"Flyboys" Movie worth our attention

Self | September 24, 2006 | Oyez

[oyez]

..gung ho American adventure flick that does not properly express the horrors of war.

It wasn't gung ho, It was about some fellows that volunteered for a mission and tried their best to live up to it. It expressed the horror war but it didn't wallow in it.

[MindBender26]

Saw it tonight. Excellent. 4 out of 5 stars.

Only technical goof I saw, (I think) Arc welding in 1916, in a tent in France?

[BurrOh]

Saw it. Loved it. Highly recommend it.
Americans volunteering for service.
Nothing new in that, but with the first in aerial combat.

[TheDoctorNoh]

It has to be good. The MSM reviewers gave the movie only a 19% approval rating, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flyboys/

By comparison, the eruditic, deep character study known as "Jackass II" received 60% approval by many of the same reviewers.

[Fairview]

There was also a WSJ piece on how few WWI movies are made anymore, esp about dogfights- they are exceedingly dangerous.

Why are they dangerous? Is there a risk the computer graphics might crash their system? Seriously, these things aren't shot with real planes, are they? They don't shoot dinosaur fights with real dinosaurs.

[okie01]

Thanks for the post.

My grandfather was the Lafayette Escadrille's medical officer.

Believe I'll go see this one.

[Barnacle]

Only technical goof I saw, (I think) Arc welding in 1916, in a tent in France?

Oops. I'll close my eyes at that part. No problem. I always close my eyes around arc welding anyway.

[MindBender26]

PS, Saw it with Col Joe Kittenger, USAF (Ret)

Colonel Joe made parachute jump from 102,000 feet and had more missions over DPRV than any other USAF pilot. Bunch of other guys from the Triple Nickel (555th FIS) and some Squid F-14 drivers were there too, plus a B-24 pilot from ETO and about 100 other pilots, some military, some civilian.

Everybody loved it.

[rawcatslyentist]

This was one of the very few movies I have seen.

It was fairly well done, the special effects made it appear more modern than the era it was set in. It did get a bit hollywoodish in the rather transparent plot lines.
Still all in all a good movie.

[MindBender26]

:~)

Very good.

Remember, arc welding bare chested is NOT smart!

[BurrOh]

OMGoodness, a pleasure to meet you okie01.
The film has inspired me to read more on the squadron.

[Spktyr]

Actually, that era's biplanes are more manuverable than their later descendants - so that part is pretty factual. If you read up, they actually shot most of the footage using athe actual biplanes for the manuevers.


As an example, a Sopwith Camel can actually fly around in a 50' circle and still stay in the air.

[mysterio]

I just got back from seeing it, and I liked it.

[RJL]

I thought it was very good, I'll also be buying the DVD when it comes out.

[battlegearboat]

"By comparison, the eruditic, deep character study known as "Jackass II" received 60% approval by many of the same reviewers."

LOL

[JOE6PAK]

I don't know about you guys, but my Dad took me to see the "Blue Max" back in the '60s. Another trip to the Rhienbeck NY aerodrome to see authentic WWI planes, and I can't wait to see this movie! So GO Flyboys!

[ChadGore]

Remember folks, it's not a "World War" until France surrenders.

[oyez]

I didn't think that was arc welding, but a kind of black-smithy technique. Some one here can probably tell us.

[Spktyr]

Arc welding was well known in the late 1800s and the first practical arc welder was patented in 1890.

Not only was arc welding in the field a possibility in 1916 France, it was a reality on all fronts by that late.

[Spktyr]

Welding history: http://www.solarnavigator.net/welding.htm