Red Tails- Movie

[uptown]

Stuka!

[Mace2004]

Lastly, The Movie "Red Tails" will focus on an important group of men who have been until lately, repeatedly overlooked when telling the story of the Air War in Europe.  It is about making people aware that the history is out there, they can then read a more factual account on their own.   Frankly, that is where History and entertainment intersect:  when something like this move can pique your interest enough to make you want to learn more.

I agree with everything you say except this part.  The unfortunate truth to the matter is we do such a piss poor job of teaching history in our public schools that the majority of youngsters get their US history from the movies.  I saw a study where college students were surveyed about the Kennedy assassination and something like 90% of the "facts" they knew about it came directly from that lieing-sack-of-shxt-rat-fk-bastard Oliver Stone's left-wing-propaganda film JFK.  I'd be willing to bet that the great majority of those under 25 don't get the joke when Bluto says "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?"

While I'd prefer to see historical accuracy on issues like paint jobs and aircraft models I expect to see at least a nodding acquaintance with actual historical background and facts.  "Technical" inaccuracies, like the constant depiction of a three-plane flight of dive bombing Dauntless' as Japanese dive bombers in almost every documentary of the Pearl Harbor attack, happen and are disappointing but they usually don't misrepresent the essence of what actually occurred in the battle.  Those whose sole education about Pearl Harbor comes from this latest "based on a true event" movie (the majority of those under 25) means that they have learned that poor defenseless little Japan was forced to attack the US because of the evil US embargo against them.  It's not clear why the US embargo happened, I guess it was probably because of America's inherent racism.  Not one single mention that Japan had been at war in Asia for 10 years, or the occupation of Manchuria, or the rape of Nanking.  This is the single most disgusting thing about this trashy movie and an insult to those that died there and in the rest of the Pacific war.  

Overall, I think the whole Hollywood schtick about using a grand historical event as just a background to a political agenda like Stone's or an excuse to use special effects or belabor a pathetic love story like in Titanic or Pearl Harbor is sad.  Don't you think that telling a real story about what really happened to real people would be exciting enough?  Telling the story of the men who stayed aboard Titanic knowing they'd die while the women and children were put in the lifeboats isn't as dramatic or interesting as a dumb-axx gun chase through a sinking boat that never happened?  It's bad enough we have to put up with the rewriting of history through fantasies like "Dances with Aliens" (otherwise known as "Avatar" with it's incredibly thinly disguised story of the peace-loving-native-Americans-that-were-one-with-nature-who-loved-everything-and-everyone-and-never-experienced-violence-until-whitey-came-yet-still-had-warriors-for-some-unknown-reason) without Hollywood rewriting actual events because they're not exciting or PC enough.  All of these films are a massive abuse of artistic license and, at best, shallow excuses for storytelling.

I have no hope that this new movie with be anything but more of the same inane Hollywood crap and nothing but another self flagellation on the evils of whitey's racism while relegating WWII to nothing but an excuse for special effects to keep the rednecks in their seats going "ohh" and "ahhh" during the lecture.  This is unfortunate because this story is worth telling and worth telling accurately.

[Baumer]

I've grown up aggravated by historical inaccuracy's in movies, in particular any move that has to do with aviation. It looks like this is another one I will not waist my time with.

I hope that it can at least properly convey what the men of the 332nd had to go through, just to serve their country. The fact that they had, hand me down equipment, were purposely given the most hazardous ground attack missions (in North Africa), and had to fly 2 to 3 times the number of combat missions of other groups, is a testament to what these men did. They were not some uber fighter group that never lost a bomber (they did record the loss of bombers), but they dealt with a lot of discrimination while fighting for their country.

[jeep00]

History is accurate. History books, flawed in most cases, as they are documents created by flawed individuals. I.E. Man. Books are wrong all the way back to when books were created. History movies, far more flawed because they are entertainment. The ones MAKING them know they are entertainment. Anyone watching them darn well better know they are unless they are unable to grasp reality. Once again, back to the flaws of Man.
And Mace, that was a fairly bizarre rant where if read in the wrong way, seems to convey that indeed the native Americans were in dire need of the genocide we provided for them. We are not a perfect people, and we have a fairly sordid past in the name of "civilization" and continue to look unfavorably upon "others". I think it is getting better, but it is not gone, nor will it ever be, watch the news. But nothing can be learned from movies except entertainment. Anyone not able to understand that is gleefully still calling a crow (or a bluebird, or a finch) a bird, because to them, it only matters that it is a bird.

Bob

[HighGTrn]

You guys ever see a movie called "Piece of cake"? I think it was a BBC series. Watched it when I was younger. Can't remember but I thought they did a pretty good job with authenticity.

[USCH]

"I'm bringing him in closer."

"You're gonna do WHAT?"

"I'll hit the brakes, and he'll fly right by."


Red Tails is going to be more accurate than that...  Good enough for me.   


(Top Gun is one of my favorite movies btw)

the only untrue part about that move was, it was origanally done in combat. and in an F4 Phantom

[Vinkman]

Lastly, The Movie "Red Tails" will focus on an important group of men who have been until lately, repeatedly overlooked when telling the story of the Air War in Europe.  It is about making people aware that the history is out there, they can then read a more factual account on their own.   Frankly, that is where History and entertainment intersect:  when something like this move can pique your interest enough to make you want to learn more.
And besides, I really DO want to be entertained when I go to see this film.

TeeArr

Really? under represented? How many Dick Bong, Bud Anderson, 356th, Frank Gabreski movies have you seen? This will make the third Tuskeegee airmen movie I've seen.
Yes there were a lot of recruiting shlock made during the war, and few good bomber movies like Twelve O'Clock high, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, but there have been very few movies telling the story of specific American Fighter pilots. I think the Tuskeegee airmen have been well represented, as they should be. 

[TeeArr]

Really? under represented? How many Dick Bong, Bud Anderson, 356th, Frank Gabreski movies have you seen? This will make the third Tuskeegee airmen movie I've seen.
Yes there were a lot of recruiting shlock made during the war, and few good bomber movies like Twelve O'Clock high, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, but there have been very few movies telling the story of specific American Fighter pilots. I think the Tuskeegee airmen have been well represented, as they should be. 

Let's see.  There was "Reach for the Sky" about Douglas Bader, there was "Spitfire" about R. Mitchell, there was "The Battle of Britain" among whom were represented Ginger Lacey, 'Sailor' Malan, Keith Park, Hugh Dowding, but to name a few. There was the Television series "Baa Baa Blacksheep" about Greg Boyington, and his squadron, there was the "Joseph McConnell Story", There was "Red Baron" about Richthofen, and "The Blue Max" loosely based on Ernst  Udet.  Then there's "God is my Co-Pilot" about Bob Scott, Spirit of St. Louis,  "Memphis Belle" (two) about Robert Morgan and his crew.  There are others such as "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" basically about Ted Lawson, "Dark Blue World"  A Czech film about Czech pilots that flew with the RAF,  Flying Tigers, Flying Leathernecks, Midway...the list goes on  Just because your favorite pilot may not have been singled out for his own feature length film, doesn't mean American, British, or German Aviators have been under represented.

TeeArr.

[Dichotomy]

Okay but if a movie points 100 people towards researching and keeping alive the actual history of the event isn't that a good thing? 

Frankly I liked PH and still do.  A couple of weeks after watching it I saw an advert for AH on the Military Channel and I've been here off and on since. 

I've flown strictly Allied and strictly Axis and I've learned more in the last several years about the thoughts, challenges, and feelings, of those crewman than I ever would have had I not bothered with watching that movie.

Sometimes a movie is just a movie.  Lighten up all you Francises.. jeez

[F22RaptorDude]

Seeing it opening night with my grandfather, really looking forward to this movie!!

[jimson]

I never expect historical accuracy from a movie. I take what I can enjoy and don't worry about the rest.

There were some scenes in PH that I liked. The BOB scene was pretty good. The attack on battleship row etc.

You would have to be a complete moron to believe that the two pilots who did get off the ground in P-40's, just happened to also get to participate in the Doolittle raid, like bomber and fighter pilots were interchangeable with no training required.

Yeah accuracy would be nice, but it's better to have an inaccurate movie showing visually impressive WW2 air combat scenes than to not have any at all.

[VonKost]

Really? under represented? How many Dick Bong, Bud Anderson, 356th, Frank Gabreski movies have you seen? This will make the third Tuskeegee airmen movie I've seen.
Yes there were a lot of recruiting shlock made during the war, and few good bomber movies like Twelve O'Clock high, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, but there have been very few movies telling the story of specific American Fighter pilots. I think the Tuskeegee airmen have been well represented, as they should be. 

56th FG Zemke's Wolfpack, now that would be a show worth seeing! Imagine all the jugs!

[Guppy35]

You guys ever see a movie called "Piece of cake"? I think it was a BBC series. Watched it when I was younger. Can't remember but I thought they did a pretty good job with authenticity.

Battle of France done with Spitfires.  Should have been Hurricanes since the Spits didn't get sent to France in 1940   Loosely based on a Novel by Derek Robinson, which was inspired by or stolen from (depending on who you ask)  Paul Richey's wartime book called "Fighter Pilot" about his time flying Hurricanes with 1 Squadron in France.

[Guppy35]

I've grown up aggravated by historical inaccuracy's in movies, in particular any move that has to do with aviation. It looks like this is another one I will not waist my time with.

I hope that it can at least properly convey what the men of the 332nd had to go through, just to serve their country. The fact that they had, hand me down equipment, were purposely given the most hazardous ground attack missions (in North Africa), and had to fly 2 to 3 times the number of combat missions of other groups, is a testament to what these men did. They were not some uber fighter group that never lost a bomber (they did record the loss of bombers), but they dealt with a lot of discrimination while fighting for their country.

One of the interesting stories we heard from our old Airwarrior buddy Earl Miller, was that his fighter group, the 350th FG, got hand me down 39s from the 332nd.  The 350th flew 39s into August 44 in the MTO before finally getting Jugs.  The Red Tails had been in Jugs and then 51s for a bit by then.

My youngest son is African American so I really want this movie to be decent for him.  He's got a 1/18th scale Red Tail Mustang hanging in his room and I have to take the pilot out for him every day.  He points to the pilot and then to himself indicating that's him. (He's deaf so he's signing it)  I was worried that he was going to wear out the pilot as I'd like it to stay intact for when he gets older so I tried to find another he could carry around.  All I could find was a 1/18th scale white Mustang pilot.  He took one look and set it down.  He wanted the black pilot as that's him

[Mace2004]

And Mace, that was a fairly bizarre rant where if read in the wrong way, seems to convey that indeed the native Americans were in dire need of the genocide we provided for them.

And Jeep, that was a fairly bizarre stretch to take my heartburn with Hollywood's Polyannish depictions of native Americans as innocent cherubs in the Garden of Eden and turn it into a call for genocide.