The Blue Max
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Movie Reviews of The Blue Max
Movie Review: awesome aviation movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite aviation movies (next to "Battle of Britain," and "Tora! Tora! Tora!").
What sets this movie apart from any other flight movie, though, is that the main characters are just as exciting and intriguing as the combat footage.
The rivaly between the top aces is very engaging. "Top Gun" tried to create rivaly between Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, but I really didn't get into it as much. In my opinion, there really wasn't much of a difference between Cruise and Kilmer other than the way they look. But when you compare the rivals in "Blue Max," you get a much better contrast of characters: for one, the younger pilot is more of a working class kind-of-guy; his counterpart, on the other hand, is more aristrocratic.
As for the casting of the main character, I'm not at all disappointed. Sure, his accent was a little bit non-Germanic sounding, but he flattened it pretty well. As far as acting goes, I felt he was right on target: of course he seems out of place amongst the pilots because he IS out of place. He was a footslogger before he became a pilot. Although he flew very well, he still wasn't in the same class as them (socially).
As for acting, I think the only performance that was horrible was James Mason's. It's amazing how many times this actor got casted as a German. Why does such a poor actor get so many cool roles when he won't even TRY to flatten his non-German accent? If I was playing a Southerner, I wouldn't go out of my way to ACCENTUATE a New England accent. It's just illogical.
This movie's awesome, and you'll be treated to good aerial footage in addition to an engaging story.
Movie Review: An Overlooked Gem
Summary: 5 Stars
We always see "our side" (i.e., the American side) of wars whenever we watch films. Well, maybe not always, but very often. So it was refreshing to see, not only a movie based on German perceptions, but one also based on WW I instead of WW II.
George Peppard plays Bruno Stachel, an ordinary man from an ordinary family, who gets inducted into the elitist German air corp toward the end of the Great War. The upper echelon fighter jocks are none to pleased to see a dirt poor boy come up into their ranks, but Bruno doesn't much care. What he does care about (in fact, becomes infatuated with) is winning The Blue Max, the German medal for downing 20 enemy planes or more. His focus is so intent on this little scrap of metal that he ignores even his humanity. He'll conquer anything, or anyone, that gets in his way.
A stellar cast outlines this film as well, with James Mason playing a General propagandist, Jeremy Kemp as a rival flyer, and the lovely Ursula Andress who acts as a decadent love interest that is way beyond Bruno's reach.
The movie is outstanding, not only in its casting, but in many other aspects, too. The air battle scenes are amazing (remember, this was filmed in 1966). The plot is incredible in that it shows the dying actions of chivalry that, up to that point, were used during battle. And we have a bit of nudity during what I like to call "the floppy towel scene", when Ursula's character has relations with Peppard's.
Quite an achievement for a film shot so long ago. A visual and mind building feast.
Movie Review: The Importance of Espirit de Corps
Summary: 5 Stars
As stated in other reviews here, the movie is excellent in many dimensions - characters, historic realism, action. I would like to discuss an aspect not covered elsewhere.
One of the main themes of the movie is the conflict between Stachel's personal ambition and the squadron's cohesion as a fighting unit. Stachel is (with the possible exception of Willie Klugermann) the best pilot, but he's newcomer to the air war, and he realizes he has only a short time to prove it. He's starting out with zero kills and he needs to catch up.
The interesting thing is that Stachel's ambition leads to various decisions that enhance his reputation as a pilot, but hurt the goals of his squadron. The tragic flaw is that he's too able a pilot to be forced to leave, and his value as a propaganda weapon only gives him more opportunity to hurt the squadron. This leads to a predicament where they can't court-marshall him when he obviously deserves it (in fact they are forced to reward him with the Blue Max), and this leads to the squadron commander's resignation - thus has Stachel's ambition damaged the squadron's integrety.
This individual vs. group conflict is well dramatized in this movie.
Movie Review: Life Altering
Summary: 5 Stars
Simply put, the movie changed my life.My dad brought the VHS home one day when I was in middle school and the movie, along with the outstanding combat scenes, sparked an inferno which still rages today. This inferno is my interest in WW1 aviation. Thousands of dollars in books and 8 years later I am sitting in a dormroom getting prepared to write my senior thesis on WW1 aviation. I also hope to go on and get my PhD focusing on this area.
No other movie has had that effect on me. If you are a history buff like me then minor things like DH moths in German schemes, every enemy fighter being an SE5, and how the Fokker DVII was out before the Spring offensive (which in the movie took place on a sunny day when there was thick fog in reality) when the Fokker DVII came out later...might be a little irratating. However, the movie is outstanding. The other reviewers are right when they say it is a little long and drags on in the middle, but an outstanding film anyway. I just wish they would digitally redo the unbelievable soundtrack for the movie and put it out on CD, instead of just transfering the old recordings onto the CD.
Anyway, an outstanding movie to watch on a rainy Saturday!
Movie Review: Outstanding WW 1 aviation flck
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my favorite WW 1 flick superbly depicting the dawn of aviation in warfare. It is an exceptional character study of individuals and of a war from the perspective of elite aviators of the country who unjustifiably started the horribly brutal and bloody worldwide conflict. The film takes place near the end of the war showing just how quickly Germany's fortunes turned from great optimism to obvious impending defeat.
The other reviewers have done well in explaining the paths of the individual characters and I will just say that George Peppard did a nice turn playing the main character. The other actors turned in excellent performances. The production values are exceptional and the Jerry Goldsmith musical score is moving and soars as one of his best. The dogfight combat sequences are well done too. Script and screenplay nicely compliment the films other attributes.
I highly recommend "The Blue Max" to everyone not just war buffs as it is outstanding drama, historically educational and an interesting character study. Well done on all all fronts. Bravo.