Film WWI pilots - what would you like to see?

[Bird W]

Hi All,
I am just interested. If there was to be a film made about first world war pilots what would you like to see? Clearly the flying but the training? The romances? the friendship? What other themes would you be interested in? Would love to hear what you think.

Thanks

[Regulus]

Hi,

Seems like someone is looking for ideas for a script down under

Well first of all I'd say include the planes and tank of Sir Peter Jackson, training is nice, if one dares to show how many pilots were killed during that, a little bit of romance (that is not like Passchendaele at all), a bit less than in Beneath Hill 60 and Flyboys, the friendship and the losses, very realistic airfields, that is complete with listening post and observation towers, pill boxes and trenches, shooting range, kitchen, generator, etc. And interesting would be to show things from both sides, not just in the fighting scenes.

Just my two cents...

Best from Johan

[micka]

And put it into game of thrones style ( houses to be replaced with Air services) so we could watch a few seasons on HBO

Halsundbeinbruch
M

[Marian]

Since there are likely to be some film buffs reading this, let me ask a (somewhat) related question:

In a letter dated June 9, 1918, an RFC pilot stationed at Fouquerolles remarked that "we enjoyed seeing 'The Great War' this evening."

Does anyone know anything about this film (assuming it was a film)?

(If we can find it, maybe it would be what "Bird W" is looking for.)

thanks!
--marian

[buzz1941]

I've always maintained that the most cost-effective way of doing such a production is a long-form TV drama, such as the way "Piece of Cake" was handled. The hours of production are amortized. A limited series, and yes, make it adult on an outlet such as HBO. There are a million good stories out there that could be made into scripts, and why not recycle "The Blue Max" coupled with "The Tin Cravat"? Or DC's "Enemy Ace" series.

[Askania]

Bird W

I dont think I want to see any film. Not with historic people. Look what they did with the German Red Baron film...awful I think. A Manfred with his cap resting on his ears twisted so the cockades doesnt match the nosebridge. Would never have happened after spending more then half his life in the military starting in a military cadet school at the age of 11. etc.etc.etc.

Either you write a fictional script, or you make a historic documentation, but you cannot mix them, never works.

Thats why Blue Max and Aces High still works. There you have a story without historic characters, not in the leading roles anyway.

Askania

[Tim West]

There will always be cockade watchers and rivet counters, whether it's a biopic work or historical fiction.

I think that Buzz has the right idea about a limited docu-drama format on cable. Like Band of Brothers but WWI Aero style.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

I second Buzz's idea of a production on Enemy Ace,perhaps an animated series of it would be really cool!If there were a channel to make a mini-series of the subject it would have to be HBO.I hate to think how a WWI show would turn out if it was Showtime behind the wheel (probably turn it to semi-softcore like The Tudors).I always thought it would be neat if there was a docudrama series and each episode being about a famous flying ace of the war.

[nils d]

Originally Posted by Askania

Bird W

I dont think I want to see any film. Not with historic people. Look what they did with the German Red Baron film...awful I think. A Manfred with his cap resting on his ears twisted so the cockades doesnt match the nosebridge. Would never have happened after spending more then half his life in the military starting in a military cadet school at the age of 11. etc.etc.etc.

Either you write a fictional script, or you make a historic documentation, but you cannot mix them, never works.

Thats why Blue Max and Aces High still works. There you have a story without historic characters, not in the leading roles anyway.

Askania

An unexpected answer!
Yes any film will make a hash of a true character.
But IF you have to , try Udet or Ball as you can work in the love interest angle.

[Romani]

Lots of aerial combat scenes, done right! What else?

Something like the Blue Max movie, but with lots more airplanes, proper historical markings, realistic flight model in CGI, and respect for history as reality surpasses fiction.

Make a war movie, for men: witchdr: , and screw the young women demographic. War movies are not date movies and any screwing takes place after the movie. Do not attempt to turn a war movie into a chick flick, like that turd of Pearl Harbor. In the 80s there were action movies for men. Every genre has its niche.