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Main boards => Hobbies and Interests => Couch potatoes => Topic started by: Michael Rolls on March 21, 2023, 08:56:06 PM

Title: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 21, 2023, 08:56:06 PM
well, I tried it. As a graphic depiction of the horrors of trench warfare, it is very good. However, I still much prefer the original - in fact I gave up on this one with about half an hour still to run. For my mind, it didn't even come close to portraying the betrayal and hopelessness of those young men which come across so very loud and clear in the original. I don't - obviously - know how it ended, but I an pretty sure it wouldn't have the pathos of the original
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: klondike on March 21, 2023, 10:20:33 PM
To be honest I doubt that anybody who hasn't experienced war themselves can have any idea of what war is like and none alive today can know what trench warfare was like. Those making a film today will rely entirely on guesswork. I wasn't impressed with either 1917 or Dunkirk although both got reasonable reviews.

I quite enjoyed reading the Stephen Ambrose histories and the series based on one of them - Band of Brothers.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Scrumpy on March 24, 2023, 04:32:50 PM

I thought it was brilliant..
It showed that everyone was affected by war regardless of who/ what they were fighting for..
It also showed that the soldiers were just cannon fodder..
and (mostly) those that gave the orders didn't take any risks..
All very,very sad..
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: klondike on March 24, 2023, 04:45:27 PM
I'll give the new one a try then if it is in the emporium. I sometimes wonder if I would have shaped up but I'm very glad that I never had to.

Looks like the new one is a German production. There is English dubbing but now I see that I recall comments that the dubbing wasn't all that good and a lot of the nuances were missed. I can't stand subtitles which would likely be as bad and I've forgotten most of what German I ever learned which wasn't a great deal anyway.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 24, 2023, 07:08:59 PM
Scrumpy
Yes, it portrayed the totality, but to my mind it missed the effect on the individuals in the way that the original did, perhaps in its determination to convey that very totality.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Scrumpy on March 24, 2023, 07:12:35 PM
The dubbing didn't detract from the viewing..
I never watch anything with subtitles though.. My reading is not quick enough.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 24, 2023, 07:45:00 PM
nor mine, which makes my hearing problem all the more frustrating! Partial subtitles are better than nowt
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Jacqueline on March 24, 2023, 09:44:26 PM
The original Lew Ayres version was very good, although it is years since I saw it,  ordinary young men dragged int a war  for the top peoples arguments, much like today, the young Russians don't want to be there either. 

Fact I didn't know, Lew Ayres was married to Ginger Rodgers. 
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 25, 2023, 04:26:53 AM
I didn't know that
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Alex on March 25, 2023, 08:35:30 PM
I haven't watched this yet, but I will.  All the years I lived in Germany, I never met anyone who didn't fight on the Russian front - nobody fought the Brits  :rolleyes:   funny that....... :grin:  :grin:  :grin:
I tell a lie, there was one auld fella who fought in Norway in a 'mountain division', I got the impression he thought he'd been rather lucky serving there.

I'm watching a series called Night Agent, it's OK but some of the acting is a bit ' suspect '  :smiley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDbnY9Obsfs
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: klondike on March 25, 2023, 10:31:39 PM
Just finished watching the new All quiet on the Western Front. I enjoyed it and thought it was well done.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 26, 2023, 06:23:56 AM
have you seen the original?
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: klondike on March 26, 2023, 10:42:23 AM
I'm not sure. Probably not. It's in the Emporium so I have downloaded it plus a TV movie from 1979. I'll give the 1930 version a go first. Given events after it was made it may have made a good film but it certainly had no political influence.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: klondike on March 26, 2023, 04:15:47 PM
Watching the 1930 version and to be honest I much prefer the 2022 film. I wonder how long ago you watched it Mike. I find the script pretty cheesy, special effects unconvincing and the acting hammy in the old film  - cinematography has moved on in best part of a century.
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: Michael Rolls on March 26, 2023, 04:23:38 PM
seferal years ago - bit I preferred the emphasis on the individuals - the inheritance of teh boots was especially poignant - chacun a son gout, I guess
Title: Re: All Quiet on the Western Front
Post by: dextrous63 on March 28, 2023, 02:20:10 PM
Not really getting into the latest version, but maybe it's the accents of the dubbing that's losing something for me.

Where can I stream the original films?