Mark Hone Posted 9 February , 2019 Share Posted 9 February , 2019 (edited) There was a brief mention in the press this week that Stephen Spielberg is about to start filming his new movie '1917' somewhere near Stonehenge. One suspects that it may concern US entry into the Great War (although the Americans only arrived in force in 1918). He's missed the Centenary hoop-la and his previous Great War foray 'War Horse' wasn't a big hit as I recall (certainly not on this Forum). Does anyone know further details? Edited 9 February , 2019 by Mark Hone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 9 February , 2019 Admin Share Posted 9 February , 2019 Sam Mendes to direct and awaiting an archaeological survey apparently https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-47145568 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
593jones Posted 9 February , 2019 Share Posted 9 February , 2019 Only the briefest details on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8579674/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Have to say I have never heard of either of the two actors named. Perhaps I should go to the cinema more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 9 February , 2019 Share Posted 9 February , 2019 Chaps. No-one knows anything about the film yet. Might be good, might not, and although Spielberg might be accused of sentimentality, 'Saving Private Ryan' was a tour-de-force of battle depiction. We'll find out if '1917' is good in due course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 9 February , 2019 Share Posted 9 February , 2019 (edited) I know one of the film locations, it's 2 miles from my house. https://unidoc.wiltshire.gov.uk/UniDoc/Document/Search/DSA,894390 Edited 9 February , 2019 by Gareth Davies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
593jones Posted 10 February , 2019 Share Posted 10 February , 2019 You'll be handy when they're looking for extras then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 10 February , 2019 Share Posted 10 February , 2019 What aspect of the year 1917 would be most significant to our American cousins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 10 February , 2019 Share Posted 10 February , 2019 A pertinent point. They entered the war that year, but that might not be enough to occupy a whole film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 10 February , 2019 Share Posted 10 February , 2019 Apropos of nothing, the United States was one nation that barely featured on Salisbury Plain during the war, and when they were there it was almost entirely at airfields. Gareth - thanks for the documents - interesting, especially seeing the exact location. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinspace Posted 11 February , 2019 Share Posted 11 February , 2019 With an English director, and apparently two young English leads, I doubt that the film is going to have anything to do with the American entry into the war. Think aeroplanes and "Bloody April". A clue? https://news.artnet.com/art-world/spielberg-stonehenge-1458187 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open Bolt Posted 11 February , 2019 Share Posted 11 February , 2019 Perhaps another film where battle hardened pilots of Lafayette Escadrille meet fresh faced youths from the US? I expect to see Billy Mitchell in it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 11 February , 2019 Share Posted 11 February , 2019 Any hints about the inevitable love interest? Perhaps a winsome village maiden? A gay subtext or an overtly gay romance? Was there as much concern when the MoD built Copehill Down village very close by? Comments appended to the Daily Mail include some that make me grimace, including one that suggests the Allies were fighting Nazis during the Great War. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 11 February , 2019 Share Posted 11 February , 2019 It's a remake of 'Aces High'! Or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open Bolt Posted 11 February , 2019 Share Posted 11 February , 2019 Well, we are well on the way to identifying the script. But how will we shoehorn Richthofen in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 11 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2019 I hope he doesn't share a drink with Roy Brown when they are both shot down in No Man's Land, as in the beyond-parody German film 'Red Baron'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 A WW1 remake of Pearl Harbour, sorry Harbor, where two young pilots fight off the massed enemy hordes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 On 09/02/2019 at 21:06, paulgranger said: Chaps. No-one knows anything about the film yet. Might be good, might not, and although Spielberg might be accused of sentimentality, 'Saving Private Ryan' was a tour-de-force of battle depiction. We'll find out if '1917' is good in due course. As was Bridge of Spies... and think what you want, but I liked "War Horse"... I just don't see it as a history-movie and don't watch it as a historian... watched it as a girl and horse-fan and cried like a baby at the happy end! But this is going to be interesting... the filming and the discussions on the forum! M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open Bolt Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 I have great hopes for it. The aerial sequences ought to be better than we have ever been treated to before including, as Mark says, the relatively recent but awful Red Baron from 2008. I will also concede that CGI will struggle to beat the real thing, and the heyday for that is probably in the past... However, as above, the story may prove to be predictably awful, let us hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Beale Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 1 hour ago, Open Bolt said: I have great hopes for it. The aerial sequences ought to be better than we have ever been treated to before including, as Mark says, the relatively recent but awful Red Baron from 2008. I will also concede that CGI will struggle to beat the real thing, and the heyday for that is probably in the past... On the other hand there's a lot of CGI out there executed without benefit of even elementary research. I know it's the "wrong" war but Enemy At The Gates treated us to Stukas with three bombs under each wing (wrong), plus said bombs had finely-streamlined form such as you might see on a modern fast jet strangely absent in 1942. Then there was TV mini-series which showed Flying Fortresses over Germany (so 1943 or later) under attack by Messerschmitt 109s with tailplane struts and yellow noses (so Summer 1940). And as we know from films and TV, every German aircraft of the Great War was a Fokker triplane painted red overall … Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 (edited) I wonder why Mr Spielberg was drawn to the RFC of 1917 ? You would think his backers would have propelled him towards the Lafayette Squadron rather than doomed British public school boys. Edited 13 February , 2019 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 13 minutes ago, Hyacinth1326 said: I wonder what form the diversity aspect will take ? Eugene Bullard? From a quick Google, I can't find any references to WWI Native American pilots, though there might have been some aboriginal ground crew. Even if there weren't, that wouldn't stop many film-makers including one or two. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 24 minutes ago, Hyacinth1326 said: I wonder why Mr Spielberg was drawn to the RFC of 1917 ? You would think his backers would have propelled him towards the Lafayette Squadron rather than doomed British public school boys. I presume the usual upper class bully, against the lower class, rising through the ranks, possibly gay earnest chap, who has bit of flunk and is branded the squadron coward. He is then redeemed by a transferred in hot shot (big star) American, who later shoots down the Red Barron, who has just shot down both upper class bully and heroic young lad, moments after he proved himself after all. Roll credits America has won again over both ineffectual Brits and dastardly Hun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17107BM Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 2 hours ago, T8HANTS said: I presume the usual upper class bully, against the lower class, rising through the ranks, possibly gay earnest chap, who has bit of flunk and is branded the squadron coward. He is then redeemed by a transferred in hot shot (big star) American, who later shoots down the Red Barron, who has just shot down both upper class bully and heroic young lad, moments after he proved himself after all. Roll credits America has won again over both ineffectual Brits and dastardly Hun. God Dam'It Cut.... Thats It. There'll be a queuing round the Block for this one. From another film.. It's enough to make you weep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 Can I be assured that all concerned will have perfect, excruciatingly white teeth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 1 hour ago, PhilB said: Can I be assured that all concerned will have perfect, excruciatingly white teeth? And immaculately tailored uniforms, not a hair out of place etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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