Passchendaele

[rksimpson]

Hi all

I know this is book review section but as there is no section for movies I thought I would add this here!

Has anyone seen this new movie?

Apart from the usual love story it is based on a character in the CEF who goes back after being discharged for shell shock.

The action is pretty gory and probably realistic but my question relates to the effects that shelling has to some of the infantry. I realise there is a concussive effect to shelling and that can pick up people and objects and throw them, but some of the effects in the movie seemed a bit too much, especially when the blast was without any shrapnel. In some scenes the men get flung and the next a shell falls near and one guy goes down with a slashed throat but no concussive effect. I realise different sized shells will have different effects. Also near the end when one soldier in a trench is picked up with the blast and stuck to the duck-boards with barbed wire in a crucifiction pose. It seem a bit too unreal but I want to hear from more learned experts before I discount it. There was also some talk before that scene about a Canadian being nailed to a church door by the Germans, which the main character refuted and put it down to shelling.

Interested to hear all your thoughts

regards

Robert

[Mark Hone]

There have been a few previous threads discussing this film which you might locate via the 'search' facility (not easy because of the sheer number of threads which include the word 'Passchendaele'!) The general opinion, I seem to recall, was not very favourable.

[Gibbo]

The Times gave it one of the most negative reviews that I've ever read. In its first week of release in the UK, I could find only one cinema showing it in the whole of the country, which was in London.

[rksimpson]

Hi all

oops looks like I put it in the wrong forum

thanks for your reply

I have looked at the other forums but none really answered my questions so if someone can give some advice it would be appreciated.

Yes I dont think it was the best of war movies but it had some interesting parts.

I presume the trench warfare whs fairly realistic

My other question is did the Black Watch pull out as indicated near the end?

leave it with you

regards

Robert

[1st_east_yorks]

There was also some talk before that scene about a Canadian being nailed to a church door by the Germans, which the main character refuted and put it down to shelling.

Interested to hear all your thoughts

regards

Robert

Hi Robert, I would imagine that this would be a reference to the "crucified soldier" incident, relating to a Canadian soldier who was bayonetted to a door or tree. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence only for this and it has been the subject of various TV documentaries.No body was ever found and many stories do contradict each other. The general feeling is that possibly it was a piece of anti-german propaganda that was obviously very common around that time.

The only issue here is dates. The "crucified soldier" incident was reported in April 1915 (Ypres) and Passchenadaele was 1917. In the film were they making reference to an earlier time? Or is there another crucified soldier story of around that time? ( I dont think this is the case.)

regards,

Sean.

[Broznitsky]

The "crucified soldier" incident was reported in April 1915 (Ypres) and Passchenadaele was 1917. In the film were they making reference to an earlier time?

The lead character was referring to the 1915 "story." Movie Making 101 calls this "foreshadowing." I must say I groaned when the duckboard/barbed wire incident in the film happened.

[Desmond7]

Robert - my views on this film are on record.

They are unrepeatable.

I actually feel this movie is a shocking insult to the CEF.

Des

[4thGordons]

Mine too.... and they can be read HERE there is also a link to the main forum discussion.

My first impressions were not good.

I rewatched it again recently and my second impressions were it was worse than I thought... this time I anticipated the groans and winces.

Chris