaign against Japan.
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LVSteve
Member
The old Midway movie also had Hellcats in combat, three weeks before the maiden flight of the type.
ordnanceguy
Member
SWSIG:
Now you REALLY are going to have to read Mrazek's book. The cover is accurate. A detachment of Torpedo 8 flew Grumman TBFs from Midway during the battle and thereafter in the Solomons Campaign.
I don't rely on Wikipedia for almost anything, but this blurb from its description of VT-8 sums it up nicely and accurately: "Just prior to the Battle of Midway, the reconstituted Torpedo 8 was the first squadron equipped with the new Grumman TBF-1 Avenger, a bigger, faster, longer-ranged replacement for the TBD. When Hornet sailed to the Pacific, a detachment of the squadron under the command of Lieutenant Harold "Swede" Larson remained in Norfolk, Virginia to receive the first shipment of the new aircraft. Larson's detachment arrived at Pearl Harbor the day after Hornet sailed for Midway Island. Six of the squadron's Avengers were flown to Midway under the command of Lieutenant Langdon K. Fieberling to participate in the battle. These planes were the first Navy aircraft to attack the Japanese fleet that day. They attacked without fighter cover, and five of the Avengers were shot down, with only Ensign Albert K. Earnest and Radioman 2nd Class Harry Ferrier surviving, on a badly shot-up plane with damaged controls and landing gear, and a dead rear-gunner.
All of this is described in detail in Mrazek's book. Again, I commend it without hesitation to those with an interest in the Battle.
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Plus all that acting "talent"Aww Geeee... a rehash of good lookin' wimmen.
Turn away if need be, I wouldn't
Whenever I'd ask my dad if he wanted to watch a Pacific war movie, his pat answer was, "No thanks, I was in the original cast". He was a sailor at the invasion of Okinawa. Then we'd both open a beer and sit down and watch it anyway. Miss the Old Man sometimes.
You have read tand watched the US perspective Here is a great video on Midway from the Japanese perspective. Guy does great videos. He is about due for part 2 I always love stuff like this.
Pearl harbor and coral sea videos are great as well
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8_vO5zrjo[/ame]
Pearl harbor and coral sea videos are great as well
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8_vO5zrjo[/ame]
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While I knew a few Avengers were flown out of Midway, I didn't know they were flown by Torpedo 8 pilots. Thanks for the correction. Nevertheless, I am still surprised that TBDs weren't pictured, due to the fact that TBDs were the planes flown by Torpedo 8 from the Hornet that day, and are therefore the ones most associated with the squadron's heroic sacrifice.
If you want to read a comprehensive study of the Japanese side of the battle, I recommend Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. They also have an extremely comprehensive website about the Imperial Japanese Navy here: The Imperial Japanese Navy Page | Nihon Kaigun
In their forum, they're still arguing about which carrier Dick Best bombed at Midway. The fog of war continues 77 years later!
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CCantu357
Member
I may check it out when it comes on Amazon or Netflix, after all it is probably better than the early 2000s film Pearl Harbor. While I do not think every old WWII flim was a classic, or that all new WWII films are bad, I feel that WWII is such an important and sensitive subject that any film made about it should be done so with extreme care and be of the best quality. Saving Private Ryan remains my favorite film of all time for these reasons.
Saw it and liked it, they did a decent job, CGI not over the top and face it how else can you make a WWII epic movie without it, even Woody was OK. Really struck by how brave the air crews were and how massive their losses. Showed a couple of things you don't think about like burns from fire heated steel and gun barrels and the intelligence putting the carriers where they needed to be. Also liked how it highlighted Pearl, Doolittle, Midway, this was Americas darkest hour and if things had gone differently the war would have been very different. One reason I went is because of the bad reviews, I am so sick of "woke Hollywood" making a patriotic movie like this a success is like poking them in the eye with a sharp stick. Also good that hopefully some young people will learn something about history that is no longer taught in school.
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That is my hope as well.
At least I'm not completely alone. These morons give a role in this movie to a pot smoking stoner that talks about how stoned he had to get just to meet a POTUS...they can take their movie, and harrelson, and stuff them where the sun doesn't shine. Let me know when they start using actors that can keep their mouths shut off camera so I don't have to learn what absolute morons they really are.
Sgt 45
Member
Decent movie, good CGI, fairly accurate and showing both sides was a nice touch. Woody may be an idiot, but he did a fairly decent job here. Sad day in America when our kids have to learn history from a movie.
I'm told this is a pic of VT-8, with 1911s in various holsters. Some appear to be private purchase.
