Comments on: Where Eagles Dare http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/ Mainly Western and Noir reviews Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:17:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: John Hodson http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-650 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:06:06 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-650 Yes, I also had those Ian; they were actually excellent covers weren't they (and cheap, the big factor), but when I later acquired original scores, the tiny differences - a beat here and there - between the two really threw me. Still does. BTW, before being howled down by the rest of tribe Hodson, I did manage the first 15 minutes of WED last night; it's a cliche isn't it, the old 'see somethig new every viewing', but I spotted a name in the credits that I'd never twigged before. I suppose it leaped out because very recently I was more than a little stunned to see that he'd adapted the original novel for Burton's 'Villain' for the screen (with the script subsequently written by Clement and La Frenais). And here he was again on 'Where Eagles Dare' as 'dialogue coach' - who could have guessed the versatility of Al Lettieri? Yes, I also had those Ian; they were actually excellent covers weren’t they (and cheap, the big factor), but when I later acquired original scores, the tiny differences - a beat here and there - between the two really threw me. Still does.

BTW, before being howled down by the rest of tribe Hodson, I did manage the first 15 minutes of WED last night; it’s a cliche isn’t it, the old ’see somethig new every viewing’, but I spotted a name in the credits that I’d never twigged before. I suppose it leaped out because very recently I was more than a little stunned to see that he’d adapted the original novel for Burton’s ‘Villain’ for the screen (with the script subsequently written by Clement and La Frenais).

And here he was again on ‘Where Eagles Dare’ as ‘dialogue coach’ - who could have guessed the versatility of Al Lettieri?

]]> by: Ian W http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-649 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:32:49 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-649 Like everyone else who's commented I first watched this as a child and loved it. Oh for those bygone days when war movies could be fun and didn't feel the need to beat the viewer over the head with the whole 'war is hell' shtick. This, The Great Escape and Kelly's Heroes were probably my three favourite war movies as a kid and I still love them all. And John that ‘Big War Movie Themes’ LP brings back memories, I also had ‘Big Western Movie Themes’ and ‘T.V. Western Themes’. Like everyone else who’s commented I first watched this as a child and loved it. Oh for those bygone days when war movies could be fun and didn’t feel the need to beat the viewer over the head with the whole ‘war is hell’ shtick.

This, The Great Escape and Kelly’s Heroes were probably my three favourite war movies as a kid and I still love them all.

And John that ‘Big War Movie Themes’ LP brings back memories, I also had ‘Big Western Movie Themes’ and ‘T.V. Western Themes’.

]]> by: David Richardson http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-637 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:05 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-637 Boys Own movies never got better than this, it will always be No.1 to me. It took me forever but i recently found the soundtrack on LP in a charity shop, and it was unused as well... oh how that changed the moment i got home. Boys Own movies never got better than this, it will always be No.1 to me. It took me forever but i recently found the soundtrack on LP in a charity shop, and it was unused as well… oh how that changed the moment i got home.

]]> by: John Hodson http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-628 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:52:44 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-628 'Altogether now: BOM, Bom, Bom, Bom - ta ta ta ta ta! Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Baaaam Ba Ba Bam! Ta ta ta ta ta! ' Geoff Love and His Orchestra: 'Big War Movie Themes', preceded by Goodwin's 'The Battle of Britain', last track side one of a 'Music For Pleasure' LP. I played it over and over and over (and over) 'til it was simply worn out. Looong time ago... ‘Altogether now: BOM, Bom, Bom, Bom - ta ta ta ta ta! Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Baaaam Ba Ba Bam! Ta ta ta ta ta! ‘

Geoff Love and His Orchestra: ‘Big War Movie Themes’, preceded by Goodwin’s ‘The Battle of Britain’, last track side one of a ‘Music For Pleasure’ LP. I played it over and over and over (and over) ’til it was simply worn out. Looong time ago…

]]> by: Livius http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-627 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:34:41 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-627 Cheers Cal. Yes, I read the book years ago after seeing the film - I'd say I've read pretty much everything Alistair MacLean ever put on paper, and loved it. I know it's not great literature by any means, and his work did get weaker the older he got, but for pure blood-thumping entertainment it's hard to beat. Colin Cheers Cal.
Yes, I read the book years ago after seeing the film - I’d say I’ve read pretty much everything Alistair MacLean ever put on paper, and loved it.
I know it’s not great literature by any means, and his work did get weaker the older he got, but for pure blood-thumping entertainment it’s hard to beat.

Colin

]]> by: Cal http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-626 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:21:18 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-626 Yes! I love the film. It's a cracking piece of Boys Own type of adventuring that you can really lose yourself in for the entire running time. Have you read the book, by the way? It's pretty great, too, and the relationship between Smith and Schaffer is slightly different (in an entertaining way). Highly recommended! Yes! I love the film. It’s a cracking piece of Boys Own type of adventuring that you can really lose yourself in for the entire running time. Have you read the book, by the way? It’s pretty great, too, and the relationship between Smith and Schaffer is slightly different (in an entertaining way). Highly recommended!

]]> by: Livius http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-625 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:03:40 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-625 Thanks for the comments guys. It's always nice to know that some of the same things that made, and continue to make, the movie so enjoyable for me are shared by others. And damn, but I forgot all about that helicopter - of course it didn't belong but who cares - somehow it gets forgotten in all the excitement. Colin Thanks for the comments guys.

It’s always nice to know that some of the same things that made, and continue to make, the movie so enjoyable for me are shared by others.

And damn, but I forgot all about that helicopter - of course it didn’t belong but who cares - somehow it gets forgotten in all the excitement.

Colin

]]> by: primus http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-616 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:36:33 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-616 Oh God, that theme tune does it for me every time - blood-stirring stuff. Combined with the opening aerial photography... just brilliant. Burton and Eastwood make for a great team too. Let's hope no-one is foolish enough to try and remake it... Altogether now: BOM, Bom, Bom, Bom - ta ta ta ta ta! Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Baaaam Ba Ba Bam! Ta ta ta ta ta! Oh God, that theme tune does it for me every time - blood-stirring stuff. Combined with the opening aerial photography… just brilliant. Burton and Eastwood make for a great team too. Let’s hope no-one is foolish enough to try and remake it…

Altogether now: BOM, Bom, Bom, Bom - ta ta ta ta ta! Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Baaaam Ba Ba Bam! Ta ta ta ta ta!

]]> by: jackal http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-615 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:18:37 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-615 Nice piece; like you, I first watched this as a kid. I must have been about 8 and I sat and watched it with my Dad and thought it the coolest thing I'd ever seen. It'll always remain my favourite film (yes, ever) because it never fails to transport me back to childhood when I watch. I still find it thrilling, even though I know every scene by heart. One of my most prized CDs is the FSM release of Ron Goodwin's full score to this - that main title music still sends shivers down my spine. Nice piece; like you, I first watched this as a kid. I must have been about 8 and I sat and watched it with my Dad and thought it the coolest thing I’d ever seen. It’ll always remain my favourite film (yes, ever) because it never fails to transport me back to childhood when I watch. I still find it thrilling, even though I know every scene by heart. One of my most prized CDs is the FSM release of Ron Goodwin’s full score to this - that main title music still sends shivers down my spine.

]]> by: John Hodson http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-612 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:29:23 +0000 http://filmjournal.net/livius/2008/03/27/where-eagles-dare/#comment-612 '...an almost impenetrable castle perched on a mountain top, and accessible only by cable car...' ...and a post-war helicopter... How do they smuggle all those explosives into the castle? How do they have the strength to lug it around in those bottomless havesacks? Why can't the highly trained Wehrmacht infantry hit anything with all that ammo they spray around when Clint simply two fists a brace of machine guns, narrows his eyes, points in their general direction and rarely misses? Why is Derren Nesbitt's hair so luminous that you would have thought it needed it's own blackout? Why is Clint Eastwood so gormless? Why does the plot make no. Sense. At. All. Why does none of that matter? 'Cos, as you so rightly point out, it's so much damned fun. Crank up the volume, shut down the blinds; I think I'll watch it again tonight... ‘…an almost impenetrable castle perched on a mountain top, and accessible only by cable car…’

…and a post-war helicopter…

How do they smuggle all those explosives into the castle? How do they have the strength to lug it around in those bottomless havesacks? Why can’t the highly trained Wehrmacht infantry hit anything with all that ammo they spray around when Clint simply two fists a brace of machine guns, narrows his eyes, points in their general direction and rarely misses? Why is Derren Nesbitt’s hair so luminous that you would have thought it needed it’s own blackout? Why is Clint Eastwood so gormless? Why does the plot make no. Sense. At. All. Why does none of that matter?

‘Cos, as you so rightly point out, it’s so much damned fun. Crank up the volume, shut down the blinds; I think I’ll watch it again tonight…

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