Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: Phil Robinson on 05 November 2011, 01:39:37 AM

Title: War Horse The Film
Post by: Phil Robinson on 05 November 2011, 01:39:37 AM
Spielberg films War Horse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-YWLI-BwbCQ


More info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_film
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Roebeast45 on 05 November 2011, 04:34:23 AM
This looks like it might really be good. And it's about time my country learned a lot more about World War One.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: fastolfrus on 05 November 2011, 09:30:54 AM
Alasdair saw the stage play and said it was very good so we look forward to seeing how the film version turns out.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Hammers on 05 November 2011, 09:34:55 AM
I just read none of the horses sent from Britain to the western front made it back.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: janner on 05 November 2011, 10:54:48 AM
We wen to see the play in London a while back and it was very moving - recommended
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Hammers on 05 November 2011, 11:02:18 AM
We wen to see the play in London a while back and it was very moving - recommended

Is that the one with Daniel Radcliffe in the nudders?
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Phil Robinson on 05 November 2011, 11:24:35 AM
Is that the one with Daniel Radcliffe in the nudders?

No that was Eques
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Phil Robinson on 05 November 2011, 11:25:43 AM
Even the ones still left alive. Tens of thousands.

Transport costs meant it was cheaper to slaughter them than ship them home.

Accountants ruled the World even then. Let's raise a cheer for the bankers!

Not sure you spelt bankers correctly lol
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Helen on 05 November 2011, 07:00:38 PM
I watched an Australian Story on the Aussie lady who trained the horses for War Horse. A lovely story, notwithstanding the sad demise of the War horse and mules in conflict.

Cheers,

Helen
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 05 November 2011, 08:27:11 PM
Lovely, another Spielberg film. Syrupy shite delivered to the accompaniment of  swelling string instruments and the mechanical beat of an ludicrously obvious message that informs what passes for a script. Loads of CGI thrown in to cover how threadbare the whole thing is. Having watched the trailer, actually sitting through the film would be a wholly redundant exercise. I must say I much prefer the working title used during pre-production, 'ET Goes Over the Top'.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: janner on 05 November 2011, 09:08:51 PM
Lovely, another Spielberg film. Syrupy shite delivered to the accompaniment of  swelling string instruments and the mechanical beat of an ludicrously obvious message that informs what passes for a script. Loads of CGI thrown in to cover how threadbare the whole thing is. Having watched the trailer, actually sitting through the film would be a wholly redundant exercise. I must say I much prefer the working title used during pre-production, 'ET Goes Over the Top'.

Have you read the book or seen the play Carlos as your post indicates that may not have and could be making a big assumption here.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 08 November 2011, 01:15:36 PM
To be fair I have not. The thought of Mr Spielberg's hand at work is quite enough for me. I don't fancy gambling the price of a cinema ticket on the hope that this might be the first of his films that hasn't made me feel bilious.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: flags_of_war on 22 November 2011, 08:19:57 AM
My old man went to see the play and said it was great. Looking forward to the another Epic by Spielberg :D
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Damas on 22 November 2011, 08:34:09 AM
I have seen the play in the last couple of months and you leave the theatre with it's mark upon you.  Such a stirring story of man's humanity and inhumanity.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: WillieB on 22 November 2011, 06:48:03 PM
I'm almost afraid to go watch this movie. Even the trailer choked me up.

After WWII my dad had two horses (Pol and Netty) and I've seen for myself how deep emotions can run between a horse and a man.
He loved those horses and they very clearly loved him right back. Even as a generally egocentric youngster I noticed that.

My father was crippled during the war and couldn't ride anymore, but that never kept him away from his horses. He always was so happy just caring for them. I still vividly remember the ritual of making special 'sandwiches' for the horses with slightly stale bread and slices of apple and carrots.

You wouldn't believe how gentle such a big (Pol especially, who was one of the biggest horses I ever saw) animal can be. It is almost as if they knew they had to be careful with their friend. Unbelievably touching.
Pol died when I was 12 or so, but Netty lived past her 39th birthday and died in 1983, less than two months after dad.

Of course I'll go watch this movie, but I think MJ will have to drive me home afterwards.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ray Rivers on 15 February 2012, 01:27:07 PM
So... gave my wife chocolates for St. Valentines and though I protested it was too cold to got out, she "insisted" we go see the movie!  ::)

A rather sentimental affair, especially if you love animals and specifically horses, which I quite enjoyed.

Predictably my wife cried through the whole move.  :'(

Some excellent scenes I must admit. The "tommy's" going "over the top." Joey, the horse, dragging the Germany artillery into place. All very emotional.

The best scene, for me, was the splendid charge which results in Joey's capture by the Germans. Massed cavalry charging through a wheat field.  :o  :-* Splendid, really splendid. But of course, pointless (this is World War I) and as they drove through the German camp in the open I was waiting for the German machine guns and the carnage that would result. I was not disappointed.  :(

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. Not a really gritty World War I movie, but you get the point. This was a horrible affair for everyone, including animals.

Go see it.  :)

Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 01:44:57 PM
I just read none of the horses sent from Britain to the western front made it back.

Yeah, most were taken prisoner and imprisoned in HPOW camps.  Some managed to get away over the wire, but sadly the tunnelling attempts came to nought on account of horses being crap tunnellers.  Sad really.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ray Rivers on 15 February 2012, 02:05:42 PM
Hey, that was pretty funny...  ::)
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Hammers on 15 February 2012, 02:19:47 PM
Yeah, most were taken prisoner and imprisoned in HPOW camps.  Some managed to get away over the wire, but sadly the tunnelling attempts came to nought on account of horses being crap tunnellers.  Sad really.

"Horses being poor tunnellers", your talking out of your chocolate starfish!

Escape attempts from the HPOW stables at Döberitz:

(http://www.fellpony.f9.co.uk/fells/20thc/lastpit.jpg)

The RHA escape attempt from Colditz Castle:

(http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/images/photogallery/ponies_in_shaft.jpg)

The Panic at the Glue Factory of Mainz Citadel

(http://images.zoomandgo.com/D/CAN/CA/DCANCA07TM0105-1100090707VV.jpg)


Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ray Rivers on 15 February 2012, 03:02:44 PM
British monument to Animals at War... "they had no choice."

Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 03:25:47 PM
British monument to Animals at War... "they had no choice."



It's on Park Lane.  They've got plenty of choice.  The Dorchester, The Hilton and - my favourite - The Metropolitan.....
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 03:27:43 PM
"Horses being poor tunnellers", your talking out of your chocolate starfish!

Escape attempts from the HPOW stables at Döberitz:

(http://www.fellpony.f9.co.uk/fells/20thc/lastpit.jpg)

The RHA escape attempt from Colditz Castle:

(http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/images/photogallery/ponies_in_shaft.jpg)

The Panic at the Glue Factory of Mainz Citadel

(http://images.zoomandgo.com/D/CAN/CA/DCANCA07TM0105-1100090707VV.jpg)




Hammers!  I'd heard the rumours, but now pictorial evidence!!!!  Is there nothing that this forum does not know?!? 

The other thing I heard was a problem was converting the horseblankets into civilian clothing.  Do you have any evidence of that?
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Old Goat on 15 February 2012, 04:04:38 PM
Got that the wrong way round, it was converting the Civilian clothes into horse blankets that caused problems.  The Pet passports were a bugger too.

Famously a film was made in the fifties, called 'The Wooden Bloke', a huge great wooden bloke the HPOW's would vault over while two horses dug a tunnel underneath, 'The Great Hayscape' was another one....

I'll get me coat.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Hammers on 15 February 2012, 04:33:01 PM
Hammers

Is the horse in the second picture the equine equivalent of Donald Pleasance who has ruined his eyes forging false papers?

No, that's a horse in a prison made cow outfit. They were rubbish, just like their attempt to whinny like a cow. Most of them were caught and sent back by German milk maids.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 05:05:43 PM
Got that the wrong way round, it was converting the Civilian clothes into horse blankets that caused problems.  The Pet passports were a bugger too.

Famously a film was made in the fifties, called 'The Wooden Bloke', a huge great wooden bloke the HPOW's would vault over while two horses dug a tunnel underneath, 'The Great Hayscape' was another one....

I'll get me coat.

Brilliant
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 05:06:09 PM
No, that's a horse in a prison made cow outfit. They were rubbish, just like their attempt to whinny like a cow. Most of them were caught and sent back by German milk maids.

Brilliant
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 15 February 2012, 05:06:37 PM
it is a little known bit of history but back in the seventeenth century the Horse in the Iron Mask broke out of the Bastille. True!

Though it was obliged to allow a famous french philospher to go first.

It was a case of putting Descartes before the horse.

Brilliant
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: moif on 15 February 2012, 06:47:05 PM
I have seen this film 'War Horse'. It was not so bad, but I think geared towards a younger audience.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: oxiana on 16 February 2012, 04:45:41 PM
If you get the opportunity to see the stage production of War Horse, do. The puppets are astounding. I was skeptical before I went, but you suspend your disbelief instantly.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 16 February 2012, 05:23:23 PM
If you get the opportunity to see the stage production of War Horse, do. The puppets are astounding. I was skeptical before I went, but you suspend your disbelief instantly.


I suddenly have the visions of 'The Muppets Take the Hindenburg Line' or the battle of the Somme as a Punch and Judy Show flashing before me.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 16 February 2012, 06:07:03 PM
I suddenly have the visions of 'The Muppets Take the Hindenburg Line' or the battle of the Somme as a Punch and Judy Show flashing before me.

Carlos my boy, I think we have ourselves a musical!

Bealostock & Bluhm.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Conquistador on 17 February 2012, 10:45:42 PM
Nice movie.  Even i got some emotions showing.

Historical?  Not completely.  Would you want to watch a Private Ryan experience for WW1?  Would you SO (significant other) want to go see it and be down in the dumps emotionally in most cases afterward?  Yeah, that's a great date...

Take the kids to a "completely realistic" WW1 movie?  Not really...

It's called themed entertainment, not a documentary.

I liked it well enough.  Would I pay full price?  Nope.  Would I pay matinee prices for a second viewing?  Probably not.  Would I rent it?  Nope, I think it would lose the effect on the small screen.

Gracias,

Glenn


Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Wirelizard on 18 February 2012, 08:39:35 AM
it is a little known bit of history but back in the seventeenth century the Horse in the Iron Mask broke out of the Bastille. True!

Though it was obliged to allow a famous french philospher to go first.

It was a case of putting Descartes before the horse.

OK, that was terrible.

I laughed myself horse.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 18 February 2012, 10:03:30 AM
Anyway, that should silence the neigh sayers. Puppets, trenches and fine equine flesh. Bit of a whinny-whinny situation really.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 18 February 2012, 11:20:34 AM
You crazy foals!

This just in from that superior gentlemans monthly, 'Viz'....

(http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh164/defoix/Scan120490000-1.jpg)
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 18 February 2012, 11:25:15 AM
As long as you enjoy Warhorse - that's the mane thing!

I'll get your coat.....
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 18 February 2012, 12:23:25 PM
Look at the bright side, it must really fuck with negotiations for A-List Hollywood salaries.

Clooney: 'I want 15 mil to make it.'
Agent: 'No chance, last guy that worked for him got a bag of sugarcubes and a rubdown.'
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 18 February 2012, 06:03:14 PM
Look at the bright side, it must really fuck with negotiations for A-List Hollywood salaries.

Clooney: 'I want 15 mil to make it.'
Agent: 'No chance, last guy that worked for him got a bag of sugarcubes and a rubdown.'

Brilliant
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: The Breaker on 10 March 2012, 09:08:38 AM
Someone said that they couldn't bring the horses home. It was the same situation with the Australian Light Horse. The army sold them to the locals, many soldiers shot their horses rather than leave them to that fate. The descendants of some of those horses are pulling carts in the middle east right now. Of course for the English it was just a short hop over the channel not a many thousand kilometre trip back to Aussie but either way it's a shitty thing to do to a man who in some cases owes his life to that horse.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ignatieff on 11 March 2012, 07:59:01 PM
The army sold them to the locals, many soldiers shot their horses rather than leave them to that fate.

The Belgians and French swear by them.  With chips.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: carlos marighela on 11 March 2012, 09:51:01 PM
The Belgians and French swear by them.  With chips.

 lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Ignatieff for the win! ( or perhaps in this case.... whinny)
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Volleyfire! on 12 March 2012, 12:17:39 PM
(http://i55.tinypic.com/5lxrmx.jpg)

This ia a photo of my Grandfather, Harry.N.Skinner, Norman to his friends, on his horse Ragtime, taken at Summer Camp in Revesby Park, Lincs. He was a member of Spilsby section of the Lincs Yeomanry. He was posted out to France, I'm not sure why as the rest seem to have either stayed at home or gone to Palestine according to the Regt records. In France he was given a mule to look after since he was a cavalryman.Ragtime didn't go with him I believe since he told me they went foxhunting after the war, until the day he was propelled through a hawthorn hedge into a dry ditch full of nettles, at which point he said he decided to hang up his spurs.
He was attached to the light section MGC and the mule carried the machine gun and his and the loader and gunner's kit.
The only time he ever talked about the war he told me he fought at Paschendaele. He was walking the mule along a road one day, silhouetted against the skyline, and the Huns started using them for artillery target practice. The mule promptly dug its toes in and wouldn't budge, and after tugging at the lead rope he gave up and took cover in a ditch at the roadside. The shells got nearer until one dropped right behind the mule.He heard a clattering of hooves and peered out the ditch to see the mule going full tilt straight towards the German lines, with all his kit, and the other 2 crewmen's, and the machine gun aboard too. The mule vanished never to be seen again. How he explained this away I don't know, he didn't say.
He was gassed and invalided back to a London hospital, and then back to Spilsby Town Hall where Red Cross nurses tended the wounded and sick. It was there we believe he met my Grandmother as she was a nurse there. Her birthday was Christmas Eve, his on Christmas Day, and they married on Boxing Day. He lived into his 80's.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Ray Rivers on 12 March 2012, 01:51:42 PM
"Norman" sits his horse well and "Ragtime" is a real beauty!  :-*
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Hammers on 25 August 2012, 08:44:22 AM
While I find the film as a whole a bit soppy and melodramatic (as per Spielbergs general style) I think parts of it brilliant. The attitudes displayed by the early war cavalry officers seem just so. And thus funny and a bit sad. Benedict Cumberbatch is particularly good in this respect but there are several other brilliant actors at work in this.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Supercollider on 25 August 2012, 09:08:42 AM
I haven't seen the film, but listened to a radio version on BBC Radio 4 Extra today.  Pretty good.  Timothy Spall is the voice of the horse, not sure who plays the back end.

Available here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vy70n/Michael_Morpurgo_War_Horse/
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: dm on 12 September 2012, 11:12:18 PM
was chatting to old chap whose father had been with Allenby's troops in the Middle East and he said his father had told him it was common practice to hang any arab caught stealing horse feed which they often tried to do. I trained in Conservation at Brakenhurst NTU at Southwell in Notts and would often think of that when i passed Allenby's old Office in what had been his family home.
Title: Re: War Horse The Film
Post by: Willypold on 16 September 2012, 10:29:52 PM
Just found this thread...

I and my wife got the opportunity to translate War Horse, the novel, into Swedish the year before the film opened. It was a little strange seeing the movie after getting really involved in the text, not because of the changes in the storyline, but because of the rather drastic change in point of view. In the book the story is told with Joey as the narrator, describing the events from his perspective, deepening the relationships with the other horses and a number of the humans, while the movie is told more from Albert's viewpoint with a completely "non-talking" horse. Both stand on their own, I think, but they also tell quite different stories. I haven't had the opportunity of watching the stage play, but I'd like to know if the play is closer to the book or the movie - or rather - is the play an intermediary between the book and the movie?

Things I like with both versions is that they show what a complete terror WWI was, and that the soldiers were both good or bad according to their personalities and the situation, and not because of a particularly evil ideology. The Germans were in it just as badly as the Allies.