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Bullets, Bombs And Bridges
a.j


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 80
Location: Thornaby-On-Tees, Great Britain
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Bullets, Bombs And Bridges - The Story Of The British War Films

This was on BBC2 last night and it told the story of British war Film through the generations from the first war film "The Battle Of the Somme" in 1916; To "United 93"

Certain films were metioned - "Went The Day Well?", "The Colditz Story", "Ice Cold in Alex", "A Bridge Too Far" (To name a few).

and yes....

"Zulu"

The section about "Zulu" didn't start off too well the said it was made in 1968. But then the narrator did say that the film "Divides Opinion".

David Oyelowo (Actor) said - "It's one of those films that doesn't date well for me. It almost still has the aroma of films where you just sort of wield out the black extras to be shot."

Al Murray (Comedian) said - "Zulu is an amazing film it's like a British Alamo, and we don't have an Alamo story in our history although it turns out we do with Zulu.

Whats great about it is it's blend of ingredients. You've got the, unfortunately, the faceless hordes of Zulus. And then the jolly Welshmen with their gallows humour and the Toffs. Then Michael Caine which means it's a good British film."

Dan Snow (Historian) said - "There's an obsession with class in the film and it reflects Britain in the 1960's. At the beginning of the film we see massive social chasms between Michael Caine's character and Bakers and the chasm between them.

By the end of the film, the stress of battle and shared experiences means they begin to get over that and they form a much closer bond. And that perhaps reflects the fact that Britain in the 1960's began to come out of the rigid caste system that had benighted this country for so long."

Toby Young (Journalist) said - "Whenever I re-watch Zulu I'm always surprised by the anti-war sentiments that run through the film. Seen in the cold light of day it's actually an anti-war film.

All the way through there's this running theme - The futility of war!"
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Rich
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"Seen in the cold light of day it's actually an anti-war film".

You know your remark made me go on and take a look at Sheldon Hall's magnificent book, "Zulu..With Some Guts behind It". In it, some reviewers did think it was an "anti-war" film but I kind of go along with Punch's anonymous critic who believed that the anti-war theme as typified in the treatmen by the Reverend Witt and his daughter wasn't carried through the film to emphasize that point. I think 'Zulu" is one of those finely crafted films where answers to questions aren't so easy to come by. I'm not sure if Mr. Endfield felt it was an "anti-war" film but he gives everything a twist where he has the old Reverend liking his "moonshine" and telling them all at Rorke's... "You're all going to die!!!!!!" Not exactly uplifting considering the tenuous situation.
Bullets, Bombs And Bridges
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