Factual blunders in tv or big screen war movies!

[Troy Tempest]

So many - where to begin? I'll start off with:
#1 - Taken, the Spielberg sci-fi tv series I just finished watching again with a mate. In the opening sequence where the B-17s are flying a mission over the Reich, has to be 1943 at the earliest, the Tagwaffe are flying Bf 109E's! Straight from the Battle of Britain! I liked the scene, and the show, but you'd think with the money they have and the expertise with how they use CGI these days, surely they could have done a computer generated Bf 109G, instead of a plane that was out of date by maybe three years?

[Jim O]

This is one of those things that is incredibly annoying...to a small number of people. Most people have no clue and could therefore not care less. This is a "for profit" industry and they care about entertainment and not necessarily about rigorous historical accuracy. To them the fact that it was a Bf 109'X' may have seemed "good enough".

I'm not defending them by any means, but do you think that what you see on medical shows is always medically accurate and relevant? In a documentary you hope so, but not in a drama.

[Troy Tempest]

Fair enough Jim, but on the subject of medical dramas, and police dramas I guess, I think shows are taking more effort to be as realistic as can be expected withing the limited time frame of an episode. They do often have medical/police advisors attached to the series. As for the Bf 109'X', yes it's true that most people who watch a movie probably wouldn't know or care if it was wrong, however! It would take very little or no effort to get it right, thus satisfying nit-picking bastards like me! The people who don't know are still happy, as are the people who do! It's really not that hard, and most certainly wouldn't take anything away from the profits of the tv show/movie would it? Here's another one:

#2 - The Tiger tank scene in Saving Private Ryan, which has been debated at length on the Saving Private Ryan board on the IMDb boards. The Americans did not encounter any Tigers at Normandy.

#3 - An experienced Tiger commander would not go blindly into a built up town knowing that the Americans were either still there or could possibly still be there. The Panzergrenadiers would be sent in first to clear the narrow streets, if possible, and I can't see him driving down the confines of the town with his turret open and himself sticking out asking to be shot! Tigers were too valuable for that sort of uncalled for danger. If they had to send in some armour, an accompanying Pz IV or Stug would be a better call.

[Jim O]

I don't think that I can argue with any of your points as they are all valid. None of that will likely change Hollywood's approach, sadly.

[temujin77]

Mistakes, yes, but apparently the formula Hollywood executives use is a good one. After all, they're making millions of dollars while we're making squat. So in a way, they're right and we're wrong?

Joking aside, I know what you're talking about, generalderpanzertruppen. Sadly, it's a fact we'll just have to live with...

[Tom Houlihan]

I've responded to the Tiger thing elsewhere, but I think the biggest limitation is on functioning German armor. While a PzIV may have been more accurate, was there one available? Nope. But, look! These guys have a modified Tiger that they'll let us use! Run with it!

My wife won't even be in the same room with me if there's a war movie on. She got tired of my nit-picking! But, even I am slowly learning to live with certain incorrect presentations. I try (honest!) to keep it in perspective, though not always with any degree of success!

Still, I wish people who make these films would consult with someone who is at least passably knowledgeable.

[Troy Tempest]

#4 - Here's another one, I remembered today while watching Hogan's Heroes! Gestapo Major Wolfgang Hochstetter ALWAYS has SS Standartenfuhrer (Colonel) collar tabs on his uniform, he NEVER appeard with Sturmbahnfuhrer (Major) rank.

#5 - And while I'm nit-picking Hogan's Heroes, General der Flieger Albrecht Burkhalter was described in the credits as General der Infanterie!

[Ingsoc]

There were a Discovery channel documentry named "Weapons of War - Leibstandarte", it's was pretty decent actually, EXCEPT they made this huge mistake of calling Joachim Peiper, Hans Peiper. I still don't know how they could make such a blunt obivious error.

[Helmut Von Moltke]

Interesting Ingsoc, where did you find it? Not many documentaries about the Waffen-SS, you know (especially without old myths!)

Here is one from Der Untergang (Downfall). Note the Wehrmacht cap (looks like an East German conversion!) on the SS-Untersturmfuehrer to the right...



K

[Ingsoc]

Originally Posted by Helmut Von Moltke

Interesting Ingsoc, where did you find it? Not many documentaries about the Waffen-SS, you know (especially without old myths!)

I download it from E-Mule, but I'm sure they broadcast it on the Discovery channel sometime.