RED TAILS... How was it!?

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

It's been ages since I was this excited over a new movie. I'm a HUGE WW 2 buff and simply can't get enough of arial stuff from that period. I also salutes Lucas decission to make this an pure adventure film and not an SPR set in the sky. Since that film was released it's pretty much been the norm to follow for all war films. Don't get me wrong, I loved it but the point of war being hell has already hit it's mark with me. I truly miss the adventure style of the war films from the sixties and early seventies. Thinking in the line of Battle of britain, Guns of navarone, where eagles dare and so on.

Sadly it seems like Red Tails ain't gonna be released in Sweden, seems like it even was a strugle to get it out in the US. That means I'll have to wait for it's DVD release.

In the meantime though, all you lucky yanks who got to see it today. How was it!

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Monster Dave]

If you're looking for something to watch in the interim, check out the original Tuskegee Airmen movie. It's great - and some of the actors in Red Tails were in the original film.

I recently read that Lucas had to put up 100 million dollars of his own money to get the film made because the studios didn't see the worth in making it. That says something for sure - hopefully George was right and it's a hit that makes the big studios look bad.

I'm excited for it too though - love the genre, love the history. I hope it's as good as it looks. I just checked and it does open here in the US today. But I didn't see anything about it not being released in Sweden?!

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

I was about to order the original film but read somewhere that most of the arial photage was just recycled stuff from "Memphis Belle".

There's no plans for a release in Sweden. Seems like there's no solid plan for any European release for the time being. I think that was one of the reasons most Hollywood studios backed away from it. They had no idea how to market an all black cast war film outside the US. Jeez, what a load of BS!

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Russ257]

If it does well this weekend a European distributor may pick it up.

I am really excited to see it but RottenTomatoes has it at a 35% from the critics and an 85% from the audience. Hard to know which one to trust. I will wait till sunday to see it so I can see what some of my friends think.

 

[Darth Mawr]

I've read a couple of reviews and they were polar opposites. One talked about it's lack of realism and the other explained that Lucas gave it the John Wayne experience thus more adventure and heroism and less realism. I look forward to seeing this film as well. Love the genre.

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

Well it's a Lucasfilm production so it getting flack from the critics doesn't come as a surprise. What's interesting though is the fact that ordinary "Joes" seem to like it! I for one have really good feeling about this. The trailers look smashing and seem to sport that kind of adventure film feeling I've been after.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[foxbatkllr]

I will likely be seeing the film this weekend. From what I gather, those looking for a gritty "look at what those men had to suffer through" WW2 drama will be sorely disappointed. It's intended as a throwback heroes good vs evil type movie.

 

[CessnaDriver]

Rotten Tomatoes has a pretty low score for it and quite a few reviews in now.

The CGI warbirds still look unrealistic in motion to me still. Ironic, Lucas used WWII dogfights as inspiration for SW space battles, and now he seems to have used SW fighters as inspiration to how an actual Mustang should look in flight.

So pretty disappointed in what I'm reading, I'm a warbird nut since a kid and I know what they look like in flight, I'll catch it when I don't have to pay to see it.

Sounds like it's great for kids though and the HBO film will easily be the superior take on these men.

 

[terryr]

I re-watched Tuskegee Airmen and wish I hadn't. It had its moments but it was a low buck thing with a lot to stuff in. Told the story though.

A few years ago they did a WWI flyers movie. Flyboys? They advertised it with modern rock music and they spoke with modern california voices and expressions and the cgi planes flew like jet fighters. And there was a black guy, cuz they be hip yo!

I hope this isn't like that.

 

[Kerr Avon]

I really liked the HBO "Tuskegee Airmen" movie. I thought it was a good movie. This looks fine, but just a retelling of the same stuff. I'll wait for Netflix.

 

[Kerr Avon]

A few years ago they did a WWI flyers movie. Flyboys? They advertised it with modern rock music and they spoke with modern california voices and expressions and the cgi planes flew like jet fighters. And there was a black guy, cuz they be hip yo!

Sounds like that piece of ****, "A Knight's Tale"

 

[Solo4114]

I re-watched Tuskegee Airmen and wish I hadn't. It had its moments but it was a low buck thing with a lot to stuff in. Told the story though.

A few years ago they did a WWI flyers movie. Flyboys? They advertised it with modern rock music and they spoke with modern california voices and expressions and the cgi planes flew like jet fighters. And there was a black guy, cuz they be hip yo!

I hope this isn't like that.

I saw that film. It was...eh. Nothing special. Entertaining fluff for a Netflix rental, but not anything really serious. And the flying was cool, but yeah, it didn't strike me as realistic. Especially the final dogfight and how it ends, which DEFIED THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.

If you want an AMAZING WWI air combat film, though, check out Hell's Angels. The dogfights are simply jaw-dropping. Of course, no film like that could be made today, just because of the insurance premiums alone. :lol

I really liked the HBO "Tuskegee Airmen" movie. I thought it was a good movie. This looks fine, but just a retelling of the same stuff. I'll wait for Netflix.

This is pretty much my attitude. I don't need to see this one on the big screen. The HBO film was decent when it was made ('94? '95?) and I felt told the story reasonably effectively. The only addition to this film would be, it seems, the special effects. And from the sound of it, those aren't really all THAT spectacular, since they're largely CGI.

 

[0neiros]

Sounds like that piece of ****, "A Knight's Tale"

WRONG, Flyboys is a decent movie, it's about the Lafeyette Escadrille, the 124th air squadron formed by the French in 1916. they totally F-ed up the way they promoted it. Historical accuracy for the nitpickers, well what can you say. The air battles were really well done, the love story is what the Anakin/Padme love story could have been, decently written. All the characters including the "Black Guy" were real people, his goal was to be the first black man to fly air mail after the war. And he totally freaking was. It's worth checking out, I'd give it a 3.0 out of 5.

As for Red Tails, going to see it Sunday. My question is, have we become so dark and twisted, that a Mom and Apple pie movie, is now considered a POS?

 

[The Rock-a-who]

And there was a black guy, cuz they be hip yo!

Just so you know, the African American character was based on the true life of Eugene Bullard a real pilot in the Lafayette Flying Corp.

 

[The Rock-a-who]

My question is, have we become so dark and twisted, that a Mom and Apple pie movie, is now considered a POS?

For me, when I see "based on a true story" I know there will be historical innacuracies <sp> so I don't quite nit-pick, depending on the historical fact (i.e. if the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor ["Forget it, he's rolling."] instead of the Japanese, then yes, I'll complain - but if it's something like 'those types of jackets weren;'t available until 1944 and this was in 1943' I'm more forgiving.

My basic premise for movies is entertainment. If I'm entertained, I'm happy. I'm SO looking forward to Red Tails because I love war movies focusing on aviation. So, I'm hoping to be pleased with this and enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Timmythekid]

Reviews are not being kind so far, although I have yet to see it. I've got that question as well - does every film now need to be gritty, cynical, bitter, and deep character studies in order to be deemed watchable?

It sounds like most of the hate being directed at this film is beause it plays like a John Wayne war movie, with archetypes rather than fleshed out characters. But...isn't that expressly what it was designed to be? Kind of a throwback to those jingoistic war movies? Not sure I'm ready to write it off yet, particualrly if the aerial stuff looks good (which by all accounts it does, just maybe not accurate - whoopdeedoo).

 

[DuneMuadDib]

Reviews are not being kind so far, although I have yet to see it. I've got that question as well - does every film now need to be gritty, cynical, bitter, and deep character studies in order to be deemed watchable?

It sounds like most of the hate being directed at this film is beause it plays like a John Wayne war movie, with archetypes rather than fleshed out characters. But...isn't that expressly what it was designed to be? Kind of a throwback to those jingoistic war movies? Not sure I'm ready to write it off yet, particualrly if the aerial stuff looks good (which by all accounts it does, just maybe not accurate - whoopdeedoo).

What does the producer and director's intention have to do with anything? Indy IV was intended as a 50's B-movie alien flick being set in the 50's and all, in the same vein as the ones set in the 30's played like 30's era adventure pulp. That didn't stop people from hating the crap out of Indy IV's "genre difference" for lack of a better way to describe it.

 

[the_batdemon]

I caught a sneak preview on Thursday. They were supposed to have a couple surviving members in attendance, which unfortunately didn't happen.
I liked the movie, but thought some of the dialog was hokey. The opening dogfight sequence is ruined by the credits. As others have said, there is a lot of dramatic license taken, which is understandable considering they only focus on half a dozen men out of the many in the squad?

 

[Solo4114]

It sounds like most of the hate being directed at this film is beause it plays like a John Wayne war movie, with archetypes rather than fleshed out characters. But...isn't that expressly what it was designed to be? Kind of a throwback to those jingoistic war movies?

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure. If it is that, however, I think that the studios were right -- from a business perspective -- in that audiences have different sensibilities from the kind of throwback heroic tales of WWII.

Didn't Memphis Belle suffer similar criticisms? It's an enjoyable movie, of course, but it still was a bit hazy/tearjerker/heroic triumph for modern audiences. I expect this has only gotten worse in recent years.


To my way of thinking, audiences can handle heroism and such, but it has to be offset by gritty realism. The Spielberg produced/direct WWII projects have been a good example here. Saving Pvt. Ryan, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, these were all pretty well-received. Saving Pvt. Ryan in particular is both gritty/graphically realistic AND heroic adventure. It could be that the lack of "gritty realism" is what's making audiences unreceptive to this one.


I have no idea, of course, having not seen it myself. Personally, I don't mind a well executed heroic adventure that's "based on a true story." For me, the only question will be whether it's well executed. My experience with Lucas' films in the last 15 years has been less than enjoyable, though, so as a discerning consumer, I'll be waiting for Netflix for this one. But that's less to do with the subject matter and style, and more to do with my faith in Lucas' ability to execute that all in a way that I'll find enjoyable.

 

[CessnaDriver]

I just want to wail sometimes as there could be such a great realistic film made about fighter pilot's exploits and sacrifices.

The series Dogfights really got into the nuts and bolts of a knife fight in the sky and some stranger then fiction scenarios that actually happened.

"A Fighter Pilot's Story" documentary on PBS years ago was another.
Quentin Aanenson was terrified at burning to death as he had seen so many die that way.
His P-47 was on fire badly, the canopy jammed shut. He was going to burn to death, and he swore he would not die that way, so he chose to end it quick by his own hand by diving directly into the ground. Well the flames extinquished in that dive, now he was going from a suicide dive to trying to recover in time before hitting the ground, which he did barely.
He learned not to bother to learn other new pilot's names or be friendly. They weren't going to be around long. He wrote only happy letters home, so as not to upset his wife and family. And he was also a forward air controller, so he learned the ground truth as well.



Maybe someday a modern film maker will nail it.