jackssmirkingrevenge wrote:
I have the complete opposite opinion, because they always compromised in older films (seeing the
Buchóns in Battle of Britain always makes me cringe for example) and its always painfully obvious when they use models.
One notable exception (at least in my memory, saw it ages ago) was Tora Tora Tora, the
efforts they madeto create accurate replicas were quite remarkable.
That's funny, I was about to offer Tora! Tora! Tora! as the best example of how old films could use models to make such moments come to life. I watched it again yesterday, and am quite pleased I did, as I didn't recall much of it from when my Grandad showed it to me as a kid. People criticise the first half of the film for being boring but I thought it built the suspense quite well if you weren't already familiar with the exact events leading up to Dec. 7.
Apparently the models of the battleships are on display somewhere and they're even more magnificent in real life.
Battle of Britain was a decent watch, the obvious green-screened scenes were the most annoying for me but fortunately the awesome shots of planes crashing in to the sea/ground made up for them. The bombing of the British airbase was quite awesome too; I get sick of the Hollywood bombs/grenades that are basically giant balls of fire. I knew BoB used Spanish planes for the Germans but I didn't know this: "Buchons also played the Bf 109's opposition, the Hawker Hurricane, in one scene in Battle of Britain"
Like I said, it was better than seeing a poorly disguised, iron cross-bearing, Sherman in The Big Red One or the unrecognisable tanks in Patton. Kelly's Heroes did a good job with the T-34 Tiger I, apparently Saving Private Ryan used the same tank.
I don't really know my WWII machines and weaponry as well as I probably should so a plane that is touched up to look like a Me109 or Zero will get by me most of the time. I did pick up the American soldier using a 91/30 Mosin with a PU scope in Kelly's Heroes but since he had tied an American bayonet to it, one can assume he found it on a German (perhaps transferred from the Eastern front) or traded with someone rather than the producers not being able to track down a Springfield.