MMG - Rate This Movie... Dark Blue World

[Scott Rose]

Today's movie is Dark Blue World. Please vote in the poll and reply to this threads with your thoughts about the movie. What you loved... or hated about it. Thanks.

[CraigQ]

Been a good while since I watched this one but it is one of my top 5 movies. Hardly anything to (at least for me) dislike about it. The Polish pilot main theme is very interesting and one not very often presented.

[Django]

It's been several years for me as well, but I agree that it was very well done.

[JohnB]

One of the better recent war film...one that critics even liked.
And nice airplane content...and a very pretty woman.

[JDK]

Been a good while since I watched this one but it is one of my top 5 movies. Hardly anything to (at least for me) dislike about it. The Polish pilot main theme is very interesting and one not very often presented.

Czech, not Polish.

[ZeamerB17]

Never heard of it.

[Baldeagle]

Great movie, they should've had those guys make "Pearl Harbor", then maybe that would've been a good movie--

Train attack scene, I believe one of the pilots is Nigel Lamb, the other maybe Robs Lamplough?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0stVlJXAsbQ



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[Jerry O'Neill]

Never heard of it.

You need to rent it or buy it. Great film.
Jerry

[DarenC1]

One of my favourites. It's a rare war film indeed that can bring out an emotional response in someone.

The flying in this film is exemplary, particularly in the aforementioned train sequence (and yes, I believe that was Nigel Lamb doing the flying in the TFC Spitfire V).

But what I do like is that, despite a budget equalling Pearl Harbor's catering bill, they achieved effects and illusions without going to the lengths of using hundreds of CGI shots (I can only think of two in the entire film that were done in this way!)

Truly an under-rated classic war film.

[rreis]

It was the first film I paid immediately after to get into the cinema theatre again for another projection (not that it happened again). Still love it, great film, very well done. And the CGI doesn't intrude much in your field of view.

[fotobass]

Bought it on a whim at one of those no-longer-existing huge retail places (MediaPlay, maybe?), and quite surprised by how good it was.

[Sopwith]

One of the better recent war film...one that critics even liked.
And nice airplane content...and a very pretty woman.

Yes it was excellent,and I totally agree with you,the woman was very nice too.

[Scott Rose]

Never heard of it.

And now you have discovered the true motive of these posts....

[Steve Nelson]

Excellent film. I don't remember if the version I saw was in Czech with English subtitles or dubbed, but it was still very good. As for CGI, they kept it to a minimum, and what they did use was well done. According to a "making of" featurette on the DVD, they used a lot of unused flying footage from Battle of Britain, but they used CGI to change the squadron codes and clean up the scratches and specks. They also added CGI spent shells falling from the aircraft during the dogfight sequences.

Overall, I don't have a problem with CGI..it's simply another tool in the filmmakers' kit to create something that can't be done in "real life." Unfortunately, too many directors go nuts and use CGI to make aircraft fly like spaceships in Star Wars*, and over-the-top action with unrealistic flames and 'splosions, and you end up with a glorified cartoon.

*Ironic, as George Lucas originally cut together footage from various WWII movies and documentaries to give the effects guys a rough idea of how the Death Star attack should look.

SN

[Dave Smith]

I would have suggested Dark Blue World but thought that few, if any of you, would have seen it. I'm pleased to see that this is not true. My good friend Zdenek Hurt is listed in the end credits as "Military Aircraft Advisor", a good choice as his knowledge of Spitfires and Czechoslovaks in the RAF is vast. By coincidence I've just been in Prague for four days and spent some time with Zdenek, mainly in pubs! DBW was originally going to be shot in the UK but the costs were too high so it was shot near Prague instead.

Dark Blue World's Director, Jan Sverak, is very famous in the Czech Republic and I recommend another film of his, Kolya. It's not about aviation but it's hugely entertaining. There are some stunning girls in it as well ...