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Red Tails!!


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I am SSSSOOOOO looking forward to seeing this film. The Tuskegee Airmen have always been one of my favorite tales of honor and victory in the face of overwhelming odds. The mere fact the 332d FG (Fighter Group) never lost a single bomber to enemy fighters in over a hundred missions is extraordinary but couple this with the fact that on March 24th 1945, flying P-51 Mustangs, they shot down 3 ME 262 jet fighters(out of the 8 downed by US fighters during the entire war) and damaged an additional 5 262s in a single mission makes this story deserving of a big budget treatment and from what I've seen in the trailer makes me think they did this one right!! B)

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The mere fact the 332d FG (Fighter Group) never lost a single bomber to enemy fighters in over a hundred missions is extraordinary B)

 

I have to make a correction here. Although is has long been stated that the 332d FG never lost a bomber to enemy aircraft, new evidence surfaced in 2007 that refuted this claim. The 332d did, in fact, loose 25 bombers to enemy aircraft during the course of it's service. Despite this, they still had one of the finest operational records of any fighter group during the war.

 

("It's impossible not to lose bombers," said Holton, national historian for Tuskegee Airmen Inc. The report released March 28, 2007 was based on after-mission reports filed by both the bomber units and Tuskegee fighter groups, as well as missing air crew records and witness testimony, said Daniel Haulman, a historian at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. The tally includes only cases where planes were shot down by enemy aircraft, Haulman said. No one disputed the airmen lost some planes to anti-aircraft guns and other fire from the ground.

 

The 25 planes were shot down on five days: June 9, July 12, July 18 and July 20, 1944 and March 24, 1945, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.) B)

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I wouldn't necessarily disagree but I gotta say the trailer looks great for whatever that's worth. I hope it is good. I haven't seen a good war movie about fighter pilots in a while.

 

I love flying. With any luck, sometime in the relatively near future, I'll be able to afford a little Cessna 150, maybe a 172 or Piper Warrior. We'll see what happens over this next year or so. B)

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Wow, just saw the interview with Lucas on John Stewart's Daily Show. I didn't even know this was Lucas' baby. I just saw the trailer, I didn't look it up. He said he had a Hell of a time getting distribution. No major studio would release it because it was a film with a mostly black cast with no white stars involved so foreign sales would suffer.....WHAT THE FUC#!!!

You have GOT to be kidding me!! The very idea than in THIS day and age when the biggest star in the world is a black man, the president of the freakin' United States of America is a Black man, these money grubbing corporate shills have the unmitigated GAUL to suggest that the story of one of the bravest, most decorated and successful units in US military history would not make them enough money to be worth their while to let it be seen by the general public is just obscene!! It pisses on the grave and spits in the face of every single one of those honorable men who gave their all to keep freedom alive. :angry:

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I haven't watched that interview yet, but I'm surprised Lucas of all people would have trouble distributing a film. He could do it himself if he wanted to.

 

Unfortunately for films like this, movies dealing with American race issues don't have much of an international reach, and these days international box office is as important (if not more) than US box office to studios.

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No comment on fleshtones as they relate to a film's sales, but I do have to say that the flesh tones I saw in the trailer had an obscenely digital look to them.

 

 

I really hate to sound off like a broken record on this over and over again, but why on Earth would anyone with money make an historical film on anything *other* than 35mm negative??? :blink:

 

 

As far as a black cast, it goes both ways. "Death at a Funeral," the 2009 remake, was made because apparantly a black audience in the US is incapable of understanding British accents? How is it somehow OK to be racist towards one's own race when deciding a foreign film will have to be remade to get favorable turnout from US Black viewers, but not to allow the opposite?

 

I recall there was some controversy about "Couples' Retreat" marketing, where a black actor was edited out of European publicity posters.

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Unfortunately for films like this, movies dealing with American race issues don't have much of an international reach, and these days international box office is as important (if not more) than US box office to studios.

But see that's my point. Back in the day when moguls ran the studios instead of bankers, IF a project had social merit and artistic depth, though they knew they were going to make less, they made it anyway for the prestige it brought to their studio. I remember that documentary Tim Robbins did on Sam Fuller and Sam talking about how when he pitched The Crimson Kimono, The studio head at the time shook his head, looked at a map of all the territories, adding up all the territories it wouldn't be allowed to play in due to bigotry and then told him to make the picture. Granted, it was a Samuel Fuller picture which meant high concept but low budget and Red Tails is big budget and high concept, still, Some films should be made even if in the end, they only break even. FORTUNATELY, it did get distribution and so far looks incredible. Lets hope it does extremely well and inspires us all. B)

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On one hand, this is obviously a worthwhile and relevant film.

 

On the other hand, could the trailer possibly be any more mawkish and overdone? I mean, it had me surging to my feet with a cry of God Bless Americaaaaaaa!

Can we please have "The Battle of Britain" remade now. Pretty please. Especially in view of this.

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I remember seeing the trailer for this some time early last year, and it looked good. Now they've gone and ahead and re-cut it and added music that's way over the top - I mean, come on, this is a period piece right? What's with the soundtrack?

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I haven't watched that interview yet, but I'm surprised Lucas of all people would have trouble distributing a film. He could do it himself if he wanted to.

 

Precisely what he is doing based on his interview with John Stewart.

 

Unfortunately for films like this, movies dealing with American race issues don't have much of an international reach, and these days international box office is as important (if not more) than US box office to studios.

 

Yes, as Lucas pointed out Hollywood needs to make 60% of their revenues in foreign markets. And "Ra Ra America" only really sells in Canada.

 

R,

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Can we please have "The Battle of Britain" remade now. Pretty please. Especially in view of this.

 

I'm trying Phil! This has been a dream project of mine for years. I have the makings of a script and a director attached already, me. My backers are chocking a bit on the 175 million dollar price tag though.

 

Good news is that I can shoot a lot of it Canada, since all the RAF pilots trained here.

 

The great thing about a Battle Of Britain movie is that it offers a cheering section for every country including.......the USA!

 

Actually in my version of the script, the seven American pilots shoot down the entire German air force entirely on their own. How do they do it? Who knows, they're Americans!!!

 

R,

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I'm trying Phil! This has been a dream project of mine for years. I have the makings of a script and a director attached already, me. My backers are chocking a bit on the 175 million dollar price tag though.

 

You're gonna need a MEGA hit under your belt for that price or a script from Hell that several superstars want to make. Actually the latter is doable. It's a Hell of a story, out numbered 3 to one, flying sorties 5 and 6 times a day for months on end. making the horrendous, heartbreaking but essential decision to sacrifice the cities to save the airfields and manufacturing so Britain can carry on the war effort while standing alone against the entire axis forces with limited resources and man power then in the end, fighting the Nazi regime to a stand still and with that, bring about the very beginnings of it's defeat. If one can't create a compelling, action packed epic out of that, one should toss one's laptop into the ocean.

 

Good news is that I can shoot a lot of it Canada, since all the RAF pilots trained here.

 

Well, except the English channel looks nothing like Canada ALTHOUGH, if you're just talking about the training it will work. I doubt, however, that you're going to spend a whole lot of time on that aspect of the fight when there are so many other more dynamic areas to explore for an action film.

 

The great thing about a Battle Of Britain movie is that it offers a cheering section for every country including.......the USA!

 

Lend-Lease was a significant factor in helping Briton to stand against Hitler's war machine so I suppose we do deserve a marginal "attaboy", but honestly, it was the stalwart, stiff upper lipped Brits during this period that are an inspiration to all freedom loving peoples everywhere.

 

Actually in my version of the script, the seven American pilots shoot down the entire German air force entirely on their own. How do they do it? Who knows, they're Americans!!!

 

R,

We are good ain't we!? Man, I hope not. If you have to cast American stars for financial reasons, find some that can pull off an English accent and mix 'em in with some great Brits, Aussies and Canadians.(I'm thinkin' The Great Escape although Steve McQueen did snag the best part in that one)

 

If I was gonna tell a story where we Americans save the world yet again in this genera, other THAN the story 332nd F.G., it would be the story of the American Volunteer Group-The Flying Tigers who stood against the entire Japaneses air force in China. I like that story myself because those guys where incredible flyers and absolute wild men free from traditional military encumberments. They all had that cocky can do attitude which is my favorite quality in any American hero I write. B)

Edited by James Steven Beverly
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stalwart, stiff upper lipped Brits

 

Makes you wonder what on earth has gone wrong since, really.

 

But here's the thing about casting the UK as the small, helpless target of Nazi aggression.

:

Lieutenant George: The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire- building.

Captain Blackadder: George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganyika. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.

Lieutenant George: Oh, no, sir, absolutely not

[aside, to Baldrick]

Lieutenant George: Mad as a bicycle!

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Did I read somewhere correctly that this film was all Canon DSLR?

 

Not "all" Canon DSLRs but they did use them on some shots (pick-ups mostly). Not sure about the percentage though. They had Philip Bloom fly over to the Skywalker Ranch and later to the set to do some test shots that apparently ended up in the cut.

 

Here's a behind-the-scenes video that shows it all :

Edited by Nicolas Courdouan
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I can't tell what the "main" camera system is? I know it's not film, but it's so covered in bloody cables you can't even see it. Anyone know?

 

R,

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Just saw the "FXM Presents" on Red Tails. It was pretty interesting. That talked about the real guys giving the actors tips which included the amount of swagger the actors lacked, which sounded just great. These guys were fighter pilots right down to their boots. if you get a chance, you should take a look. These guys are in their 90s and just as sharp as their ever were. Incredible!! B)

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These guys are in their 90s and just as sharp as their ever were. Incredible!! B)

 

The US military just called seven of them up for active duty. They ship out to Afghanistan next week.

 

Apparently the "stop loss" program goes back a long long way.

 

R,

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He said he had a Hell of a time getting distribution. No major studio would release it because it was a film with a mostly black cast with no white stars involved so foreign sales would suffer.....WHAT THE FUC#!!!

 

Exactly, according IMDB he has 2 of the 10 highest grossing films of all time and several more in the top 30 and he can't get a film released!???!?!?

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Had a couple hours to kill yesterday, I'm a San Francisco local and a bunch of buds of mine worked on the reshoots on it...so I figured, what the hell and had a look at it.

 

My opinion, it wasn't as good as "Pearl Harbor" and it wasn't as bad either. Somewhere in between all the melodrama, poor dialogue, over-staged scenes and situations and the mixing of F35 and 5D footage, there actually was a great and inspiring story.

 

Despite the poor script, I felt the performances were as strong as could be. Except for Terrance Howard, who doesn't seem to be able to deliver a line without it sounding like he's giving a speech. Battle sequences were pretty good, but just as quality as my "Blazing Angels" video game on my PS3, so I wasn't astounded by any of them.

 

That being said, I actually would like to see a prequel and sequel done. But George just needs to attach some real artists and story tellers to create them. He really was trying to save a buck on principal photography, and it cost the project dearly, IMO.

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Sony F35. This was shot almost 3 years ago, so it might have been one of the first movies to use it.

 

Is that supposed to be a good thing? I mean, it honestly looks as bad as an F900 movie from 1999. . .

 

 

I'm not a snob, but it makes whatever camera system used look bad. I'd run screaming if this were used to try to sell me this system to shoot some dramatic short.

 

 

 

@Phil: Why do you want to remake "Battle of Britain?" You want it to look like this?

 

If you're talking about the movie I'm thinking of, it is still one of the better aerial WWII films out there. I think they ripped off stock movie from this film in several others. Anyway, I'll take matte lines and good color over the entire movie looking cartoonish, even the live action. That movie has me cheering "Go RAF!"

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You don't have to pay too close attention to the German train station and prison exterior scenes to see that pretty much everything you're looking is green screen work against computer generated backgrounds. You can even tell that they did some post staging of background actors in various shots throughout the film, which is something George loves to do.

 

Visually, it's super unnatural and nearly vomit inducing.

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