Passchendaele The Movie

b.loree

b.loree

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Saw the Canuck movie Passchendaele last week with my students. I found the battle scenes to be excellent but the rest of the movie which involved the romantic interest to be rather slow and boring. Perhaps the problem was that I had also read the book? This flick received 3 out of 4 stars from the Toronto Star movie reviewer and was the second top money making movie here in Canada 3 weeks ago. I had high hopes but felt let down. At least, we had a completely produced and acted CN movie for once. There is no doubt that WW1 was a seminal event in the formation of this country! For my American friends, equate this with your Revolution against British rule. Any comments would be appreciated. Brian
 
Hey Brian,
I haven't seen it, I suspect that we will have to wait until it comes out on DVD. I was suprised that you could mention our Revolution with out prefixing it Ünlawful:)
We do not get mush Canadian history in our schools, for example, we are tought that Lewis and Clark were the first to travel across the North Amerian Continent in 1805,on their Voyage of Discovery. You Canadian claim that a fellow by the name of Alex McKinsey, I know that this can not be right, as Alex lives a few miles from my house, and I asked him if he had ever traveled across Canada, and he told me he did not. So I think that pretty much lays that to rest.
Best wishes
Gus
 
HA it was a rebelion .
I have yet to see the film , but understand the love inyerest as Paul Grosse payed 10 Million to produce the film .
I have nt heard many complaint's other than the love story taking a large portion of the film .
It would be nice if the American's knew how many American;s served in the CEF during the great War .
Mark
 
Hey Zippy,
I think that the entire CEF was made up of Americans, there were quite a few that were US citizens.
Gus
 
I saw the film and I too. Was disappointed. Basically for the same reasons that Brian wrote. Too much love story.
Tho, it did show some of the thinking of the people back home.
The battle scenes were ok, hard to tell with the fast pace action. So, I could not see if there was stuff missing or wrong. Like some of the Germans wearing their feldmuze in a group of helmet wearing soldiers.

Hey Gus, it was Alexander Mackenzie. He lived from 1764-1820.
here is a link.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/explorers/h24-1630-e.html

There will be a test later.

Cheers,
Cliff :D
 
cliffn said:
Hey Gus, it was Alexander Mackenzie. He lived from 1764-1820.
here is a link.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/explorers/h24-1630-e.html

There will be a test later.

Cheers,
Cliff :D
Click to expand...

Nuh-uh, Alex is still alive, he lives down the road from me, and he says he has never been to Canada. You can ask any one who has been to school in the US, Lewis and Clark were the first people to see the Pacific Ocean:p
Best wihses
Gus
 
The DVD was released in Canada this week, and will play in American DVD players. I just ordered the Blu-ray version, so I'll let you know how it looks.

I'm sure to pick up a bunch more DVDs at SOS. I always buy a lot of international war films.
 
I think this movie is alas a big disappointment. It takes at least one dull hour before the incredible story comes at last to Passendaele. Though in this first hour some interesting aspects are told, like the recruitment procedure, the hate for German Canadian citizens, shell shock, and enlisting under a false name. But this whole story is covered with an unnecessary romantic icing of the cake.

Especially the scene, that during the heat of the battle the Germans took all the time to crucify a soldier with barbed wire, was way over the top to my opinion.
If this movie is meant as a tribute to the braveness of the Canadian Soldiers, the producers and the director should be ashamed about their results. A bad movie can not seriously be considered as a tribute for these brave men.
 
The Crucification of a Canadian Soldier in 1915 has lent it's image here I think.
In 1915 a Canadian was found crucified to a Barn Door , this was never confirmed by actual witnesses . In 1919 a Canadian Women artist did a Bronze sculpure of it and it was called the Golgotha ,at the request of the German Government it was removed from the show . The show was put on by Lord BeaverBrooke to raise funds for the Families of fallen soldier;s fund.
Mark
 
crucifiedcanadian.jpg


Mark wrote:
The Crucification of a Canadian Soldier in 1915 has lent it's image here I think.
Click to expand...
You mean the story about Sergeant Harry Band on 24 april 1915 near Ypres, Mark?
About the inspiration of the moviemakers, you will be certainly right.
Without conclusive proof, that such a crucifixion actually occurred, I always thougt this was propaganda.
Though now; is it not propaganda then? Has this crucification of Harry Band really been done by the Germans or not?

Pierre
 
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