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Stalingrad

Stalingrad

List Price: $34.98
Your Price: $27.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My "favorite" war film
Review: Before there was "Saving Private Ryan", the most graphic and visceral cinematic battlefield carnage was depicted in "Stalingrad". Ironically, the raw realism which drew rave reviews for SPR had elicited little more than horror and negativity for "Stalingrad". I'm not a sadistic guts'n'gore affictionado, but war is brutal and needs to be presented in an unsanitized manner. "Stalingrad" has been, and remains, my favorite war film. It is from the German producers of "Das Boot", and presents the point of view of the common Wehrmacht soldiers of Paulus' 6th Army, who were abandoned to freeze or be slaughtered in the bombed-out ruins of the city named for Stalin. Neither the Germans nor the Russians are portrayed as heroes or supermen in this film; there is only the desperation of fighters who are forbidden retreat. The anti-Nazi views of the producers are well-known, and occasionally a bit heavy-handed, but there is an admirable attempt to stick to realism. Even the Russians are presented accurately: from the presence of the female corpsman (yes, there were thousands of Russian women combatants at Stalingrad), to the playing of the phonograph song Temnaya Noch', to Stalin's cruel Edict that "there are no POW's -- only deserters". The tense ceasefires to allow tending of the wounded are also historically accurate, and are documented in various memoirs. The T-34 tank model depicted is, unfortunately, an anacronism. But the hand-to-hand fighting through the rubble of the buildings, streets, and sewers is realistic. As is the freezing Russian winter which sapped the energy and morale of the stranded Germans reduced to scurrying like rats and eating their own horses. From the cavalier attitudes of the would-be conquerers on the train to the desperation of the hordes of would-be escapees at the airport, this film takes us along with these German soldiers, allowing us to sympathize with their plight and even form a certain detached liking for them. The futility of their campaign haunts the poignant, sorrowful ending of the film (one can't call it a climax), as Russia Herself swallows her violators.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: not worth $45 but read on
Review: I'm not going to bother reviewing this movie because that's just subjective, and anyone looking to purchase this movie for $45.00 has probably seen it already. The dubbing is a joke. Why there would not be a subtitle option on a DVD is beyond me. The DVD is not anamorphic and so the picture quality is not good on a widescreen TV. It is still letterbox at least so this is better than pan and scan. The transfer is not very good either although I have seen worse.

All in all, not worth the $45.00 asking price. The only reason why this DVD is priced that way is because war buffs (like me and you) would actually shell out this amount for this substandard quality product.

I would suggest a trip to your local big box electronics store to buy a cheapo DVD player (I spent $60 CND) that will play PAL and other region encoded DVD's. Then go to Amazon.UK and but this DVD for 5 pounds sterling (it will cost about $15 CND with shipping) At the same time you can buy Waterloo (not released in North America) and a better (but not much cheaper)version of Cross of Iron (1977). As well you can also order the excellent "Battlefield" series.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very Good movie...not perfect
Review: In a nut shell ..the movie describe the entire german perspective/situation in Stalingrad..the cold,disease, lack of food, lotting, combat and so forth. So its kinda refreshing in tone instead of watching a USA perspective all the time .

I never notice anything bad about the dvd quality....its fine

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not Perfect but a Great WWII Movie
Review: This is a good film. It is not the best war movie out there but in the top 10. Some of the battlefield effects are a little cheesy and a few things bothered me about the tactics used in the film. (For example in the film the stormtroopers charged down the streets into machinegun fire. In the real battle they would advance inside the buildings blasting through walls if necessary.) The tanks depicted were real soviet tanks but a version T-34/85 that wasn't available until after the battle of Stalingrad. Inspite of the films shortcomings it was a very entertaining film and I thought it depicted the desperation felt by the men in the surrounded sixth army. The film works emotionally because it gets you to sympathize with the German soldiers, then worry and suffer with them. Then you feel hope for them as they try to escape from the surrounded city. Only to have that hope dashed when they are killed or freeze to death. This allows you as the viewer to feel a little of what the actual soldiers in the battle felt. This is why this is a good film. Just don't pay $40.00 for the experience.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Appealing and a Classic
Review: I was quite intent on getting this film for a while, when i eventually got it i watched it straight away.

At first i found the dubbing Quite funny, however the plot and charachters soon gave way to that and i was on the edge of my seat watching with my eyes peered.

I think it gave the viewer a great view of what it was like there, however it kept the motive that its still a film and you are able to enjoy it.

There are some very good Battle scenese, including a shootout at the begining, With vicious Action.

I must say its nice to watch a film showing the war from a german point of view, as it is not bias, it really helps you to enjoy it.

The Main reason i found this a very good watch is because It never had that "patriotic" and "propaganda chessy" feel.
Like 'Saving private ryan', i found the plot to be a joke, however the action in there was good. The action was also good in "We were soldiers" however again it had that "patriotic" and "Only war is good for Hollywood (or even USA)".

The plot in this classic was simply marvelous and the action was much better than others. Very gory scenes suggesting how war was at that epic Battle

Whether you are a war lover or not, this film is worth a watch, you will not regret it, as it has something happening all the way. The action just makes you keep coming back

I would also like to say the acting in it is just superb, really changes throughout the battle

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: EXCELLENT WAR MOVIE!!!
Review: This movie is more "drama" than action. It is almost similar as "Saving Private Ryan". The soryline is truly sad and the end will leave you thinking about all those poor German soldiers that were victims of a senseless, cruel, and devastating war. This a movie from a German perspective. That's right, also Germans did suffer tremendously under that evil and insane dictator, Hitler. I highly recommend this film because it will take you back to WWII, and will make you feel like a miserable, frustraded, and troubled soldier obligated to fight for the ruthless so called "Fuhrer".

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Total Anihilation
Review: This moving German film on the decisive battle of Stalingrad is a stunning portryal of the abysmal defeat Germany's 6th Army suffered at the hands of Soviet forces in 1943. A battle that cost almost 2 million lives and acted as the turning point in WWII. Released before 'Saving Private Ryan', this film has some of the most visually moving and horrid war scenes I have ever seen.

The film's scenes and plot do an excellent job at portraying how the German army progressed from gleaming confidence to utter dissillusionment and despair in their campaign on the Eastern Front. Starting with well over 200,000 men in the initial phases of the battle, the German 6th Army was reduced to only 90,000 soldiers who surrendered in 1943: only 6000 of them returned alive to tell their tale after the war. The film focuses on the lives and characters of a platoon and their experiences. Full of hope, pride, and arrogance as they leave Italy in the beginning, the audience sees the characters deteriorate into little more than frightened animals seeking safety from the wrath of the enemy and the unforgiving winter conditions. The movie has some distortions as to the common perceptions held by German soldiers as to their role in the Third Reich's army but this is to emphasize the issue of conscience, to present the characters as sympathetic, and to create plot tension. As is typical with many WWII movies, there is the stereotypical amoral NAZI hardline party member to act as a counterpoint. These narrative/cinematic techniques are not too obtrusive in this film though and don't erode the impact of the movie. This movie is far better than 'Enemy At The Gates' which covers the same battle. It's not innundated with cliche dialogue and stereotypical Hollywood portrayals of Soviets or Germans. The closing scene has to be the grimmest ending I have seen in any war film.

The film remains a sober drama and brings the full impact as to the horrible conditions German and Soviet soldiers fought under in that fateful battle that cost close to two million lives. I strongly recommend this movie.



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